Yeah! Spring Is Finally Here.

Are you excited to start your garden?  

We are!  I saw this on a sign the other day and it made me laugh--We are so excited about spring that we wet our plants!!

We currently have fresh herbs for your herb garden that are ready for purchase.  There are many vegetable bedding plants that are growing like crazy and will be available for purchase at Friday Fling.   I'm sorry to announce that we will not be at Friday Fling on May 18th as our daughter will be graduating.  Please call the farm or visit with us the following Friday.

Many of the flowers have started blooming in their pots.  All we need is a bit of sunshine and some warmth and they will take right off and be ready for Mother's Day.   Please call the farm for a special appointment or visit with us at Cobb Street Market.

If you are tired of the same old flowers that are available in the local stores, please give us a call as we have many varieties that are not sold elsewhere.  If you have a special planter you would like to fill in memory of a loved one, we will be hosting a couple of workshops at Cobb Street Market in Palmer during the month of May.  

Happy Planting!

Sweet Carrots Delight

Have you ever eaten vegetables that taste like candy?  If not, you have got to try these Matanuska Valley Grown carrots!

If not the carrots by themselves, then try this simple and Delicious carrot cake!

  • 2 C flour
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2/3 C butter, softened
  • 1 C sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2/3 C milk
  • 3 medium carrots, grated
  • 1/2 C chopped pecans or walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9" round cake pan.  Dust with flour, tap out excess.  Mix together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt; set aside.  Beat together butter and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  At low speed, alternately beat flower mixture and milk into butter mixture.  Stir in grated carrots and nuts.  Pour batter into prepared pan.  Bake until top springs back when lightly touched, about 40 minutes.  Ice cake with cream cheese frosting if you like, then sprinkle with 1/4 C chopped nuts mixed with 2 Tbsp brown sugar, if desired.

When I make this cake, I make two and layer them with some cream cheese frosting in the middle.

Happy Baking! 

Lemon Basil Salmon with Zucchini Noodles

Lemon Basil Salmon which is basically Salmon cooked in a butter, garlic and lemon basil, is a quick gourmet meal! I mean if you take something that is already good, like butter and garlic, and combine it with something else that is great, like fresh salmon and garden fresh local produce, you can only get something even better! Right! The buttery, garlicky, lemon basil and lemon sauce is absolutely amazing with salmon; and it's so quick and easy to make! You can serve this lemon basil salmon all by itself, with crusty bread, on rice, on pasta, on quinoa, etc. or my current obsession, zucchini noodles to make for a complete, light summer meal!

 

Lemon Basil Salmon with Zucchini Noodles

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 20 minutes Servings: 4

Salmon in a tasty butter, garlic and lemon sauce with plenty of fresh lemon basil served on zucchini noodles!

ingredients

            2 tablespoons butter

            1 pound salmon fillet cut into 1 inch pieces

            4 cloves garlic, chopped

            1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)

            1/4 cup white wine or chicken broth or shrimp broth or vegetable broth

            2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice

            3 medium zucchini, cut into noodles

            salt and pepper to taste

            1 teaspoon lemon or lime zest

            2 tablespoons lemon basil, chopped

directions

1Melt the butter in a pan over medium-high heat until frothing, add the Salmon pieces, cook for 2 minutes, flip, add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 or 2 more minute before setting the salmon aside.

2Add the white wine/broth and lemon juice to the pan, deglaze it, simmer for 2 minutes, add the zucchini noodles and cook until just tender, about 2 minutes, before seasoning with salt and pepper, adding the salmon, lemon zest and lemon basil, tossing everything and removing from the heat.

Note: Cut the zucchini into noodles with a mandoline or a spiralizer.

 

 

How to freeze Zucchini for winter use?

Zucchini freezes very nicely.  To prepare it, cut it into the size you intend to use such as shredded for bread/muffins and cubes for soup.  Place the amount that you will use in your recipe in a sealable bag.  Remove as much air as possible, seal and label it then put it in the freezer.  An important note for use.  Make sure you put it in the soup while it is still frozen.  If you are using it for bread, let it thaw in a bowl and put liquid and all in your recipe unless your recipe calls for the zucchini to have the liquid pressed out of it. 

What to do with all that Zucchini!!

Did you know Zucchini is a favorite among low-carb dieters and anyone who wants to lose weight fast, zucchini has a very low score on the glycemic index. Due to its high water percentage, zucchini is low in calories, carbs and sugars, but high in essential nutrients like potassium, manganese, and antioxidants like vitamin C and vitamin A. Zucchini is a great vegetable that has many uses.  Our most recent favorite is to make it into veggie noodles for spaghetti.  Awesome  and  a creative way to get children to eat their veggies.