Red, White, and Blue Summer Salad

I love making salads, there are so many different ways to make fresh healthy salads.

Red leaf Romaine

3-4 Carrots sliced lengthwise

1/2 pint Black Raspberries (or Raspberries)

Handful Cherries pitted and sliced

Fresh Mozzarella

Homemade Raspberry Balsamic Dressing

1/8 Cup berries (raspberries/black raspberries)

5-6  TBl. Balsamic Vinegar

1/2-1 TBL Honey

1-2 TBL Lemon Juice or Orange

1tsp lemon or orange zest

Mash berries in with Balsamic and all other ingredients. I kind of eyed out all the measurements, so make it to your taste, you can also add a little olive oil if you like. I recommend tossing it in the salad before serving.

Cherry Cream Cheese Brownies

Cherry Cream Cheese Brownies
9×13 pan of brownies

Brownies
1 1/2 cups halved, pitted cherries
2 tablespoons Kirsch *(Kirsch is a clear fruit brandy usually made from morello cherries, you can substitute maraschino cherry juice, tart cherry juice, or even crush a few raspberries up and add the raspberry juice. With raspberries you can leave them in whole or just use the juice, note seeds can be tough sometimes. All of these things are just to add some flavor)
6 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
4 ounces dark sweet chocolate
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream cheese swirl
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract

Heat the oven to 375�F and grease a 9×13 pan. Prepare the cherries and stir in Kirsch. Let sit for at least an hour.

Melt the chocolate, butter and sugar until liquid in a saucepan over low heat. Set aside to cool slightly. Beat the eggs until lightened – at least six minutes in a stand mixer – and slowly mix in chocolate. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt and add to the mixture with the vanilla. Stir in half the the cherries.

Whip the cream cheese with the butter, sugar, and almond extract until light and fluffy. Stir in the other half of the cherries and any syrup.

Put the brownie mix in the pan and smooth out. Drop the cream cheese on top in six evenly spaced spoonfuls, then take a thin knife and swirl it through the batter. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until just set.

Salmon with Raspberry-Balsamic Glaze

Ingredients

Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 1

 

• 6 fresh raspberries
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1⁄4 teaspoon orange peel
• 1⁄2 teaspoon honey
• Splash of red wine (about 1 teaspoon)
• 4 ounces skinless salmon fillet, preferably wild (about 3⁄4″ thick)

DIRECTIONS

1. Mash the raspberries and vinegar with a fork in a small bowl. Stir in the orange juice, orange peel, honey, and wine until combined. Set aside.
2. Coat a nonstick skillet with canola oil cooking spray and place over medium heat. Cook the salmon about 4 minutes per side, or until the fish is cooked through. Set aside. Remove the skillet from the heat and carefully wipe away any liquid with a paper towel.
3. Return the skillet to medium heat and add the reserved raspberry mixture. Stirring constantly, cook 2 minutes, or until just thickened.
4. Pour the sauce over the salmon and serve with asparagus on the side.

Welcome

All thought the season was off to a wet start, things seem to be back on track just a little late. Over the years Becker Farms has seen its business change with the seasons and the demands of our loyal customers. We started our CSA program to help the people around us eat fresh healthy food, grown by farmers in their community. We live in a very high tech age, which brings many great things to our society but when it comes to food and technology we may be over thinking things. Food should be fresh, it should be local, and it should be healthy. We shouldn’t need to supplement our diets with foods synthetically enriched, we should get the  nutrients we need from food that comes from the ground we stand on, I think it’s really that simple! Less is more when it comes to food so don’t over think it, just enjoy the wonderful foods this area has to offer. On this blog you will be able to follow the progress of our crops, see what’s in season, and find recipes for items included in each weeks CSA share.