Friday, November 12, 2010
Pumpkin & Black Bean Soup-1st Prize Winner 2010 Squashtoberfest
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Squashtoberfest Fun!
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Ask the Dietician with Hannah Carrol- Butternut Squash Soup
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and cubed
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 32oz chicken stock
- 1 medium carrot, chopped
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, cubed
- salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Tuesday Dinner Demonstration
Fresh tomato & basil sauce w/ goat cheese
Ingredients:
2 Large tomatoes (Large dice)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
½ red onion (minced)
3 T oil
4 oz goat cheese (crumbled)
½ c. Basil (chiffonade)
Choose your pasta:
2 dozen fresh Raviolis or other pasta such as Penne
1 c. water (or stock or white wine, etc.)
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Fill a medium pot ¾ full with water. Season liberally with salt. Boil. Meanwhile, prepare the rest of your ingredients for action. When the water meets a boil, warm a large pan over medium high to high heat with the oil. When the oil starts to wave, add your tomatoes. Cook without stirring for 3-4 minutes or until they start to caramelize. Turn the stove down to medium. Stir well then cook for another 3-4 minutes. You’ll notice the tomatoes are now breaking down nicely. Add your garlic and onions and cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir. Deglaze the pan with water and cook down for 2 minutes.
Your water should be boiling by now. If you haven’t already, throw in your ravioli. When it floats give it one more minute then strain. Put in a bowl or plate. With your fingers, crumble the goat cheese and add it to your sauce. Throw in your basil and stir until everything is incorporated, but not too long as you don’t want to completely melt the cheese. Cover the pasta with the sauce, garnish if you must. Eat!
Serves 4
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Featured Vendor: Grandview Farm
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Blueberry GoatCheese Cheesecake
Ingredients:
CRUST:
1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup butter melted
1T sugar
FILLING:
2 1/2 cups fresh wild blueberries (or frozen, thawed)
1T cornstarch
2 8oz blocks cream cheese
1 8oz container plain chevre goat cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup sugar
2T cornstarch
1/4 t salt
5 large free-range eggs
TOPPING:
1 1/2 cups sour cream
2 T sugar
1/2 t vanilla extract
SAUCE:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 cup fresh wild blueberries
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 325
2. To prepare crust, combine first 3 ingredients in a medium bowl. Drizzle with butter, toss with a fork until moist, firmly press mixture into bottom of a 9-inch springform pan and bake for 10 minutes-cool
3. To prepare filling, combine 2 1/2 cups blueberries and 1T cornstarch in a food processor, and process until smooth. Place puree in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook 6 minutes, or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Cool slightly. Reserve 1/2 cup blueberry puree for sauce; set remaining 1 cup puree aside.
4. Place cheeses in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed for 3 minutes or until smooth. Add sourcream and blend. Combine 1 cup sugar, 2 T cornstarch, and salt. Add sugar mixture to cheese mixture; beat well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Pour batter over prepared crust. Pour 1 cup blueberry puree over batter; gently swirl with a knife. Bake at 325 for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until cheesecake center barely moves when pan is touched. Remove cheesecake from oven; place cheesecake on wire rack. (do not turn oven off)
5. To prepare topping, combine sour cream, 2 T sugar, and vanilla in a small bowl, stirring well. Spread sour cream mixture evenly over cheesecake. Bake at 325 for 10 mins. Remove cheesecake from oven; run a knife around the outside edge. Cool to room temperature. Cover and chill at least 8 hours. Remove sides of springform pan.
6. To prepare the sauce, combine reserved 1/2 cup blueberry puree, 1/4 cup sugar and water in a small saucepan. Cook over med heat for 8 minutes, or until sauce is thick, stirring constantly. Gently fold in 1 cup blueberries. Remove from heat, and cool. Serve sauce with cheesecake.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Vendor Profiles: Kelly Chapel Produce
Monday, July 12, 2010
Vendor Profiles: Diva Treva Soapworks
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Cantaloupe and Pancetta Cream Sauce
Ingredients:
3 T unsalted butter
2 oz sliced pancetta, diced
1/4 cup minced shallot (or small red onion)
3 cups diced ripe cantaloupe (approx 1 medium cantaloupe)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 t salt
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper
1 t minced fresh marjoram (or oregano) leaves
8 oz spaghetti, linguine or fettuccine
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiana-Reggiano cheese
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Heat 1 T of the butter in a large saute pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring frequently, until it is crisp and has rendered most of its fat, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the shallot and cook, stirring, until softened, 1-2 minutes. Add the remaining 2 T butter, and when it has melted, add the melon. Cook, stirring frequently, until the melon completely breaks down and forms a smooth, thick sauce, 8-10 minutes.
3. Add the heavy cream, salt, pepper and marjoram and cook until the cream has reduced by half and the sauce has a smooth, thick consistency that coats the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat.
4. Add the pasta to the boiling water, stir well, and cook until al dente (about 10 min). Drain well, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.
5. Add the hot pasta and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan to the warm sauce. Return the pan to medium heat, and toss until the pasta is nicely coated with sauce and heated through. Should the sauce seem too thick, add a bit of the pasta cooking water to help toss the pasta and thin the sauce.
6. Serve the pasta immediately, garnished with the remaining Parmesan cheese and with freshly ground black pepper.
Source: Farm to Fork: Cooking Local, Cooking Fresh by Emeril Lagasse
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Terrific Tuesdays in July!
