Since our first glimpse of spring this year, I have been waiting, yearning, planning. For months, I have been imaging what it would be like when I got to start bringing home my overflowing veggie basket from my CSA.

If you aren’t familiar with CSAs, it’s an abbreviation for Community Supported Agriculture programs. Basically, you purchase a share in a farm’s crops before the season begins and then you receive a basket filled with produce each week for a specified time in the summer. For veggie lovers like me, it’s awesome.

Today was our first pick-up. Our basket was stuffed with greens – chard, kale, mustard greens and pak choi. Lettuce too. And there’s corn. Ten ears of fresh corn. Oh, I’ve waited so long for fresh corn. I can’t wait to eat some. Unpacking the basket is always a nice, fun surprise.

When I saw the basket, I immediately knew what was for dinner: Penne with Swiss Chard and Kielbasa. It’s a riff on a summertime recipe that I created five years ago, changing the type of pasta and updating the method. It was just as delicious as it was when we first started eating it years ago.

The kids and I hit the grocery store and picked up kielbasa, then I whipped up the ultra-easy pasta. It takes about 30 minutes to make, but most of the time is spent just preparing the ingredients for cooking like chopping chard and cutting the kielbasa. All in all, it’s simple, easy, fast. And the kids? They loved it.

Penne with Swiss Chard and Kielbasa
serves 6
adapted from my recipe for Swiss Chard & Kielbasa Pasta

1 bunch Swiss chard, stems and leaves separated
1 kielbasa, cut into 1/4-inch chunks
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup water
1/4-1/2 tsp dried red pepper flakes
1 pound penne pasta, cooked and kept hot
fresh grated Romano cheese

Chop the Swiss chard stems finely and set aside. Then, chop the leaves roughly and set aside separately. Additionally, gather all of your ingredients and have them ready to go. This whole dish cooks up really fast.

Set a large pot over high heat on the stove and preheat. Once it’s good and hot, toss in the kielbasa and cook until golden brown, stirring occasionally (about 2 minutes). Remove the kielbasa from the pan with a slotted spoon.

Next, reduce the heat of the burner to medium. Add the olive oil, salt and Swiss chard stems to the pot and cook for 3-4 minutes, until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and stir well. Cook for 1 minute.

Stir in the Swiss chard leaves, water and red pepper flakes. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 5-8 minutes, until the stems are tender. Stir in the kielbasa and toss well. Remove from heat.

Add the pasta to the pan and toss to mix. Serve immediately with freshly grated Romano cheese for sprinkling.

The post Penne with Swiss Chard and Kielbasa appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

Do you ever just want to cheer from the rooftops? Maybe let out a loud whoop? Or perhaps jump on Oprah’s couch … oh wait, that’s just Tom Cruise.  Anyway, even if you aren’t couch jumping, everyone feels like this sometimes … where something thrills you so much that you just want to tell everyone. Right. Away.

That’s totally how I feel about this kale dish. And yes, I am being absolutely serious.

Although the kale is braised, it retains that texture that makes it so special. It’s softened, but still definitely leaves. In fact, that’s one of the things I love about kale and chard: they don’t turn to mush when cooked. It’s that mushiness that makes spinach and I have a tenuous relationship.

In any case, this is dinosaur kale … aka Tuscan kale. The leaves are sweeter than other varieties of kale, and milder in flavor. They are delicious when used raw, but also good for cooking.

This kale is a little sweet, but totally savory. And the lemon and Romano finish make it simply spectacular.

And perhaps the best, bestest, best part? This is local kale. I dropped by my cousin’s organic farm earlier and bought this, chard and scallions — my first local food of the season. There is nothing like it. And I couldn’t be more thrilled that the local season is here at long last.

Have your farmers markets opened yet? Are they open year-round?

Braised Dinosaur Kale with Shallots, Lemon and Romano
serves 3
inspired by Kalyn’s Kitchen

olive oil spray
1 medium shallot, finely diced
1 bunch dinosaur kale (aka Tuscan kale), stems removed
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup no added salt chicken stock (I prefer Kitchen Basics)
1 lemon, cut into quarters
freshly grated Romano cheese

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Spray with olive oil cooking spray. Then, add the shallots. Cook, stirring occasionally until just beginning to brown (about 3-4 minutes).

While the shallot is cooking, rinse the kale under cool water and dry in a salad spinner device. Transfer to a cutting board and loosely chop it (you want big pieces).

Add the kale to the skillet and toss well to mix with the shallots. Continue tossing and cooking until the kale begins to wilt slightly.

