zucchini bread

Sometimes it's a late summer afternoon and you're one month away from your wedding and even though all the pesky details and questions about those details are finally starting to come to an end, you now have an onslaught of wedding presents showing up at your door every day that you really shouldn't have registered for in the first place because where the heck are you supposed to put them in your teeny tiny new york apartment? You're tired and hot and overwhelmed and kind of just want it all to be over but instead of having yet another meltdown you see a bowl of vegetables in your kitchen from a recent CSA haul gifted to you by a friend who was going out of town and didn't see the point in picking up a bag of food she'd never be able to use. And even though you should've been at the gym ten minutes ago (because, you know, the wedding), you start to bake. Eggs, flour, sugar, a little cinnamon and a whole lot of zucchini. You shouldn't be wasting time and calories on this bread, but you're pretty sure it's going to taste good and you're really sure you need this right now. Something to focus on. Something for your hands to do. It's quiet in your kitchen, save for the crack of an egg and the scrape of the zucchini across the grater (and the construction across the street and the crying baby next door and the helicopter flying overhead, but you choose to ignore those sounds as they do not positively contribute to your afternoon). And soon you find a familiar rhythm you didn't know you missed. Measure, pour, stir. Measure, pour, stir. You don't know why (and you're certainly not going to take the time to analyze why), but you have calmed down. A bit. There is still a stack of thank you's begging to be written and a pile of towels that need to be washed and a whole wedding you need to finish planning, but right now you've got a fresh loaf of bread begging for your attention. A bit of butter, a reheated cup of coffee, and a very deep breath for reassurance: you've got this.

for the curious and hungry: my go-to zucchini bread recipe

one final thought about the CSA

It was the penultimate week for our CSA, and frankly, the offerings were paltry. Some combination of weather/rainfall/lack of rainfall/point in the growing season caused that week's haul to be noticeably less than usual - and after splitting amongst my two co-share-partners, my take was little more than a half a head of cabbage, three potatoes, some rutabagas, two carrots, and two handfuls of what I think was something in the kale family. You'd think by this point I'd be able to identify a vegetable from 30 feet away, but despite over six months of googling strange vegetables, my foraging skills sadly remain at a whopping level of zero.

I was also a little bit over the whole vegetable thing. I was tired of trying to figure out new and interesting ways to incorporate these vegetables into my meals, and I was also slightly frustrated with the fact that splitting a whole share into equal thirds meant that we never got a full serving of any one vegetable. More often than not, I'd receive two carrots in the CSA and then have to go buy three more at the grocery because the recipe I'd found called for a whole bunch. And really, there are only so many things you can do with a half of head of cabbage, and I was not interested in revisiting any of them.

But it was lunchtime, and I was hungry. Feeling my usual level of mid-day lazy, I decided to just reheat some of last night's dinner. I'd baked salmon and sautéd broccoli and made a surprisingly delicious cranberry sauce to top the whole thing off, and I was really looking forward to reliving the experience through the magic of the microwave. But then I saw the pile of vegetables sitting on the counter, just begging to be used. Or at the very least, considered. Was it so much to ask to incorporate just one of the fresh veggies?

Le sigh. Without really putting too much thought into it, I diced some garlic and grabbed a pan, heated some olive oil, and threw in the garlic, kale-like greens, and two cranks of the salt grinder. 90 seconds later, I scooped the greens onto my plate next to the salmon and the cranberries.

They were fantastic. Sweet and garlicky and packed with nutrients and not at all slimy. I could feel myself getting healthier with every bite. And then I realized - this was the point of the CSA - to give me the freedom and opportunity to experiment with a million different new (to me) vegetables so that eventually, some of those recipes would go right into my wheelhouse and become second nature. A year ago, I never would have known to sauté unidentifiable greens to the point of deliciousness. But after being confronted with bags and bags of leafy greens each week, I learned a very simple way to make them edible. Was every CSA-driven meal I made this year a winner? Not at all. Did I grow to love swiss chard? Absolutely not. But do I now cast a wider scope when I'm at the grocery store and consider (and purchase) so many more different vegetables than I used to? One hundred percent yes.

