Expanding My Horizons

We are participating in a CSA program with our friends Holly and Aaron. So every other week we pick up a big box of fruits and veggies from Underwood Farms. Some of the items we get are things I've never tried before, but since they are now in my house I must figure out a way to cook them. The list of new things so far includes pickling cucumbers, bok choy, kohlrabi, wax beans and french radish.

As I try out these new veggies and recipes, I'm going to share them on here in hopes of broadening the horizons of others as well. Of course, some of you (if anyone reads this) may have eaten/cooked all these things before. Maybe you'll get a new way of preparing them. So here goes, recipe #1

Roasted Wax Beans

(Adapted from the Taste of Home Cookbook)

3/4 pound fresh wax beans (or green beans)

1 small onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons olive oil

Place beans in a saucepan & cover with water; bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain.

Place beans in a greased medium sized baking dish. Top with onion and garlic. Drizzle with vinegar and oil; toss to coat.

Bake, uncovered at 425 deg. F for 10 minutes. Stir; bake 5 minutes longer. 4 servings

Chris and I both liked this one, and of course Hannah wouldn't touch it.

Recipe #2

Kohlrabi with Honey Butter

(Also from the Taste of Home Cookbook)

1 pound kohlrabi (4-5 small), peeled and cut into 1/4" strips

1 medium carrot, cut into 1/8" strips

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon butter, melted

2 teaspoons honey

1/8 teaspoon pepper

In large skillet, bring 1" of water, kohlrabi and carrot to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 6-10 minutes or until crisp-tender.

In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, butter, honey and pepper; mix well. Drain vegetables and transfer to a serving bowl. Add honey butter and toss to coat. 4 servings

This one was ok. The kohlrabi tasted kind of like cauliflower and I am not a huge fan of cauliflower. The original recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of minced chives and 1/4 teaspoon of grated lemon peel, and I didn't have either. The recipe above is the version I made. The kohlrabi was very difficult to cut into strips. If anyone knows a trick for preparing it, let me know. Although, I probably won't cook it again unless we get it in another box.