Lower the burner to medium-low heat and add the chicken stock, salt and pepper. Mix well. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Stir. Then, remove the lid to the pan and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes, until the liquid evaporates.

Serve hot or cold with lemon wedges and Romano cheese for sprinkling.

The post Braised Dinosaur Kale with Shallots, Lemon and Romano appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

Maple syrup is a staple in our house. We eat it on pancakes (like these delish Pumpkin Chocolate Chip ones) and use it to glaze veggies and meats. And it always has to be the real thing. No imitations, or else I just won’t eat it.

The kids know that we only use real maple syrup. Why? Because in a time not that long ago, Shawn didn’t. There was maple syrup and “Daddy’s syrup,” and the kids quickly learned the difference: maple syrup comes from trees … Daddy’s comes from a factory.

But maybe a year ago, Shawn gave up his syrup in favor of the real deal. I can’t remember when it happened, but I’m glad it did. Now, we only have maple syrup.

About a month ago, Will started asking questions about maple syrup. Where does it come from? How is it made? Who makes it? So, I figured it was time to head off to a maple syrup fest so he could see for himself how maple sap becomes maple syrup.

Years ago, I covered the opening of maple syrup season for a newspaper, checking out a family farm and covering a super informative festival. It was awesome, so I knew a fest would be perfect for this. So, I did a quick Google search and found one not too far away.

We ended up heading to the Open House Maple Festival at  Sullivan Farm in New Milford, which is run by the New Milford Youth Agency. Guides showed us everything about the process, even letting us sample Grade A and Grade B syrup.

We saw how trees are traditionally tapped, and more modern taps like the one above. The maple sap drips from the tree, down the tap and into the bucket. These days, most trees are tapped using a tubing system instead of individual buckets like this. New taps need to be make each spring.

And we saw a basic history of how maple syrup makers boiled the sap into the sweet, delightful syrup. Originally, it was done in big hollowed out logs and heated with hot stones, which took awhile, as you can imagine. Then came this bucket method (see photo above), where a heavy bucket of sap was placed over an open flame and boiled down. Eventually, the boiling was done in a special metal unit that allows the fire to reach a wider section of the sap. Today’s methods are similar to that, though on a larger scale. Sadly, I failed to take photos in the sugar house.

Oh, and one more interesting fact: Maple sap has 2 percent sugar. It’s boiled down until it has a 67 percent concentration of sugar.

What cool food-related outings have you taken lately?

The post Weekend Outing: The Making of Maple Syrup appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

I love this photo. Aren't they cute?

Every year, the kids and I (and often our friends) head to local farms for pick-you-own fun. This past weekend, that meant apple picking. The apple picking season generally starts in September and goes through early November here in Connecticut, so we are more than half-way through the season (and late by our standards). Fortunately, the day we chose was sunny, but neither too hot nor too cold.

Usually, holding the bag is a big source of contention. Everyone wants it (even though I really find it to be the worst job while picking — that bag gets seriously heavy). But, I must be getting smarter in my old age or something, because I stemmed the dispute before we even arrived at the orchard. How, you ask? Well, I told the kids the order in which we’d hold the bag … and explained the logic (the person who can hold the most weight holds it last; the person who can hold the least holds it first). As a result, passing the bag was without a single cry or screech. I can’t tell you how happy that made me.

As for the apples, usually I cook with them right away, but this time, we’ve just been eating them. Will wants to make an apple pie, which we will probably do sometime this week. But other than that, we’re snacking on them (we found some tiny apples that are the perfect size for the kids — those have been in lunchboxes all week). Turns out that I forgot how good an apple can be.

Notice Paige double fisting ... she ate so many apples.

Typically, we apple pick twice in a season (last year was an anomaly with three trips to apple orchards). I can’t say whether that will happen this year, given our late start. It’s possible that we might go again in November, if the weather is nice like last year.  But whatever ends up happening, it’s okay. The kids and I had an awesome time together at the orchard. Ultimately, that’s all that matters.

The post Apple Picking 2010: Now, With Less Stress! appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

A few years ago, I fell deeply in love with beet greens. They have a similar taste to beets, though far milder — like a beet-tinged spinach. And they are lovely served raw in salad, sauteed and more. Until learning that they were edible, I had always been in the cut-and-toss camp, though.

A similar situation popped up recently. While making roasted veggies the other night, I was left with a particularly beautiful bunch of radish greens. These looked so fresh, so green, so inviting. I couldn’t dream of tossing them away or sending them to the compost pile. While I contemplated using them, I noticed the vibrant carrot tops from a recent trip to the farmer’s market. Again, I couldn’t let them be wasted.

