Our frozen broccoli was blanched for a minute or two in our kitchen before cooling and freezing.  It is not a substitute for fresh broccoli in salads or places where you really need the veggies to be crisp.  But they are fantastic for pastas, burritos, casseroles, quiches, soup etc. To reheat, bring some water to a boil in a pot and put in all or a part of the bag of broccoli (you can saw off chunks of frozen if you don't want to use the whole thing). Heat for 2-5 minutes, testing each minute after 2 minutes to see if it has reached the tenderness you seek.

SUMMER VEGETABLE FRITTATA

Works best with a well seasoned, cast iron skillet, but any oven proof skillet will do. Eat this with a fresh salad for a healthy mid-day meal. -elena
Serves 4 comfortably

8 farm fresh eggs
1/4 C milk or cream
Generous pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon sunflower oil
1 medium Walla Walla onion, roughly chopped
1 lb zucchini, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
1 medium bell pepper, sliced into strips
1 C of broccoli florets and stems, roughly chopped
1 cup arugula, leaves whole and any thick stems removed
1 cup Bonnieview's Ben Nevis, shredded or sliced thin
1 large tomato, sliced into rounds

Preheat broiler.

Whisk together eggs, milk or cream, salt, and pepper in a bowl.

Heat sunflower oil in a 12 inch cast iron or oven proof skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until just fragrant. Add zucchini and bell pepper, cooking just until tender, about 2 minutes. Add broccoli and arugula, cooking for 2 minutes more. Pour egg mixture into skillet and cook, lifting up cooked egg around edge using a spatula to let as much raw egg as possible flow underneath, until edge is set, about 2 minutes (top and center will still be very loose). Sprinkle evenly with cheese and then lay tomato slices on top in a decorative manner.

Broil frittata about 6 inches from heat until set, slightly puffed, and golden, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes.

Cool frittata 5 minutes, then loosen edge with a clean spatula and slide onto a large plate. Cut into wedges.

Vegetable Tacos with Roasted Tom Tom Sauce

Once the prep work is done, this can be a quick, casual supper for a late summer night. The portions are approximate, so adjust according to your family's needs. This recipe is geared towards what you have in your share this week, but it's open to suggestion. Add lemon or lime to the tom tom sauce to cut some of the sweetness that the roasting brings out of the tomatoes and tomatillos. You can add some heat with roasted poblano chiles or add chopped cucumber to cool it down and create a bit more crunch. -elena
Serves 3 or 4

Roasted Tom Tom Sauce
1/2 lb tomatillos
1/2 lb tomatoes
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup Walla Walla onion, minced
Handful of fresh arugula, chopped fine
salt and pepper to taste

Vegetable Tacos
12 corn tortillas
4 T sunflower oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 Walla Walla Onion, sliced into thin rings
1 medium bell pepper, sliced into 1/2 thick strips
1 cup broccoli florets and stem, chopped
1/2 cup zucchini, sliced into 1/2 rounds
Salt and Pepper to taste

For the Sauce:
1.Set your broiler to high. Wash and rinse tomatoes and tomatillos. Line a cookie sheet with foil, lightly brushing it with oil. Broil the tomatoes and tomatillos for several minutes, turning occasionally, until the skin turns black. Pull out and let cool until easy to handle.
2. Roughly chop the tomatoes and tomatillos, mixing with the garlic, onion and fresh arugula. Salt and pepper to taste.
For the Tacos:
1. Heat the sunflower oil in a cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
Saute the minced garlic and onion for 3 minutes until fragrant. Add the bell pepper and saute another 2 minutes. add the broccoli and zucchini, cooking until
bright green but still crunchy, about 2 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
4. Heat the tortillas over a low flame on the stove or in the oven at 325F for until soft and hot. Serve immediately, spooning the Roasted Tom Tom Sauce over the vegetables.

My Favorite Indulgent Pasta:

I adapted this from a recipe out of Improvisational Cooking and it needs good quality ingredients. It is by no means low fat, but it's wonderful to eat with a friend or two and a good glass of wine.
Break the yolk of the egg just before eating and stir everything up. It creates a creamy, rich sauce that coats everything beautifully. -elena

Serves 3 to 4

1 lb pasta, preferably penne or farfalle
Carmelized onions and garlic
Roasted bell peppers
Broccoli, chopped stems and florets
Kale, rinsed and chopped
Pancetta or bacon, cooked until crisp but chewy
2 T unsalted butter
1/4 C cream (yes, cream)
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
1/4 C hard cheese like parmesan or Bonnieview's Ben Nevis
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Sea salt, to taste
2 to 3 farm fresh eggs

