Halve lengthwise, score diagonally, and place cut-side down in a hot cast iron skillet to sear, then transfer to 400F oven to cook through. Or, skip the cast iron and roast on a sheet pan in the oven. Season with salt and pepper, or give your eggplant a boost by rubbing it with a spice blend before cooking. 

While your eggplant is in the oven, toss together a quick cucumber and tomato salad. Swoosh hummus in a bowl, top with roasted eggplant, cucumber-tomato salad, a sprinkling of fresh herbs and call it a night. ​

Raise your hand if you're constantly running to the store to pick up ingredients you need for a recipe. Keep your hand up if you have a pantry full of (expired) ingredients you've used once. I'm looking at you, cardamom and mustard seeds.
 
Now imagine a perfectly stocked pantry. A 25-ingredient pantry where all of the essentials are ready and waiting. A pantry where you have plenty of what you need and it's all organized and pretty in shiny canisters and jars. You're smiling, aren't you? Me too. 
 
We are all about making your life more awesome. And we think that it's awesome to save time and money by having most of the ingredients you need on hand. These are ingredients you're comfortable with, ingredients you love to use, and ingredients you can easily buy in bulk (yay for saving money and reducing packaging).   
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With these ingredients you can make super tasty recipes like the Yummiest Hummus, Very Versatile Baked Rice, The Best Red Sauce, Chewy Bagels, Quick Fluffy Flatbreads, Veggie Chili, and more...just using your pantry plus two or three extra ingredients from your FPP delivery. Now that's awesome. 
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If you're ready to clean out those cabinets and stock your perfect pantry, hurray! Your shopping list is below. Please make any substitutions as your dietary needs/preference dictate and definitely consult with your health care professional if necessary. 

Ingredients:
1 Lemon
16oz blueberries
4oz sugar

Tools:
Mandolin (not necessary)
Potato Masher
Process: 
1. Wash and dry lemon and slice thin using a mandolin or a knife. Add to the bottom of the pot and cover with half the sugar. Add medium heat until sugar crystals dissolves, bring to simmer until the lemons are almost translucent.

2 Let's talk sugar. I start with a 4 to 1, fruit to white sugar ratio. This is a good jumping off point. I, personally, like the that sweet yet tart flavor of the fruit to shine. I've seen jams with as mush as a 1 to 1 ratio but find them way too sweet.

So, once your lemons are ready, add berries and the rest of the sugar to mixture. Stir until the sugar has dissolved and then crush berries with potato masher, stir completely.  Slowly bring to boil over a medium high heat, stirring frequently. Cook for about 15 minutes or so. Be sure not to get it too hot and scorch your jam.

3. Once its done, add to ball jar and let it cool before putting into the refrigerator. You can keep your jam for up to a month. And of course you can can it at this time, but that's a whole 'nother blog!

Today I want to share with you a recipe for incredible homemade Caesar salad dressing. I know you can easily buy the bottled stuff, but if you’re never had Caesar dressing from scratch you are REALLY missing out!
 
This robust dressing can be used in so many different applications, but our favorite is in a “brassica” salad—a twist on the usual romaine. Brassica is the genus of plants in the mustard family that include locally grown produce like kale, collards, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and cabbage. All of these wonderful and great substitutes or additions the standard Romaine lettuce! 

We know that Brussels sprouts can get a bad rap, but we’re asking you to give them another chance in this recipe! When fresh and properly prepared they are just as yummy as any other green that you'll find in your winter Farm Boxes. The most import part here is that you roast the sprouts until they are charred, giving a sweet carmelized flavor to your dish.

If you’ve never made dressing beyond the usual oil-and-vinegar combo, don’t worry. This recipe is super easy to follow and quick to make, though it does require just a little skill. Here are two tips from Chef Joshua to get you going:

1. Measure out all your ingredients first and get organized before you go straight to work. This is a basic principle for any good sauce work.
2. When emulsifying a dressing or vinaigrette, it is super important to make sure the oil or fat is being drizzled in a slow, steady pace. This will prevent the sauce from “breaking.” If the dressing looks like it’s getting too thick, or if you would like to thin it out a bit, you can drizzle in a little warm water.