Nearly 50 farmers and other vendors provide a rich array of fruits and vegetables, organic produce, healthy, hormone-free meats, poultry and eggs, gourmet cheese, delicious baked goods, jams, jellies and sauces and now, even homemade pasta! Artisan crafters, local musicians, periodic cooking demonstrations by local chefs and a cup of locally roasted coffee round out the experience. It’s all local, its all grown or made by the vendor, and it’s all at the Abingdon Farmers Market.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Featured Vendor of the Week: Blue Door Garden
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Featured Vendor: The Baker Homestead
Our Featured Vendor this week is The Baker Homestead. Blake, Kristin, Grayson & Ren run the only Grade A Goat Dairy in Washington County, VA. The Bakers have a herd of 13 and are milking 7, with hopes of expanding their herd soon. As a Micro-dairy, the small scale production allows this family to be hands on in every aspect of production. They use as many local, fresh ingredients as possible, supporting many other farmers in the process.
Flavors include: Roasted Garlic, Plain Chevre, Fanny Nanny Blackberry, Herbs de Provence, Pimento, Cajun, Roasted Red Pepper, Chocolate Goat, and more! Check out their homemade granola, egg salad sandwiches and goat's milk soaps.
You may also enjoy their cheeses at one of many favorite local restaurants: The Martha Washington Inn & Suites, The House on Main, The WhistlePig, Pop Ellis Sodashop, The Wildflour Bakery & Cafe, Chef Heather's, or enjoy our cheese with a nice glass of local wine at The Abingdon Vineyard & Winery!
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Featured Vendor: Honey Locust Farm Herb Patch
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Beets
Ingredients
- 1 bunch beets with
- greens
- 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped onion (optional)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (optional)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (175 degrees C). Wash the beets thoroughly, leaving the skins on, and remove the greens. Rinse greens, removing any large stems, and set aside. Place the beets in a small baking dish or roasting pan, and toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. If you wish to peel the beets, it is easier to do so once they have been roasted.
- Cover, and bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until a knife can slide easily through the largest beet.
- When the roasted beets are almost done, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and onion, and cook for a minute. Tear the beet greens into 2 to 3 inch pieces, and add them to the skillet. Cook and stir until greens are wilted and tender. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the greens as is, and the roasted beets sliced with either red-wine vinegar, or butter and salt and pepper.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Vendor Profile: Watson Greenhouse & Produce
Louis Watson has been an Abingdon Farmers' Market vendor for over a decade, when it was just half a dozen vendors in a parking lot! And he continues to sell on Saturdays, and Tuesdays beginning in late June at the Market Pavilion. He offers various bedding plants and hanging baskets, as well as eggs, sausage, bacon, and vegetables of all kinds. He's happy to give you cooking or planting advice, and is always greeting his customers with a big 'ol grin. Come by and visit Louis at booth # 13.
Monday, May 31, 2010
How to Freeze Strawberries
Cookie Sheet
Wax Paper
Colander
Knife
Freezer Bags
Lots of juicy, local, in-season strawberries :)
Step-by-Step Directions:
Wash and Hull the strawberries, leaving them intact
Line a cookie sheet with wax paper
Lay strawberries top down, so they aren't touching on the cookie sheet
Place in the freezer until they are frozen
Remove from the freezer, put the frozen strawberries into plastic freezer bags
Date bags, and place them back into the freezer, for up to 3 months
Frozen strawberries are great for smoothies! No need for ice! Just pop in some frozen strawberries, juice, bananas, and yogurt into the blender for a classic smoothie that everyone's sure to love.
Vendor Profile: Storybook Farm
The Cotrill Family are residents of Abingdon, who have been vendors at the Farmers' Market for 3 seasons. They have fond memories of old-time bakeries in their home-state of Michigan, and have brought those same staples to the Abingdon Farmers' Market. You can find them every Saturday on the lawn with a variety of baked goods. And you won't be disappointed!! Their offerings include: baguettes (plain, roasted garlic, blue cheese & more), pita bread, tortillas, english muffins, shortbreads, cakes, spinach feta boule, sundried tomato basil & asiago boule, cheese danishes and more. In the colder months, you are in for a real treat: Hot, fresh donuts! Grace Cotrill also offers her handmade jewelry for sale.
Food Drive at the Market during June
Monday, May 17, 2010
Abingdon Library Presents Storytime on the Lawn this Tuesday
Friday, May 14, 2010
Strawberry & Spinach Salad
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Delicious Greens
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Spring Quiche Trio
Don't those leeks look yummy! Have no idea what to do with 'em? Here's a recipe to jumpstart your creativity! It comes from the book: Simply in Season. This cookbook is a fantastic resource for those of us trying to cook in season for the first time. Check it out!
- 3 pastured eggs
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 9-inch pie crust
Filling:
- 1cup leeks (thinly sliced)
- 1cup broccoli (chopped)
- 2cups spinach (chopped)
- 1 cup Swiss cheese (shredded)
- 1/2 cup bacon (fried & crumbled)
Saute leeks and broccoli together ina greased frypan 5-10 minutes. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Place bacon and cheese in bottom of crust, then top with vegetable mixture.
Pour filling into crust topped by egg-milk mixture and ending with a sprinkle of reserved cheese. Bake in preheated oven at 425F for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350F and bake until browned on top and set in the middle, another 25-30 minutes. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before cutting and serving. Be creative! Any spring veggies will go great in this quiche!