Last of the Super Bowl Recipes

City Greeners, we're closing out the last of our series of Super Bowl recipes with a couple of crowd pleasers. The first recipe is for pan-fried chicken and the second is for Philly Cheese Fake - it's a Philly sandwich made with portabella mushrooms instead of steak (vegetarians rejoice)! Have a safe, fun, and tasty Super Bowl Sunday!

Pan-Fried Chicken

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon hot paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 bone-in chicken breast halves, skinned
• 2 bone-in chicken thighs, skinned
• 2 chicken drumsticks, skinned
• 1/4 cup peanut oil 

Preparation

1. Sift together first 6 ingredients; place mixture in a large zip-topped plastic bag. Sprinkle salt evenly over chicken. Add chicken, one piece at a time, to bag; seal. Shake bag to coat chicken. Remove chicken from bag, shaking off excess flour. Place chicken on a cooling rack; place rack in a rimmed baking sheet. Reserve remaining flour mixture. Loosely cover chicken; chill for 1 1/2 hours. Return chicken, one piece at a time, to flour mixture, shaking bag to coat chicken. Discard excess flour mixture. 
2. Heat peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 25 minutes or until done, carefully turning every 5 minutes. Internal temperature should reach 165 degrees F. 

Tip: The key to success with this recipe is even heat. If the oil gets too hot, the chicken may brown too quickly before fully cooking. You can lower the heat, or brown the chicken on the stovetop and then cook at 350 degrees F until done. If the oil is not hot enough, the chicken will absorb too much of it. Omit spices in the breading, if you prefer.  

Yields 4 servings (serving size 1 chicken breast half or 1 thigh and 1 drumstick). Total time: 3 hours. 

Philly Cheese Fake Sandwiches

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 4 large portabella mushrooms, stems removed, sliced
• 1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 2 Tablespoons minced fresh oregano, or 2 teaspoons dried
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup vegetable broth, or reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 Tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 3 ounces thinly sliced, reduced-fat provolone cheese
• 4 whole wheat buns, split and toasted

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until soft and beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, bell pepper, oregano, and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are wilted and soft, about 7 minutes. 
2. Reduce heat to low; sprinkle the vegetables with flour and stir to coat. Stir in broth and soy sauce; bring to a simmer. Remove from heat, lay cheese slices on top of the vegetables, cover and let stand until melted, 1 to 2 minutes. 
3. Divide the mixture into 4 portions with a spatula, leaving the melted cheese layer on top. Scoop a portion onto each toasted bun and serve immediately. 

Makes 4 sandwiches. Total time: 25 minutes.

Fried Chicken recipe and photo courtesy of MyRecipes.com
Philly Cheese Fake recipe and photo courtesy of EatingWell.com

Even MORE Super Bowl Recipes!

City Greeners, as the countdown to the Super Bowl continues, so do our big game recipe ideas. Today we're sharing two recipes to keep your guests snacking away. The first is for pita chips (which would pair perfectly with the white bean dip we shared on Wednesday!) while the second is a homemade version of a pub food favorite, jalapeno poppers. Check it out!

Garlic & Herb Pita Chips

Ingredients

• 4 6-inch whole-wheat pitas
• 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Position oven racks in middle and lower third of oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Coat 2 large baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Cut pitas into 8 wedges each and separate each wedge at the fold. Place the pita wedges, rough side up, in an even layer on the prepared baking sheets. Brush with oil and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt.  
3. Bake the pita wedges, switching the baking sheets halfway through, until golden and crispy, 6 to 10 minutes (depending on the thickness). 
4. Serve with guacamole, salsa, hummus, or bean dip. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. 

Makes 8 servings of 8 chips each. Active time: 20 minutes; total time 20 minutes. 

Jalapeno Poppers

Ingredients

• 12-18 whole, fresh jalapeno
• 1 cup nonfat refried beans
• 1 cup shredded monterey jack of extra-sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 scallion, sliced
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup fine cornmeal 
• Olive oil or canola oil cooking spray

Preparation

1. Make a small slit on one side of each pepper. Place the peppers in a large microwave-safe dish. Cover and microwave on high until just softened, about 5 minutes. 
2. Meanwhile, combine refried beans, cheese, scallion, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. 
3. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, scrape out the seeds with a small spoon (a 1/4 teaspoon measuring spoon works well). Fill each pepper with about 1 Tablespoon of the bean filling, or until the pepper is full but not overstuffed (the amount will depend on the size of the pepper). Close the pepper around the filling. 
4. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Coat a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. 
5. Place flour in a shallow dish. Lay beat eggs in another shallow dish. Combine cornmeal and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a third shallow dish. Roll each stuffed pepper in flour, shaking off any excess. Drop in egg and let any excess drip off. Then roll in the cornmeal mixture. Place the peppers on the prepared baking sheet. Generously coat all sides of each pepper with cooking spray. 
6. Bake for 5 minutes. Turn each pepper over and continue baking until hot and the filling starts to ooze in a few spots, about 5 minutes more. 

