Potato Soup with Bacon

Recipe provided by Barbara Womack.

Ingredients:

3 T. butter
2 medium onions, sliced
2-3 lbs. potatoes, peeled and sliced
1/8 t. white pepper
3 c. milk
3 c. chicken broth
1 c. half-and-half
8 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
2 T. snipped parsley (optional)

Melt butter in a Dutch oven; add sliced onions and cook gently. Do not let the onions brown.

Add the potatoes and white pepper. Pour the milk and chicken broth over the potatoes. Cover and cook gently for 20 to 25 minutes until the potatoes are very tender. Cool slightly.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the potatoes and onions. Put the potato and onion mixture, half at a time, into a food processor or blender and purée. (an immersion blender can be used without removing potatoes and onions from the pot.)

Return all the puréed potato and onion to the pan and add the half and half. Gently reheat the soup. DO NOT BOIL! Ladle soup into individual bowls or a soup tureen and sprinkle with the bacon and parsley. Serves 8-10
 

Pumpkin Pie (from a real, fresh, locally grown pumpkin)

This homemade pumpkin pie recipe uses fresh pumpkin. It's a little more work than a standard pumpkin pie, but is well worth it. You'll taste old-fashioned homemade goodness in every bite.

Ingredients:

• 1 pastry crust
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 1/4 cups fresh pumpkin puree (instructions below)
• 2 Tablespoons melted butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 Tablespoon dark molasses
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• pinch salt
• 1 cup heavy cream, cold

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Heat milk in saucepan over medium heat until it just starts to bubble around the edges. Remove from heat.
3. Beat eggs lightly in large bowl until frothy. Add scalded milk, stirring constantly.
4. Stir in pumpkin, butter, sugar, molasses, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Whisk until thoroughly blended.
5. Pour filling into prepared crust, bake until center is firm, about 45 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack.
6. When ready to serve, beat chilled cream with mixer until soft peaks form. Serve on top of pie or in a separate bowl for individual serving.

How To Make Pumpkin Puree from A Fresh Pumpkin:

• Purchase a medium-sized "pie" pumpkin at the farmers' market. Not sure what varieties of pumpkins are considered "pie" pumpkins? Ask the vendor/producer - they'll be happy to point them out.
• Split pumpkin crosswise, remove and discard seeds and fibers.
• Place pumpkin, cut sides down, on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 325F until tender, about 1 hour.
• Scrape pulp away from skin, discard skin.
• Place pulp in blender or food processor fitted with metal blade. Process in small batches, until smooth.
• Push puree through a coarse sieve. Measure 1 1/4 cups puree for recipe, store remaining puree up to 6 months in the freezer (tightly covered).

Tassie’s Roasted Corn and Smoked Pork Chowder

Recipe provided by Tassie Pippert, with WVPT Cooks

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 red potatoes, peeled (opt) and diced
• 6 ears corn, roasted
• 1 cup shredded smoked pork
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

Preparation:

Heat the butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and thyme and cook until the vegetables are good and soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Dust the vegetables with flour and stir to coat everything well. Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Add the cream and the potatoes, bring to a boil and boil hard for about 7 minutes, until the potatoes break down (this will help to thicken the soup and give it a good texture).

Cut the corn kernels off the cob and add to the soup. Season with salt and pepper and simmer 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the shredded pork, parsley and give it another little drink of olive oil if desired. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.
This recipe can be made without olive oil to be entirely local!!! For vegetable stock, simmer water with tops of celery, a little carrot, onions and garlic. Adjust salt in final recipe.
 

Garden Chili Con Carni

Recipe provided by Tassie Pippert, with WVPT Cooks

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground beef

• Salt and pepper

• 2 T. vegetable oil

• 1 can kidney beans

• 1 green bell pepper

• 2 cups fresh tomato pulp

• 6 ears roasted, fresh sweet corn

• 1 teaspoon chili powder

Preparation:

Sauté 1 lb ground beef with ¾ t. salt & ¼ t. pepper in 2 T oil. Remove meat after done and add to the frying pan the juice from 1 can kidney beans and 1 chopped onion and 1 chopped green pepper plus juice and pulp from 2 cups tomatoes. Simmer until vegetables soften. Add 2 cups roasted corn, beans, sautéed beef, ½ t. salt and 1 t. chili powder. Adjust salt and pepper.
 

Sautéed Salad

Recipe provided by Tassie Pippert, with WVPT Cooks

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb. chopped bacon

• 1 fresh red onion

• 1 red or purple bell pepper

• 1 clove fresh garlic

• 1 apple

• 4 cups mixed salad greens (lettuce, arugula, chard, etc)

• 1 T. Dijon mustard

• 1 T. pepper jelly

• 1 T. vinegar

• 2 T. olive oil

• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Render ½ lb chopped bacon. Add 1 chopped onion in strips, 1 minced pepper, 1 clove garlic minced, 1 chopped apple, 4 c. greens. Drizzle with salad dressing.

