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

Holiday Gift Idea #9: Honey Lover

The final Holiday Gift Idea - #9 - from City Greens is kind of silly - but also very useful for those who can't get enough local honey!

Let's just dive right in. This package features:

• 1 16oz. Squeeze Bottle of Blackberry Honey from Hilty's ($5.50)
• 1 16oz. Squeeze Bottle of Blueberry Honey ($5.50)
• 1 16oz. Squeeze Bottle of Raspberry Honey ($5.50)
• 1 16oz. Squeeze Bottle of Strawberry Honey ($5.50)
• 1 Gallon of Honey ($36.00)
• 1 16oz. Squeeze Bottle of Wildflower Honey ($5.50)
• 1 Pint Glass Jar of Honey ($5.50)
• 1 16oz. Squeeze Bottle of Basswood Honey ($5.50)

...for a grand total of $74.50. This massive arrangement of honey is sure to keep the honey lover in your life satisfied well into the New Year!

Happy Holidays from City Greens - we hope your family has a wonderful Christmas this season! Come on in to shop for your loved ones - we close for the season tomorrow, December 13 at 5pm and will re-open in January at our new location!!!

Holiday Gift Idea #8: Pampered Loved One

The eighth Holiday Gift Idea from City Greens is for that special person in your life who deserves a lot of love and pampering. You know the type - very giving, caring, and compassionate towards others, and may need to be reminded to take care of themselves (because they spend so much time caring for others!).

This set of gifts includes:

• 1 Set of 2 Hand-Dipped Beeswax Candles from Singing Prairie Farm ($4.00)
• 3 Bars of Handmade Soap from Hanley Fold Farm - assorted scents available ($4.00 each)
• 1 Handmade Lotion Bar from Hanley Fold Farm - assorted scents available ($6.00)
• 3 Handmade Lip Blams from Hanley Fold Farm - assorted flavors available ($2.00 each)
• 1 100% Pine Soap Dish from Hanley Fold Farm - designed to get the most out of your soap! ($2.00)

...and it costs a total of $30.00. If not looking to spend quite so much, try just one of each item (instead of 3 lip balms and 3 soaps), and your total is just $18. Put these items in a nice basket and tie a beautiful bow, and the Pampered Love One is sure to glow!

 

Check back here at the City Greens blog tomorrow for one last Holiday Gift Idea this season!

Holiday Gift Idea #7: The Sandwich Lover

Ham and cheese. BLT. Roast beef. Philly cheese steak. Peanut butter and jelly.

Ever since the Earl of Sandwich created the idea of putting the best ingredients together between two pieces of bread, millions of masterpieces with gourmet ingredients have been enjoyed by people the world over.

This holiday season, prepare to blow the minds of the sandwich connoisseurs in your life. We have some new twists on the old favorite of PB&J.

For this combo, we have:

• 1 16oz. Jar East Wind Peanut Butter - we have salted and unsalted ($3.84)
• 1 16oz. Jar East Wind Almond Butter - choose from smooth or crunchy ($5.18)
• 1 16oz. Jar East Wind Cashew Butter - we have raw and roasted ($5.34)
• 1 16oz. Tub Mound City Peanut Butter - crunchy style ($4.12)
• 2 160z. Jars Hilty's Amish Jam/Jelly - assorted flavors available ($3.75 each)
• 1 16oz. Jar Hilty's Amish No Sugar Added Jam/Jelly - assorted flavors available ($4.75)
• 1 Half-Loaf Companion Sourdough Bread ($2.16) limited quantities available
• 1 Half-Loaf Companion Multigrain Bread ($2.23) limited quantities available

...and it totals $35.12! There are so many sandwich combinations to experiment with using all these City Greens products, the Sandwich Lover in your life is sure to smile from ear to ear!

Stop by here tomorrow to find another Holiday Gift Idea from City Greens!