patty pan squash

Okay, we have all seen this before... stuffed summer squash but this is my,
"what's on hand" version. My kitchen has a wonderful scent wafting around in the breeze (it's hot and I have the fan on high).

I was excited to start these babies, heirloom benning's green tint squash. This is only my third year growing and I don't like the ordinary. These grow so quickly they are getting away from me. Dan picked these two this weekend and I plan on heading out to check for more when I'm done typing and the sun takes a break. So this dish is born of what I grew in the garden. It's pure love stuffed in a squash and baked!

• 2 squash, scooped out (dice up the scooped out part)
• Kernels from 2 ears of corn
• 1 sweet potato, chopped (neighbor's)
• 1 large red onion, chopped (okay, maybe not all from my garden...this is from Martin's...but I am growing onions)
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup garlic bulbs, chopped
• 1 cup of cooked, organic sweet brown rice (try quinoa, spelt or kamut)
  
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 2 jars (approx. 3 1/2 cups tomato sauce...mine is roasted tomato sauce from last year)
• oregano, salt and pepper, to taste
  

saute ground turkey with a tablespoon of olive oil, onions, seasoning, and garlic. Just as the meat is browning turn the heat to med-low and add the sweet potato, corn, rice and tomato sauce. simmer for about 15 minutes.

okay... my oven is preheating now so wing the rest! I have the oven at 400 degrees and will cook, covered for 45 minutes but will check at 30 minutes. the squash should not be so overcook that it falls apart.

I have about 3 cups of leftovers. If you do, don't panic. Freeze it for later.

can't eat too much kale recipe

This is my favorite recipe, of all time, even if I said something else was my fav. I can’t get enough spinach, kale or chard . . . maybe I have a vitamin deficiency. It could be that this is such a nostalgic recipe for me. I made it frequently when I was misplaced, lost and living in Wisconsin for far too long.

My mom was visiting this past weekend, made a beeline to the garden and picked some of the last of my swiss chard to whipped up this dish. You can use kale or fresh or frozen spinach in this recipe. I made a 3 onion risotto using some of my leeks to serve on the side. The creamy risotto and rich chard was a perfect and healthy comfort food. It is perfect in it's simplicity.

• 1 lb fresh swiss chard, spinach or kale – if frozen use one cube of spinach
• 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 medium onion
• 5 cloves garlic
• Red pepper flakes

In a large pan sauté the onions for about 4 minutes, add the garlic and diced tomatoes. Add the greens and cover and simmer on low until tender.

Occasionally, I will add a 14 oz can of tomato sauce or a can of V8 and some cooked rice, kamut, splet or quinoa.

stuff it!

bite your tongue! ... as do I and do it too often it becomes redundant. I'm talking about peppers, stuffed peppers. I like to make mine with a twist as I do with stuffed cabbage. So, we roasted and soon we shall stuff!

A darling gal at work was eager to make some stuffed peppers this week using some brought in by a patient for the staff. I picked the last of mine yesterday for fear of what frost might do to them.

I went to visit a friend yesterday and the conversation came around to stuffed peppers. It is just killing me ... this craving for stuffed peppers and not to mention lentil soup. Dan's craft show schedule and my daily demands has left no time to good food these past two weeks. I have yet to unpack from last weekend's show and must be packed tonight to leave early tomorrow for the next. When I get back next week I will share my recipe for stuffed peppers and will be making lentil soup for my lunch deliveries!

in the mean time... DID YOU KNOW??

• One small red, yellow or orange pepper provides 3 times the RDA of vitamin C (more than citrus). Vitamin C is an anti-oxidant cancer fighter. Red peppers are one of the few foods that contain lycopene and are packed with beta-carotene!
• All bell peppers have a healthy dose of fiber, which among other things helps lower cholesterol