Leeks have always held a bit of mystic for me.  I see them in the produce department of the grocery store, stop to admire them, and then walk right by.  I’m a little intimidated by them.

Well, that has come to an end officially starting now, because I actually broke down and bought a bunch.  Now what do I make with them?

Leeks are like green onions on steroids.  They smell like green onions, but more mild.  I talked to the produce manager and she said to choose leeks that have not formed a big bulb and do not have a hard “stalk” thing in the middle of the green tops as these would have a more pungent taste.

So, I chose a nice straight leek that felt fresh and had no tough stalk in the middle.  She also told me to store it in the fridge until I was ready to use it, being sure to leave it as is – not trimming it or cutting it – and wrapping it in plastic because leeks will smell up the refrigerator and the food in it if they are left unwrapped.

Now that I have actually purchased leeks, I’m wondering what I should do with it?  I know I could probably use it in anything that I would use an onion in, but I’d like to try something a bit different.  I’ve heard of Leek Soup, and I’m wondering if anyone has a good tried-and-true recipe for it.

I’d love to hear your ideas!

Parsnips may not be on your list of favorite vegetables.  They certainly were not on mine, that is, until I learned how to cook them.  Now, when I see a batch of nice, little parsnips at the farmer’s market, I grab a bunch.

Peeling and boiling parsnips like you would potatoes is fine, but not the best method as far as I’m concerned.  I prefer to leave my parsnips unpeeled when I boil them.  Then once they’ve cooled a little, I just remove the skins with a little paper towel, and mash them up with a little butter, salt, and pepper.

You can even eat raw parsnips if you choose the small ones.  If you get young, small parsnips, grate them up in a salad, just like you would carrots.

My favorite method, however, is to bake them.  Like most vegetables, baking, or oven-roasting, brings out the best flavor.  Just peel and cut parsnips into big chunks, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper them generously, and pop in a hot oven until they start to get brown and are tender all the way through.  If you can buy young parsnips, you don’t even have to peel them before you bake them.  Just scrub them well before you cut them up.

Another tip I’ve learned is, if you’re adding parsnips to soup or stew, wait until the final 15 minutes or so to add the cut up parsnips.  They will tend to get soggy if cooked too long.

One last method for cooking parsnips that I like is to cut them up into small slivers and quickly saute the pieces in a hot skillet with a little oil and butter mixture.  This is an especially nice side dish for pork roasts, tenderloins, or chops.

There must be a lot more ways to cook and serve parsnips.  If you have any favorite dishes that you’ve made using parsnips, I’d love to hear about them!

It’s that time of year again when many gardens in the northern regions are over-flowing with corn on the cob.  The trouble is that it’s also the time of year when the frosty nights may sneak up and rob the garden of its harvest.  The pumpkin and squash can tolerate a bit of frost, but the corn must be picked NOW as it won’t tolerate even a hint of cold.

I know from experience that corn on the cob is very, very delicate and must be picked and eaten almost simultaneously.  My Mom used to get the big pot boiling on the stove before she sent us out to pick!  That quick cooking really makes a difference in the flavor.  However, just how much corn can a person eat?

If the stalks are loaded, and the frost is about to make a surprise appearance, you’re going to end up with a bushel of corn waiting to be eaten.  So, what can you do with that much corn?

The easiest, or at least most reliable, method for taking care of an abundance of corn is to cut the kernels from the cob and freeze them.  This is a messy job but it’s very effective.  The actual freezing is easy enough – just put portions in a zip-lock bag and freeze it.  But, the removal of the kernels from the cob is a bit tricky.  You want to get all the “milk” without any of the cob.  You need a very sharp knife and a bowl to catch the kernels.  But, no matter how you do it, it’s a mess.

Once you’ve removed the kernels, the ways to serve corn is endless.  Freshly removed kernels are so sweet and tender, they make the perfect start to a perfect Corn Chowder.  Fresh corn cut from the cob turns any old Corn Chowder recipe into a masterpiece.  I’d have to say that is one of my favorite choices for using fresh corn.

Other uses for fresh corn is to simply cook and serve with butter, salt, and a bit of freshly ground black pepper.  Mix in some diced sweet red peppers for a little color and crunch and you’ve got a delightful dish.  Like I said, the choices are endless.