In the meantime, in a medium pan with just a sprinkle of water, cook the chopped kale until just starting to wilt, but still chewy. About 3 minutes. Remove and set aside. Add the broccoli and cook in the same manner, until just green, about 1 minute. Remove and set aside with the kale. Bring a large pot of water to boil and add a generous helping of salt just before adding the pasta. Cook until al dente, about 7 to 10 minutes. In the same pan you used for the vegetables, melt the butter, add the cream and nutmeg and heat over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cheese and carmelized onions, stirring constantly until the cheese is melted and the sauce is thick. Add the roasted peppers, broccoli and kale, heat briefly. In a separate pan, melt butter and fry up 2 to 3 eggs, sunny side up, until the white is set, but the yolk is still runny.

By now, your pasta should be done or really close. Drain and toss with the creamy vegetable sauce. Top with an egg and lay a serving of pancetta or bacon on top. Season with salt and pepper.

Mediterranean Orzo

The combination of feta, lamb and tomato is classic. If you are not a lamb-eater, try throwing in some mushrooms, kalamata olives and pine nuts instead. Serves 4.

1 lb. ground lamb, crumbled, or good lamb sausage sliced into half-rounds
2 TB olive oil
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 head broccoli or cauliflower separated into small florets
salt and pepper
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 TB chopped fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried
1 large tomato chopped
3/4 lb orzo
6 oz feta cheese crumbled
salt and pepper to taste

Put a large pot of salted water on to boil. Cook lamb in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat until cooked through. Reserve the cooked lamb and drain the skillet. Heat the oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, saute for one minute, then add garlic. Saute onion for another minute or two, then add the broccoli or cauliflower, salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Add the chicken stock and oregano. Bring to simmer, reduce heat and simmer covered for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the orzo to the pot of boiling water and cook according to packaged directions. Add the cooked lamb and chopped tomato to the skillet and simmer one more minute. Drain the orzo reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Toss the orzo with the lamb and vegetables, adding reserved pasta water if necessary. Toss in the feta. Serve warm.

Summer Vegetable Pickles

Adapted from Epicurious.com. Makes about 3 cups.

1 cup 1/2- to 3/4-inch cauliflower florets
1 cup 1/2- to 3/4-inch broccoli florets
1 cup 1-inch strips celery
1 red Thai chili or red jalapeno chili, cut into thin rounds
1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup (lightly packed) fresh mint leaves (from 2 bunches)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Place cauliflower, broccoli, celery and chili in medium bowl. Bring vinegar, mint, sugar, and salt to boil in heavy medium saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cool syrup completely. Strain syrup over vegetables. Let stand at room temperature 2 hours. Cover and chill until ready to use. (Can be made up to 1 day ahead.)

Vegetable Casserole with Tofu Topping

Adapted from a recipe at Epicurious.com. I think that you could substitute small cubes of eggplant for the broccoli in this dish and it would still be delicious. Serves 4-6.

For vegetables
2 tablespoons sunflower or olive oil
2 medium onions, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced lengthwise
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb broccoli, cut into 1 flowerets, stem chopped into 1/2 cubes
1 lb kale, stems and center ribs removed and leaves coarsely chopped
1/2 lb carrots, cut into 1/4-inch-thick matchsticks
1/2 cup vegetable broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

For topping
1 1/2 cups fine fresh or dried bread crumbs, preferably whole wheat
7 oz firm tofu
1 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/2 cup)
1/3 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons dried basil, crumbled
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled
1 teaspoon paprika
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Heat oil in a deep 12- to 14-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to moderate and add broccoli, kale, carrots, broth, soy sauce, and salt. (Skillet will be full, but volume will reduce as vegetables steam.) Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are just tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a 13- by 9-inch glass baking dish.

Pulse all topping ingredients together in a food processor until combined well. Alternatively, mash ingredients together in a large bowl with a potato masher. Sprinkle tofu mixture over vegetables in baking dish and bake, uncovered, until topping is golden brown and vegetables are heated through, 15 to 20 minutes.

