Radish Carrot Top Pesto Lasagna with Sage Infused Béchamel and Pan-roasted Carrots and Kale

On my recent locavore mission, I've been going to my local farmer's market on Saturdays and buying the fresh, local, in-season produce there, with ambitious goals to . But then throughout the week I find I have no time, energy or even drive to cook and get to the next weekend with a fridge full of not-as-fresh produce giving me the pouty-face for wasting their best days sitting in a cold waiting room. It really is a tragedy.

 This time, though, I didn't let that happen: I used ALL the local produce I had. Every last bit. I would have to say this is actually the most locally-based then I've ever made. If I had gotten the freshly-ground flour that can be found at the local Hy-vee and made the lasagna noodles, it would have been pretty much pure-local. Radishes, carrots, and kale from my local farmer's market, sage from my garden (my first garden produce of the year, from my first truly-mine garden!), milk, cream, and butter from Shatto, and Kansas City-made mozzarella from Hautly Cheese Company. This is light and hearty at the same time, and tastes just like spring.

Radish Carrot Top Pesto Lasagna with Sage Infused Béchamel and Pan-roasted Carrot Purée and Kale

Ingredients:
12 lasagna noodles
1 recipe raddish and carrot top pesto (below)
1 recipe sage-infused béchamel (recipe here)
1 recipe ricotta (recipe here)
1 bunch carrots
herb for carrots (I used rosemary)
1 Tbs. butter
salt, pepper
1 bunch kale
8 oz. mozzarella, grated
2 oz. Parmesan, grated

Instructions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 375F. 
2.. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
3. While water boils, melt butter in a cast-iron skillet on medium-heat. Add carrots and pan-roast with herb of choice, and sprinkle with salt.
4. Place a plate over the pan and cook until carrots are softened, stirring occasionally. When soft, food-process (adding oil if needed) until a purée is formed. Cover and set aside until assembly.
5. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. While cooking, make raddish and carrot-top pesto below.
6. Pour the lasagna water into a bowl with the washed kale, and let kale soak for a minute until kale is softened. Strain and squeeze as much liquid out of the kale as possible, and set aside.
7. Butter the lasagna dish, and assemble the lasagna: Pour 1/4 of the béchamel on the bottom of the pan. 
- Lay 4 noodles across the pan, slightly overlapping if need be. 
- Spread a layer of 1/2 the carrot purée, half the ricotta, half the carrot top pesto, half the kale, spreading out the leaves, and another 1/4th of the béchamel
Repeat above 2 bullet points for the next layer. Place remaining lasagna noodles on top, then remaining 1/4th of the béchamel on top and evenly sprinkle the mozzarella and Parmesan on top. 
8. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes, or until cheese on top starts to get golden-brown and bubbly. Remove from oven.
9. Let lasagna sit and set for 10-15 minutes before cutting and serving.

Raddish and Carrot-top Pesto
2 cups mixed carrot and/or radish tops, stems chopped off
1/3 cup toasted walnuts
2 - 4 Tbs. oil, as needed
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
1. In a food processor, pulse the walnuts until they are completely ground.
2. Add the tops and process until completely chopped, scraping down the sides as needed.
3. Process again, slowly adding oil until a nice paste is formed. Add salt and pepper to taste and put aside in a covered bowl until assembling lasagna.

Fluffernutter Brownie Batter Ice Cream

This is by far my favorite ice cream that I've made so far. If you don't like peanut butter that much, use 1/4 cup. Also: I want to eventually figure out a better way to do the brownie chunks, which may involve making a brownie recipe without eggs, then balling up the thick fudge and using that. We will see, but this recipe is so easy to make, I can't imagine not doing so again in the future. A little bit goes a long way with this ice cream, though it has such a light, heavenly texture it's still very dense taste-wise.

Fluffernutter Brownie Batter Ice Cream
from Nat's Adventures in Baking

Ingredients:
1 - 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups cream
1/4 - 1/2 cup peanut butter (depending on affinity for pb)
1/2 cup marshmallow fluff

for the brownie chunks:
1/4 box brownie mix
2 Tbs butter
1 Tbs water

Instructions:
1. Place a large mixing bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes.
2. In a medium sized mixing bowl, beat the peanut butter and condensed milk together until well blended. Fold in the marshmallow fluff until just combined.
3. Combine all brownie chunk ingredients, and roll into small balls. Set aside.
4. Take the bowl out of the freezer, and beat the heavy cream with an electric whisk until  stuff peaks form.
5. Fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture, then add the brownie bits and fold until dispersed throughout.
6. Place mixture into a covered container and freeze overnight before scooping.

Hard Cider Sweet Potato Bisque

Filling yet so fresh. I really enjoyed this soup, and garnished it with my baked pumpkin seeds!

Hard Cider Sweet Potato Bisque
from Bakeaholic Mama
serves 6

Ingredients:
2 large sweet potatoes
1 large yellow onion, quartered
2 small apples, peeled and cored
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbs butter
4 cups vegetable stock (or chick'n)
1 bottle hard cider
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbs maple syrup
1 cup cream

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Pierce potatoes with a fork. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes or until tender.
3. Meanwhile, add onion, apples, garlic, and butter to a large pot over medium heat. Saute until apples break down and onions are translucent.
4. Add stock, cider, cinnamon, and maple syrup. Simmer on medium-low heat until potatoes are finished baking.
5. Once potatoes are cooked and have cooled enough to handle, cut down the middle and scoop our the flesh. Add to the pot.
6. Using an immersion blender (or a regular blender), blend soup until smooth. Salt and pepper to taste. Stir in cream and serve.

