Summer Squash Bread!!!

Ingredients

• 3 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 2 cups shredded summer squash

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the eggs until fluffy. Beat in the sugar, oil, and vanilla. Gradually mix in the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Fold in the squash. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
3. Bake 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

John's Stuffed Summer Squash!!!!

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
• 4 ounces Merguez sausage, casing removed
• 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
• 2 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled
• 5 small round summer squashes, halved
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon dry bread crumbs, or more as needed
• 2 teaspoons olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly coat it with 1 teaspoon olive oil.
2. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Stir in sausage and red bell pepper. Cook, stirring to break up sausage into small pieces, until sausage is browned and bell pepper is soft and sweet, 7 to 8 minutes. Drain off any fat.
3. Stir goat cheese and sausage mixture in a bowl until well combined. Set aside.
4. Hollow out a 3/4-inch deep well in the center of each squash half. Place each piece on the prepared baking sheet, cut-side up. Season with salt and black pepper; fill each with 1 to 2 tablespoons cheese and sausage mixture. Top each squash with breadcrumbs and lightly drizzle with remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil.
5. Bake in the preheated oven until filling is golden and squash is tender, about 30 minutes.

California Grilled Veggie Sandwich!!

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 1 cup sliced red bell peppers
• 1 small zucchini, sliced
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 1 small yellow squash, sliced
• 2 (4-x6-inch) focaccia bread pieces, split horizontally
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions

1. In a bowl, mix the mayonnaise, minced garlic, and lemon juice. Set aside in the refrigerator.
2. Preheat the grill for high heat.
3. Brush vegetables with olive oil on each side. Brush grate with oil. Place bell peppers and zucchini closest to the middle of the grill, and set onion and squash pieces around them. Cook for about 3 minutes, turn, and cook for another 3 minutes. The peppers may take a bit longer. Remove from grill, and set aside.
4. Spread some of the mayonnaise mixture on the cut sides of the bread, and sprinkle each one with feta cheese. Place on the grill cheese side up, and cover with lid for 2 to 3 minutes. This will warm the bread, and slightly melt the cheese. Watch carefully so the bottoms don't burn. Remove from grill, and layer with the vegetables. Enjoy as open faced grilled sandwiches.

Zucchini Pie!

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup all-purpose baking mix
• 1 1/2 cups sliced zucchini
• 1 1/2 cups sliced yellow squash
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 large ripe tomato, sliced
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9 inch deep dish pie plate.
2. Whisk together eggs and oil in a bowl with salt and pepper. Stir in baking powder and baking mix until moistened. Gently fold in zucchini, summer squash, and onion. Pour into prepared pie plate, and arrange sliced tomato over top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese to taste.
3. Bake in preheated oven until puffed and golden brown, about 35 minutes.

Farm Update!!! C.S.A. Member's!!!!!

Hello Again,

I am writing to report some rather good news. The rain we received over the weekend has really given the pumpkins the boost they needed. The sprinkler the farm purchased was just enough to limp them through until we got the needed rain. So I can say with confidence we will have pumpkins and winter squash. **Unless some other freak environmental things occurs** Also, finally the pan squash have come on really strong. Everyone will be receiving these in their boxes this week; They look beautiful and are great to eat. You can eat them the same way you would cook a summer squash. Summer squash and the pan squash will be in extreme abundance this week so please get extra's if you need them. Also in abundance are tomato's so if you need some for canning get extra when you are at the farm. They are all over the tables and in the store. They are everywhere we are picking them constantly. The heirloom white eggplant is ready and this will also be in the boxes this week. They are a little later then I would like, but at-least they have arrived. If you have not had a chance to meet me I work almost everyday and will be @ the farm this sunday to talk to any members that would like a tour of the farm or just to walk the field. Have a pic-nic, :) Bring a sac and pick some veggie's. I would be more then willing to give any C.S.A. member a hay-ride on Sunday! We will have lots of extra veggies the next few weeks so if you needs are not being met, make sure you get extra's off the rack. Don't forget we are  open Thursday-Sunday. You can come in any day and use your C.S.A. card. Each veggie represents one pound of extra produce.

Thanks For Reading,

Chris Bass

Bracelets? Locally Made!

A friend of mine makes handmade bracelets. If you like this kind of stuff you should check out her site. She does a great job, and they are really affordable!

This is her webpage

http://www.etsy.com/shop/bohoNikNaks/

I wear one just like this but in green as an ankle bracelet.

Later,

Chris 

C.S.A. Week 9!!! Items & Update!!!

Hello Again,

Week nine has arrived and looks like another good week. Their are many items in the boxes. Progress on the farm recently has been going at lightning speeds. We are getting a lot of work done and the boxes have been reasonably full for a possible seven decade drought! It is so dry out their. Well as many of you know we don't irrigate our pumpkins. In a last ditch effort the farm purchased a commercial sprinkler system last week to irrigate them. They are doing ok. I know we will have enough for us, but probably not a whole lot to sell @ the farm. This drought has really done a number on our pumpkin patch. I will keep you all updated. I walked it today and there were not many fruit that were setting. The flower's have fallen in this heat and drought. I hope they turn around, but if they don't that is farming. The front of the field has been producing quite well for us thus far, using the irrigation system. Some plants have been early and some have been late. (some never arrived) Since we are over the hump of 1/2 way through the season, I would say that the C.S.A. portion of the farm has functioned quite well. We are not seeing the yields that we expected, but that is also why we over plant on a lot of the items. The heat has cut yields of some in half while boosting other's such as pepper's and crops that really like dry and hot weather. The tomato's are really turning now. I hope you all are enjoying the IOWA field grown tomatoes. Don't confuse my tomato with your flawless, flavorless, hoop-house grown tomato that you see in the store. Iowa dirt grow's the best tasting tomato's!! :)

Week 9 Items:


Melon
Sweet Corn
Summer Squash
Small Heirloom Orange Tomato
Red Tomato
Onions
Cucumber
Green Tomato
Herbs (If you pick up @ the farm)
Almost Forgot Pepper's

The store has more beef in the walk-in. We almost ran out last week. I also have more eggs in. They are in the type of container that the grocery store sells them in. I would recommend stocking up on beef, whether it be from the farm or the grocery store. If you look in the field and see brown you can directly correlate that to beef prices. They will go up across the board as well as other items that we buy that eat corn. (Eggs, Chicken, Etc......) I hope you all enjoy this week's box.


Thanks For Reading

Chris Bass