4th of July Veggie Storage

The 4th of July is already here (!) which probably also means a Baltimore getaway. Here are some quick tips for how to store the veggies while you're gone, and several recipes if you're trying to eat it before the holiday.


Chard: Best eaten ASAP but will keep 2-4 days in the refrigerator. It also freezes well - blanch first then freeze in plastic bag or container. 

Cucumbers: Refrigerate for use within 5 days. For optimal keeping, wrap cucumbers individually in paper towels, then place inside a closed plastic bag.

Turnips: Remove the greens and store them separately (you can also eat these, but they will only keep about 3 days). The root will keep for roughly a week in a plastic bag in the fridge. 

Zucchini: Best within 4-5 days in your fridge's crisper section. 
Cauliflower/Broccoli: Keep in perforated or open plastic bag to keep 5-7 days. 
Kale: Keep in sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator for 5-7 day storage.
Kohlrabi: Keeps for 2 weeks in the fridge.


Eggs in Sauteed Chard: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/eggs_nested_in_sauteed_chard_and_mushrooms/
Tropical Cucumber Salad: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/tropical_cucumber_salad.html
Zucchini bread: http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/07/summer-of-the-bats/   
Simple Cauliflower: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/simple-cauliflower-recipe.html
Broccoli, Kale, & Cauliflower Tart: http://www.cookyourdream.com/2010/05/sprouting-broccoli-kale-and-cauliflower.html 


Made a great dish for the 4th with your veggies? Post it! Happy 4th!

Parmesan Squash Latkes

So I think we can all agree, after receiving so many greens in the CSA over the past few weeks, the yellow summer squash was definitely a welcome change color-wise! The squash presence in the CSA inspired me to experiment with the golden veggie last night. My friend and I were feeling a little adventurous and wanted to do something a little more creative than simply roasting it, so we ended up trying a zucchini fritter/latke recipe. We ended up amending it based on what we had in the kitchen, and of course substituting the zucchini for yellow squash. It was super easy and turned out really well! 

- 2 medium squash, grated (or you can just chop it into really small slivers)
- 1 egg
- 1/4 clove garlic
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, plus more to sprinkle on top before serving
- salt, to taste

Combine all the ingredient into a batter. Place about a two tablespoon dollop in a saute pan on the stove (with olive oil to prevent sticking) and slightly flatten them to whatever thickness you prefer. Cook until golden brown - which was for us I think around 2-3 minutes each side. Some of the recipes suggest serving with sour cream, but we used plain yogurt instead which worked really well. So obviously our version didn't photograph as well as some of the pics from online recipes (uh, can you tell which pic is ours?), but don't let the image fool you - it tasted pretty great! 

left photo from: http://www.cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com/2010/07/zucchini-fritters.html