Gordon's Balsamic Glaze for vegetables

~1/3 to 1/2 bottle of balsamic vinegar

2 or 3 tablespoons sugar or honey or both

~1/2 t salt

~2 T orange juice (or maybe lemon w/ more sugar)

Mix together and cook on the stove until it's reduced to about 1/2 the starting volume. Taste as you go and adjust ratios until you like it. There's a good chance I underestimated how much sugar I put in. 

Sage:

Lightly brown a little butter (~1/2 T), then add a handful of whole fresh sage leaves, fry until they're crisp

Vegetables:

I used brussels sprouts and special selection baby sweet potatoes. Chop into roughly equal sized pieces, spread on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and a little salt, stir so they're coated, and roast at 350 for 30-40 min until done, turning once midway through. Pour balsamic glaze on top, add the sage, and stir it all together. 

Farmer's Market Chowder

This soup was a little more work than I wanted it to be. But, it was also way more delicious than I wanted it to be. Unfortunately, that means we are definitely going to have to make it again. I've tried to simplify it a little here.

4 ears of corn
2.5 cups milk
2 cloves of garlic, crushed (more later)

2 T. butter
1.5 T. olive oil (more later)
3 cups leeks, sliced
1/2 onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp. paprika
4 cups water

1 T. olive oil
1 med-large sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1-2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1 can green beans, drained (the recipe called for fresh, chopped, but we just used canned, and it made the recipe easier. if you use fresh, they may need to just cook a little longer in the soup)

1.5 T fresh, chopped basil
salt and pepper to taste

1. Cut kernels off corn cobs into a large saucepan with the milk and garlic. Run the back of the knife down the cobs to squeeze extra corn-milk and pulp off cobs. Don't throw away the cobs, yet. Bring milk/corn to a slight boil and remove from heat. Add cobs, cover, and let steep for a while.

2. Heat butter and oil in another large saucepan or dutch oven (you could probably use the same one, if you want to move the corn to steep in a different container). Add leeks and onions, cover, and cook 15 minutes over medium or medium-low heat. Add garlic and paprika and cook 30 seconds. Add 4 cups of water. Remove from heat.

3. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add sweet potatoes and saute 8 minutes, or until browned. Add this to the leek/onion mixture.

4. Add remaining oil to the skillet and saute mushrooms and green beans. (If using fresh green beans, add at the same time. If using canned, saute the mushrooms alone for a bit, first) Remove from heat.

5. Bring onion/leek/sweet potato mixture to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add mushroom/green bean mixture (cook a few minutes more here, if using fresh beans).

6. Remove the cobs from the milk/corn pot (getting as much milk and pulp off them as you can). Combine the milk/corn with the vegetable mixture. Add basil, and salt and pepper.

7. Enjoy. Seriously.

Ok, now- this recipe, while complicated, is fairly versatile. I added mushrooms and onions, just because I felt like it, and it was delicious. It also suggests that you could use carrots, potatoes (although I do not advocate giving up sweet potatoes for this), wax beans, etc.

Sweet Potato Chili Bake

2 c. cubed, peeled sweet potato
1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
1 T. olive oil

1 garlic clove minced

1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 c. vegetable broth
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
4 1/2 t. brown sugar
1/2 to 1 jar of Homade Chili Sauce (added to recipe by Claire)
3 t. chili powder (this seemed like a lot, so I made them small teaspoons, but it didn't end up tasting too chili powdery)
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper

1 pkg. corn bread/muffin mix
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

In an ovenproof Dutch ovven, saute sweet potato and red pepper in oil until crisp-tender.
Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.
Add tomatoes, broth, beans, brown sugar, chili powder, salt and pepper (and Homade Chili Sauce). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. (This looks like way too much liquid, but don't worry- after it bakes, it's fine).

Meanwhile, prepare the corn bread batter according to package directions; stir in cheese.
Drop by spoonful over chili.

Cover and bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes (I took the lid off the last couple min to brown the top) or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Harvest Soup

i have had a lot of requests, so here it is:

1 lb ground sausage (jimmy dean or breakfast, not just ground pork)
3/4 c chopped onion
2 + chopped garlic cloves
(cook together till done and onions soft)
3 1/2 c water
(the amounts of the cubed potatoes and squashes are debatable and up to you, but this is the ratio i use...)
2 c sweet potatoes
1 c red potatoes
1 c acorn squash
2 + (i always add more) tsp beef boulion granules (sp?)
1/4 tsp chili powder
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp allspice
1/8 ground cloves (this is what makes the soup what it is..)
(boil 20 min? or in a crock pot apperently, for a few hours till squash and friends are done. then add:)
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 c tomato catsup
(let heat for a bit, then taste and mess with the spices. i usually end up adding boulion and more catsup to beef up the broth.)

Sweet potato/Black Bean salad

Rachel and I made this last night and it was so tasty. Lots of flavors all mixed together. I used 2 jalepenos and it was not very spicy.

4 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

1 large onion, preferably red, chopped

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 to 2 tablespoons minced fresh hot chili, like jalapeño

1 clove garlic, peeled

Juice of 2 limes

2 cups cooked black beans, drained (canned are fine)

1 red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and finely diced

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro.

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Put sweet potatoes and onions on a large baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil, toss to coat and spread out in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast, turning occasionally, until potatoes begin to brown on corners and are just tender inside, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven; keep on pan until ready to mix with dressing.

2. Put chilies in a blender or mini food processor along with garlic, lime juice, remaining olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Process until blended.

3. Put warm vegetables in a large bowl with beans and bell pepper; toss with dressing and cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve warm or at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to a day.

Yield: 4 servings.