Dinner from my Helsing Junction Farms CSA Box: Week 2

Week 2's delivery contained much of the same stuff as week one. It seems like cool-season veggies are continuing to thrive in the chilly, showery weather we've been having lately.

Speaking of cool, showery weather...one of the recipes included in this week's newsletter was "A Rich Root & Cheese Soup for a Cold June Day". I know that soup in summer might seem crazy to some of you out there, but yesterday was a bit dreary and nothing sounded better than hibernating inside with a bubbling cauldron of fresh soup! And boy, did this soup deliver...onions, turnips, and garlic scapes were sautee'd in butter, and then softened in vegetable broth, before being pureed with grainy mustard, chile flakes, and turmeric. Crown it with a sprinkle of sharp cheddar and chopped chives, and dig in!

A Rich Root and Cheese Soup for a Cold June Day

-Chop up 1 onion.

-Melt 4 TBS butter in a large heavy pot, then sauté the onion for 5 minutes.

-Cut 1 bunch of Tokyo Cross Turnips into small cubes.

-Add to the butter along with 4 minced garlic scapes.

-Cook over medium heat with the lid on for 8-10 minutes, until the vegetables are golden around the edges.

-Sprinkle 2 TBS flour into the pot, along with ½ tsp of dried red chili flakes (optional) and ½ tsp of turmeric.

-Cook for 3 minutes, then add 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock, stir well and cover.

-Cook over low heat for about 20 minutes until vegetables are soft.

-Pour into a blender and whiz up.

-Add ½ cup cream, 2 TBS grainy mustard, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

-Dice 4 ounces extra sharp cheddar or Gruyere into small cubes.

-Put the cheese into 4 bowls, than ladle the soup over and top with some finely chopped chives and/or flat leaf parsley.

Bicycle Revolution!

On Tuesday, Henry and I went for an evening bike ride organized by the gals over at Go Go Grays Harbor. There was a great turnout and we enjoyed a nice ride from the Hoquiam Farmer's Market to the Wishkah River in Aberdeen. We also enjoyed a few post-pedaling pints at the 8th Street Ale House.

(photo courtesy of Britta Folden)

The rides are held monthly, check out their blog or their Facebook page for more info. A GREAT way to get out and enjoy the sun and meet other active Harborites!

Bombers Invade Bowerman!

This week, the Collings Foundation brought their collection of vintage WWII aircraft to Bowerman Field in Hoquiam as part of their "Wings of Freedom" tour.  For $12, you could tour through the authentically restored aircraft, or, for the ultimate experience, you could enjoy a flight aboard one of the planes starting at $425. Henry actually did this with his father a few years back, and loved it! Yes, it is not cheap, but the cost of maintaining these vintage planes is VERY high, and by collecting money through flight and tour experiences, the Collings Foundation is able to "keep 'em flying". 

We were down at the airport pretty much every day during their 3-day stay. We toured the two bombers one day, which is a fun experience crawling around and ducking under the low ceilings, and leaves you in awe of how difficult it must have been for the crewmen aboard. 

 (Touring the B-17)

Later that day, we watched the planes take off and land a few times. The P-51 Mustang "Betty Jane" stayed on the ground, all polished and pretty, but made for a great photo op. 

Anyways, a huge "Thank You" to the Collings Foundation for bringing the tour to our little airport. We hope to see you again soon!

Dinner from my Helsing Junction Farms CSA Box: Week 1

I'm so excited that CSA delivery season has finally begun! This is my 3rd year of subscribing to Helsing Junction Farm's CSA program. They are a top-notch operation and I always look forward to the fresh, healthy, quality produce that I get from them.

The growing season here in Washington is a little slower to pick up pace than many other regions of the country. Here is what I was treated to in the first week's box:

And here is what I made for dinner, using the delicious rapini I got! This recipe is definitely a keeper, and made a nice easy weekday meal that we were able to eat alfresco thanks to the sun finally deciding to come out!

Pasta with Rapini, Roma Tomato, Olives, and Feta

-Boil 1 pound of penne pasta according to package directions.

-In the last 3 minutes the pasta has to cook, add 1 bunch of chopped rapini to the pot. 

-Stem and dice 4-5 Roma tomatoes.

-Pit and coarsely chop 12 Kalamata olives.
-Heat 3 TBS extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until very hot.
-Add the chopped olives and cook for 1 minute.

-Then add the drained pasta/rapini and gently stir.
-Season to taste with salt and pepper and top with ¼ cup crumbled chevre or feta cheese.

Beach and Beer: A Day in Ocean Shores

Another nice spring Sunday. Henry wants to take the STi out of the garage and go for a drive, so we head out to Ocean Shores (20 minutes from our house). I have wanted to try out the Elk Head Tap Room for a while now, since their Facebook menu updates have been taunting me for ages.

The place is kinda hard to find....its address is on Point Brown Ave (the main drag heading into Shores) but the building itself is actually down a little alley. Just look for the "Fresh Beer" signs :)

The pub is on the small side, with bar seating only (no sit-down tables) with a sort of rustic vibe that fits the place well (taps on driftwood, galvanized metal bar, lacquered stumps as bar stools). They offer all sorts of warm pub snacks (pretzels, nuts, etc.) and a menu that changes weekly (They post an updated one each week on Facebook). One of the reasons for the ever-changing menu is that they claim to source their ingredients locally and seasonally.

We were able to sample several brews for free before deciding on a pint. I HAD to try the hot chile-flavored Blast Zone, which was interesting and surprisingly good, albeit HOT! And  the IPA was excellent....I may just have to come back for a growler. For food, we had the garlic cheese fries, which were yummy as well....a big pile of crispy thick-cut potatoes topped with a mountain of fresh garlic and cheddar...yum! It's a meal in itself! I wasn't hungry enough to order a full meal, but there were several vegetarian options, and I look forward to coming back to try their entrees.

The only downside to this place is that it stated on their menu that they don't accept credit cards, and that they're only open Thursday-Sunday ( which I completely understand...with Ocean Shores being a tourist town and all...but kinda sucks for us locals.)

I can't wait to head back and try out a few more of their tasty brews. Do yourself a favor, and check this place out!

In Bloom....

Everything in our front border seems to be in full bloom right now. And to think this red rhododendron was almost dead when we bought the house!

Bottle opener install

The coolest thing I have installed in our house so far....why didn't I do this sooner?!

In today's edition of "The Adventures of Abby-Cat..."

Abby has destroyed her favorite toy, the Havoc Heli. This is why cats can't have nice things.