ATHENS HILLS SUMMER CSA
WEEK THIRTEEN:
SEPTEMBER 14th - 19th

Autumn is certainly showing its face in the hills of Southeastern Ohio, and we welcome the slower pace that comes with this time of year. There is still plenty to do, but it seems you automatically find yourself taking a moment or two throughout the day to recognize the changing seasons. It's funny to see everyone in sweatshirts when the work day starts, only to peel off the layers for afternoon tasks in the field.

The cooler temperatures will phase some vegetables out of your shares, but will bring others back. This week's shares see the return of Salad Mix and Shiitake Mushrooms. In the heat of the midday, fix yourself a refreshing salad with the last of summer's vegetable offerings. Then as the evening brings on the cooler temperatures, cook up a savory soup with the Shiitakes and Red Potatoes.

The transition from summer to fall is evident in the workload on the farm as well. The heat-loving Basil is in its last days, while the Kale plantings are just beginning to be harvested. Other fall crops such as Arugula and Asian Greens are being planted. We continue to pick tomatoes, though in smaller quantities, and hope to have these in your shares till the end of the month. This week we will be harvesting winter squash, including Acorn and Butternut, which you should see in your shares within a few weeks. Thanks to Kip's brother Greg, we have a brand new storage room for these fruit crops and the potatoes that we harvested in the last few weeks.

This week, some of the "cold veggies" return to your shares in the green reusable bags, so please remember to return these bags to your pick-up sites next week. We received a good amount of them back, but now that they'll be used every week again, we need to keep them coming back to us as quickly as they go out. THANKS!
Best Wishes,
Rob (on behalf of Kip & Becky, Dan, John, Cale, Claudia, Penny, Eric, and our interns: Corey, Steve & Julia)
FEATURED VEGGIES
Check out the previous newsletters (on our blog) for serving suggestions, storage advice, etc. for each of these vegetables.


Tomatoes: Our colorful and delicious heirlooms return to your share this week. Each variety has its own taste to savor before they leave us for the season.

Cherry Tomatoes: A mixture of the sweetest ‘Sungold’ and ‘Sweet 100’s. As tasty as they are versatile, we ‘re convinced they are absolutely the best summer candy!
Red Peppers: Sweet colored peppers are coming your way this week. Great for roasting and eating on sandwiches, pasta, or also for stuffing.

Hungarian Hot Wax Peppers: Don't rule out stuffing these just because they're hot. Stuff with cream cheese, or top with sour cream to balance the heat. If you want less heat, remove the seeds. (warning: Use rubber gloves when processing the hot peppers. Don’t touch your eyes after using them.)

Salad Mix: This gorgeous and delicious mix of greens has returned! Toss a late summer salad while some of the warm-loving veggies are still around.

Mushrooms: A healthy portion of our shiitake mushrooms come to you this week. Mushrooms are a quintessential fall food, and perfect in sauté dishes, soups, or even grilling if you're not quite ready to say goodbye to summer.

Red Potatoes: These Red Sangree potatoes are so fresh, you can't go wrong. Wonderful boiled, roasted, shredded, however and with whatever you desire.

Baked/Grilled Shiitakes

1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 Tablespoons sesame oil
1 Tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
2-3 Tablespoons white wine
pinch of black pepper
1-2 cloves of crushed garlic
½ lb of shiitake mushrooms
(this is the exact amount of mushrooms in your share this week)

Mix the oils, tamari, wine and spices in a small bowl. Stir vigorously as the ingredients tend to separate. Set aside.
Cut the stems off of the mushrooms (can be used for broth, dried, etc). Place mushrooms on a baking sheet, gills up. Do not slice the mushrooms! Baste the sauce on to the gills, making sure they become saturated with the sauce.
In a 350F oven, bake mushrooms uncovered for 30-40 minutes. Or you can barbecue on an open grill. The smoky flavor makes them even better. Serve hot with seafood, rice, pasta or whatever.
From Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms, Paul Stamets 2000

Chicken and Shiitake Alfredo
4 ounces Shiitake Mushroom (1/2 of the portion in your share)2 tablespoons butter or margarine3/4 cup chopped sweet red bell pepper8 ounces boned and skinned chicken breasts (cutlets), thinly sliced (Optional)1 cup heavy (whipping) cream3/4 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese4 ounces capellini (angel hair) pasta, freshly cooked and drained
Remove stems from Shiitake Mushrooms (use in stews, to flavor broths, etc.); cut each cap into 4 to 6 slices; set aside.
In a large skillet melt butter. Add red pepper; cook and stir until slightly softened, about 3 minutes.
Add chicken and mushrooms; cook and stir until chicken is tender, about 3 minutes.
Add cream, salt and black pepper; boil, uncovered, until sauce is slightly thickened, about 4 minutes, stirring often. Stir in Parmesan cheese.
Spoon over pasta; serve immediately.
Yield: 2 to 3 portions about 5 cups
From www.oakshire.com/recipes

Stuffed Tomatoes, Italian Style
Ingredients:4-6 nice ripe tomatoes 2 ounces of bread crumbs moistened with vinegar 1 ounce cheese, grated 4 eggs and a small wisp of parsley
Boil two of the eggs hard, and finely chop when cool.

For the stuffing mixture, combine the boiled eggs, bread crumbs, cheese, a spoon of finely chopped herbs (basil or savory); pepper and salt to taste. Beat the remaining two eggs and to the mixture.

Cut the stem end off the tomatoes; remove the core and seeds, and fill with the mixture.

Cover the top of each tomato with bread crumbs mixed with finely chopped parsley; put a small piece of butter on each, and put on a greased baking pan; cook in a slow oven for 20 or 30 minutes.

From www.backyardgardeners.com