Market Preview: June 2, 2012

June.

Can you believe it's June?  Can you believe we've got an entire month of weekly Markets under our belts?  This time of the Market Season is one of my favorites.  The harvest is plentiful with fresh veggies, juicy fruits and berries, and beautiful flowers.  This time of the Market Season makes me want to eat all things fresh, outdoors and healthy.  I look forward to the Saturdays where I can stroll around the Market, bumping into familiar faces, chatting with friendly vendors and coming home with bags full of locally grown and created goodness.

Also? I love that this weekend is the Market's annual Strawberry Festival!

We'll be celebrating the plump red berry this Saturday.  In honor of all things Strawberries, we'll be serving free Strawberry Shortcake to the first 600 Market Goers tomorrow morning.  Make sure you get to the Market bright and early so you don't miss out on cake!

Since it's the first Saturday, we'll be hosting our bi-weekly vendors. Be sure to stop by and meet our newest vendors, Yellow Spring Farms Goat Cheese and Golden Valley Farms Coffee Roasters if you haven't already!  They make good stuff!

This weekend we will also be enjoying the fun music of Lucille St. Pierre and her street organ. if you've been to past Market's where Lucille has wowed us with her organ, you know we are in for a special treat!

More to come in the next few weeks - so stay tuned!

Stay updated by checking out the Market Calendar here on the blog, as well as our Facebook Page.

Fahnestock Fruit Farm 

We will have cherries this week!

Ellen April Handcrafted Soaps:

Ellen April will be at the market this week with their large selection of soaps and body products. If you haven't experienced the pleasure of their soap, they'll be happy to give you a sample to try at home before you buy. This week they are introducing their newest soap, Tropical Grapefruit. It is softly scented with the citrusy, spicy, sweet scent of the islands.  Stop by their booth to check it out.

Applied Climatology LLC:

New rewards program for 2012 - Earn 1 stamp on your rewards card for every $10 spent on plants at our tent.  Once you accumulate 10 stamps you can exchange your rewards card for $15 off any future plant purchase from us!

This week we will offer 42 varieties of perennials and shrubs, including Astilbe, Clematis (vine), Coreopsis, Dianthus, Echinacea, Ferns, Gaillardia, Gaura, Hostas, Lavender, Lonicera (vine), Monarda, ornamental grasses, Penstemon, raspberry plants, Salvia, Shasta Daisies, Veronica, Viburnum (shrub) & Weigela (shrub)

Pureblend Tea

Pureblend will be serving Iced Hong Kong Style Milk Tea:
Rich Ceylon & Assam teas boiled to perfection with added local honey, a hint of cardamom and evaporated milk.

We will have our Signature Hand Blended Whole Leaf Teas, featuring a West Chester Market Favorite: ALICE IN WONDERLAND

Try a matcha latte - we will have a limited supply of Matcha Mango this week!

We are sorry to inform you that our premium matcha is temporarily out of stock this week, but will be back at our next market. You can find this amazing tea on the shelves at Great Pumpkin in West Chester. 

London Vale Farm:
This week we will have a fresh assortment of vegetables for you, including peas (both hull and snap varieties), grape tomatoes, lettuce, Swiss chard, kale, scallions, cucumbers & new potatoes. We will also have brown eggs and a wide variety of herb plants.

Schaeffer Flowers

We will be there with snaps, campanula, small red roses and larkspur all blended together in fun bouquets.

Stargazers Vineyard

We will be offering our new Tinto for tasting.  A port-like wine (but not so heavy or sweet) for dessert;  and our Sparkling Chardonnay, delicious with strawberry shortcake.

Other Vendors for this week include:

Lindenhof Farm

Blueberry Hill Farm

Red Earth Farm

Lizzie's Kitchen

Golden Valley Farm

Maple Hill Farm

Big Sky Bread Company

Elkdale Greenhouse

Oakshade Cheese

Yellow Springs Farm

Oley Valley Mushrooms

Queens Farms

Chile Spot

Windy Acres

Market Preview: May 26, 2012

Memorial Day is upon us!  Have you planned your holiday weekend menus?  Think grilling, main meals, side dishes, dessert, beverages and appetizers. The weather looks gorgeous, so don't forget to pick up some flowers to spruce up the yard or create a beautiful center piece on the picnic table for guests.  Nothing will welcome visitors more than sweet smelling soaps and lotions in the bathrooms.  All things point toward a big shopping trip at the WCGM this weekend, so have your Market Lists ready!

