Spinach Pesto Pizza with Feta

Each summer, with my son's help, I make a bunch of basil pesto and stash it in the freezer in quantities packaged just right for pizza (1/2 cup) or a pound of pasta (1 cup). I welcome its blast of flavor every time I pull a package out of the freezer. Here it makes a nice base for fresh local hoophouse spinach and local feta cheese. You can optionally add chopped canned artichoke hearts here - not local, but delicious with these ingredients.

1 14-inch pizza crust
1/2 cup basil pesto
4 ounces well chopped fresh spinach
1 cup artichoke hearts, coarsely chopped (about half a can) (optional)
2-3 ounces crumbled feta
1 ounces shredded mozzarella

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Spread the pesto over the pizza crust. Spread the spinach over it, then strew the feta and artichoke hearts (if using) over the spinach. Top with mozzarella.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, until crust done and cheese begins to brown.

Serves 3-4.

Ginger Maple Roasted Parsnips

Parsnips take really well to dry heat cooking, which brings out their natural sweetness. They pair well with sweet spices and seasonings. If you want to get fancy with the presentation here, you could serve these topped with a sprinkling of fleur de sel. Regardless, do add salt - it works well against the sweetness of the syrup, which gives the parsnips a nice candied texture around the edges.

2 lbs parsnips
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 1/2 Tbsp walnut or canola oil
1/2 tsp ground ginger
Salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Peel the parsnips and cut out woody cores, then cut into cubes or spears. Toss them in a bowl with the maple syrup, oil, ginger, and a sprinkling of salt. When well coated, spread on a rimmed baking sheet (you may want to use parchment paper or foil to prevent a sticky cleanup job). Roast for 20-25 minutes, turning once, until the parsnips are tender and nicely golden brown.

Serves 3-4.

Winter Tomato Soup with Chicken

If you have a good supply of tomatoes canned or frozen from last summer, a nice pot of tomato soup is perfect for a cold winter evening. The chicken is optional, but it does turn the soup from a side to a hearty main dish. Adding a Parmesan rind while the soup simmers adds a nice depth of flavor.

Olive oil
8-10 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, sliced thin
2 quarts canned/frozen tomatoes (thawed if frozen) with their liquid
1-2 cups chicken stock
1 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dried basil
Parmesan rind (optional)
2-3 cups chopped cooked chicken
Salt and pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan for topping (optional)

Heat a little olive oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot. Add the garlic and onion and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the carrots and tomatoes, stock, thyme, bay leaf, basil, and Parmesan rind (if using). Simmer until the carrots are completely tender, about 15 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf and Parmesan rind from the soup, then puree it either with an immersion blender or in a regular blender. Stir in the chicken and add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve hot. If desired, top with a bit of grated Parmesan at the table.

Serves 4-5.

Chicken Spinach Pizza with Chili Peppers

Using some nice hoop house grown local spinach and pickled jalapenos from our garden. You can skip the chicken if you like, but it does play nicely with the greens and chilies.

1 14-inch pizza crust
Olive oil
3 ounces spinach, washed and finely chopped
1 cup diced cooked chicken
2 Tbsp chopped pickled chili peppers (or to taste)
3 ounces shredded mozzarella

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lightly paint the pizza crust with olive oil.

Spread the spinach over the pizza crust, then distribute the chicken and the chili peppers over it. Be sure to spread the chilies evenly so you don't get an overly hot bite. Top with mozzarella.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the crust is done and cheese begins to brown.

Serves 3-4.

Pizza with Brussels Sprouts, Salami, and Goat Cheese

Brussels sprouts on pizza? You bet! Just slice them thin (no need to precook) and you get this delicious, nutty, roasted-Brussels-sprouts flavor on your pizza. I made this with some local goat cheese from Hillman farm and the last of the Brussels sprouts from our garden. Substitute bacon or pepperoni for the salami if you like.

1 14-inch pizza crust
Olive oil
3/4 - 1 cup thinly sliced Brussels sprouts
2-3 ounces shredded mozzarella
2 ounces salami, sliced thin or diced
2-3 ounces goat cheese
1/2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lightly brush the pizza crust with olive oil.

Combine the sliced Brussels sprouts with a little more olive oil in a small bowl and toss to coat.

Spread the mozzarella over the pizza crust. Distribute the sprouts and salami over it, then dot with goat cheese. Sprinkle with the rosemary, salt, and pepper.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the crust is done and the cheese begins to brown.

Serves 3-4.

Slow Cooker Bean Soup from the Pantry with Dried Garden Herbs

This is a classic pantry soup, made largely with stuff you probably have sitting around already and little that is fresh. That said, if you do have fresh (or frozen, or canned) veggies on hand, feel free to throw in whatever you like. The part I really liked about this was getting out jars of herbs from the garden that I dried last summer and crumbling them fresh into the soup. My hands smelled like summer when I was done. This makes a big batch, perfect for freezing.

You can use a packaged soup mix of beans here if you like, or mix and match from your pantry (back beans, red beans, navy beans, pinto beans, lentils...it's all good). I included some absolutely lovely, creamy local beans from Crabapple Farm - the variety was called Marfax.

3-4 cups mixed dried beans and barley
Vegetable stock
1 medium onion, diced
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 Parmesan rinds (optional)
1/4 cup dried parsley
1-2 Tbsp dried oregano
1-2 Tbsp dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste
Good quality olive oil for topping (optional)

Place the bean and barley mix in the slow  cooker and add enough vegetable stock to cover by 2 inches (be more generous if you won't be able to check on the soup during the day). Add the onion, garlic, Parmesan rinds (if using), and the herbs.

Cook on high for 7-9 hours (longer is ok), until the beans are all completely tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve hot. If desired, drizzle with olive oil at the table.

Serves about 8.

Red Currant Glaze for Ham

You could make this with cranberry sauce, or even a tart raspberry sauce, but I liked it with the Red Currant Syrup I made earlier this year. This was excellent on smoked ham.

1 cup Red Currant Syrup
1 large shallot, peeled
2 tsp Dijon mustard, or to taste
1 Tbsp cider vinegar

Combine all ingredients in a blender and whiz until well blended. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator for  up to several days (it improves after sitting for a day or so, as the flavors more fully blend).

Use to glaze ham as it bakes, and/or as a sauce at the table. Bring to room temperature before serving at the table.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups of glaze.