Yellow Squash and Onions

I had these in North Carolina when I was there this spring.  It seemed like a fitting way to use the yellow squash that has been building up and to accompany a Southern entree. 

Serves 3

1/2 tablespoon butter
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 slice onion, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 small yellow squash, cut into coins
Dash garlic salt
Dash salt
Dash ground black pepper

1. In skillet, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and squash and saute until edges are brown and vegetables are soft.  Season with garlic salt, salt, and pepper.  Serve hot.

Week 12 Box

With all of the flooding that we have had around here, we received a notice in our box that the selection and quality of the vegetables might be effected.  I'm hoping that I'll still be able to continue to have enough each week to do the CSA portion of the blog.  Time will tell.

• Kale
• Yellow squash
• Garlic
• Green beans
• Tomatoes
• Red pepper
• Watermelon
• Potatoes
• Leeks
• Honey
• Basil

Yellow Squash Risotto

I started making risotto about a year ago.  It still stands as one of my go-to meals that seems infinitely variable, so I change up the meat and vegetable when I make it.  It also scores points with me for being relatively quick to make, for not requiring the oven, and for reheating well as lunches.  For being pretty basic, it has a lot of flavor.

Serves 4-6

 4 strips bacon, cut into small pieces
1 large or 2 small yellow squash, diced
1 very small onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 oz bag arborio rice (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 cup Chardonney
4 cups chicken broth, hot
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
Dash ground black pepper

1. In medium saucepan, cook bacon over medium high heat until bacon is brown.  Stir bacon occasionally to prevent burning.  Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon pieces to a paper-towel coated plate and leave drippings in pan.  Set bacon aside.
2. Saute squash in bacon leavings until squash is soft and somewhat reduced.  Using a slotted spoon, remove squash from pan and leave liquid behind.  Set squash aside.
3. Add minced garlic and onions to pan liquid.  Saute garlic and onions for a few minutes until they are soft and translucent.  Add rice to pan and cook, stirring constantly, until rice is white and less opaque.  This will not take long.  Pour wine into pan and cook, stirring constantly, until wine is almost absorbed.  Ladle about 1/2 cup broth into rice and stir until liquid is almost absorbed.  Continue adding broth to the rice, one ladle at a time, until you have used all 4 cups of the broth.  This will take about 20 minutes.
4. Stir cheese into rice mixture.  Add squash and bacon to pan, stirring well.  Season with garlic salt and pepper before serving.  Serve hot.

Week 8 Box

A massive storm hit here last Saturday, which caused some tree damage in my neighborhood and apparently caused a fair amount of damage to the crops at the CSA farm.  No greens this week, but the farm people seem optimistic they will spring back.  It has, overall, been exceptionally wet here this summer.  I hear this has been hard on potatoes and onions, which have so far been appearing in my box but not in great numbers.  It's still enough to work with, though.

• Onions
• Green beans
• Cucumbers
• Yellow squash (a very particular kind called Sunburst scallopini, though it cooks like regular)
• Garlic
• Beets
• Potatoes