The following week's yield was massive - and conveniently, just in time for the Friendsgiving potluck I was attending. I'd had a hunch that there would be at least a few potatoes or parsnips in the mix and offered to make a "root vegetable gratin" for the dinner. My clairvoyance paid off. Not only did we get every root vegetable found in North America, I was the only recipient of that final CSA. Kristen was out of town for the holidays already, and Claire told me to fold her share into whatever I was making for Friendsgiving. As I got to work comfortably peeling and slicing eleven pounds of vegetables that I had had literally never seen in person prior to the start of this year's growing season, I decided that I probably wouldn't be joining a CSA next year. But when I later added the largest casserole in the history of holiday parties to the overflowing dinner table, I sure was glad I joined one this year.

CSA Cooking - Roasted Tomato & Zucchini Flatbread Pizza

This past week's CSA presented me with tomatoes, tomatoes, and more tomatoes. Oh, and a few zucchini as well, but at this point I'll be surprised when I don't receive some sort of squash in the box. Not that I'm complaining though! I love zucchini! There's just been, well, a lot of it. But since it's been nearly an entire month since the last time I put vegetables and cheese on top of some sort of carb, I figured it's high time I do it again ;)

To make this flatbread, I roasted the vegetables in two parts - first the zucchini for a short amount of time at a high heat, then the tomatoes for a long time at low heat. I suppose that if you're in a pinch you could do both at the same time, but I like my zucchini to have a bit of a crisp to them - and there's nothing quite like a slow-roasted tomato. I also picked up a pre-made flatbread crust from the grocery store that was big enough to feed both J and I for dinner, which for me was a nice change from my usual personal-sized lunchtime pita pizzas. Finally, I substituted mozzarella cheese for ricotta and a sprinkle of parmesan. This kept the overall dish a bit lighter (it's still so hot out!) and allowed the flavors of the vegetables to really be the star of the pizza. 

For the squash:

Slice one medium-sized zucchini and one medium-sized yellow squash into thin slices and place evenly-spaced on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes, flipping the squash halfway through the roasting process.

For the tomatoes:

If you're buying tomatoes specifically to roast, I suggest smaller-sized tomatoes - grape or small on-the-vine work best. However, if you're like me and are just trying to use up whatever's in your fridge, then by all means roast 'em if you've got 'em. Thinly slice the tomatoes (which may be a pain or impossible if you're using grape tomatoes, in which case just halve them) and lay them evenly spaced on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with a healthy amount of salt. Bake at 200 degrees for 60 minutes, flipping the tomatoes halfway through the roasting process.

For the pizza:

Brush your pizza crust with olive oil, or if you're lazy like me, use a non-stick cooking spray (like Pam) and blot the areas you accidentally overdid with a paper towel. Spread a thin layer of ricotta cheese over the entire crust, and then add the roasted tomatoes and squash. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake at 450 degrees for 8-10 minutes (and/or according to the crust's directions). Keep an eye on the pizza in the oven though - since your vegetables are already roasted, all you need to do at this point is brown the crust and melt the cheese. Cut into squares and enjoy!

Summer Stir Fry

I know I sound like a broken record, but a.) I love the influx of fresh veggies I've been getting from my CSA but b.) what the heck am I supposed to do with all these damn veggies?? So if you also a.) can't resist the siren call of fresh and colorful veggies but b.) don't know what the heck to do with all those damn veggies you just received, please allow me to remind you of the quick and tasty summer stir fry.

The beauty of this dish is that it works with nearly any combination of root vegetables you have on hand. I got the fennel and onions in my CSA, but due to the "July lull" of a few weeks ago, I had to pick up a few other veggies at the grocery. I will admit, though, that before this summer I never once willingly purchased, let alone eaten, a radish. But I put it on my radar (and my New Year's Res list!) to expand my palette and learn to love new food. And while sautéing a bunch of vegetables in oil and adding them to rice isn't the most innovative technique in the world, it's a great way to slowly introduce new foods into your diet while eating them right next to the familiar and comforting tastes you do know and love (here's to you, zucchini).

Ingredients
2 cloves of garlic, finely diced
1 small onion, choppped
1/2 bulb of fennel, finely chopped
1 medium zucchini, sliced into small cubes
3 carrots, sliced
5-6 small radishes, thinly sliced
5-6 mushrooms, sliced
3 tbsp olive oil
2-3 tbsp vegetable stock
2 splashes soy sauce
1 cup wild rice

How to
- In a separate pot, cook the rice according to direction.
- In a large frying pan, heat the oil. Cook the onion, garlic, and fennel until golden brown. Add the remaining vegetables and stir until tender; salt and pepper to taste. Add vegetable stock, soy sauce, and cooked rice, and simmer for 1-2 minutes or until all liquid has been absorbed. Serve immediately as a full lunchtime meal or as a dinnertime side dish.