This weekend marks the start of our music program. We hope that our diverse sampling of local entertainers will enhance your market experience. This Saturday we welcome the Moondawgs, Sue and Paul McKenna's acoustic folk-rock and blues duo.

We have some great events and musicians in the lineup - so stay turned!  Make sure to mark your calendars for a TASTY event next weekend (hint: strawberries!) - more to come next week!

Stay updated by checking out the Market Calendar here on the blog, as well as our Facebook Page.

Chile Spot:

Come visit Chile Spot for all their wonderful artisan chile pepper products including Heirloom Tomato Salsa, Pepper Jams, Hot Sauces and Pickled Peppers.  This will be the best weekend for selection of Chile Pepper Seedlings - we will be fully stocked with 25+ unique and highly sought varieties of chile pepper seedlings including the ultra hots (Bhut Jolokia - Ghost Pepper, Trinidad Scorpion, 7 Pot and the latest record holder Moruga Scorpion), we'll also have a wonderful selection of chile peppers ideal for fresh salsa (Biker Billy Jalapeno, Fresno, Bulgarian Carrot and Black Hungarian).  We have the classic Italian Long Hot Pepper (Mesilla) and several Asian varities (Red Thai, Nippon Taka and Goat Horn).  And there of course many other wonderful chiles such as Wild Brazil, Lemon Drop, Chocolate Scotch Bonnet and Jeff's personal favoritie Jamaican Scotch Bonnet.

Lindenhof Farm:
This week we will have plenty of fresh chicken, chicken breasts, thighs, drumsticks, wings and a nice selection of turkey meat. We have replenished our inventory of pork chops, sausages, ham steaks, ground lamb, lamb sausages, chops and other specialty items. For the beef lovers we have a wide variety of steaks, roasts, hamburgers, hot dogs and other items for your Memorial Day cookouts. See you on Saturday!

Ellen April Handcrafted Soaps:

Ellen April will be at the market Saturday. In addition to their wide selection of soaps and body products, they'll be bringing a new soap this week. The soap is based on a historical recipe for a wildly popular Victorian era soap, Brown Windsor. Of course, Ellen put a modern spin on the recipe, and she's named her soap 1851. Stop by their booth to check it out.

Applied Climatology LLC:

New rewards program for 2012 - Earn 1 stamp on your rewards card for every $10 spent on plants at our tent.  Once you accumulate 10 stamps you can exchange your rewards card for $15 off any future plant purchase from us!

Also, be sure to sign up for our weekly Garden Club emails, to receive a weekly availability list and coupons

Schaeffer Flowers

We will be bring lots of peonies, sweet williams and mixed bouquets.

Other Vendors for this week include:

Blueberry Hill Farm:

Pureblend Tea

Stargazers Vineyard

Red Earth Farm

Lizzie's Kitchen

Maple Hill Farm

Big Sky Bread Company

Elkdale Greenhouse

Oakshade Chees

Oley Valley Mushrooms

Queens Farms

Windy Acres

Fahnestock's Fruit Farm

London Vale Farm

Market Preview: May 18, 2012

A great week to be at the WCGM!  Our bi-weekly vendors will be joining us, as well as our once-a-month vendor, Bryer Apiary. So stock up on your honey!

Start thinking ahead to Memorial Day, and what your cookout needs will be. Think meat to grill, appetizers, beverages, sides/salads and desserts!

We're hoping to see a few more strawberries around, but the season for our favorite red berry is usually pretty short. If you see them be sure to snatch them up!

We will be taking food donations for the Chester County Food Bank.  We'd love for you to participate (every 3rd Saturday of the month)! There will be a container to accept monetary donations as well.  Let's support our community!



Stay updated by checking out the Market Calendar here on the blog, as well as our Facebook Page.

Chile Spot:
Come visit Chile Spot for all their wonderful artisan chile pepper products including Heirloom Tomato Salsa, Pepper Jams, Hot Sauces and Pickled Peppers.  This will be the best weekend for selection of Chile Pepper Seedlings - we will be fully stocked with 25+ unique and highly sought varieties of chile pepper seedlings including the ultra hots (Bhut Jolokia - Ghost Pepper, Trinidad Scorpion, 7 Pot and the latest record holder Moruga Scorpion), we'll also have a wonderful selection of chile peppers ideal for fresh salsa (Biker Billy Jalapeno, Fresno, Bulgarian Carrot and Black Hungarian).  We have the classic Italian Long Hot Pepper (Mesilla) and several Asian varities (Red Thai, Nippon Taka and Goat Horn).  And there of course many other wonderful chiles such as Wild Brazil, Lemon Drop, Chocolate Scotch Bonnet and Jeff's personal favoritie Jamaican Scotch Bonnet.



