Zucchini, Summer Squash, and Bulgur Salad with Fresh Parsley and Dill

1 1/4 cup water
1 cup bulgur (try the Emmer from Bluebird)
2 small or 1 medium zucchini, finely diced
2 small or 1 medium yellow summer squash, finely diced
1 bell pepper, stem and seeds removed, finely diced*
1/2 red onion, minced or 2 small sweet onions, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Freshly squeezed juice of 1 lime 
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Bring the water to a boil in a small pot, then add the bulgur.  Leave uncovered; cook the bulgur for 1 minute.  Remove the pot from the heat, cover, and set aside until the bulgur absorbed the rest of the water, about 15 minutes.

2. Fluff the cooked bulgur with a fork until the grains are well separated; transfer to a large bowl.  Add the zucchini, yellow squash, bell pepper, and onion.  Toss until well combined.

3. Whisk the dill, parsley, olive oil and lime juice in a small bowl.  Pour the dressing over the bulgur and toss until thoroughly combined.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese just before serving.  Serve at room temperature.  

Recipe from Farmer John’s Cookbook; The real dirt on vegetables.  

*I realize we are a little early to be talking about peppers in this recipe but everything else in the above recipe is ready for a perfect summer dish.  Give the peppers a few more weeks and then we will be in over our heads!  Though tomatoes and cucumbers are on the horizon!!

Peppers Stuffed with Herbed Chevre

It may be past the middle of October, but we still have bell peppers--time to use those up!  We've also still got chevre in the market.  Treat yourself to this fun and simple ecipe.

Peppers Stuffed with Herbed Chevre

6 mini bell peppers
1 8 oz container of chevre (soft goat cheese)
*2 finely chopped tablespoons of any of these herbs (rosemary, thyme,
oregano, marjoram, sage, or any other herbs you've got laying around)
Salt and pepper

*Pick up some herbed chevre in the market and skip this step!

Mix the herbs and salt and pepper with the chevre. Slice lengthwise one side of the pepper -- enough to remove the seeds and inside of the pepper. Stuff it with herbed cheese mixture, then drizzle with balsamic vinegar.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

You can use as much or little of the cheese mixture you would like. Also,
you can prepare the cheese mixture the day before.

Adapted from Garden of Eden CSA website.



Stuffed Sweet Dumpling Squash

Sweet Dumplings are the perfect squash for stuffing.  They taste almost identical to their sister squash--the long oblong delicata.  Both are very sweet and cook up quickly.

Here's a great recipe to turn your cute little squash into a hearty main dish.

Stuffed Sweet Dumpling Squash

adapted from inpsiredbites.blogspot.com

3 sweet dumpling (or delicata) squash
salt and pepper
1/2 lb ground beef
1/4 cup toasted pecans
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup red pepper, diced
1/3 cup green pepper, diced
1 small stalk of celery, diced
1/3 cup sweet, white onion, diced2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1/4 cup currants
1 cup chopped baby spinach
1/2 cup brown rice
1 1/4 cup water

Add the rice and water to a small pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 40-45 minutes. When it’s done, all the water will be absorbed and the rice fluff with a fork.

While the rice cooks, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Halve the squash lengthwise.  Spoon out the seeds in each squash half. Season the cavity with salt and pepper. Place cut-side down on a baking sheet and cook for 30-40 minutes. When it is done, you will be able to press on the skin, and it will give because the inner flesh will be softened.

While it cooks, heat up the oil in a large pan and saute the vegetables along with the salt and pepper. About half way through the cooking time, add the currants, garlic, and spinach. When the vegetable mixture is cooked till it is soft and slightly browned, transfer the mixture to a medium mixing bowl. Add the rice and the toasted pecans.

Brown the meat in the pan you used to cook the vegetables. Add the browned meat to the vegetable mixture.

Place the mixture into the squash halves. Over-stuffing is just fine!

Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Enjoy!

Renae Writes: Simple Black Bean & Poached Egg Soup

With the threat of cool nights, I can officially say (for myself at least) it is crock pot season.  This cool weather has provoked three crock pot meals in the last week.  I can remember the transition of the season, the shorter days, the tree’s turning colors, was always the trigger for my mom to start Sunday soups.  She would throw a soup together mid morning let it stew all afternoon and right around sun downwe would sit around the ‘novel’ woodstove and enjoy the day’s creation.  Although 3 out of five times it was a variation of lentil soup my favorite was always any kind of black bean soup.  

This black bean soup recipe is one that I put together after traveling around Costa Rica.  It is a combination of a soup that I had with a family I stayed with and soup that I had at a small ‘Soda’ in San Isidro.  Very simple, but the key ingredients far as I am concerned is the perfectly poached egg added at the end.  Oh, and the cilantro!

Simple Black Bean & Poached Egg Soup

2 cups dried black beans
5 cups water/chicken stock
5 roma tomatoes, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ sweet onion, chopped
1 pepper, diced
¼ poblano pepper, diced
1½ Tbsp chili powder
salt & pepper to taste
handful of cilantro, chopped
eggs
sour cream (optional)

Put the black beans and water or stock in crock pot on high for 4 hours (add more water if necessary).  Put half the beans into a blender and return to crock pot.  Add everything to the crock pot except the cilantro and egg.  Let the mixture simmer for 1.5-2 hours. 

Scoop out portion needed for your meal (this recipe is enough for 6 portions) and place in a saucepan.  Set stove top to Med/High, once there is a rolling boil crack desired amount of eggs in soup.  Carefully continue to mix so soup does not burn to the bottom of the pan but allowing the egg to cook thoroughly.  I like to add as many eggs as portions so everyone gets a poached egg in their bowl!  Top with cilantro and sour cream.