I’d love to hear some of your favorite recipes for fresh corn, either on the cob or off.  I’d also appreciate any tips you may have for removing corn from the cob and if you have any ideas for keeping the job a bit more tidy!  Thanks!

Although I don’t tend to stock up on radishes, I do often end up with some leftovers after my husband makes his potato salad.  He likes, as I do, to add radishes to potato salad for color, crunch and flavor.  They really perk up a potato salad.  But, we always end up with some extra, and I don’t know about you, but I can only munch on so many radishes.  They’re sort of like green onions to me; a few are yummy.

I have an uncle who used to eat radish sandwiches.  He just sliced radishes very thinly, buttered two pieces of bread and laid the radishes on top.  It seemed a bit much when I was younger, but doesn’t sound too bad now.  I’d add some pieces of romaine lettuce on top and maybe a bit of mayonnaise.  That sounds sort of interesting.

Another strange recipe I’ve seen at a restaurant is a radish relish.  If I remember correctly, the mixture consists of thinly sliced radishes, some shredded carrots, diced green pepper, and, believe it or not, pineapple chunks.  The dressing is a simple vinegar and oil style.  It is a very colorful and crunchy relish.

Has anyone tried to actually cook with radishes or are they strictly to be used raw?  I’d love to hear your ideas.

Even though my local farmer’s market has beautiful beet greens, I never buy them.  I’ve cooked batches of other greens, like kale and collard greens, but for some reason I am a little hesitant about cooking beet greens.

That’s too bad, since according to the USDA, cooked beet greens contain a whole truckload of nutrients.  They are low in saturated fat and cholesterol.  Beet greens an excellent source of dietary fiber, Vitamins A, B6, and C, as well as calcium, and iron, and other essential vitamins and minerals.  In other words, beet greens are loaded.  And, boy, are beet greens cheap!

I love the nutritional value, but the idea of just boiling them up and serving them as a side dish just isn’t that appealing without some flavoring and other ingredients.  I have gotten a few cooking tips from folks who eat beet greens routinely and will give those a try.

Here’s a few of the tips and recipe suggestions I’ve received:

• Be sure to wash beet greens two or even three times.
• Trim the stems, discarding the woody stuff, and cut the rest in bite size pieces.
• Cook in very little water, or saute, briefly, cooking only until just tender.
• Add garlic, onion, black pepper, sprinkle of vinegar, and a touch of sugar.
• Make beet greens more savory with the addition of pine nuts and black olives.
• Mix sour cream and a touch of horseradish in cooked beet greens.
• Stir in a bit of French dressing and add diced red onion.

I thought some of the ideas were very unusual, like horseradish and French dressing, so I’ll be sure to give those a try!  I’d like to hear any other suggestions you might have for ways to improve on the basic beet greens dish.

This is a squash I discovered last fall that is so delicious and tender, I can’t wait to get back to the farmer’s market to stock up this fall.  I’m happy to eat it just cut in half, rubbed with olive oil, and baked on a cookie sheet.

One of the tastiest winter squashes I’ve tried, the Delicata squash pulp is sweet and creamy, with a flavor that’s similar to sweet corn, or even a sweet potato.  This squash is so delicate that you actually eat the skin!

Because of it’s delicate skin, it actually wasn’t well known around the world until recently.  Shipping was tough on its tender skin, so it didn’t transport well.  Now that shipping methods have improved, more and more people are finding these wonderful squash in their grocery stores.

Delicata squash is best from late summer through early fall.  If you are fortunate enough to have a farmer’s market near you, be sure to grab some.

My only problem now is that I’d like to find other ways to prepare them.  Like I said, the only way I’ve prepared them so far is to simply cut them in half lengthwise, rub them with olive oil, and lay the halves, cut side down, on a baking sheet in the oven.  I usually let them cook for about 20 to 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Has anyone else fallen in love with this beautiful squash?  If you’ve found a new way to cook them, I’d appreciate it if you could share those ideas with me.  Thanks!

A friend of mine has been growing kohlrabi in her vegetable garden. Apparently they are a german turnip. She gave me a few of them, but I have no idea what to do with them. Here’s what it looks like.

It smells very much like white cabbage and obviously comes from the cabbage family. My friend mentioned that she usually just slices it up and serves it with a dip, but we’re not huge fans of that. Any idea what I could do with it? Should I add it to slaw, or stew it like a regular turnip? I’d appreciate your ideas.