Lindenhof Farm:
Axel and Elizabeth will be bringing plenty of fresh spring chickens (including boneless/skinless breasts, thighs, leg quarters) and eggs ready for your favorite recipes. Or, take home a fresh turkey or chicken pie or some ready-to-eat lunch meat such as beef bologna or chipped ham. We also will have plenty of steaks, chops, sausages, patties, hot dogs and roasts (beef, pork and lamb) for your grilling pleasure. Check out website for more info and list of items  www.lindenhoffarm.net. Thank you all for a great winter market season!More great market days to come!! 

Blueberry Hill Farm:

Blueberry Hill Farm will be there with strawberries, asparagus, sugar snaps, rhubarb, herbs, dog treats, spring onions, swiss chard, four kinds of lettuce, spinach, mint and what ever else the land wants to give up!

Ellen April Handcrafted Soaps:

Ellen April will be at the market this week with a full variety of all your favorite soap and body products. New soap this week … Orange Rosa. It has a bright citrus scent that is softened with a bit of woody rose. It's a bit out of the ordinary, but in a very good way. Stop by for a sniff!

Applied Climatology LLC:
New rewards program for 2012 - Earn 1 stamp on your rewards card for every $10 spent on plants at our tent.  Once you accumulate 10 stamps you can exchange your rewards card for $15 off any future plant purchase from us!  Also, be sure to sign up for our weekly Garden Club emails, to receive a weekly availability list and coupons!  

Yellow Springs Farm:

We will have the season’ s first batch of Goat Milk Feta ready this weekend for the Market, plus award-winning aged cheeses, and the ever-popular chevres, too.

Golden Valley Farms:  

We will be sampling:

Doughnut Blend: Hearty, full-bodied and Wild Tiger:  Bold, aggressive flavors

A few other coffee favorites we will be bringing:

Breakfast Blend - A flood of herbal and floral flavors

Dark Roast - Smoky aromas and hearty flavors

100% Ethiopian - A subtle sweetness and a uniquely exotic finish

100% Colombian - Hearty caramel and rich chocolate notes

These coffees will be sold in ground and whole bean form. If you want to pre-order a coffee that is not being offered at the farmer’s market or you have a special request for a grind setting, please call 610-719-0232 or email :sales@goldenvalleyfarms.com

Pureblend Tea:

Pureblend will be there with:

Iced Matcha Lattes served with Almond Milk - 

Original Matcha

Matcha Chai

Cocoa-Hazelnut Matcha

Honey Ginseng Matcha

NEW! Matcha Mango

New Summer Blends and a variety of Organic, Fair Trade Whole Leaf Teas

Unrefined, Organic Sea Salts - 

Alaea Red

Black Lava

Sel Gris

Seasoning Salt

Yakima Smoked

Ayurveda Blend

Bryer Apiary:

Bryer Apiary will be coming to the market this Saturday with a diverse selection of raw, local, Chester County honey.  Now is the time to stock up after a long winter.  Please note that Jeff Bryer will be attending this Saturday's market and not his usual 4th Saturday of the month market as he usually does. He will then return to 4th Saturday of the month markets.  

Other Vendors for this week include:

Chile Spot

Stargazers Vineyard

Red Earth Farm
Lizzie's Kitchen
Maple Hill Farm
Big Sky Bread Company
Elkdale Greenhouse
Oakshade Chees
Oley Valley Mushrooms
Queens Farms
Windy Acres

Fahnestock's Fruit Farm

London Vale Farm

Schaeffer Flowers

Market Fresh Recipes: Spinach Salad with Gorgonzola, Pistachios and Pepper Jelly Vinaigrette

Salad is the perfect Summer meal. Whether it's lunch, dinner or the complimentary side to a great meal.  I found this recipe a few years ago in Cooking Light Magazine, and have really enjoyed it every time I've thrown it together.  The great thing about this salad is many of the components can be found at the Market!  Spinach and Chile Spot Pepper Jelly.  Consider subbing out the Gorgonzola for some of Yellow Springs Farm feta!

Spinach Salad with

Gorgonzola, Pistachios and Pepper Jelly Vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup red pepper jelly
• 2 tablespoons (apple) cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/8 teaspoon of kosher salt (I just use regular table salt since I never have KS on hand...)
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 8 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1/4 cup (1 oz) crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
• /4 cup dry-roasted pistachios

1) Place jelly in a 1-cup glass measure. Microwave at HIGH 30 seconds. Add cider vinegar, oil, salt and black pepper, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cool to room temperature.

