Gorgeous. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

A huge thanks to everyone who came out to the Tomato U-Pick this past weekend! There was such a great turn-out. We had a blast getting lost in towers of tomatoes with our Austin community. Another huge thanks to Cold One Pops and Barrett's Coffee for keeping everyone cool and caffeinated. We are hoping that we will have enough tomatoes to throw a last-chance Tomato U-Pickin a couple of weeks, so stay tuned for more news on that!

Kiddo getting into it. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Tomato loot. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

So many tomatoes! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Ada pointing at tomatoes. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Keeping everyone caffeinated. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Family fun! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Family fun! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Full to the brim. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

The littlest tomato picker. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

In the fields! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Tomatoes! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Missoula and Casey telling everyone what to do! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

More tomatoes! And HERBS! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Family time. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

In the tomato towers. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Recipe and Images by Nadia Tamby

Though I have used most of my basil in caprese-like salads and other savory dishes, I wanted to use the fragrant basil in something sweet. Panna cotta is a great summer dessert – it is cold and creamy, you can make it ahead of time, it’s low-mess, and you don’t need to turn your oven on! Think of it as a summery cousin to crème brûlée. Serve it with whatever fruit is in season.



Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of basil, only leaves (about 1 cup of leaves, packed in)
• ½ cup sugar (or less, if you prefer)
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup half and half
• 1 envelope (or 1 tablespoon) unflavored gelatin
• 1 cup sour cream
• ¼ cup water

Instructions:

Pour the water in a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over it to allow it soften. Meanwhile, combine the sugar, basil leaves, half and half and the heavy cream in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.



Remove it from the heat and cover it with a lid. Let the basil steep for about 5 minutes then fish out the basil leaves using a sieve and gently press on them with the back of a spoon to squeeze the cream out back into the pot or into another bowl. Don’t forget about the basil – keep the steeping time short or else you might have an off-putting basil flavor that is just too much for dessert. A light steep is perfect for this delicate panna cotta.



Discard the wilted basil leaves. Whisk the gelatin in until completely smooth and it has dissolved into the cream mixture.

Stir the sour cream in and whisk until smooth again. While the mixture is still warm and pourable, pour into small glasses, jars or ramekins for individual portions. Cover each with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (or 6-8 hours). This will be best eaten within two days.

When you’re ready to serve it, pair it with tart fruit to offset the creamy panna cotta. I would even recommend tossing your fruit in a teaspoon each of white balsamic vinegar and sugar before topping the dessert off. I like serving it with a strawberry coulis if I have time to make it, but just fruit will do! You can also crush shortbread cookies on top for a little added texture. The possibilities are endless but of course, you can just grab a spoon and eat it straight out of the fridge :) I topped mine with honeydew melon, Texas peaches, strawberries, and a teaspoon of basil brandy that I got recently from the St. George distillery in Alameda – so good!

CSA Box Contents Week of June 18th

TOMATOES! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Texas tomato season is brief! Seize the summer and order some bulk tomatoes to ensure you get your fill of this special fruit. Here is a guide to the tomato varieties we're growing this year in case you caught yourself wonderin'. *CSA Members: Remember to log in to your account before ordering if you'd like to get your tomatoes delivered along with your share. Give us a call if you have any questions about our bulk tomato sale: 512-386-5273. Order online here and get to making delicious and succulent 'mater treats! Peruse some ideas below.

Happy Summertime!

Tomato + peach salad with labne. Photo by Rick Cortez.

A tomato salad by Mackenzie Smith, begging to be eaten. Photo by Rick Cortez.

Tomato gallete. Photo by Rick Cortez.

In case you sign up for the CSA and find yourself a little overwhelmed, don’t fret one bit. We met up with our tenured recipe blogger, Megan Winfrey, to get a couple of CSA hacks that she uses on the regular. She’s held the blogging post for a little over three years now, and seamlessly juggles family, friendships, career, and cooking with flourish and ease. With summer underway and an influx of new and potentially perplexing crops appearing, we couldn’t think of a better person to chat with about simple ways to utilize the weekly veggie haul to their full potential while also living a very full and busy life.