Tip: Cover and refrigerate the filling (step 2) for up to 1 day if you would like to make ahead.

Tip: Touching hot peppers can "burn" your hands. Wear rubber gloves or wash your hands thoroughly after handling them. Be sure not to touch your eyes! 

Makes 12-18 poppers. Active time: 40 minutes; total time 40 minutes. 

Pita chip recipe and photo courtesy of EatingWell.com
Jalapeno popper recipe and photo courtesy of EatingWell.com

More Super Bowl Recipes

Following suit with our previous posts, we're preparing our beloved City Greeners for a Super Bowl smorgasbord. The central theme of our featured recipes incorporates a healthy twist on the old favorites.

Today we're featuring two concoctions. The first is a favorite pub food - onion rings! These little guys are battered then baked in the oven instead of fried. The second delicacy is an alternative to french fried potatoes- they are oven "fried" zucchini sticks!

Happy cooking, City Greeners.

Oven Baked Onion Rings

Ingredients

• 2 medium sweet yellow onions
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups fine dry breadcrumbs, preferably whole-wheat
• 1 Tablespoon seasoning blend, such as Cajun or jerk
• Olive oil or canola oil cooking spray  

Preparation

1. Position racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Coat 2 large rimmed baking sheets with cooking spray.
2. Cut off both ends of each onion and peel. Slice into 1/2-inch-thick (or slimmer) slices; separate into rings. Place the rings in a medium bowl; cover with cold water. 
3. Combine flour and baking powder in a shallow dish. Lightly beat eggs in another shallow dish. Combine breadcrumbs and seasoning in a third shallow dish. Working with one ring at a time, remove from the water, letting any excess drip off. Coat in flour, shaking off any excess. Dip in egg and let any let any excess drip off. Then coat in the breadcrumb mixture, shaking off any excess. Place on the prepared baking sheets. Generously coat the onion rings with cooking spray.  
4. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn each onion ring over and return to the oven, switching the positions of the baking sheets. Continue baking until brown and very crispy, 8 to 10 minutes more. 

Makes 6 servings of 6-7 onion rings each. Active time: 40 minutes; total time: 1 hour. 

Oven Fried Zucchini Sticks

Ingredients

• Canola or olive oil cooking spray
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 Tablespoons cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds zucchini (about 3 medium), cut into 1/2-by-3-inch sticks
• 2 large egg whites, lightly beaten

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray. 
2. Combine flours, cornmeal, salt, and pepper in a large sealable plastic bag. Dip zucchini in egg white, shake in the bag to coat, and arrange, not touching, on the baking sheet. Coat all exposed sides with a generous amount of cooking spray. 
3. Bake on the center rack for 10 minutes. Turn the zucchini and coat any floury spots with cooking spray. Continue to bake until golden and just tender, about 8 to 10 minutes more. Serve hot. 

Makes 4 servings. Active time: 20 minutes; total time 40 minutes. 

Onion ring recipe and pictures courtesy of EatingWell.com
Zucchini fries recipe and pictures courtesy of EatingWell.com

Super Bowl Recipes

City Greeners, since our baked potato bar Super Bowl post was so popular, for the rest of the week we'll be providing recipes to help you make the most of your Super Bowl menu. What will all these recipes have in common? Each one will be a healthy twist on an old favorite.

To keep the ball moving, today's recipe is a white bean dip. Enjoy on the side of some pita chips or a veggie platter!

White Bean Dip 

Ingredients

• 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup loosely packed chopped fresh sage leaves
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation

1. Place cannellini beans in a bowl and mash with a fork; set aside.
2. Heat a small pan over medium heat; add 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, and let warm. Add garlic and chopped sage leaves. Stir consistently for 4 minutes or until garlic is brown and sage is crispy. 
3. Pour hot oil over beans; stir. Mix in salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil. Cover and store in refrigerator up to one week. 

Recipe and image courtesy of Health.com

Super Bowl Gets Super Easy

City Greeners, Super Bowl XLVIII is rapidly approaching! While we watch as the Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos face off, millions of Americans will be munching away. If your house is one of those football hot spots, here's a super easy way to liven up your Super Bowl gathering - a baked potato bar.