2) Combine spinach and cheese in a large serving bowl. Drizzle vinegar mixture over spinach mixture; toss well. Sprinkle with nuts. Serve immediately. Yield: 6 servings (serving zie: 1 cup spinach mixture and 2 teaspoons of nuts).

What are your favorite Market Fresh salad recipes? Share yours with us!

Market Preview May 12, 2012

We had a FANTASTIC Opening Day last weekend!  It was so fun to see all of our vendors in one place again, as well getting to chat with all of our Faithful Market Goers!


Another great weekend is in store.  It's Mother's Day on Sunday, so be sure to stock up on fun gifts for all the Mom's in your life, as well as great food to accompany your brunches and dinners! Bring the kids by to see the Highland Farm baby sheep, which will be making an appearance at the Market tomorrow as well!  Although the season is usually short, you'll be seeing Strawberries popping up with some of our farm vendors. Get them before they are gone!


Our bi-weekly vendors will NOT be here this week - be sure to come back next week to get some goat cheese, coffee or wine!  And thank you for helping us welcome our 2 new vendors,  Yellow Springs Farm Goat Cheese and Golden Valley Farms Coffee to the Market last week.  We look forward to their wonderful additions to the Market this season!


Plenty of fun events coming up, so make sure you are following along with us on Facebook, as well as signed up for our eNewsletter (which comes out every 2 weeks - sign up is at the bottom of the WCGM homepage).  We love hearing from you!

May 5, 2012

Lindenhof Farm:
Axel and Elizabeth will be bringing plenty of fresh spring chickens (including boneless/skinless breasts, thighs, leg quarters) and eggs ready for your favorite recipes. Or, take home a fresh turkey or chicken pie or some ready-to-eat lunch meat such as beef bologna or chipped ham. We also will have plenty of steaks, chops, sausages, patties, hot dogs and roasts (beef, pork and lamb) for your grilling pleasure. Check out website for more info and list of items  www.lindenhoffarm.net. Thank you all for a great winter market season!More great market days to come!!

Blueberry Hill Farm:

Blueberry Hill Farm will be there with strawberries, asparagus, sugar snaps, rhubarb, herbs, dog treats, spring onions, swiss chard, four kinds of lettuce, spinach, mint and what ever else the land wants to give up!

Ellen April Handcrafted Soaps:

Ellen April will be at the market this week with their usual great assortment of soap and body products. They'll have gifts for mom in all price ranges …  gifts tied up in pretty vintage china, 4-soap gift boxes, and soaps on a wooden soap saver. They'll also be bringing more of their limited-edition mexican chocolate soap that sold out last week. 

Applied Climatology LLC:
This Mother's Day, give your loved ones something they can enjoy year after year.  We will have 39 varieties of perennials and shrubs, that Mom would love!
Mother's Day Special Offer:Siberian Iris 'Double Standard' (2.75quart pot) - $5.00 each
(Please note:  Garden Club coupons are not valid with this special offer)

Chile Spot:

Chile Spot will be at the market with all of their artisan chile pepper products.  We'll be featuring our Fat Sam's Sassy Salsa Chipotle Flavor which has a new bolder smokey profile - stop by to sample some.  If you're interested in growing your own chile peppers we will have a wide selection of rare and highly sought varieties including Bulgarian Carrot, Black Hungarian, Biker Billy Jalapeno, Lemon Drop, Jamaican Scotch Bonnet, Grenada Seasoning, Wild Brazil, Big Jim, Mesilla and our ultra hot collection of 7 Pot, Trinidad Scorpion, Bhut Jolokia (Ghost) and the very latest hottest pepper in the world MorugaScorpion.  We will also have a limited collection of 10+ varieties of Heirloom Tomatoes and several Gourmet Eggplants.  Please see our Facebook page or email us directly for a listing of complete availability and descriptions.