Megan in the kitchen. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

We bopped over to her Brentwood home one day this week and arrived as both Hunter, her husband, and she were returning home with their spirited daughter, Louisiana, in tow. Both multiple-generation Texans, their cozy home reflects their deep roots to the hill country and their immensely warm and honest personalities. Hunter immediately cracked open a beer, donned his loose summertime garb, and set to carefully curating the music; while Megan poured herself a glass of wine, and casually started dishing CSA secrets and cooking for her loved ones simultaneously. Check out some of their summertime cooking hacks below:

• Get yourself a good knife. The one I have, I’ve had since my college years, and I (and Hunter) sharpen often.
• Try to roast most of the bulk stuff (squash, cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, carrots) and have those portioned into containers and ready to go for Lou (their daughter) for dinner. It’s very simple - olive oil, salt, and pepper for roasting - flip ‘em halfway through the time allotted for whatever vegetable you are prepping.

Roasting squash. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

• It’s usually half and half, half the box gets prepped right away for Lou’s dinners and then the other half stays fresh for Hunter and me. I keep a couple squash and zucchini in the fridge for us… I’ve been making zoodles a lot lately.
• Just wing it! Just cook it however because it’s food and it’s gonna be good!

Roasting tomatoes for salsa. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

• I don’t always prep all of the box immediately. Just stick it in the fridge on busy weeks and get to it when you can.
• If I'm really on top of it, I try to deal with the greens and all the gentle produce ASAP. Get them washed, trimmed, and in bags with paper towels. It’s super beneficial to have them ready for cooking when I get home from work.

Definitely a busy week! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

• One of my best mom hacks is making Lou dinner when I get home from work, she sits down and eats while I prep dinner for Hunter and myself. Her bedtime is at 7:30, so I don’t have a ton of time to make a full meal with her biting at my ankles. I don’t necessarily have time for all of us to eat at the same time and that’s okay!
• Lou has her portioned plates which consist of whatever roasted veggie I’ve already prepped (the aforementioned bulk veggies), a little bit of fruit, and a little protein of some sort. That being prepared for the week already is super helpful.
• On the weekends, either Saturday or Sunday, I spend all day meal prepping and cooking. I will also make a nice, fresh meal that we will all share. That’s our family meal for the week. Otherwise, we eat separately for the most part, which is nice. Hunter and I need that time to sit, talk, reconnect before we crash out around 9.

Megan and Lou. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

• Freezing melon! Cut it up, freeze it, put it out on the plate (while your kid is being super distracted and not eating), it thaws, and serves nice and cold. Or you can freeze it on sticks - a little melon pop! Delicious.
• Getting Lou to try things from the farm, I bribe her. To be honest, It usually turns out that she loves it. If I promise her something that she loves after trying the new veggie - she tries it (always acts like it’s gross and inedible), gets the treat, momma walks away, and then she’ll usually finish the new thing she didn’t want to try initially. When the watchful eye dissipates, she can’t deny the deliciousness! She’ll usually eat the entire plate. So, parents, try it! Parents are always right about the yummy factor, come on.
• When cauliflower gets those brown spots, just brush it off with a scrubber.

Scrubbing the cauliflower. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

• I can a bunch of tomatoes every year, and use them throughout the year. We still have three cans from last year. When you pop it open, it smells like summer. They are so versatile. You can make a sauce or put them in a soup, make it as a base for proteins, or put them in greens… you can use them literally in anything! It makes everything so much better, especially when it’s fresh and organic tomatoes. There’s no other smell or taste like that - it’s so sweet, earthy and wonderful.

Megan's canned tomatoes.

• Make caprese! Super easy.
• Eat a ripe tomato for breakfast... just cut it into slices and enjoy.
• Watermelon and tajin - I put it in a tupperware, take it into bed on a weekend morning, or into work (I keep tajin in my drawer at work). It’s so tasty, satisfying, and not super heavy. Same with melon and cucumber. YUM.

Tajin at work.

• A quick and easy meal - cold noodles (soba noodles or zoodles), peanut rice vinegar dressing or some sort of Asian dressing, and cucumbers. A summertime staple for sure.
• Blending watermelon or melon into pops (boozy for the adults!).

Hunter checkin' in on Meg. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

• Slicing up any and all veggies in the summertime and eating it with Grandma’s hummus. Slice up cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, squash, or peppers - the only thing I wouldn’t do is potatoes or onions I think.
• Squash pickles - make ‘em last.
• For zucchini, I love making zoodles. I just got a spiralizer and I love it.
• For okra, roast it & change it up with different spices, or make a tomato/okra sauce.
• It’s not feasible to all sit down and eat together with two working parents sometimes and that’s okay.
• Be cool with simple meals and leftovers. Repurpose leftovers/mix and match what you have prepped to make different meals
• You can always share if you have leftover veggies! Share the veggie wealth - take it to work or share with a friend.