 
Classic Caesar Dressing
yields 1 quart
 
Ingredients
2 egg yolks
4 anchovy fillets
½ - 1 shallot, diced
½ -1 garlic clove, depends on your preference
2 ½ tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 ounces red wine vinegar
1 ½ cups canola or grapeseed oil
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 fresh lemon, juiced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For most, brightly colored gourds and earthy winter squashes are relegated to nothing more than a piece of home décor or a sugary pie filling—but it’s high time the humble vegetables get their due in a savory setting!
 
Hard squashes are a nutritional superstar, being high in fiber and low in calories. It’s also an ample supply of beta-carotene, which is converted into Vitamin A in the body—a vitamin essential for healthy eyes.
 
If you’re set to receive a gorgeous fresh squash or pumpkin in your Front Porch Pickings Farm Box but haven’t worked with them before, we have the perfect starter recipe for you: Seasonal Roasted Winter Squash Soup. You can use any hard squash such as butternut, acorn, pumpkin, or a combination of squashes.
 
This recipe, generously provided by Chef Joshua Day of Harvest Hospitality, is simple to make but yields a comforting, healthful, brightly colored bowl of goodness. Enjoy it on its own, or with a side of garlic bread to go alongside. You may even consider using this as a first course for your Thanksgiving feast!
 
However you decide to enjoy it, we’d love to see photos of your final product shared to our Facebook page! You can also join us there for sneak peeks of upcoming produce, new recipes, and ideas for how to enjoy the bounty of your weekly Farm Box.
 
Haven’t signed up yet? CLICK HERE to learn more about our fully customizable farm boxes, filled to the brim with delicious, fresh, local produce delivered right to your door.
 
 
SEASONAL ROASTED SQUASH SOUP
 
Ingredients
1 five-pound whole pumpkin
2 cups unsalted butter (1lb) plus 2 ½ tablespoons additional
1/3 cup olive oil or vegetable oil
⅔ cup yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, sliced or smashed
2 quarts vegetable stock
5 sprigs fresh thyme
½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 cup maple syrup
 
 
Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Cut and quarter the pumpkin, and remove seeds and membrane. (Save the seeds for later, to make a great toasted garnish!)
   
   
2. Toss the pumpkin in vegetable oil and sprinkle with salt. Lay on a roasting pan flesh side up. Place the roasting pan in the oven until the pumpkin is done, about 30 minutes, or until it can be easily pierced with a knife.
   
   
3. Remove the pumpkin from the oven and scrape out the flesh, discarding the skin. Alternatively, you can also press the pumpkin through a roasting rack set over a bowl to easily separate the skin from the flesh.
   
   
4. Next, brown the 2 cups of butter in a small saucepot over low heat. Pay careful attention as the color begins to change, and be sure not to burn or scorch. Once the butter takes on a light brown color, remove from heat and pour into a bowl to prevent overcooking. Set aside.
   
   
5. In a medium pot over low heat, add the olive oil and the remaining 2 ½ tablespoons of butter and gently melt. Sweat the garlic and the onions, without adding any color. When the onions are soft, add the cooked pumpkin, vegetable stock, thyme, and black peppercorns, and simmer gently to infuse the flavor for about 15 minutes.
   
   
6. Once it’s cooked, blend well in a Vitamix blender, alternating between pouring in maple syrup and brown butter. Blend well. For a more refined mouthfeel, pass the finished soup through a fine mesh strainer. Season with salt to taste.

As I sit here with my cup of tea reflecting on 2018, I realize just how far we have come since brewing up the hairbrained idea to help bridge the gap between farmers and our local community. Oh my, am I ever so grateful. I am grateful for my friends that brainstormed over cocktails, my husband who encouraged me to take the leap of faith, the farmers that work tirelessly, and the community that has wrapped it's arms around the local food movement.

In this day and age, the struggle to survive is too real for our farms and the struggle to maintain good health is too real for so many in our home state. But last year, thanks to our community, we delivered over 16,000 local, sustainable orders --- providing more than 70 different farmers and artisans with just compensation for their hard work and over 700 families with REAL food.

Be proud! Together, we are making a difference. And it is in this spirit, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your honest support and to wish each day of the new year be filled with health, prosperity, and a ton of LOCAL veggies!​

Happy New Year,
Amie & the FPP Team

Have a holiday tradition that you can't do without? My husband grew up eating manicotti and pignoli cookies at Christmas and well, let's just say, he didn't have to twist my arm to keep this family tradition going. Fresh homemade pasta? Oh yes please. But these puffy little almond flavored cookies are delightful. I have to hide a few just to be sure that I get some! I've included the recipe below.