Oh, Fall. How we love you. This year, we asked several farmers to share their favorite recipes using some of their own ingredients. Beef and barley soup, cheddar pumpkin rolls, crockpot apples and onions pork, and more. Yum. Many thanks to those sharing this month:

• Ruth Appel, of Appel Family Dairy and Appel Cheese Farms: This family dairy produces a variety of cheeses made with on-farm milk, including different types of gouda, cheddar, feta, havarti, nokkelost, cheddar curds, paneer, quark, parmesan and maasdammer. Visit the farm store at 6605 NW Drive in Ferndale or contact (360) 384-4996. See thecheesefarm.net and follow them on social media.

• Katie Pencke, of Alluvial Farms: Alluvial Farms offers pastured pork, in whole or half buys and cuts. Katie attributes this recipe to the Brand family. “We often wondered how one family could eat so much pork,” Katie wrote, “until they sent us their recipe book to be included in the Alluvial Farms recipe Hall of Fame.” The Alluvial Farms’ website has a recipe hall of fame. “…the Brands would always tell us about their daughters love for cooking and all their favorites: barbecue pork shops or ribs, honey baked ham, baked Alluvial bacon, and breakfast sausage were all included in the illustrated recipe book they sent us.” Visit the booth at the Saturday Bellingham Farmers Market or the farm store open house the second Saturday of each month at 6825 Goodwin Road in Everson. See alluvialfarms.com or call (206) 992-7034.

• Amy Frye, of Boldly Grown Farm: The primary focus of Boldly Grown Farm is growing certified organic vegetables for sale over the fall and winter months, as well as flowers and tomatoes. They farm at Viva Farms in Burlington and offer a winter CSA. You can find their produce at the Skagit Valley Food Co-op and other locations. See boldlygrownfarm.com or call (206) 795-5715.

• Alex Winstead, of Cascadia Mushrooms: Cascadia Mushrooms grows mushroom varieties Shiitake, Oyster, Pioppino and Lion’s Mane, as well as mushroom kits. Find them at the Saturday Bellingham Farmers Market or local stores including Community Food Coop, Skagit Valley Food Coop, The Market in Anacortes, and Haggen in Whatcom/Skagit. See cascadiamushrooms.com or call 360-714-8859.

• Jessica Gigot, of Harmony Fields: Harmony Fields produces organic herbs and sheep cheese, including  spreadable, feta-style, and tomme-style at their farm in Bow. See their online store at harmonyfields.com or call (360) 941-8196.

• Chelsy Mesman, of Mesman Farm: A 5th generation dairy farm, the Mesman family also offers a variety of beef cuts that are vacuum sealed and frozen or bulk buys. Their farm store is located at 2609 Dodge Valley Road, Mount Vernon, and open Thursday, Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Contact mesmandairyfarm@gmail.com for more information.

Enjoy! More coming next month.

 

Pumpkin Cheddar Rolls

Submitted by Ruth Appel of Appel Family Dairy, Appel Farms Cheese

Ingredients

2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) instant yeast

1 cup whole milk, scalded and cooled to lukewarm

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie mix

2 large eggs, divided

1 teaspoon salt

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sharp cheddar, shredded

Sliced pecan pieces, for the “stems”

Directions

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, stir the yeast, milk, sugar, butter, pumpkin, one egg, cheddar, and salt until well combined. Gradually add the flour and knead on medium-low speed until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Turn off the mixer and let the dough rest for 3 to 5 minutes. Continue to knead the dough on medium-low speed for another 5 minutes, or until the dough is soft and smooth. If it seems too sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Transfer the dough to a large greased bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Punch the dough down and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough into 15 equal pieces and shape into balls. Use the palm of your hand to flatten each ball slightly. With a small knife, cut 8 slices around each ball, being careful not to slice all the way into the center, to make the pumpkin shape. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Using the wooden end of a small utensil or your finger to poke an indentation in the center of each roll to create a space for the “stem.” In a small bowl beat the remaining egg with 2 teaspoons of water and brush all over the rolls. Bake the rolls for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Place a sliced pecan piece into the indentation of each roll.