Hangin' with Sky, their cat. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Bonus Parent Hacks -

• Have a plan for the week. For a while, I was feeling a ton of pressure to make dinner every night for the family. Then we created a schedule for the week - Monday: Hunter does something for himself, Tuesday: we go out to dinner as a fam, Wednesday: I do something for myself, Thursday: we cook, Friday: we all hang out with friends together, Saturday and Sunday: we cook and meal prep all day. This has us looking forward to Thursday. I’ve had it in my schedule, Hunter can wrangle Lou, and I can make something nice for all of us. It’s also helpful in utilizing the box. I can use whatever is left in the box for our special dinner. Then, I’ll get a new box and I’m ready to prep again. It’s a cycle.

The Winfrey fam. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

• Dad advice/partner advice from Hunter: if you’ve got a partner who is well versed in preparing and preserving produce you should really insist that they teach you so that you can help out. Take the time to learn about preparation, etc, so that one can split the responsibility and increase the likelihood that you will use every little bit of the veggies.
• Tell your kids where the food comes from and then they will become way more interested. Kids learn about farms and vegetables in school. When your kid takes part in potlucks and the u-picks that JBG does, then they are able to identify with the food because they've been there.
• Get kids involved in the kitchen if they are old enough! Entertainment and learning potential combined.
• Teamwork! Work together in the house.

One last fam photo. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

'Til next time! A huge thank you to the Winfrey fam for letting us feature them, and their continued support of the farm.

Working with big cucumbers. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

We are swimming in tomatoes and the U-Pick is tomorrow! Come and join the fun. It's the perfect event for the kiddos and adults alike. You can pick our famous zinnias to take home with you while you're at it. A bouquet is the perfect adornment for your kitchen table or gift for a loved one. In other news, melon mania is just around the corner. Get ready for the most refreshing summer treat!

Peppers! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Zinnias. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Zinnia close-up. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Zinnia closeup. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Bell pepper beauties. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Peppers on the way. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Plentiful harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Okra close-up with bloom. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Sortin' 'maters. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Servings: 4 / Total Time: 45 minutes / Author: The Migoni Kitchen

Summer is here in Texas and while we are not so excited about the heat, we are loving the summer veggies and fruits right now. Loads of summer squash, tomatoes, melons, and stone fruits – it’s our favorite time of year for produce! Our CSA box this week featured beautiful zucchini, yellow squash, and eggplants, so immediately the idea to make a ratatouille came to mind. Ratatouille is a French provencal vegetable stew typically made with zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, onions, and peppers. It’s a humble dish that’s often prepared as a side but when using great quality produce can truly shine as the main dish.

Ingredients:

Ratatouille Ingredients:

• 1 Medium Eggplant, sliced into thin rounds
• 3 Vine-Ripened Tomatoes, sliced thin
• 1 Medium Zucchini, sliced thin
• 1 Large Russet Potato, peeled and sliced thin
• Kosher Salt
• Black Pepper
• 12 ounces Grapeseed Oil and Canola Oil

Tomato Ingredients:

• 3 cloves garlic, sliced thin
• ½ of 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 14.5 ounce can of crushed tomato
• 5 sprigs thyme
• 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• ¼ teaspoon brown sugar

Ratatouille gorgeousness. Photo by the Migoni Kitchen. 

Instructions:

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in dutch oven over medium heat.

Next, add diced onion and garlic into the dutch oven and sauté for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and onions are slightly translucent.

Add in crushed tomato, herbs, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, and sugar. Stir until sauce begins to simmer then lower temperature to low heat and allow to cook until slightly reduced.

While the sauce is cooking, in a frying pan, heat the canola oil to a medium-high temperature. Once the oil is hot, cook the sliced eggplant in batches, being careful not to crowd the pan.

Remove the eggplant slices as soon as they begin to brown, placing them on a paper towel to drain excess oil. Repeat this step with the potato slices.

Remove the sauce from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Next, arrange the sliced vegetables into the bottom of the pot - alternate between the potato, zucchini, squash, eggplant, and tomato slices. Arrange into spiral shape.

Cover and place the dutch oven back on the burner on medium to low heat for about 20 minutes. Then remove remove lid and allow the vegetables to continue simmering for another

20 minutes while the excess water evaporates.

Serve with rice or crusty French bread.