CSA: for the love of tomatoes

The first handful of tomatoes showed up in my CSA last week - they were small, they were yellow, and they were delicious. I know I'll be singing a different song by the end of September when I'm up to my knees in tomatoes, but since I chose to plant herbs instead of vegetables in my balcony garden this year, right now I'm beside myself with excitement over these guys.

I kept it simple and used this recent Smitten Kitchen recipe as inspiration - warmed pita bread, a schmear of horseradish hummus (from TJ's),  two slices of fried provolone cheese, and lightly salted and sliced tomatoes. It's a strange combination that works - it's sweet, it's salty, it tastes of long summer days and local farm goodness. What's your favorite way to use up extra tomatoes?

An unexpected benefit of joining a CSA

Over the course of one hour and five G-chat lines a couple of months ago, my friend Kristen and I decided to "go halfsies" on a summer CSA. Then we did the math and realized that we'd save ourselves $100 if we added a third person to the mix, so we convinced our other friend Claire that her life would be sorely incomplete if she did not also receive a bag of organic vegetables once a week. And with the click of one "purchase" button and a few other "send money now" buttons, we had ourselves one full share of the Astoria CSA via Golden Earthworm Farm.

Having been the recipient of a few friends' CSA hauls while they were out of town in summers past, I knew that I was in for a treat - giant heads of lettuce, beautiful zucchini, handfuls of ripe tomatoes, and probably even some previously-unknown-to-me veggies that I couldn't wait to learn to love (I'm looking at you, kohlrabi). I immediately envisioned healthy salads, colorful sautés, infused oils, and probably a flavored drink or three. But there was something I didn't anticipate - the heightened burst of friendship that accompanies each CSA delivery.

See, Kristen, Claire, and I all have insanely complicated schedules. We are all freelancers with irregular schedules and Kristen and Claire have had frequent upstate gigs all summer. In sharp contrast, the organizers of the CSA have a very strict pick-up time - between 4:30 and 7:30 every Thursday - no exceptions. Latecomers' food will be donated. That time slot is about 10 minutes away from being in direct conflict with my show schedule, and either one or both of my share partners have managed to be otherwise occupied almost every Thursday evening since the CSA began.

But we are not ones to shy away from a silly obstacle like time. Being the Type-A overachievers that the three of us are, we not only have a shared Google calendar reminding us of the veggie pick-ups, but also stay in near-constant contact regarding a.) who will do that week's pickup and b.) when and where the other two of us will pick up our remaining thirds of the share. It is too much work and schlepping for a few cucumbers? Yes. Is it worth it? Absolutely.

In a normal, non-CSA month, I would probably see my friends once if I was lucky. We'd make a grand plan to grab a drink or a bagel, but that plan would change at the last minute because someone would cancel and we'd reschedule and then it would be another three weeks before we all got our lives together well enough to function outside of our personal bubbles. And this is without any of us having kids! Who knows how little I'll engage in meaningful adult conversations once children start showing up?

But with the presence of the CSA looming over our heads like old Ms. Harrington in 1st grade telling us that we'd better eat our veggies or else, we have to do the pickups and drop-offs each and every week - and that means we get to see each other each and every week. It's not always for a long time - sometimes Kirsten drops by for 5 minutes on a Saturday morning on her way to teaching a yoga class and really only has time to see how much Swiss chard she yet again has to incorporate into her meals. But for those five minutes, she and I connect and check in and she asks me how my show is going and I ask her how her new business is shaping up - a necessary personal, human interaction that has become one of my new favorite ways to start a Saturday.

And other times I run over to Claire's to grab my veggies and she says "shall we grab a bagel?" And because the answer is alway yes, we go to the bagel place and flirt with the bagel guy and catch up on each other's week and remind ourselves that community and friendship are the pillars of surviving in this big, scary world.

And still there are other times when the three of us work to find that elusive evening when we are all free and otherwise unoccupied, so we gather in someone's kitchen and proceed to make the tastiest CSA potluck seen on this side of Ditmars Blvd. Kristen picks up some goat cheese on the way over, I bring the walnuts that I've been meaning to use up anyway, and Claire roasts the beets and chops the fennel and onion and stirs up a vinaigrette and next thing we know we've got the most wonderful summer salad set before us; we pop open a bottle of something cold (because it's like 100 degrees in that kitchen) and enjoy a healthy, delicious, communal meal.

