Who Doesn't Like a Good Kitchen Gadget

I am going to deviate a bit from my normal way of posting and talk a bit about a little product we have carried  in the store for the past year that has hit the airways with a splash.  Who knew Appleton Farms’ Store would be ahead of the food gadget trends!  What gadget you ask?  The Spiralizer.  You know that little manual machine that makes what some call zoodles, zucchini noodles, spiralizer noodles etc., etc.

When I first demonstrated it last year during one of our CSA  pickups, only to sell out in less than 2 hours, I knew the zucchini noodle craze had finally hit Ipswich.  It had been something that I had been making for my family for over a year.  In the past 2 years of personally using it, I would love to pass on some ideas for not only using the machine for zucchini noodles but for what else it can do.

Instead of giving recipes, there are many all over the web, I will give you some ideas of what vegetables I’ve successfully spiralized and some ideas.  I’ll leave it to you to choose your toppings.

Paderno brand is the best and most proven by far.  There are many impostors on the market.  Make sure you get it from a reputable dealer and it is Paderno brand.  You won't be disappointed.

Zucchini

Toss it in a pan for 1-2 minutes to slightly soften. 

I prefer to heat up my favorite sauce and just toss it with raw zucchini. Pictured is the fettuccine blade.  A bit wider than the regular cut.

Sweet potatoes

Fry in a bit of oil.

Lightly toss in oil, bake.

Regular potatoes

Toss in a cast iron pan with oil, onions for great hash browns

Celeriac

Great raw with vinaigrette

Kohlrabi

Good topped with anything.  Alfredo is a favorite

Carrots

Who doesn’t like curly carrots?

Apples

Toss in peppers onion sausages with a bit of sage.

Onions

Beets

If you’ve never had a raw, spiralized beet, you’d think it was cooked.  I’m not sure why, but you’d not know it was raw.

Parsnips

Our house favorite.  We love to make a chicken curry (or the one sold in the Farm Store) and toss it over raw parsnips.  My daughter’s #1 spiralized dish.

The Spiralizer is still carried in our Farm Store.  We now have 2 choices, a 3-blade and a 4-blade.

I highly recommend you give us a visit to check it out.  You won’t be disappointed.

Peppers, Tomatoes and Cheese… Oh My!

After being made to eat stuffed peppers as a child, its something that I love to smell, but can’t bring myself to eat it.  Everyone has a food trauma story, mine is stuffed peppers (and baked beans!)

I decided to change up stuffed peppers to get over my stuffed pepper cringe.  They are like little pepper pizza boats.  How can you go wrong with that?  Pardon the lack of pictures for a couple weeks, the camera phone is dead.  Ahhhh technology.  I promise they look great.  I’m posting a picture of a Martha Stewart similar recipe.  Close but you get the idea for preparation. Just don't forget the all important cheese!

Cooking, Serving It! Baked peppers and tomatoes   4 bell peppers any color, halved vertically and seeded 2 plum tomatoes or any kind of low moisture tomato sliced 1/4” rounds ½ cup favorite cheese.  I like to use feta, mozzarella or Parmesan 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano Coarse salt and ground pepper Fresh basil leaves chopped Directions Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place peppers, cut side up on a 9x13 pan, place a slice of tomato on top, scatter garlic slices.  Drizzle oil. Sprinkle with cheese, oregano, basil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until flesh is tender, about 35 minutes.

Freezing It! Stay tuned for pepper preservation!!!

Watermelon and Arugula

A request from a member:

Arugula and watermelon are a pair that doesn’t sound like it would be good, but it is.  Adding Adobo and salt to summer sweet watermelon, then adding the peppery arugula makes your taste buds dance.  If you’ve never tried the combination, give it a try.  You won’t be disappointed.

Cooking, Serving It! Arugula-Watermelon-Feta Salad Chopped Arugula Watermelon, cubed or sliced Crumbled feta cheese 1 Lime Olive Oil Adobo seasoning and black pepper a few fresh basil leaves cut thin Balsamic vinaigrette (I like using a blueberry balsamic) Put bite sized pieces of arugula in a bowl with the watermelon on top. Squeeze a wedge of lime and drizzle olive oil on top, then sprinkle Adobo and pepper to taste. Toss lightly. Crumble feta cheese, and sprinkle on top with it along with basil.

Freezing It! Freezing cubes of watermelon will allow you to enjoy watermelon in winter smoothies or even using the cubes as ice cube replacement in a glass of sparkling water or wine.

Dehydrating It!       If you’ve never tasted dehydrated watermelon, you’re in for an amazing treat. Dehydrating watermelon leaves the sweetness, a bit sticky, almost resembling fruit leather with a taste of a Jolly Rancher.  Oh my!!  Dehydrate at 135 for 24 hours or until its leather like.