Week 48: The Fog Has Lifted
The quarantine fog has lifted and open access to the farm table is back! We are so excited to get to see your (masked) faces and be social at the CSA pickups once again! Spring is in full swing with several things happening at the farm. With the last of the Spring crops in the ground, roots are on their way out and the bounty of greens is coming soon. The baby chicks are growing fast and the momma cows are providing more milk than we know what to do with. Enjoy the cream and ricotta which are only around this time of year. And don’t forget about Spring eggs, they are the best of the best (2019/2020, Week 46 Sunny Side Up). A splash of cream in your coffee and a dollop of ricotta in your scrambled eggs is what farm-living dreams are made of!
Check out all these ideas to use farm milk. And peek back at 2019/2020, Week 6 The Cream Always Rises to the Top for a few more. Bring some extra milk jugs on your pickup day and load up, tis the season! There are also some extra milk jars in the barn if needed.
Ice cream! (check out the raw recipe on Our One Acre Farm)
Butter!
Soft Cheese (mozzarella or paneer are fun to try)
Greek Yogurt/Skyr
Sour Cream
New to the CSA this season is green garlic, another highlight of Spring. Green garlic, also called young garlic or Spring garlic, is simply garlic that hasn’t fully matured. Although it is the natural result of thinning the garlic crop, green garlic has really risen in popularity over the last few years. At this stage of growth, the garlic bulb is barely discernable and looks more like a small leek. But give it a smell and you’ll know its garlic. Store your green garlic by wrapping with a damp paper towel, placing it in a plastic bag and keeping it in the fridge. To use, cut off the very bottom root section and use all the tender white and light green parts. The dark green leaves on top can be saved for stock or soup.
FREEZER BURRITOS
Have you ever had those small cheapo frozen burritos from the grocery store? They are great as a snack or quick meal on the go but also full of junk. This recipe is a farm-friendly version and are perfect for on-the-go, quick meals. Assembly is also a kid-approved task! Although this does require some time for ingredient prep and assembly, made in bulk will provide burritos for the next several months. You have the option to make a batch every season to explore variety.
Ingredients:
Flour tortillas (40-60 count, 8” to 10” size)
Cooked meat
Cooked rice
Cooked beans
Vegetables
Cheese
Salt, pepper, other seasonings
Fresh toppings
Supplies:
Deli dry wrap wax paper sheets (precut as 12”x12” or so)
Foil sheets (pre-cut or torn off a roll as 15” x 15” or so)
Sharpie (for labeling)
Prep all ingredients separately. It is better to cook things individually and layer later to make sure everything is cooked properly and seasoned well. The key to a flavorful burrito is flavorful ingredients! Notes: Use fresh, flour tortillas. They fold and freeze the best. Medium size is preferred over small taco or large burrito size but this is a personal choice. Protein options are endless, but all meat must be cooked first. Pulled meats (such as sautéed chorizo, crock pot shredded chicken, pulled beef barbacoa, slow roasted pulled pork) tend do best because they can be spread out throughout. If using cubed meat, chop pieces up smaller rather than larger. Rice can be any type of rice. Beans can be plain or refried, canned or dried. Just make sure they are drained and seasoned well. Adding fresh lime juice, salt, cilantro and seasoning adds a huge flavor boost to rice and beans. Vegetable toppings are truly endless, the key is to avoid excess liquid. Also avoid things not meant to be eaten hot (such as lettuce, avocado, sour cream). Veggies can be raw (such as shredded carrots) but are limited in options. Cooked veggies are endless - sautéed leafy greens such as kale, chard, or collard greens; sautéed summer squash, mushrooms, bell peppers, onions; roasted sweet potato, cauliflower or broccoli. This is also a great place to use previously preserved items such as roasted garlic, caramelized onions, homemade canned salsa, or pickled jalapenos. Some cheeses are melty (such as Jack, cheddar, fontina) and some are crumbly (cotija, queso fresco). Combine a melty and a crumbly together for an extra flavor punch (fan favorite is cotija + Fontina). It is always good to give a very light sprinkle of salt and pepper for good measure. Other seasonings can be added if desired too. Good options are cumin, garlic powder, and chili powder.
Set up workstation with all fillings, tortillas and utensils.
Assemble and wrap. Place a foil sheet, then a deli wax sheet, then your tortilla. You are ready to fill. It takes practice not to overfill the tortilla, and the amount to add is dependent on the size tortilla you selected. For an 8-10” tortilla, filling will consist of approximately 1/3 to ¼ cup meat, 1 TBSP rice and beans, 1 TBSP vegetables, 1 TBSP cheese. Once filled, fold the side edges towards the center and then fold up the bottom and roll away from you. This will ensure the seams are faced downward on the deli wax sheet. Seal up the foil/wax sheets, label/date with your Sharpie marker and freeze.
Heat and Eat. When hunger strikes, grab a burrito from the freezer. Remove the foil and wax sheets. Wrap up burrito in a damp paper towel and microwave approximately 1 to 1.5 minutes on each side. If you are doing grab-and-go, let cool for a few minutes before handling. Or you can add your fresh toppings (such as lettuce, avocado, sour cream) and dig in!
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