An Insanely Good Deal on PYO Organic Blueberries

We discovered Inkwell Farm in Epping NH a couple years ago in Epping, NH.  They have roughly 300 organic berry bushes in the back yard of their 1700’s era farmhouse.   Pull into the driveway and self serve supplies await you in the screen house:  empty milk gallons with bags, a scale, money and change box.

And the price?   $1.95 per pound!  For a price comparison, I bought local (non organic) blueberries at the grocery store on Sunday for $3.99 for 11 oz (roughly $5.80 per lb).  So, 13 lbs of blueberries in our bags (and an untold amount in our belly’s) we headed out after putting $26 in the money box.  Heaven!

On the way back to the highway we stopped at Goody Cole's in Brentwood for some amazing BBQ!  We got a combo plate “to go” with brisket, pork, kielbasa, potato salad and cornbread.  Our open windows wafted the smell all the way home.  If you like BBQ give them a try but for now it’s back to blueberries.

Many of the berries I froze the day we picked them (wash and air dry, freeze in a single layer on a cookie sheet and then store in a zip top freezer bag with air removed) but just as many were eaten by the handful and made into wonderful concoctions. 

Here is what 13 lbs of blueberries look like and what I made with them:

• Blueberry Crumble Bars
• Pork loin with blueberry salsa, blueberry bread pudding and blueberry mojitos
• Blueberry Cinnamon Rolls

Hopefully they'll still be picking in two weeks so we can get some more for jam.  We'll meet you there on Saturday morning and then swing through Goody Cole's for lunch on the way home.

Blueberry Cinnamon Rolls

These cinnamon rolls are to-die-for!  They do take a little time because of the rising so they aren't exactly suitable for a first thing in the morning breakfast.  I started them first thing Sunday morning and we had them for a mid morning snack.  The boys have brought them for daycare breakfast too - their friends look on and drool (Lucky Charms doesn't have anything on me!). 

The original recipe came from Beantown Baker and is another I modified with whole wheat flour and reduced the sugar or substituted refined sugar for honey.  As much as I try to reduce sugar I couldn't bring myself to omit the glaze!  If your willpower is better than mine and you want an even lower sugar version, drizzle with honey in lieu of the sugar glaze.

Blueberry Cinnamon Rolls

Dough

• 2 cups milk
• 1 stick butter
• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
• 4 cups white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 heaping teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 scant teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt

Blueberry Filling

• 1 pint blueberries
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2-3 teaspoons lemon juice
• 3/4 cup water

Additional Sprinkling Mixture

• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 4 tablespoons cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 pint blueberries

Sugar Glaze

• 1 1/2 cups confectioner  sugar
• 3-4 tablespoons milk

1. Add whole milk, butter, and sugar in a sauce pan and warm on medium heat to melt the butter.  Remove from heat and let cool until it is approximately 110 degrees (lukewarm).  Pour the milk mixture into the bowl of your stand mixer.
2. Sprinkle in yeast and let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes.
3. Add 4 cups of flour and stir with the paddle attachment of your mixer.
4. Cover mixer bowl with a towel and let sit for one hour.
5. In a small saucepan, combine blueberries, honey, cornstarch, lemon juice and water.
6. Turn heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until mixture begins to thicken slight. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
7. Once the dough has rested for 1 hour, add 1/2 cup flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix with paddle attachment until combined.
8. Grease a 9x13 pan.
9. Divide the dough in half. Sprinkle surface generously with flour.
10. Roll the dough into a rectangle about 1/2 an inch thick.
11. Spread half of the blueberry filling onto the dough and sprinkle half of the additional sprinkling mixture on top including the blueberries.
12. Roll the dough toward you like a jelly roll.  Using a serrated knife, cut the cinnamon rolls 2 inches thick and lay in greased 9 x 13 pan. Repeat rolling, filling and slicing with other half of dough.
13. Cover the rolls and let sit for 30 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 375 while the dough is resting.
14. Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown.
15. While baking, combine the confectioner sugar and milk to form a thick glaze.
16. Generously drizzle frosting over warm rolls after they come out of the oven.

Blueberry Crumble Bars

I modified this blueberry crumble bar recipe with whole grains and less sugar.  Here's my version that we had for a snack on Saturday afternoon.


Whole Wheat Blueberry Crumble Bars

• 1/2 cup Turbinado sugar (less refined but white sugar is fine too)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 cups whole wheat flour (white whole wheat or whole wheat pastry)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Zest of one lemon
• 2 sticks cold butter, cubed
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 4 cups fresh blueberries
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch
• Juice of one lemon
• Honey, (approximately 1/4 cup for drizzling)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Grease a 9×13 inch pan (use the leftover butter papers from the recipe and wipe the pan).
3. In a medium bowl, stir together sugar, baking powder, flour, salt and lemon zest.
4. Use two knives or a pastry blender to cut the cold butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. 
5. Stir in the lightly beaten egg.  The dough will be crumbly.
6. Pat half of dough into the bottom of your prepared pan.
7. In another bowl, lightly toss the blueberries, cornstarch, lemon juice and blueberries. Sprinkle the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust and drizzle with honey.
8. Crumble remaining dough over the berry layer.
9. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until top is slightly brown. 
10. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Saturday Dinner: Blueberry Mojitos, Pork Loin with Blueberry Salsa and Blueberry Bread Pudding

Ok, so I admit that this meal is a bit over the top blueberry but my family didn't mind.  Enjoy it together (we served our pork with buttery red potatoes and sauteed yellow squash and zucchini) or serve them separately.  Either way you won't be sorry.

