This Week's Produce and Some Yummy Recipes

My produce of the week:

· Strawberries
· Blueberries
· Mangos
· Bananas
· Spinach
· Broccolini - Baby Broccoli
· Eggplant
· Rainbow Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes
· Onions
· Garlic
· Green Leaf Lettuce
· Avocados
· Beet Roots
· Cucumbers
· Broccoli

How would you use these? I'm especially interested in the beets. You can't see them too well in this photograph but there are 3 large beet roots - something I have never cooked before! Annie has a recipe for Can't Beet Red Velvet Cupcakes that I might try! I just can't even fathom the idea of beets in cupcake batter!

Last night I made two fantastic side dishes using produce from last week that must share!

Using the kale that I recently received I made Sauteed Kale by Bobby Flay, as listed on FoodNetwork.com

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds young kale, stems and leaves coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
1/2 cup vegetable stock or water (I actually used chicken stock b/c that's what I had on hand)

Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar (ever added this b/c I forgot to)
Directions
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until soft, but not colored. Raise heat to high, add the stock and kale and toss to combine. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove cover and continue to cook, stirring until all the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add vinegar.

Next, I made Perfect Fingerling Potatoes by Alton Brown, as listed on FoodNetwork.com

Ingredients

1 1/4 pounds kosher or rock salt

2 quarts water
2 pounds small fingerling potatoes, cleaned
4 tablespoons butter, optional
Freshly ground black pepper, optional
1 tablespoon freshly chopped chives, optional
Directions
In a large pot, combine the salt, water, and potatoes and bring to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, approximately 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the pot to a cooling rack and let stand for 5 to 7 minutes. Serve as is or with butter, pepper, or chives.

I was very convinced that the potatoes were going to be ridiculously salty, but they weren't. I mean, yes, they were salty, but tasty, salty. Like a good potato chip. We didn't add anything to them as we ate (no butter or anything!)

Hope you get the chance to try out these recipes. They were such a hit!