 

Creamy Pumpkin Pie

Submitted by Ruth Appel of Appel Family Dairy/Appel Cheese Farms

Ingredients

9-inch pastry shell

1 1/2 cups Quark

1 tablespoon frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

3 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon cloves

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° F. Blend the Quark and orange juice in a mixer on low speed until smooth. Add pumpkin, eggs, sugar, and spices. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 2 minutes. Pour into the pastry shell. Bake for approximately 1 hour or until a knife inserted in the center of the pie comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 30 minutes, then chill at least two hours or overnight before serving. Top with whipped cream if desired. Makes 6-8 servings.

 

 

Crock Pot Apples & Onions Pork 

From Angela Brand, submitted by Katie Pencke of Alluvial Farms

Ingredients

4 chopped apples or 1 pint of applesauce

2 onions, sliced

6 pork chops or any 3-4 pound cut of pork

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp finely chopped fennel seeds

2 tsp salt

Pepper to taste

 

Directions 

Turn the crock pot on the high setting. Mix the spices and rub onto the meat. Place the seasoned meat into the crock pot. Pour the chopped apples/applesauce and sliced onions over the meat. Let cook in the pot for most of the day. This recipe is soooooo good to come home to after a long, busy day.

 

 

Winter Squash & Rosemary Pizza

Submitted by Amy Frye of Boldly Grown Farm

This is an incredibly simple yet delightfully tasty pizza. Butternut is our go-to squash, but delicata also works, and there’s no need to peel it. Adjust ingredient quantities to your liking.

Ingredients

1-2 medium winter squash; peeled & cut into in 1.5” chunks

1-2 cups grated cheese – Gruyere, Swiss, or Asiago

1 bunch fresh rosemary; leaves peeled off stems but not chopped

olive oil

salt to taste

1 pizza dough – your favorite recipe or store bought

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400. Put squash cubes in a lightly oiled baking pan in a single layer. Roast the squash for 20 minutes. The squash should be starting to get a bit tender but still be relatively firm, as it will be baked more on the pizza. Increase oven to 425.

Spread out pizza dough in a lightly oiled pizza pan or baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil (or make use a roast garlic sauce—see option below). Sprinkle cheese on top then distribute squash evenly over pizza. Sprinkle rosemary and salt on top of everything. Bake in 425 oven 20-25 minutes or until crust is evenly browned on the bottom throughout. Enjoy!

Optional: Roast some heads of garlic while you roast the squash, then blend garlic cloves in a blender or food processor with salt and enough olive oil to make a spreadable sauce. Use this roasted garlic sauce as the base. A little more time consuming (and more dishes) but exceptionally tasty.

 

 

Beef and Barley Soup

Submitted by Chelsy Mesman of Mesman Farm

Ingredients

2 pounds beef stew meat

2 tablespoons butter

1 small onion,  diced

2 stalks celery,  diced

2 carrots, diced

4-6 cloves garlic,  minced

6 cups beef broth

1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes

3/4 cup pearl barley, rinsed

2 small potatoes, peeled and diced

2 tablespoons Better Than Bullion Beef Base

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Heat a Dutch Oven on medium-high heat. Add butter and beef,  season with salt and pepper.  Cook until brown, 10 minutes or so. Add onion,  celery and carrots. Cook for 5 minutes until slightly brown. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add all remaining ingredients. Cover and bring to a boil.Reduce heat and simmer until beef is tender and barley is cooked through,  about 1 hour. Serve with cornbread and enjoy!