This post is way too long and with too few pictures (somehow it never felt right grabbing my phone for even a quick pic; one or all of us are usually sweaty and shiny from this damn heat anyway), and it doesn't have a real point other than for me to, in pleasant surprise, acknowledge how wonderful this CSA has been. Yes these are some expensive veggies, and yes it's a hassle to coordinate the logistics of getting these veggies, but it's ultimately a small price to pay for the strengthening of friendship over a handful of kale.

CSA Cooking - Bowtie Pasta Salad

The first few weeks of my CSA haul were nothing but greens, greens, and more greens. And while I was able to up my salad and smoothie game a bit, I wasn't too inspired to create anything too exciting. But thanks to whatever natural growing season that upstate New York is heading into (I'm totally a farmer, you guys), we're starting to see veggies of all shapes and colors (read: less leafy greens) - and I'm secretly really relieved. Granted, I'm sure I'll be singing a different tune come late August when I can't even look at another zucchini, but at the moment I'm loving it all.

So back to last week's box - amongst the romaine lettuce and swiss chard were zucchini, white turnips, baby kale, and fennel. And because my motto is "when in doubt, sauté it!" that's exactly what I did. And also because carbs are my jam, I cooked up a pot of bowtie pasta and mixed that into the veggies. Served cold, this is the perfect light and healthy summer pasta salad - no heavy sauces, just simple, fresh, locally sourced veggies. ;)

Ingredients
- 1 lb bowtie pasta
- 1 clove garlic, finely diced
- 1/3 fennel bulb, finely diced
- 1 large zucchini, cut into 1/4" cubes
- 2 white turnips, thinly sliced
- 2 large handfuls kale, roughly chopped
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp white wine (optional)
- 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper
- 1 small handful of fennel fronds, as garnish

How to
In a large pot, boil 6-8 cups of salted water. Add pasta, let cook to al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and let that get hot as well. Begin to sauté the vegetables, starting with the garlic and fennel. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown. Add the zucchini and turnips to the garlic and fennel, and cook for approximately 5 minutes or until soft. Fold the kale into the vegetables and let it soften. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, reduce heat to low.

When the pasta is al dente, remove it from heat. Using a slotted spoon, scoop the pasta into the skillet and on top of the vegetables. Add the white wine, 2-3 tbsp of the pasta water, and the Parmesan cheese to the skillet, and stir well. Cook the mixture for 2-3 minutes on low heat or until the pasta is done to your likeness. This can be served immediately as a hot dish, or place the pasta into a large container and refrigerated to serve as a cold pasta salad. Garnish with the fennel fronds before serving.

Easy Crockpot Peach Butter

I received my second of three gifted CSAs last week (I still can't thank Laura enough!), and as expected, we were once again swimming in fresh produce. Admittedly, I made a couple mistakes with my storage solutions and lost the potatoes and nectarines (it was more humid in my kitchen than I realized), but the peaches remained the stalwart of the group. This was the second time this summer I'd received a 5 lb. bag of fresh peaches, and though I had previously really enjoyed incorporating them into nearly every meal I made for a week (peach smoothies, peach and blueberry chicken salad, peach cobbler...the list goes on), I just couldn't face another round of daily Pinterest searches for "peach..."

So I did what any self-respecting mid-century housewife would do and I made fruit butter! This was my first foray into the wide world of preserved fruit, and I was amazed at how easy it was to make such a delicious spread. The idea of standing over a hot stove all afternoon made me want to plunge into the nearest body of water (which for me is the East River, so that wasn't gonna happen), so I made it all in the crockpot. While it was nearly an all-day affair (prepping the peaches took about half an hour, and as you'll see in the recipe below, the peaches get pureed halfway through the six-hour cooking process), the sweet smells of cinnamon and nutmeg that filled my kitchen made me realize that fall is just around the corner...and that I really, really have to get cracking on that summer tan. Also, cooking the peaches on low for a longer amount of time allows the juices to fully extract, resulting in a wonderfully full-bodied and robust flavor.

Put this peach butter on toast, mix it in to your yogurt or cottage cheese, and call me crazy, but I spread a little onto the bread of my lunchtime chicken salad sandwich, and oh wow was it good. Also, in the category of Personal Education and Knowledge-Gained, I offer you this fantastic breakdown of what constitutes jelly versus jam versus compote versus fruit butter versus a couple other things I didn't even know existed. Don't make the mistake of giving the wrong name to your fruit spread like I originally did! It's very disheartening to spend the better part of an afternoon thinking you're making peach jam when what you're really doing is making peach butter. It changes your entire outlook on life. No, I'm not quite sure exactly how that happens, but trust me - it does.