Salmon with Soba Noodles and Veggies in Miso Sauce

Thanks go to Suzanne Podhaizer of Seven Days for this miso recipe. Vegetarians can make this with marinated tofu. Suzanne says: This recipe can be modified to use any vegetables you desire: daikon, broccoli, baby spinach or scallions would all be good additions. I like a lot of miso, but you can always start with less, or add more, as you desire. Based on today's share, I would substitute in shredded daikon or purple top turnip matchsticks for the salad turnips. Add the purple tops when you put in the carrots. Serves 2.

sunflower oil
1/2 c. diced onion or shallot
2 carrots, chopped into coins
1 large salad turnip, or 2 medium, chopped
1 1/2 c. shredded cabbage
mirin
rice wine vinegar
soy sauce or tamari
2 yellowfin tuna steaks
2 bunches soba noodles
2 T. miso
1/2 c. water
sesame oil

Place a big pot of water over high heat and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat 1 T. oil in pan over medium heat. When hot but not smoking, add onions and cook, stirring, until translucent. Add carrots, and after about two minutes add the cabbage and turnip. When the vegetables are just tender, drizzle in just a touch of soy sauce, mirin and vinegar, and cook another minute or two until the pan is nearly dry. Set the vegetables aside.

Put another tablespoon of oil in an oven-safe pan and place over medium heat. Pat the tuna steaks dry and season both sides with salt and pepper. When the pan is very hot, add the tuna steaks and sear. When they have browned and release fairly easily from the pan without breaking, turn them and place the pan in the oven.

Make sure that the water has come to a boil, salt the water, and add the soba noodles. Cook according to package directions (usually around 5 minutes).

Mix the miso and water in a small dish. When the pasta is done, drain rinse very briefly in cool water and return to the pot. Add the vegetables and miso mixture.

When the fish is done to your liking (I like mine pink in the middle), remove it from the pan and again, place the pan over medium heat. Deglaze with a couple tablespoons of mirin and a splash of vinegar, scraping any browned bits off of the bottom and let the mixture simmer and reduce. Pour it over the noodle and vegetable mixture and add a little sesame oil. Slice each tuna steak and lay the pieces atop the noodle mixture. Serve.

Penne with Wilted Greens, Goat Cheese and Fresh Basil

This is more of a suggestion than a recipe. Substitution opportunities are endless!

1 lb penne pasta (or any shape pasta)
Olive oil
3-6 Cloves garlic, minced
3-8 cups of greens, tough stems removed, greens chopped (spinach, mustard, mizuna, Pac Choi)
1/2 to 1 cup of tomato sauce
Goat cheese
Fresh chopped basil

Put a large pot of salted water on and bring to boil for the pasta. While water is heating, mince the garlic, chop the greens and any other vegetables you have on hand that you'd like to throw in (see options below). Once the veggies are all chopped and prepared and water is boiling, add pasta and cook to al dente (8-12 mins depending on pasta type).

While the pasta is cooking, put a large saute pan over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add 2-3 TB of olive oil and the garlic to the pan and stir to coat and cook for a minute or two. Add the tomato sauce (or fresh tomatos or sun dried tomatoes). Add other optional veggies in order of necessary cooking time and cook until not quite tender. Add the greens and cover pan until greens are just wilted at which time other veggies will now be tender. Remove cover. Drain the pasta, and in a large bowl or in the original pasta pot mix together the pasta and veggies saute and the fresh chopped basil. Serve on plates with crumbled goat cheese and the optional toasted nuts on top.

Optional Ingredients:
2-3 TB Toasted Pine Nuts, Walnuts, Pecans, or Almonds. Toast on a dry skillet (cast iron ideal) on the stovetop over medium heat until they become fragrant. Don't let them burn. Remove from heat to a bowl.

Sundried tomatoes - use just 2-4 as too many can overpower a dish. Soak in hoat water if they are very dry, and once softened, chop/mince them.

Other fresh veggies - 1-2 fresh tomatoes, broccoli, aparagus etc. Add these to the saute as necessary to cook til just tender

Pasta at My House

This is my kind of veggie week. I really never tire of fresh veggies and pasta and fortunately, neither does my family.

4 cloves garlic minced
1 bunch garlic scapes - chopped
2-3 tomatoes chopped
1 zucchini sliced or 1 head and stem of broccoli - stem sliced and florets broken off
1 bunch basil
Olive Oil - 2 TB
salt and pepper
1 lb pasta

Bring pot of salted water to boil on the stove for pasta. Meanwhile prepare the vegetables. When the water comes to a boil add the pasta and cook to al dente according to directions.

Heat Olive oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and garlic scapes the pan and cook for just a minute or two without browning garlic. Add the tomatoes, and simmer a few minutes more. Add the zucchini or broccoli and anything else you'd like to toss in (greens? olives?). Simmer some more until tomatoes have thickened and vegetables are crisp tender. Taste sauce and add salt or pepper to taste.

Drain pasta and mix in the veggie/tomato sauce with the pasta. Add a glug of olive oil if you need to moisten a bit more. Then add chopped basil. Serve with some grated parm and even feta if you'd like.