 

Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Galette 

Submitted by Jessica Gigot of Harmony Fields; recipe from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

For the pastry: 

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (sometimes I do ¾ all purpose, ½ whole wheat)

1/4 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup ice water

For the filling: 

1 small butternut squash (1 pound)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 to 2 tablespoons butter

1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced in half-moons

1 teaspoon salt

Pinch of sugar

1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste

3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, grated or cut into small bits

¼ cup Sheep’s milk feta (Harmony Fields, ideally)

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves (Harmony Fields, ideally)

Directions

Make pastry: In a bowl, combine the flour and salt. Place the butter in another bowl. Place both bowls in the freezer for 1 hour. Remove the bowls from the freezer and make a well in the center of the flour. Add the butter to the well and, using a pastry blender, cut it in until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Make another well in the center. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, lemon juice and water and add half of this mixture to the well. With your fingertips, mix in the liquid until large lumps form. Remove the large lumps and repeat with the remaining liquid and flour-butter mixture. Pat the lumps into a ball; do not overwork the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Prepare squash: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Peel squash, then halve and scoop out seeds. Cut into a 1/2- inch dice. Toss pieces with olive oil and a half-teaspoon of the salt and roast on foil lined (for neatness sake) sheet for 30 minutes or until pieces are tender, turning it midway if your oven bakes unevenly. Set aside to cool slightly.

Caramelize onions: While squash is roasting, melt butter in a heavy skillet and cook onion over low heat with the remaining half-teaspoon of salt and pinch of sugar, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly golden brown, about 20 minutes. Stir in cayenne. 4. Raise the oven temp to 400 degrees. Mix squash, caramelized onions, cheese and herbs together in a bowl.

Assemble galette: On a floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 12-inch round. Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet. Spread squash, onions, cheese and herb mixture over the dough, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border. Crumble feta and spread over the top. Fold the border over the squash, onion and cheese mixture, pleating the edge to make it fit. The center will be open.

Bake until golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, let stand for 5 minutes.

 

 

 

Kale Salad

Submitted by Amy Frye of Boldly Grown Farm

This salad is a great addition to fall meals. It can be adjusted to include whatever other veggies you have in your fridge and need to use up—chard, arugula, zucchini, etc. Just chop finely or shred and throw them in! Adjust quantities to your liking.

Ingredients

Dressing:

2/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup olive oil

1/2 cup soy sauce/tamari sauce/Braggs

 

Veggies:

1 bunch kale, finely chopped

½ head cabbage, finely chopped/shredded

2-4 shredded carrots

1-2 shredded beets

sunflower seeds (up to you how much)

Directions

Mix or blend (in blender) ingredients for marinade. Toss with veggies and let marinate for 1 hour before serving.

 

 

Baked or Grilled Shiitake Caps

Submitted by Alex Winstead of Cascadia Mushrooms

Ingredients

1-2 pounds of medium to large fresh Shiitake caps (save your stems for making soup or stock)

Olive oil

Tamari/soy sauce

Fresh garlic cloves

Sriracha sauce (optional if you like things spicy)

Bamboo skewers soaked in water (only if using grill)

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 or heat up your grill. In a medium bowl make a mixture of 1 part soy sauce to 2 parts olive oil (you’ll be using this to lightly coat the mushrooms so 1 to 1-1/2 cups of total mixture is usually enough, but you can easily adjust if preparing more or less Shiitake).

Add 2-3 cloves of pressed garlic to this mixture. If you like spicy food also add in a teaspoon or two of sriracha sauce. Blend ingredients well with a fork or whisk.

Place the de-stemmed Shiitake caps in a large mixing bowl. Pour the mixture over the mushroom caps and mix by hand to lightly coat all caps in the mixture without over saturating them. For baking, lay the caps out on a casserole dish or cast iron pan, gill side up.

Bake at 375 for 20 minutes, remove from oven when the edges begin to look slightly crispy.

For grilling, use soaked bamboo skewers to make shiitake kebabs of 4-6 caps each. Grill over medium to low flame until the mushroom’s edges begin to look crispy and cooked (about 10-20 min)

Serve as a side dish or over rice for a tasty simple meal. You can never make enough of these.