Other Vendors for this week include:

Red Earth Farm
Lizzie's Kitchen
Maple Hill Farm
Big Sky Bread Company
Elkdale Greenhouse
Oakshade Chees
Oley Valley Mushrooms
Queens Farms
Windy Acres

Fahnestock's Fruit Farm

London Vale Farm

Schaeffer Flowers

~~~~~

Looking forward to a great Market tomorrow - hope to see you there!

If you have any questions, ideas or comments, don't hesitate to leave a comment below or email us at:wcgrowersmarket.blog@gmail.com.  

Market Preview: May 5, 2012

Can you believe it is May already? I feel like it was only yesterday vendors were packing up from the last Regular Market Season of 2011.  We had a fantastic Winter Market this year, with many vendors participating. The warm weather didn't hurt either! It is so great to see our Faithful Market Goers arriving, chatting and shopping whether it is a sunny day in July or a cold, blustery day in February.  

Now we ready to focus on what 2012 will bring.  

Welcome to the first Market of 2012!  We have a lot of fun things in store this season.  As always, the WCGM will have their regular and traditional events and vendors.  This week, Blueberry Hill Farm will be helping kids plant sunflower seeds in our annual Sunflower Saturday.  As you will see below, this is a great weekend to get ahead on your home gardens with plant starts from our farm vendors. This year, we will also have Market Merchandise for sale!  First, our reusable Market Bags  ($3) with our Art Contest Winning Design emblazoned on the front.  The same design will be seen on our Market T-Shirts ($10).  We still have our wonderful WCGM Cookbooks ($4) for sale as well.

We have 2 new vendors this year (which you'll get to know through interviews we'll be sharing through our newsletter): Yellow Springs Farm Goat Cheese and Golden Valley Farms Coffee.  They will be here on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of every month.

Read on to find out who will be bringing what to the Market tomorrow...

May 5, 2012

Lindenhof Farm:

This week we will feature plenty of fresh ground turkey with plenty of fresh chicken coming next week.  Our coolers will be full of wonderful cuts of beef, pork and lamb. Not too forget the delicious fresh brown chicken eggs and the jumbo turkey eggs filled with a bright yellow yolk. Check out our website for more items and we welcome pre-orders.

Pureblend Tea:
We will be there Opening Day!  We accept major credit cards.  For larger orders, please send us an email pureblendtea@gmail.com and we will have it pre-packaged for you on market day.  This week we'll be featuring:

• Iced Honey-Ginseng Matcha Lattes w/ Almond Milk - Try this Pureblend Signature Matcha Blend for the rich antioxidant content and natural energy boost!

• New Spring/Summer Blends - Flower Power, Egyptian Lime Hibiscus, Ambrosia Apple Chai, Blackberry Spearmint.  For Cinco De Mayo, we brought back a limited supply of Mint Mojito!  Ask us for a Brewing Chart with directions on how to prepare your blends hot or iced.

• Organic, Fair Trade Matcha Green Tea and Matcha Blends  (Original Matcha, Matcha Chai, Honey Ginseng Matcha, Cocoa-Hazelnut Matcha) - Sold by the ounce or Save when you buy 4oz or more.  

• Unrefined Sea Salts - 7 varieties of exotic sea salts that are hand mined and sun dried: Try these for a well balanced, healthier, tastier finishing salt.  (Sel Gris, Alea Red, Seasoning Salt, Yakima Smoked, Himalayan Pink, and Black Lava) - Purchase all 7 and Save!

• Opening Day Special: Receive a coupon for Buy one ounce of whole leaf tea, get one FREE! Only at your next West Chester Growers Market visit.

Yellow Spring Farms:

Yellow Springs Farm will have fresh and aged goat milk cheeses, along with their goat milk caramel sauces for sale this Saturday.

Blueberry Hill Farm:

Blueberry Hill Farm will be there, Asparagus, rhubarb, spring onions, spinach, mint, peppermint and more!

Ellen April Handcrafted Soaps:

There has been a last minute flurry of activity in the Ellen April workshop this week as Ellen prepares for Saturday's market. She's excited to be back at the market and can't wait to see all her friends, customers and vendors alike! She'll have a large selection of luxurious soaps and body products including her new limited-edition mexican chocolate soap made just for opening day …Cinco de Mayo!

Fahnestock's Fruit Farm:

We will be there with tomatoes






Golden Valley Farms Coffee:

We will be bringing a variety of coffee for sale. Our coffees are offered in Whole Bean and Ground.  The coffees that I will be sampling this week are: Breakfast Blend ( our most popular blend) and Wild Tiger (our newest Blend).

Our coffees are Organic, Fair Trade and Shade-Grown.  The coffee is roasted right in West Chester. 

London Vale Farm:
We will have over 35 varieties of herb plants, including Rosemary, Thyme, Sage, Oregano & Basil.
New this season, we will be offering Brown Eggs from our happy cage-free chickens (grain fed).  Also available this week:  Peas, Scallions, Lettuce (4 varieties), Swiss chard, Kale & Collards.

Applied Climatology LLC:
This week we will have 42 varieties of plants to choose from, including Irises, Peonies, Clematis, Astilbe, Heuchera, Blackberry plants (thornless), Baptisia, Hydrangeas, Knockout Roses and much more.    Be sure to stop by and ask about our new rewards program! 

Schaeffer Flowers:

This week we will have some spring mix bouquets. Next week, if the weather stays warm, we may have some of the very first Peonies of the season!

Chile Spot:

Chile Spot of Downingtown will be at the market with all of their delicious artisan chile pepper products including all three of their Salsas, Hot Sauces, Pepper Jams, Pickled Peppers, Relish and Dried Peppers.  They will be featuring their Jalapeno Sweet Relish and Jalapeno Lime Pepper Jam, both Spring favorites.  Their full selection of unique and highly sought rare chile pepper seedlings and heirloom tomatoes will arrive next weekend.  In honor of opening day, get your Chile Spot tshirt for just $10 (sizes M - XL) or embroidered cap for just $12!


Red Earth Farm:
Red Earth Farm will have loads of vegetable and flower starts, including gorgeous flowering nasturtiums in hanging baskets and pots, vibrant petunias, ageratum, dianthus, mixed herb pots, tomato plants, basil plants, summer squash 4 packs, and lots more.  We will also have super sweet spring salad mix, sweet salad turnips, green garlic, fresh mint and more.


Stargazer's Vineyard:
Great wine will be at the Market from Stargazer's Vineyard.  You'll be seeing them on the 1st and 3rd (and sometimes 5th) Saturdays of every month through November!


Other Vendors for this week include:


Lizzie's Kitchen
Maple Hill Farm
Big Sky Bread Company
Elkdale Greenhouse
Oakshade Chees
Oley Valley Mushrooms
Queens Farms
Windy Acres