I did a little research to confirm that both radish greens and carrot greens are edible (answer: yes). So, then it was just a matter of how to cook them — or not. I initially planned to saute the carrot greens and radish greens, but after some contemplation, I decided to just make a salad with a lovely sundried tomato vinaigrette.

I just couldn’t stand the idea of wasting the greens. I mean if we don’t at least try to eat then, how can we know if we like them? And furthermore, if we do like them, then we are totally missing out by not eating them.

So I made a Carrot Green and Radish Green Salad with Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette.

We ate it, but the dish wasn’t a winner (mostly the fault of the carrot greens — the texture is similar to frisee and isn’t a favorite around here). Nonetheless, I was happy that we at least tried to eat them.

While we probably won’t be tossing carrot tops into our salads again anytime soon the pleasant flavor does make them prime for pureeing (hello, carrot top pesto!) or finely chopping for dips, soups and sauces. As for the radish greens? Those could be fab tossed with some Bibb lettuce in a salad.

We will definitely eat these greens again … There’s no need to just cut and toss.

PS – I need to retest the vinaigrette recipe before sharing it. It will be up soon!

The post On Carrot Greens, Radish Greens and Other Edible Wastes appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

So, what’s it like belonging to a CSA? Well, it’s different. In the winter months, I plan every meal from start to finish on the weekends. So, when Monday rolls around, I know what we will be eating on any given day.  But this summer with the CSA share coming on Wednesday, I relinquished control and planned more on the fly. I had to, since the perishable vegetables had to be used. So, meals centered around the vegetables, with proteins as an afterthought.

Truthfully, at first the change drove me nuts. I craved the order of my winter planning and resented having to wait until Wednesday afternoon to decide what to cook for dinner for the rest of the week. But slowly, it grew on me and I found myself looking forward to the surprises.

Of course, the produce was always a welcome sight. The freshest corn, ripest tomatoes, sweetest peaches … Every bite was bliss. And in the coming months, when winter bears down, I will crave these things — the freshness and perfection of it all.

I am sad to see the CSA end. I will miss the variety and freshness. And I will miss the weekly jaunts to pick up our share. But for right now, I am certainly happy to take a break from peeling corn. Just a little.

So, what were my favorite things of this summer?

• Greek Chicken Salad Sandwiches
• Caramelized Onion and Kale Salad
• Creamy Gorgonzola and Shrimp Pasta
• Cinnamon-alicious Zucchini Bread
• Balsamic Tomato, Corn and Cucumber Panzanella
• Basil White Bean Dip
• Grilled Ratatouille
• Grilled Summer Squash with Tomatoes, Garlic and Scallions
• Heirloom Tomato and Nectarine Salad
• Fresh Tomato Basil Pasta with Romano Roasted Shrimp

The post The Last CSA Day of 2010: Wrap Up appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

Heirloom Tomato Sauce on pasta

Every fall, I make a big batch of Roasted Tomato Sauce (and, last year, tomato paste) and can it for wintertime. Opening up a jar of it in the dead of winter is glorious. It’s like bottling summertime. But this year I just haven’t gotten to it and really am not sure if I will. While I love having my own, fresh, homemade sauce ready to go, I’ve had a lot on my plate lately.

But I still want to make it.

In the meantime, I am small batch cooking with tomatoes. This lovely Heirloom Tomato and Provolone Sauce is a thick, hearty, slow-cooked sauce with a sharp, but craveworthy, taste. It’s enriched with a little butter too, an idea I gleaned from the latest issue of Bon Appetit (it’s in Molly Wizenberg’s column).

From tomatoes to sauce in a little over an hour …

All in all, this sauce can be made in a little over an hour. You start by chopping tomatoes and crushing garlic. Toss it in the pan with a few other ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for an hour. Then, you puree the sauce, add the butter and cook for a few more minutes. Ready to serve.

Paige helped stir the ingredients together.

Paige and Will helped me make this sauce. Paige transferred most of the ingredients to the pan and stirred it all together. Meanwhile, Will ran the scraps out to the compost pile. They love helping in the kitchen — anyway that they are asked to.

Love that.

Heirloom Tomato Sauce
yields 4 servings
Click here for the printable recipe on Tablespoon.com

2 lbs heirloom tomatoes, chopped
5 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp dried basil (or 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil)
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tbsp butter

In a large saucepan, combine the tomatoes, garlic, basil, balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper. Stir together.

