We joined a CSA this year, Loon Organics, because we knew we wouldn’t have enough time to tend to the garden this year. My only regret has been that I signed up for an every other week share instead of a weekly share! This last box we got was breathtaking. The vegetables don’t look anything like the underdeveloped and sometimes still dusty organic vegetables you might often find when shopping for organic. These specimens of deliciousness look no different from the prized veggies you might find at the county fair sporting a purple ribbon, and they are organic.
The above picture is a cold pasta salad I made with angel hair pasta. I love cold pasta salads, especially in the summer. Vegetables from the farm I included in this salad are yellow summer squash and zucchini. I then added some strips of basil, also from the farm. I then added kalamata olives, white beans (I ate all the black beans we received 2 weeks ago already) and tomatoes. I just tossed with a little olive oil and some salt and pepper.
We got to go out the farm and dig our own red potatoes! The kids drank enough organic lemonade to float themselves home. I couldn’t wait to get home and put together a simple potato salad using just potatoes, red onion, celery and mayonnaise.
I like simple, clean flavors best during summer. One of my favorite things to eat on a hot day is a simple cucumber salad. Using the cucumbers we received from the farm I made something my mom always has ready for lunch time, a cold salad consisted of sliced cucumbers, red onions and vinegar and oil.
The highlight of the CSA box was the zucchini. Because I love zucchini cake! The recipe I used this year comes from Martha Stewart’s July magazine. I changed it a little but it was still delicious. Zucchini makes any cake supremely moist. I love moist cakes. I think it would be good to try with some bananas as well. The kids had to help me make it.
Andrew likes to sift.
Chloe likes to whisk.
I don’t know what I enjoy more, baking or my small collection of Pyrex. I have on my wish list but I’m afraid of developing a severe addiction. Next thing you know I will be driving to flea markets all over the state looking for that one piece!
The cake turned out beautifully. I omitted the orange glaze that Martha suggested and just made a plain glaze since I didn’t have an orange on hand. We served it with a little whipped cream and fresh raspberries from our garden but it is good plain too. It would be great with a cup of coffee.
Zucchini Bundt Cake
Adapted From Martha Stewart Living1 1/2 sticks butter, melted
1 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 medium zucchini (will measure when grated and dried to 2 1/2 cups)
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1. Preheat oven to 325°. Brush a 6 cup bundt pan with melted butter and dust with flour. Whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
2. Grate zucchini on the large holes of a grater then fold into paper towel and/or kitchen towel and press the excess water out.
3. Stir together eggs and sugar, then stir in melted butter and zucchini. Stir in flour mixture. Transfer batter to pan.
4. Bake until toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 1 hour. Transfer pan to wire rack and let cool 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen and turn onto wire rack. Let cool for another 30 minutes.
I thought this cake was best on the second day. I mixed a small amount of powdered sugar and milk together to use as a glaze then sifted more powdered sugar on top. I thought it came out about perfect. Martha’s version is a little different, calling for an orange glaze and cardamom but I think this works just fine and is a little less complicated. She also topped hers with candied zucchini for a fancier presentation.