~~~~~

We are looking forward to a great season with you!  If you have any questions, ideas or comments, don't hesitate to leave a comment below or email us at: wcgrowersmarket.blog@gmail.com.  

Market Fresh Recipes: Baked Zucchini Sticks

Baked Zucchini Sticks 

I love Pinterest, and have found it to be a great tool in finding new and exciting recipes to use. There are a ton of awesome recipes that pair perfectly with the farm fresh produce at the West Chester Growers Market.  I found this pin a few weeks ago, and finally had a chance to try it out last night.  The picture from the recipe looked SCRUMPTIOUS, but I've tried enough recipes to know that how nice a picture looks and how tasty a recipe turns out can be two very different things.


Well, not this time.


The recipe I found for Baked Zucchini Sticks was absolutely fantastic.  We made a fun dipping sauce (recipe is below), and tore through the batch. I used 2 smallish zukes, and thought we'd come up short.  I was amazed at how many Zucchini Sticks came from 2 small squash!


These Zucchini Sticks make a great appetizer, after school snack or side dish to dinner.  My 4-year old daughter even liked them - so it might be a nice way to get your kids to eat their veggies!

Baked Zucchini Sticks

(from King Arthur Flour)

• 3 medium zucchini, unpeeled, cut into 3"-long stick
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon Pizza Seasoning or mixed Italian herbs
• olive oil spray
• 1/2 cup egg substitute; or 2 large eggs; or 3 egg whites, lightly beaten

1) Place the zucchini sticks in a colander over a bowl and sprinkle with the tablespoon of salt. Let the zucchini drain for 1 hour or longer; rinse and pat dry.

2) Combine the Panko, Parmesan, and pizza seasoning; set aside.

3) Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment, and spray the parchment with olive oil.

4) Dredge sticks a few at a time in the egg, then roll in the crumb mixture. Place the sticks on the prepared baking sheet.

5) Bake sticks for 12 minutes, turn over, and bake for an additional 8 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.

6) Serve immediately

Yield: about 3 dozen zucchini sticks

Blooming Onion Dipping Sauce

(from Man Tested Recipes)

• 1/2 cup sour cream (I substituted 1/2 cup of Greek Yogurt + 1 TBS Light Mayonnaise)
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 teaspoon fresh horseradish
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika

In a mixing bowl, combine sour cream, ketchup, seasoning salt, red pepper flakes, horseradish, and paprika. Serve immediately or refrigerate before serving.

~~~~~

I plan on making these again over the weekend, but with asparagus instead of Zucchini. I will let you know how it turns out!