De Ma Cuisine

Abundant Harvest Organics Archive

Thursday

17

November 2011

7

COMMENTS

Roasted Chicken and Veggies – Episode 2

Written by , Posted in A Cooking Show with Rachel O, Abundant Harvest Organics, This Week's Feast

This week on A Cooking Show with Rachel O – This Week’s Feast‚ we’re having Roasted Chicken and Veggies. We’re roasting Watermelon Radishes, Sweet Potatoes, Persimmons, Broccoli, Onions and Chicken.

This dinner is simple! Wash, cut, season, roast, eat. Done. That’s it. Oh and if you want to be a little fancy, wash up some of those beet greens and serve them with some pomegranate seeds, a little grated parmesan cheese, some walnuts or almonds, and a thinly sliced apple. Then whisk together some olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, and spicy brown mustard to drizzle over the greens. Yummy and good for you!

Here are the recipes for what’s cookin’ on This Week’s Feast… Enjoy with some friends!

Roasted Veggies

Last modified on 2012-05-18 00:42:38 GMT. 4 comments. Top.

Oven Roasted Veggies
Recipe Type: Side, Veggies
Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 60 mins
Total time: 1 hour 15 mins
Serves: 4
We’re roasting up some sweet potatoes, watermelon radishes, persimmons, broccoli and onion!
Ingredients
  • Baking Sheet 1: 2 sweet potatoes (yams), cut in 1″ cubes
  • 1 persimmon, cut in 1″ cubes
  • 1 watermelon radish, cut in 1″ cubes
  • olive oil
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 1 t to 1 T chili powder
  • Baking Sheet 2: 2 small or 1 large onion, cut into large chunks
  • 2 heads broccoli, cut in med-large pieces
  • olive oil
  • salt
  • pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375F.
  2. Chop veggies and season (tossing in a bowl) according to their baking sheet #. Place on baking sheet in an even layer.
  3. Bake baking sheet #1 for 30-60 minutes. Put in the oven when you baste chicken for the first time.
  4. Bake baking sheet #2 for 20 minutes, or until broccoli is slightly crispy.

Oven Roasted Chicken

Last modified on 2012-12-01 02:27:43 GMT. 1 comment. Top.

Oven Roasted Chicken
Recipe Type: Dinner, Main, Chicken
Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 75 mins
Total time: 1 hour 20 mins
Serves: 4
We’re roasting up a chicken. Prepare to be amazed at how easy this dinner is!
Ingredients
  • Chicken: 1 whole chicken (giblets removed)
  • 1 t to 1 T paprika
  • salt
  • pepper
  • olive oil
  • 1 C water
  • 1 T honey
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375F.
  2. Line a roasting dish with foil (optional – just makes cleanup a little easier). Drizzle foil with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt, pepper and a bit of paprika. Place chicken in dish. Pour water around chicken. Drizzle chicken with oil, and sprinkle with salt, pepper and paprika.
  3. Bake chicken for 1 hour 15 minutes (or until it reaches 180F), uncovered, basting every 30 minutes. In the last 15 minutes of cooking, drizzle honey over the chicken. Return to oven and finish cooking.

Wednesday

16

November 2011

3

COMMENTS

Preparing for Thanksgiving

Written by , Posted in Abundant Harvest Organics, Vegetables

I can’t believe it’s almost Thanksgiving. I think I say that every year. This is one meal that I really don’t want to vary – I like the basics, nothing fancy. Turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and yams/sweet potatoes (I can never remember which is which* – I think the orange one is a yam??) and green bean casserole. I think the only one that could change is the green bean casserole. I mean I love it, but it’s not as essential as some of the others. And, the yams/SP don’t have to be the marshmallow covered ones, it’s the taste of the squash family that I like.

In case you want to do something squashy, but don’t want to do the traditional sugary (and yes, tasty, let’s be honest) marshmallow topped ones, here’s a dish I made up when a friend came over for lunch the other week. You could use any winter squash (except maybe not a spaghetti squash), pumpkin, yam, sweet potato. I used Butternut squash, because it’s what was in last week’s Abundant Harvest Organics box. From this week’s box you could use the Sweet Potatoes (and apples, onions and spinach) and maybe even add some persimmons (I haven’t tried this, but I might… if you do, let me know how it turns out).

