Produce Recipes!

I promised you recipes! Thank you for being patient. 


To start off, here's a list of produce in my food bank that you may or may not know how to cook:
- Fennel
- Artichoke
- Kale
- Eggplant
- Beets
- Parsnips
- Collard Greens




Let's go in order....




Baked Rigatoni with Italian Sausage and Fennel:

• 1 pound hot Italian sausage links
• 1 (16 ounce) package rigatoni pasta
• 1 (24 ounce) jar marinara sauce or 24oz of my recipe (in earlier post)
• 1 bulb fennel, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1 roasted red bell pepper, chopped (you can do this in your oven! You don't have to buy a jar!)
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until almost tender (called al dente), about 10 minutes depending on pasta. Fry the sausages in a large skillet over medium heat, turning frequently until cooked through, should take about 15 minutes. Remove from the skillet, cool slightly and slice into rounds. Add the garlic, fennel and onion to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Saute for about 5 minutes, then add the roasted red peppers, basil, sliced sausage and pasta sauce. Heat through over low heat until warmed. Combine the pasta with the sauce and vegetables in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Spread the mozzarella, Parmesan and Asiago cheeses over the top. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the aluminum foil. Set the oven to broil, and cook for another 5 minutes or until cheese is browned. Serves 8. 

Artichoke:

2 Whole Artichokes

2 Tablespoon butter

2 cloves garlic

Water

Fill the pan with just enough water to cover bottom. Bring to a full boil over high heat. While water is heating, trim and discard the stems and tough outer leaves of artichokes. Tuck slivers of butter and slices of garlic into artichoke leaves. When water is boiling, place steamer insert in pot and set artichokes in steamer, stem-side down. Cover pot with lid and allow artichokes to steam for approximately 20 minutes, until tender.

Olive Garden's Sausage and Kale Soup:

1 pound Italian Sausage (I like to mix spicy and mild)

2 large Russet Potatoes cut into 1/4in bits

1 large Onion, diced

2 cloves of Garlic (or more, if you really like garlic)

2 cup Kale (Washed really well)

16oz Chicken Broth

1 Quart Water

1 cup Heavy Cream (or half and half, but cream just makes it rich and velvety)

Brown up the sausage in a large pot until browned. Add onions and garlic and saute, add broth and water. When at boil, add potatoes, kale and cream. Serve when potatoes are cooked through. Serves 4-6

Eggplant Au Grain

• 1 pound eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices
• 2 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce
• 1 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
• 
  
• Brush both sides of eggplant slices with oil. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F for 8 minutes. Turn and bake 7-8 minutes longer or until lightly browned and tender. Cool on a wire rack. Place one eggplant slice in each of two 10-oz. ramekins coated with nonstick cooking spray. Top each with 2 tablespoons spaghetti sauce and 2 tablespoons mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers twice. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted. Serves 4. 

Borsht: 

2L water
1 lb beet root, peeled, and coarsely grated
about 3 Tbsp. lemon juice, to taste
about 3 tsp. salt, to taste
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 cup cucumber julienned (or in matchstick like cuts)
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/4 cup finely chopped dillsour cream, for garnish


Bring water to a boil and add grated beets. Lower heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the soup cool slightly. Add lemon juice and salt. Taste and adjust if necessary. Let the soup cool on the stove top then chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Combine eggs, cucumbers, scallions, and dill in a bowl and store in the fridge until ready to serve. When ready to serve: Divide egg mixture between 6 bowls. Ladle soup over mixture, and garnish with sour cream. Makes 6 servings.




Potato and Parsnip Mash:


2 Russet Potatoes, pealed and in 1in pieces
2 Parsnips, pealed and cut into 1/2in pieces
2 med. Carrots, pealed and cut into 1/2in slices
2 Tablespoon butter
2 Tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt


Place the potato, parsnip and carrot in a saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 20-25 minutes or until tender. Drain. In a small bowl, mash the vegetables with milk, butter, brown sugar and salt. Serves 4.




Zesty Collard Greens:

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 3 slices bacon
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes
• 1 pound fresh collard greens, cut into 2-inch pieces

I've heard of a lot of people liking turkey necks or other pig product in theirs.... So you can add those too.

• Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add bacon, and cook until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, crumble and return to the pan. Add onion, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, and cook until just fragrant. Add collard greens, and fry until they start to wilt. Pour in chicken broth, and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes, or until greens are tender. Serves 6. 

Now you know how to use the produce at the food bank that you may not know how to use! 

I don't know about you, but I love trying new things. If you have any recipes you really like, send them to me! I'd love to try them out! Who knows, maybe I'll post them up on here!