Place the pan on the burner and heat over medium heat until boiling. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Using an immersion blender (preferably), puree the sauce in the pan to desired consistency. Be careful. It will be VERY hot. Add the butter and stir to combine.

Cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

Serve over pasta.

The post Cooking with Kids: Heirloom Tomato Sauce appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

Apple, Prosciutto and Walnut Salad might just be my official salad of fall 2010. It’s divine.

A few weeks ago, one of my cohorts at Tablespoon mentioned making an Apple Salad for this month’s content. Apple salad, I thought … should I grate it and toss with a little lemon and then add to a coleslaw? Should I do something with beets and apples? But then it came to me: Apples, Prosciutto, Walnuts, Cheddar … these are to-die-for together.

The crispy, sweet apples are a lovely contrast to the salty prosciutto, creamy cheese and meaty walnuts. Heaven on a plate, if you will.

And so it was. The kids and I feasted on this salad for dinner one evening, and adored every last bite. Try it sometime. You won’t be disappointed.

Looking for other ideas for you CSA produce? Try these:

Apples – The kids and I feasted on apples this afternoon. They were so juicy. Or, try your hand at making Homemade Cinnamon Applesauce. It’s divine.

Tomatoes – Heirloom tomatoes are perfect for slicing up and serving with a sprinkle of sea salt and a touch of good olive oil. Or, try Heirloom Tomato and Nectarine Salad, which is a lovely salad for a warm fall evening.

Beet Greens – Beet greens can be used like any other greens. Tonight, we will be having them sauteed in a little olive oil with garlic and red pepper flakes. Delish. Also, save the baby beets. They can be cleaned and chopped and then added to salads raw.

The post CSA Day: Apple, Prosciutto and Walnut Salad and Other Tasty Ideas appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

At a family party this weekend, my cousin made a beautiful salad of heirloom tomatoes, red onions, herbs, nectarines and a light vinaigrette from a local farm. It was brilliant. The sweetness of the nectarines are a lovely contrast to the onions and tomatoes. And the vinaigrette really brought it all together. It was absolutely amazing.

This salad is inspired by hers. I’ve switched up the herbs a bit and left out the red onions, though they would be a welcome addition. I’ve added a cucumber for crunch as well. And instead of the local vinaigrette, I made my own lime-walnut one. It light and complimentary for the flavors in the salad.

Paige and I made this salad this morning. The herbs came straight from our garden, picked minutes before we used them. Then, she feasted on it for lunch, asking for seconds. I daresay she loved this Heirloom Tomato and Nectarine Salad.

Heirloom Tomato and Nectarine Salad
serves 4

2 medium heirloom tomatoes (or one large one)
2 nectarines, pitted
1 cucumber, peeled
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp chopped fresh mint
2 tbsp walnut oil (use olive oil as a substitution)
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
1 clove garlic, minced

Dice the tomatoes, nectarines and cucumber into like-sized pieces. I prefer mine to be roughly 1/2 inch, but larger is good too.

In a large bowl, stir together the tomatoes, nectarines, cucumbers, basil, parsley and mint. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the walnut oil, lime juice, salt, pepper and garlic.

Pour the vinaigrette mixture over the tomato mixture and stir well.

Serve immediately, or chill until ready to serve.

The post Heirloom Tomato and Nectarine Salad appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

Every Wednesday since the beginning of July, I’ve headed to a local organic farm where I belong to a Community Supported Agriculture program and picked up a box of fabulous, fresh veggies. We’ve feasted on fresh greens, tomatoes, squash and more this season. Oh, sweet joy. I’ll be so sad when the CSA is over, but thankfully I have stored many veggies for wintertime.

This week’s basket was overflowing with goodies. Tomatoes galore, corn, potatoes, eggplant, greens and several large delicious apples.

Apples are one of those fabulous signs that fall is here. The season is ushered in with cooler temperatures, and lingers until just about when we light the pumpkins on the front porch. I can hardly wait to head out and pick apples with the kids, a tradition we’ve upheld for years.

Last week, I made some delicious Homemade Cinnamon Applesauce. It’s a rich, sweet applesauce, perfect for any time of day. If you are looking for something to make with your apples, that’s my best suggestion.

As for the rest? Here are a few ideas:

• Tomatoes and Eggplant – Grilled Ratatouille
• Tomatoes – Gazpacho
• Potatoes – Beef Stew
• Greens – Swiss Chard with Garlic and Bacon

The post CSA Day: Cinnamon Applesauce and Other Fun Ideas appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.