Winter Vegetable Salad

Last modified on 2012-05-18 00:31:12 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Winter Vegetable Salad
Recipe Type: Side
Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 60 mins
Total time: 1 hour 15 mins
Serves: 3
It tastes like fall!
Ingredients
  • 1-2 T olive oil
  • 1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
  • 2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 1 apple, cut in medium chunks
  • 1 onion, cut in medium chunks
  • 1 t chili powder
  • 1/8 to 1/4 t cayenne
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 1/2 t smoked paprika
  • 1/2 t sweet paprika
  • Reduced balsamic vinegar (top with)
  • Greek yogurt (for serving)
  • Caramelized onion cheddar cheese (opt.)
  • 1 C spinach
  • pinch nutmeg (for spinach)
Instructions
  1. Toss squash with olive oil and seasonings. Bake at 350F for 30-60 minutes (test at 30 minutes by piercing with a fork to see if it’s done). At 30 minutes in, add apple and onion. Roast until all are soft inside and slightly crispy on the outside.
  2. While squash cooks, bring balsamic vinegar to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until thickened and syrupy.
  3. Cook bacon. Place cooked bacon on paper towel to drain. Crumble when cooled. Remove some or all grease from hot pan, and wilt spinach. Add nutmeg.
  4. Mix all above ingredients. Top with reduced balsamic vinegar and yogurt.

*I learned shortly after writing the post that a Yam is a Sweet Potato. 🙂

Thursday

10

November 2011

12

COMMENTS

A Little Cooking Show – Episode 1

Written by , Posted in A Cooking Show with Rachel O, Abundant Harvest Organics, This Week's Feast, Thoughts

A Cooking Show with Rachel O – Thursday’s Dinner* is now live! Have a look!

On this week’s episode, I’ll also show you what’s in the Abundant Harvest Organics box that I just received. Then I’ll make Minestrone Soup with many of those ingredients. Feel free to follow along and cook with me!

Enjoy!

Minestrone Soup

Last modified on 2012-10-25 22:47:02 GMT. 2 comments. Top.

Minestrone Soup

Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
A cozy comforting fall meal. Or, swap out the veggies depending on what’s in season and have it any time of year!
Ingredients
  • 1 lg. onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1/2 to 1 C green beans, chopped
  • 1/2 to 1 C daikon radishes, chopped
  • 1/2 to 1 C squash, chopped
  • 2 C kale/spinach, chopped
  • 1/2 C crushed or diced tomatoes
  • 3-4 C chicken or vegetable stock
  • 5-6 C water
  • 4 T olive oil
  • 1/2 t cumin
  • 1/4 t all spice
  • pepper
  • 1 1/2 T dried basil
  • 2 sprigs thyme, leaves removed, stems discarded
  • 1 T fresh oregano, chopped (opt.)
  • 1 T fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary, removed from stem (opt.)
  • 1 t fresh sage, chopped (opt.)
  • 1 1/2 C garbonzo or canelini beans
  • 1/4 C balsamic vinegar
  • 1 t honey
  • 1/4 C red wine (or red wine vinegar)
  • 1-2 C rotini rice pasta, uncooked
Instructions
  1. Add oil to hot soup pot (I use a cast iron pot), add onions and cook 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add remaining veggies (except kale or spinach) and cook until softened, about 10 minutes over medium heat.
  2. Add wine and stir around to deglaze the pan. Add tomatoes, herbs and spices (except parsley).
  3. Add stock and water; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Add balsamic vinegar, honey and beans. Cook 30 minutes.
  4. Add pasta, parsley and kale/spinach. Cook 10 – 15 minutes more, or until pasta is cooked to your liking.
  5. Serve topped with parmesan cheese, alongside your favorite crostini or crusty bread.
Notes

I’m going to serve this with homemade French Bread.

*Note: The name was changed to A Cooking Show with Rachel O – This Week’s Feast after the first episode.

Friday

28

October 2011

13

COMMENTS

Scalloped Rutabagas and a Giveaway

Written by , Posted in Abundant Harvest Organics, Cheese, Contests, Dinner, Sides, Thoughts

I have not always been passionate about food, or healthy eating, or eating fresh, local, in season produce. I am now. If you and I have had a conversation about menus and food, I’ve probably told you about Abundant Harvest Organics. It has become something that is really important to me. We heard about Abundant Harvest Organics from the Shinns, our good friends. They offered us a carrot, and we were hooked. We’ve been subscribers ever since we ate that carrot in 2007. We’re now eating better, healthier, more well balanced meals and are supporting local farmers who are providing us with amazing, fresh, ripe, affordable produce.

In this pre-made, preservative-happy food society that we live in, I think we’re losing a lot by not eating enough fresh fruits and veggies. I would like to challenge you to think outside the box a little, and get into a different kind of box.

