፨ Week 20 ፨

Dear Fall,
Thank you for the brisk wind and the changing leaves.  Your unpredictable yet mild weather reminds me not to take afternoon walks for granted, but rather to take them as often as possible.  The grayness in your skies brings out the greens and the browns in the fading plant life here on the farm.  I can’t help but take joy in the dying back of it all, anticipating winter and harvesting all but the hardiest of my fall crops.  Fall, you are my favorite season, the one I remember throughout spring and summer, pausing every now and again because I smell you on the wind.  Thank you for apples and cider, fire and warmth, sunshine and wind and rain, and the sound of fallen leaves beneath my feet.
Respectfully yours,
Megan

Featured Recipes:

Hearty Broccoli Soup
2 Cups Potatoes, diced
1 Cup Onion, chopped
1 Cup Carrots, thinly sliced
½ Cup Celery (or Celeriac), minced
1 Cup Water
2 Cups Broccoli, chopped
3 Cups Milk
2 Chicken or Vegetable Bouillon Cubes
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 Cup Milk
1/3 Cup Flour
1 Cup Swiss or Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded

Add potatoes, onion, carrots, celery, and water to a soup pot and cook for 5 minutes over medium-high heat. Add broccoli and cook an additional 5-10 minutes. Add milk, bouillon cubes, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Heat to boiling. Blend milk and flour until smooth in a small bowl. Stir into the soup and cook just until thickened. Turn off heat. Add cheese and stir until melted. Serve immediately. Makes 8 Cups.

Source, Simply in Season Cookbook

Bok Choy with Ginger Butter
Blanched bok choy is tossed in ginger-flavored butter and sparked with cilantro.

• 2 medium bunches bok choy
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 garlic clove, pressed
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Trim the stem end of each bunch of bok choy, and slice across into 1-inch strips. Drop into a large pot of boiling, salted water and cook, uncovered, for 2 to 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Transfer to a colander set under cold running water. Drain thoroughly.
2. Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the ginger, soy sauce, garlic, and cilantro. Stir briefly over medium heat. Add the bok choy and toss to coat. Continue stirring until heated through. Season with salt and pepper and serve while hot.

Butternut Bisque
(The soup can be made with Butternut or ANY of your favorite winter squash varieties)
2 Tbsp Butter
1 Medium Onion, chopped
1 Cup Carrots, diced
3 Cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth
2 Cups Winter Squash, seeded, cooked (and peeled if thick-skinned)
½ Cup Plain Yogurt
1 Cup Evaporated Milk or additional Plain Yogurt
2 Tbsp Maple Syrup

Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add onion and carrots and sauté over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Add broth, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Place this broth mixture, cooked squash, yogurt (and milk, is using), and maple syrup into a blender or food processor in small batches; puree until smooth. (Skip this step if a chunky soup is preferred). Return to saucepan and cook over medium heat until hot. Season to taste with salt, pepper, garlic, and onion powder. Garnish with sour cream or plain yogurt.
Serves 4-6
Note: You can clean and dry the squash seeds then toast them (in skillet or oven) with a little oil and salt; then sprinkle them on top of the soup before serving!
Source, Simply in Season Cookbook