Variegated Yucca Ready to Bloom

Variegated Yucca Ready to Bloom

If you want to see several in bloom,
the cemetary across from the library
has them in bloom, their foliage is green.

Yucca take little to no water and are pest free.
The ends of their leaves are sharp so be careful.

CSA Basket This Week

CSA Basket This Week

Baby Carrots

Too many have given all for us to be free and I am grateful.

Caraflex Cabbage

Baby Beets

Cilantro

Kohlrabi

Baby Leaf Lettuce

Broccolini

Sugar Snap Pease

I've got my work cut out for me cooking these beauties.
I've made recipes I never would have tried utilizing all this produce.
Stay tuned for some of those recipes.
 Participating in CSA - Community Supported Agriculture
All produce was grown at Levity Farms right here in Blairsville, GA

Dry Brined Smoked Salmon

Dry Brined Smoked Salmon

1 slab of salmon fillet cut in 4 inches pieces across
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon pepper

2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Mix sugar and spices. Place salmon in a large
non-reactive baking dish.
Pat sugar mixture over each salmon piece.
Cover and refrigerate over night.
Next day wash salmon pieces
to remove excess brine. Pat dry and
let salmon pieces dry with a fan to develop the pellicle.
Smoke with some whiskey soaked hickory chips.

So far I've made salmon dip.

Mix sour cream, whipped cream cheese,
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish,
ground pepper and fresh chopped dill.
Better the second day when flavors meld.
Up next will be some smoked salmon risotto.

Blooming Stuffed Baked Potatoes

Blooming Stuffed Baked Potatoes

4-6 small to medium baked potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
4-6 half inches cubes of butter
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground hot pepper of your choice
3/4 cup grated cheese such as cheddar or gouda
green onion slices or chopped parsley for garnish

The potatoes are cut into blossom shapes just like onion blossoms.
Photo shows a potato with bacon but I omitted bacon this time.
Cut potato bottoms off to make a flat potato.
Then cut in quarters or 6ths down to one inch of bottom.
Slice bottoms into thin strips to place in cut sections.
Put potatoes in an 8x8 inch baking dish rubbed with olive oil.

Put one cube of butter in each potato opening in the center.

Sprinkle with spices, then top with grated cheese.
Bake in preheated 375 F oven for 45 minutes
tented with aluminum foil.
Remove tent and bake another 15 minutes till browned.
Sprinkle baked potato blossoms with green onion or parsley.
Serve with protein of your choice.
These potatoes are quite striking on the plate,
and sure to impress your guests.