Blueberry Mojitos
Serves 1

• 1/2 cup blueberries, a few more for garnish if you'd like
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 lime wedges
• 3-4 mint leaves
• Seltzer
• Crushed ice
• 1.5 ounces white rum

1. In a cocktail shaker, muddle blueberries, honey, lime wedges, mint and a small splash of club soda.
2. Add the ice and rum.  Shake well.  Strain into a glass with more crushed ice.  Top with a splash more seltzer (to taste).  Garnish with remaining blueberries and a sprig of mint.

Cumin Pork Loin Rub

• Cumin
• Garlic powder
• Kosher salt
• Pepper

1. Mix spices together or spinkle on the pork individually. 
2. Grill or roast pork loin and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
3. Top sliced pork with blueberry salsa.

Blueberry Salsa

Serves 2

• 1 cup mashed fresh blueberries
• 1/2 cup whole fresh blueberries
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional, to taste) 
• 1  seeded and minced jalapeño peppers (optional, to taste)
• 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• Kosher salt
• Pepper

1. Coarsely chop (I used a potato masher) 1 cup fresh blueberries.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together chopped fresh blueberries, 1/2 cup whole blueberries, fresh lemon juice, cilantro, jalapeños, red bell pepper, onion, and salt and pepper to taste.
3. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

 

Blueberry Bread Pudding Modified from About.com

Serves 4

• 2 cups whole wheat bread, cubed
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 2/3 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 and butter 4 individual baking dishes.  (You can also double the recipe and bake it in a 9x9 inch casserole dish.)
2. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and stir gently..
3. Spoon the mixture into prepared baking dishes.
4. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until set.  Serve warm with freshed whipped cream or ice cream.

CSA Baked Rotini

Dinner tonight is an idea thanks to a fellow CSA compatriot, Denise!  While my kids are pretty adventurous eaters, my recipe for sauteed mustard greens is not exactly up their alley.  Tonight we had a more family friendly - ooey, gooey, cheese dinner that disappeared from their plates in no time flat.

Baked Rotini with Spinach and Turnip Greens

• 16oz whole wheat rotini (any similar size pasta will do)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium bag of spinach*
• 1 bunch turnip greens* (save the turnips for another recipe)
• 16 oz part skim ricotta cheese
• 12 oz shredded mozzarella cheese (reserve enough for sprinkling on top, about 1 cup)
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 box of Pomi chopped tomatoes
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente.  Drain the pasta but do not rinse it.
2. While the pasta is cooking, clean the spinach and turnip greens*. 
3. In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over meduim/high heat.  Add the greens, salt and pepper and saute until they are wilted. 
4. Allow the greens to cool for a few minutes before turning onto a cutting board and giving a quick chop. 
5. In a large bowl combine ricotta, mozzarella, beaten egg, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt & pepper, and 2 cups of chopped tomatoes.
6. Add sauteed greens and pasta and stir to combine.  Pour into a 9x13 pan.  Top with remaining Pomi tomatoes and reserved mozzarella cheese.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted.   

Patrick and a clean plate.

*Place greens in the bowl of a salad spinner and add enough cold water to cover them.  Swirl the greens around in the water and allow them to sit for a minute while the sand and dirt settle.  Remove them one handful at a time and into the salad spinner basket.  Dump the sandy water and spin the greens to dry.  You'll be amazed at how this method removes all of the sand, dirt and silt from your greens! 

If you don't have a salad spinner immerse the greens in a large bowl.  Remove the greens to a couple of clean kitchen towels and gently pat dry.

Brotherly love

Sauteed Mustard Greens

One of the many benefits of working at home three days a week is the ability to make a great lunch.  I found a recipe for my Middle Branch Farm mustard greens that fit the bill nicely.  I made some modifications based on available ingredients and lunch is served. 

Shallots, garlic and mustard greens

I had some leftover roasted beets on hand from dinner two nights ago that I decided to throw in.  The earthy sweetness of the beets complimented the greens nicely and gave the dish it's tell tale red color.  The red pepper alone added great flavor if you prefer to leave out the beets.

Note to non work-at-home folks: this would make a great dinner or reheated lunch at the office.

Sauteed Mustard Greens

• 1/2 cup shallots, thinly sliced
• 1/2 a red pepper, diced
• 1 beet, cubed and pre-cooked (optional)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (or garlic scapes)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 lb mustard greens, washed and torn into large pieces
• 2-3 tablespoons chicken or vegetable broth or stock
• salt and pepper to taste
• Drizzle of sesame oil (optional or to taste)

1. In a large saute pan, warm the olive oil on medium high heat.  Add the onions and red peppers and saute until they soften, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and saute one minute more. 
2. Add the mustard greens and broth and cook until the greens are just wilted.  Season with salt and pepper and toss with sesame oil. 

Spring CSA Share - Week 1

Farmer Roger and I met twice 6 months ago at his farm in New Boston.  It was the end of his season and he was tired but had a smile and kind word and was already looking ahead to 2012.  After a winter rest he's working hard at managing the farm and providing hundreds of shares of vegetables to his members.

I assumed that 6 months later I would need to introduce myself again before walking off with his bounty.  Yet when he saw me out of the corner of his eye he said, "Hi Amanda!  Good to see you!"  That's beyond cool.

We had a few minutes to chat and discuss the share for this week.  It's full of greens but not full of plain old lettuce which gets boring quickly.  We've got some great stuff here.  From the bottom left: baby kale, brassica leaves, pac choi, mesclun, garlic (cloves and scapes), spinach, mustard greens, radishes and turnips.

Matt was already well underway with dinner when I got home but I'm dreaming of what we will make tomorrow with these goodies.  Roger tells me mustard greens taste like horseradish which I adore.  I've never had them before but am looking forward to finding some great recipes this week!  Feel free to post any recipes or links that you may have!

I'll do my best to post our meals from later this week!  For those of you in NH Roger's farm still has available shares for the summer.  The farm is located in New Boston however he has satellite pick up locations including Manchester.