Baked potato bars are all the rage. You provide the potatoes and the fixins, and your guests help themselves to create their personally-crafted combination. Toppings may include shredded cheese (try some from Marcoot), chives, butter, sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt from Windcrest Dairy), olives, salsa, broccoli, bacon (from Patchwork Family Farms), chili, or anything else you think would be great with a baked potato!

While you get the toppings ready you can bake the potatoes in the oven, or you can "bake" them in the slow cooker!

Slow Cooker "Baked" Potatoes

1. Scrub the potatoes until they're clean.
2. Poke holes in the potatoes with a fork. 
3. Wrap in aluminum foil. 
4. Cook in slow cooker for 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high.  

HAPPY COOKING! 

Photos courtesy of...

Super Bowl logo: Wikipedia

Baked Potato Bar: Tucker's Catering

Potatoes: Microsoft Clip Art

Slow Cooker Squash

It's chilly outside and one of the best ways to warm the body is through the belly. Again City Greeners, we hope that you were able to buy a little extra before we closed for the MOVE hiatus! Here's a simple recipe that features bacon (straight from Patchwork Family Farms) and acorn squash (from Dry Dock Farm if you put some aside!). Put it in the slow cooker in the morning, then come home and enjoy!

Crockpot Acorn Squash

Ingredients:

• 2 acorn squash, cut in half and seeded
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 Tablespoons butter
• 1 heaping Tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 slices bacon, diced 

Preparation:

1. Season acorn squash with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining ingredients. 
2. Pour water into slow cooker. Add squash to the slow cooker, arranging so they do not rest directly on top of each other. 
3. Cook squash on HIGH for 1 hour. Reduce to LOW and cook about 6 hours longer, until tender. 

Serves 4. 

Recipe courtesy of southernfood.about.com 

Images: Acorn squash from Finecooking.com, Bacon from 52KitchenAdventures 

Not Open Yet!

City Greeners, we just wanted to remind everyone that we're not yet open at the new market space. Please hold on a bit longer, and we'll let you know when we'll be open full time over there! 

Delicious Delicata Squash Recipe

City Greeners, we know that it's a huge bummer not being able to come to your favorite local food market, but we want to keep your hopes up and your kitchens warm! Here's a recipe you can use with your locally-grown, delicious delicata squash [which we hope you set aside in the pantry before City Greens closed for the big move!].

Roasted Red Onions and Delicata Squash 

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 Tablespoon honey
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 (12-ounce) delicata squashes, halved lenghwise, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 1 (1-pound) red onion, cut into 12 wedges
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided 
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• Cooking spray
• 3 Tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation

1. Place a baking sheet in the oven. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F (leave pan in the oven).
2. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add squash and onion; toss gently to coat. Sprinkle vegetable mixture with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Carefully remove preheated pan from oven; coat pan with cooking spray. Arrange vegetable mixture in a single layer on pan. 
3. Bake at 475 degrees F for 20 minutes or until tender, turning once. 
4. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and chopped parsley. 

Recipe yields 6 servings (serving size of about 1 cup), and takes a total of 30 minutes. 

Recipe and photo courtesy of myrecipes.com 

New Space Update!

Happy New Year, City Greeners! We're all hoping that everybody has had a happy and healthy start to 2014!

We know how curious everybody must be about the progress of our new space at 4260 Manchester. (Our bellies are grumbling, too!) The holidays slowed down the progress, but we're back in full swing. Here's the latest update -

The Board of Adjustment for St. Louis City approved our appeal for re-zoning so we can sell the best food

in the land
Two Men and a Truck helped us move our big refrigerators to the new space (for free!)
Our contractors have built a couple new walls
The electrician is coming Monday to add in some power to the new walls
Plumbers are coming to install our two new sinks (required for food service - again, so we can sell you the finest food!)
Andre Tuckpointing & Brickwork are coming mid-week to make room for a new door to our patio, then our door will be installed the next day
Junior League of St. Louis volunteers have been working out a new checkout system

...PLUS, we'll be meeting with the health inspector and also our architect (who has designed some awesome new produce displays for us!).

Needless to say, we're moving right along, but don't have an exact date in place for the new opening. (With all the work we're doing, we have to have inspections for the plumbing, electric, etc. just so the City knows everything is up to code and in proper working condition... for our safety and yours!)

We'll keep everybody updated through email and here on our blog.  If you're not on our email list, contact us at citygreensproduce@gmail.com and we'll be sure to add you on!


Photos: Clipart, City Greens File