For dressing mix together 1 T. Dijon mustard, 1 T jelly & 1 T vinegar. Drizzle in 2 T. olive oil and season with salt & pepper.
 

Fresh herbed green beans

Make this tasty dish before-hand. Final prep is a real snap and takes just a couple of minutes.

Ingredients:

• Fresh, locally grown green beans (or wax beans)
• Fresh butter from a local farm
• Fresh (or dried) herbs from your favorite market vendor
• Salt to taste (if desired)

Visit the market and buy enough fresh green beans to serve your group. Figure about 1/2 pound per person.

Preparation:

Wash the beans. Some people like to trim the ends while others leave the tips intact - especially for tender young beans. Do not snap - leave beans whole. Bring a large kettle of water to a boil; add the beans and blanch about 10 minutes or until beans are tender but still bright green. Drain beans and cover with cold water. Drain and chill.

When ready to serve, microwave beans 1 or 2 minutes on high or until beans are just hot. Toss with fresh butter and finely chopped fresh herbs such as dill, basil, parsley and chives. Add sea salt if desired, but it is usually not necessary as the beans will be bursting with flavor.

Serve at once.

Beefy Stuffed Tomatoes

A taste of Tuscany comes to the Shenandoah Valley with locally grown tomatoes. Try to use heirloom varieties of tomatoes such as Brandywine, German Johnson or Oxheart if available. The taste is truly astonishing.

Ingredients:

• Six big, softball-sized tomatoes (or eight medium tomatoes)
• Sea salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup chopped green onion
• 1 minced garlic clove
• Ground black pepper to taste
• 1 cup cooked orzo pasta
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 3 teaspoons chopped pine nuts, toasted
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 cup crumbled fresh feta cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Large, black olives, pitted

Preparation:

Choose tomatoes and several of the other ingredients from your favorite farmers' market vendors. Wash tomatoes and carefully cut top out of each tomato. Using a small, sharp-edged spoon, scoop the pulp from each tomato and reserve 1 cup for use later. Sprinkle inside of each tomato with sea salt. Place cut-side down, on 2 large microwave-safe plates. Microwave each plate on high for 60 seconds until tomatoes are slightly softened. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in large skillet on medium. Brown beef. Add green onion, garlic, pepper and orzo. Cook for 6-8 minutes until done. Drain.

Add reserved tomato pulp, parsley, pine nuts, and oregano. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add feta cheese and half of the Parmesan cheese. Stir. Remove from heat. Arrange tomatoes on greased baking sheet with sides touching. Fill with beef/orzo mixture.

Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese and top with an olive (or two, if you are feeling really Italian). Broil on middle rack in oven for 8-10 minutes until Parmesan cheese is golden.

Serve with a side salad and locally produced wine (all available at the farmers' market). Enjoy.

Peach Dumplings

A delicious dessert for mid-summer using fresh, locally grown peaches.

Ingredients:
 

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 cups hot water
• 2 to 3 cups fresh, peeled and sliced peaches
• 1 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar, optional
• 1/2 cup milk or cream
• cinnamon sugar (optional)

Serve with cream or two scoops of vanilla ice cream, more or less

Preparation:

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 cup sugar, butter, and hot water. Add peaches and bring to a boil. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and 1 tablespoon of sugar (if using); stir in milk or cream to form a stiff batter. Drop large spoonfuls of batter onto the boiling fruit. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes. Spoon out dumplings and fruit into bowl. If desired, sprinkle with a little cinnamon sugar and serve with cream or ice cream. Serves 4 to 6.

Fresh, green pea salad

This recipe for green pea salad includes cooked crumbled bacon, green onions, sour cream, dill, and cooked green peas.

Ingredients:

* 3 cups fresh green peas (from the farmers' market, of course)

* (optional) 4 slices crisply cooked bacon, crumbled

* 1 cup sour cream

* 1/4 cup chopped green onions or chives (market favorites)

* salt and pepper to taste

* 1 teaspoon of lemon juice

* mint or fresh dill, as desired (yet another market favorite)

* lettuce (can you believe it - another market favorite!)

 

Preparation:

1) Steam shelled peas until barely tender; drain well and chill.

2) Combine all ingredients and refrigerate until ready to serve.

3) Serve on a bed of fresh, locally grown lettuce.

Baked Market Tomatoes

This southern delicacy is simple to prepare and features the unbeatable taste of fresh, locally grown tomatoes. Each ingredient in this recipe is available at the market at this time of year (June - September).

Ingredients:

* firm, ripe tomatoes

* melted butter or margarine

* thinly sliced onions, optional

* shredded local cheese

* chopped fresh herbs - parsley, rosemary, basil, chives

Preparation:

Remove stems and cores of tomatoes; slice about 1/3 inch thick. Brush tomato slices with melted butter. Top with thinly sliced onion if desired, shredded cheese, and chopped fresh herbs. Bake at 425° 10 to 15 minutes.