Of all the Jell-O flavors, I believe lime is my least favorite flavor.  I just never know what to do with it.  However, a sale is a sale.  I found Jell-O in a big sale bin at my local Dollar Store and couldn’t resist.  The bin had been pretty picked over when I got there, although I did manage to find a few strawberry flavored, a couple orange flavored, and even a lemon flavored.  But, mostly there was lime flavored left.  I had to dig deep into my recipes to come up with something to make with lime Jell-O, but I did find one, even though it’s a bit strange.

Years and years ago, when I was very young, it was quite fashionable to make vegetable salads using Jell-O gelatin.  You don’t really see that anymore, but I had a very old recipe still stuck in an old cookbook.  This is an adventurous recipe to try on a family who has never seen Jell-O used like this before.  Here’s the recipe – see if you’re brave enough to serve it to your family.

Garden Jello Salad

• 1 package lime Jello
• 1 package lemon Jello
• 2 1/2 cups boiling water
• 2 cups shredded cabbage
• 1 cup diced cucumber
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 1 cup mayonnaise

In a large glass bowl, combine the first 3 ingredients, stir until gelatin dissolves, then stir in the vegetables, then the vinegar, and the mayonnaise last.  This makes a big bowl of salad.

That’s the recipe, as strange as it may seem.  Now, I must admit, I haven’t tried it yet.  I’m going to give it a try this weekend.  My family won’t know what hit ‘em!

If anyone is brave enough to try this recipe and report back here, I’d love to hear what you have to say.  Good luck everyone!

When I was growing up, we had a big vegetable garden.  This was way up north, so each year, without fail, our garden would fall victim to at least one early frost.  This frost would easily wipe out all the tomatoes that were still trying to ripen on the vine.  Rather than lose all the tomatoes left hanging, we would pick all the tomatoes including the green ones.  So, here we were with green tomatoes all over the house, hoping they’d eventually ripen.

Of course, some would ripen, but most would not.  My Mom became quite adept at creating ways to cook and eat those green tomatoes.  Fried Green Tomatoes is popular in many households, but one of our family favorites still to this day is a Green Tomato and Pork Chop Bake.  I now actually buy green tomatoes just to make this dish.  Here’s how I throw it together:

1 – Slice onions and green tomatoes into thin circles, enough to cover the bottom of your baking dish.
2 – Grease the baking dish and lay onions in, then green tomatoes, adding salt and pepper to both layers.
3 – Brown the pork chops nicely and lay them on top of the onions and green tomatoes.
4 – Cover and bake for an hour at 350 degrees, or until the pork chops are cooked all the way through.

It’s a simple dish, but you can spice it up more if you want, even topping the pork chops with some diced red tomatoes.  Try sprinkling a little curry over the vegetables for something really different.

Does anyone have a great recipe for using up your own green tomatoes?  They really are a nice way to add a great tangy and super-fresh flavor to a lot of dishes.  If you’d care to share your favorites, I’d love to hear about them.

Although it’s not harvest time yet, I’m getting myself prepared!  One of my favorite root crops is the lowly rutabaga.  This is a vegetable that is not especially well known, or appreciated.  Seen mostly in northern climates, the rutabaga may be referred to as a “yellow turnip”, partly because they may be mistaken for a turnip in areas of the world where turnips are not grown. They are also called “wax turnips” possibly because they are often sold covered in a wax coating to help preserve them during shipping and storing. 

Once cooked, you’ll see why the rutabaga is a desirable root crop in the waning days of autumn.  The color is beautiful!  Cubed and added to stews or pot roasts, the rutabaga brightens and gives the meal a decidedly up-beat flavor and color.  A turnip just doesn’t do the same!

My family always made a “Harvest Dinner” in the fall when the garden was done.  Very simple, but filling and delicious, we just threw whatever we had in a big pot and put it on the stove to simmer.  Our ingredients included a big ham bone, lots of onion, potatoes, carrots, and of course, a big rutabaga.  After school, we’d come home, walk in the house and know immediately what was for dinner.  There is no mistaking the aroma of rutabaga! 

Besides our traditional Harvest Dinner, I’m wondering if you good people have cooked rutabaga in different ways.  Possibly some side dishes that are a little unusual, or in salads perhaps?  I look forward to your ideas!