Easy Crockpot Peach Butter
Ingredients
- 5 lbs. fresh peaches
- 1 cup sugar
- Juice from 1/2 a lemon
- ~1/2 tsp. each of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger
- 1-2 oz. American Honey bourbon liqueur (this can be omitted if you prefer)
- Handful of ice cubes (for ice bath)

Yield
- About 20 oz. of peach butter

Special tools needed
- Crockpot
- Immersion blender
- Large pot for boiling water
- Large bowl for ice bath
- Glass jelly jars (with lids) for storage

To peel the peaches
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. When the water is boiling (but not before), submerge each peach into the boiling water for 30 seconds, then immediately plunge the peach into a bowl of ice water for 10 seconds. I found that it was easiest to work in batches of 3-4 peaches at a time. After removing the peach from its' ice bath, you should be able to easily pinch the skin off. If the skin isn't coming off easily, the peach probably isn't ripe enough for this method, so carefully use a knife to remove any remaining skin.

To make the butter
Chop the skinned peaches into small cubes and place in a crockpot. Add sugar, lemon, spices to taste (I tend to be a little heavy-handed with my spices, but that's just a personal preference), and the honey liqueur. Stir the ingredients so that the peaches are evenly coated, then cover and cook on low for six hours. At the three hour mark, use an immersion blender to carefully puree the peaches to your consistency of choice. Like your fruit butter a little chunky? Then blend for about 30 seconds. Prefer a smoother spread (as I do)?  You're looking at closer to two minutes of blending time. Please do take caution when doing this, however, as the fruit is extremely hot at this point and may splash a bit! When the peaches have been blended to your liking, replace the crockpot lid and continue cooking for the remaining three hours. Spoon the butter into glass jars, and freeze, refrigerate, or give away to friends and family as needed.

Blueberry highball

Recently, a friend gifted me a week's share from her CSA - she and her husband were out of town on their scheduled pick-up day, and instead of letting the bounty of fresh fruits and veggies go to waste, it went to me.

And oh, what a bounty it was. I don't personally participate in a CSA, because though I'd love to, I find they provide me with just too much food. There are only two of us in our tiny apartment, and we already have trouble fitting everything into our "European-sized" refrigerator. Week after week of giant bags of fresh produce would simply be overwhelming and unnecessary. BUT that doesn't mean that I don't love receiving the occasional share! This is now the second summer in a row in which a friend has gone out of town and asked me if I wanted her share, and I have to report that it is just the right amount for my life. Especially when the fruits and veggies are as beautiful as they were this week.

This is only a small selection of what I received. There was also a bag of green beans, a head of cabbage, about ten times more swiss chard, and a few zucchini. What will I do with it all? I have no idea. That's a post for a different day. But what did I do immediately after I got home (and after obsessively photographing everything)? Naturally, I made a cocktail.

I'm not gonna lie. I took one look at those blueberries and thought, "time for a drink!" It didn't hurt that I had been having A DAY and that it was almost 6pm on a beautiful Tuesday evening and all I had wanted all week was to relax on my balcony with a drink in hand, but that's besides the point. I'd been meaning to start incorporating muddled fruit into my drinks for some time now, and this was the perfect opportunity to do so.

I made this drink using a ginger ale syrup instead of ginger ale soda. It's a crazy-concentrated flavored syrup that when mixed with seltzer, tastes just like ginger ale but with none of the calories. It's made by these guys in upstate NY, and we pick it up at our weekly flea market (can you say hipster?), and it's addictive. No worries if you don't have the syrup - just omit the seltzer water and use your favorite ginger ale soda instead, adding as much as you like to get your drink's desired strength.

Begin by muddling three blueberries in the bottom of your glass. I didn't actually have the right tool for this (add it to the list), so I used the blunt end of a butter knife, which seemed to work just fine. This recipe uses a 1:1:2 ratio - so pour in 2oz. of your favorite bourbon (we're Maker's Mark people), 2oz. of the ginger syrup, and 4 oz. of seltzer. Add a giant ice cube and garnish with whole blueberries, find your favorite chair, and sit back and rellaaaaxxxxx ;)