About Abundant Harvest Organics

A few excerpts from their website, “Just like many of you, we have been on a journey to live and eat more healthfully. Our desire for affordable, chemically unaltered food led us to develop Abundant Harvest Organics. We have discovered an approach to natural food distribution that will deliver seasonal organic produce at conventional prices fresh from the field.”

Abundant Harvest Organics is an alliance of small family farmers in Central California dedicated to growing superior organic produce and getting it to you in the simplest manner possible and without the use of chemicals or packaging materials.”

“Here is what we do best:

Organic produce only – we don’t substitute! 

Unparalleled taste: varieties are chosen and harvested for taste and nutritional value rather than shelf-life and aesthetics

Superior quality and value, fairly priced significantly below retail value of the same product from your grocer

In Season: our produce is always fresh from the field

Locally grown: investing in our community’s people, its resources, and its physical, as well as economic health

Fresh, fresh, fresh: from the soil to your dinner table!”

The Giveaway!!

You could win a FREE BOX of ABUNDANT HARVEST PRODUCE!!

Before I tell you how you can enter, I must also note: The point of this isn’t just to give you something for free. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for free things and love to enter contests. But, my purpose in this is to introduce you to Abundant Harvest Organics and all that they have to offer. I want you to try it! In my opinion, once you taste it, you’ll be sold. Yesterday, my friend Joanna from Waterfall Creative came over for lunch. We had Stuffed French Toast (in preparation for a guest post I’ll be doing over on her blog) and Honeydew Melon. She tasted the melon, looked up at me almost in shock, and said, “Is this from Abundant Harvest?” It was. She said she’d never had melon so good.

To enter*: Leave a comment on this post.

To enter* a second time: Post about this giveaway on Facebook/Twitter/Google+ or Pin it on Pinterest. Then comment that you’ve done this (and provide a link to it, if possible).

*Please note, you must be able to pick up from one of AHO’s delivery sites (in California) to be eligible to win (sorry to any who will miss out).

Giveaway closes Monday November 7th at noon (PST). (Gift box will be available for pickup the week of November 14th.)

And the winner is…Randy Karman! Thank you to all who entered!! Congratulations, Randy! Please let me know by Thursday November 10th which delivery site you’d like to collect your winning box from!

If you didn’t win, but still want to get started with Abundant Harvest Organics, you can visit their website for more details. And, don’t forget to stay tuned for the new cooking show A Cooking Show with Rachel O. Featuring Abundant Harvest Organics produce being cooked by me. Should be fun!

In case you’re like me and don’t know what to do with Rutabagas (well, I do now), here’s a recipe that I made up!

Scalloped Rutabagas

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 35 minutes

Yield: 2

Ingredients

  • 1 rutabaga, sliced about 1/4″ thick
  • 1/2 C Greek yogurt
  • 1/3 C cheese (or more, if you like things cheesy) (cheddar and parmesan), divided
  • 1/2 onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, diced
  • 1/4 to 1/3 C milk
  • 1-2 T flour
  • pinch cayenne
  • 1 t fresh thyme
  • 1 t fresh parsley
  • 1 t spicy brown mustard
  • 1 t olive oil

Instructions

  1. Whisk yogurt, milk, cheese (reserving a bit for topping later), garlic, onion, spices and mustard in a bowl.
  2. Grease a smallish baking dish (I think I used an 8×8 Pyrex) with oil. Place a layer of rutabaga, sprinkle with flour, top with cheese sauce. Repeat until all ingredients are gone (except set aside cheese).
  3. Bake covered at 350F for 60 minutes (or until rutabagas are no longer crisp). Uncover, sprinkle with remaining cheese, bake for 20 minutes more.
  4. Serve and enjoy! (I served them with Roast Beef and Wilted Greens.)

If you’re an AHO subscriber, don’t forget to use the Menu Featuring Abundant Harvest Organics Ingredients!

This giveaway was sponsored by Abundant Harvest Organics. Thank you, AHO for being willing to donate this box of produce!

Note: I do not work for Abundant Harvest, but have occasionally received complimentary produce for my help with various things. They have not asked me to post menus or promote them on my blog. If I post about them, it’s because I love their produce and the organization and want as many people as possible to know about them and use their produce with ease.

This giveaway was sponsored by Abundant Harvest Organics. Thank you, AHO for being willing to donate this box of produce!

Note: I do not work for Abundant Harvest, but have occasionally received complimentary produce for my help with various things. They have not asked me to post menus or promote them on my blog. 

Update: Sadly, Abundant Harvest is no longer in business. It was fun while it lasted. They had the best organic produce. (July 24, 2019)