Seasonal Recipes

My goal with these recipe pages, is to add recipes according to seasonal harvest and eating, to inspire simple meals made with what is abundant. My challenge will be that I love to cook... but struggle with writing any sort of measurement down, I will try my best to adapt my creations to an understandable format.

Tomatillo Salsa
From the Kitchen of Kaly
 1.5 lb tomatillos
1 bunch cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper seeded and chopped
4 cloves garlic
1/4 lime
salt to taste

Peel the husks off the tomatillos and add them to a medium pot. Fill the pot with water and bring it to a boil. As soon as the water has boiled remove it from the heat and drain. In a blender or food processor add the garlic and chopped jalapeno, blend briefly. Add the tomatillos, cilantro, salt, and lime juice, blend until smooth. Cool the salsa in the fridge. It can be stored in the fridge for 2 weeks.
This is also called Salsa Verde. It can be used as green enchilada sauce or as salsa for dipping chips into. Top your eggs with it in the morning.

Beet and Turnip Hashbrowns
From the Kitchen of Kaly
4 beets
3 turnips
3 T canola oil
Salt and pepper to taste

This is a great side dish for any meal. Grate the beets and turnips. In a skillet heat the oil over medium heat. Add the beet and turnip mixture, and press down with a spatula. Cover the mixture and cook for 7 minutes, then flip and repeat the process. If they are burning turn down the burner. Remove the cover and continue to cook the hashbrowns flipping periodically until they start to caramelize this should take another 10 minutes. At this point a little more oil might need to be added, move the hashbrowns to the side of the pan and add another tablespoon of oil. Sprinkle with salt and serve.

Pasta with Eggplant Puree
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

1 eggplant cut into 1’’ cubes
1 pint cherry tomatoes
5 cloves garlic
3 T olive oil
1 t salt and pepper
1 jalapeno or chillipeno pepper
3 T olive oil
1/4 C roasted sunflower seeds
1 lb penne pasta
1/2 C grated parmesan
2 T balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 400°. On a rimmed baking sheet add chopped eggplant, cherry tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and diced hot pepper. Roast in the oven until golden brown and tender ~ 35 minutes.
Add sunflower seeds to small dish and roast in the oven until golden ~ 5 minutes. Remove and reserve.
Boil and cook pasta. Drain and reserve 2C of the cooking liquid.
Transfer the roasted vegetables to a food processor, add the oil, vinegar, and 1 1/2 C reserved cooking liquid. Combine until smooth. Serve and sprinkle with cheese and nuts.

Green bean and cherry tomato salad
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

1 lb green beans
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 small shallot sliced thinnly
2 T red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
1/3 C olive oil

Snap and remove the top of the green bean and snap in half. Bring a pot of water to boil and quickly boil the beans until tender 4 minutes. Remove from the water and cool. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half.
Mince the garlic and add it to a bow with the vinegar and salt and pepper. Whisk in the oil. Adjust the seasonings as needed. Toss the cherry tomatoes in the vinaigrette. When you are ready to eat add the green beans and toss to combine

Quick Chili Relloños
From the Kitchen of Kaly
5 roasted and peeled Anaheim or Poblano peppers
10 pieces of thinly sliced jack cheese or Mexican cojita
1/2 C cornmeal
2 eggs whipped
1/4 C safflower or vegetable oil

Turn your oven to broil and move the rack to the top of the oven. Place the whole peppers on a cookie sheet and put them directly under the coils. Check them in 3-5 minutes once the skin has started to blister flip the peppers. Continue to do this until all the skin on the pepper has started to lift away from the fruit.
Remove the pepper from the oven and cool. Once they can be handled peel away the skin. Take a pairing knife and cut out the stem and pull out the seeds and membrane.
Take the thinly sliced cheese and stuff it into the peppers. Dip the peppers into the whipped egg and then into the cornmeal.
Add a 1/4’’ of oil to a large skillet and heat until it sizzles when a bit of cornmeal is dropped into it. Add the peppers and cook until brown on each side ~ 3 minutes. Remove and enjoy. If the cheese has not melted all the way set them in the oven on 200° for 5 minutes.
We love them topped with tomatillo salsa and fresh cilantro!

Ratatouille
From the Kitchen of Kaly
1/2 walla walla onion diced
4 cloves of garlic minced
3 T olive oil
1 large eggplant cut into 1’’ cubes
1 green bell, red bell and antohi pepper diced
1/2 jalapeno pepper diced
1 lb tomatoes cored and quartered
2T chopped basil and parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large skillet add the onions and sauté until soft ~ 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Add the eggplant, a little more oil and some salt. Cook until the eggplant is soft and a little brown ~ 5 minutes.
Add the peppers and turn up to heat to cook off some of the moisture. Cook until soft ~ 6 minutes.
Add the quartered tomatoes and cover until they have broken down. Once they have broken down remove the lid so that the dish thickens, stirring occasionally.
Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle on the fresh herbs.
We eat this dish with toasted bread and a little Lifeline feta cheese.

Asian eggplant with tomatoes and yoghurt
From the Kitchen of Kaly
1/2 sweet onion
1 asian eggplant cut into coins
1 lb tomatoes quartered
8 cloves garlic, pressed
1 t ground cumin
1 t fresh grated ginger
1/2 chopped jalapeno
2 T lemon juice
1/2 C yoghurt
3 T safflower oil
1/2 C chopped cilantro

Heat oil in a medium hot pan. Add the onions and sauté until soft ~ 8 minutes. Add the garlic, ground cumin, and grated ginger cook for 1 minute.
Add the eggplant and jalapeno and a little salt. A little more oil might need to be added if the eggplant are sticking to the pan. Cook until the eggplant are soft and have browned.
Add the quartered tomatoes and cover until the tomatoes break down ~ 10 minutes. Remove the lid and cook for an additional 5 minutes to thicken the sauce.
Turn off the heat and allow the dish to cool for a few minutes before stirring in the yoghurt and lemon so that the yoghurt does not curdle.
Sprinkle with cilantro and serve over rice.

Pumpkin Cookies
From Jan Wirak (Brian’s Mom)

1 C butter
1 1/2 C brown sugar
2 eggs
1 C pumpkin
1/2 t baking soda
1/ t baking powder
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt
3 C oats
2 C flour
1 bag chocolate chips

In a large bowl blend the butter and sugar until soft and fluffy. Add the eggs and blend. Add the pumpkin, cinnamon, salt, baking powder and soda. Blend until incorporated. Add the oats and mix. Then add the flour and chocolate chips.
Bake at 350° for 12 minutes.

Brian calls these ‘health cookies’ so he can eat 5 cookies at one sitting.

Tomatillo Plants Photo by Laurie Childs

tomatillo salsa ingredients

Chiogga, gold, and red beets

Cucumbers

Eggplant

tri-color bush beans

poblano and anaheim peppers

paprika and chillipeno peppers

cilantro

antohi peppers

carnival and acorn squash

walla walla sweet onions

chillipeno peppers

buttercup, butternut, and kabocha squash