Nutella Ice Cream

Simple and delicious, no cooking or anything. So excited to have made my first batch of ice cream!! Now I have so many goals for frozen treats to come : ) Be prepared....

Nutella Ice Cream
from Sunday Supper
Makes 1 pint

Ingredients:
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup sugar
5 Tbs. Nutella
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions:
1. Put all ingredients in a blender and blend on low speed until just combined (~15 secs)
2. Pour into electric ice cream container and freeze according to instructions.
3. Eat immediately as soft-serve, or freeze for several hours until hardened.

Pumpkin Cream Fettuccine

Perfect fall flavorings, and with those pumpkins being so cheap at the farmer's market?? Definitely worth a try : ) You could probably substitute milk, perhaps make a roux and slowly add milk, or add corn starch to thicken.

Pumpkin Cream Fettuccine
from Heather Christo

Ingredients:
1 lb. Fettuccini
1 cup pumpkin purée (instructions here)
1 cup cream
1 cup Parmesan + more for sprinkling, shredded
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
salt and pepper, to taste
roasted pumpkin seeds (to garnish)

Instructions:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
2. Pour cream into a small sauce pan, and bring to a simmer with the nutmeg and thicken (~3 mins).
3. Whisk in the pumpkin until combined. Then whisk in the Parmesan, and whisk lightly until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Transfer pasta into a mixing bowl, add sauce, and stir gently to combine. If too thick, add pasta water 1 Tbs. at a time to thin. Garnish generously with Parmesan cheese.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Rice

Hardy go-to broccoli cheddar soup with on-hand ingredients. My family loved it!

Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Rice
from dksCooks

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
5 Tbs. butter, divided
1/4 cup flour
2 cups cream (or milk)
3 cups chick'n (or vegetable) broth
1/2 lb. broccoli florrets
1/4 ts. all-spice
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups sharp cheddar, grated
2 cups prepared brown rice

Instructions:
1. Heat 1 Tbs. butter in a skillet on medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and saute until golden-brown.
2. In a medium pot, whisk remaining butter and flour over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Slowly whisk in cream and broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Add broccoli and onion-garlic mix and continue to simmer until broccoli is tender (~6 mins). Add all-spice and season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Stir in cheese until incorporated. Put a scoop of brown rice into individual bowls, ladle in soup, and serve.

Zucchini Cheese Quiche

My favorite thing about this quiche was how healthy it tasted. The thick zucchini pieces and whole wheat crust balance out the rich cheese custard in between, far better than the majority of the tarts/quiches that I make. Feel free to substitute different cheeses. The original used goat cheese.

Zucchini Cheese Quiche
adapted from ArtKulinaria

Ingredients:
1 whole wheat crust (recipe below)
3 - 4 skinny zucchini, enough to fill tart pan when cut to tart pan height
3 eggs
50 ml. cream or milk
90 g. Irish cheese + more for sprinkling
pepper
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced

Instructions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 375F.
2. Bring water to a simmer in a steamer. Cut the zucchini into equal pieces, the height of the tart pan. Steam zucchini for 3 minutes.
3. Brush olive oil over crust, and evenly sprinkle garlic. Then nestle in zucchini into the tart standing on their ends.
4. Whisk together eggs, cream, cheese, and pepper. Pour between the zucchini in the tart, then sprinkle top of tart with cheese.
5. Bake for 20 minutes, and let set 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Whole Wheat Crust
from ArtKulinaria

Ingredients:
250 g. wheat flour
125 g. butter
5 g. salt
50 mL water

Instructions:
1. Combine flour and salt in a food processor, and pulse a few times to combine. Then add butter, and pulse until butter is incorporated.
2. Slowly drizzle water until dough starts to come together. Pour dough out, shape into a flat disk, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Pre-heat oven to 375F. Roll out dough into shape of a deep-tart pan, and fit dough into the pan.
4. Line dough with foil, add pie weights, and bake for 15-20 minutes. Then remove weights and foil and bake for another 5-10 minutes. Let crust cool before using.

Ricotta Tomato Kalamata Tart with Sun-dried Tomato Pesto

This is a delicious and complexly-flavored tart. It takes a little bit of time with the dough, oven-roasted tomatos, and then the custard it's self, but great for a classy Sunday brunch. If you don't have the ingredients for the sun-dried tomato pesto, stone-ground mustard or basil pesto could be substituted, though I recommend the sun-dried tomato pesto to be cohesive with the roasted cherry tomatoes.

Ricotta Tomato Kalamata Tart with Sun-dried Tomato Pesto
from Princess Tofu

Ingredients:
1 recipe Pate Brisse  (I used this recipe)
pinch of saffron
20 cherry tomatoes
1 cup ricotta (recipe here)
4 eggs
1/3 cup cream (I substituted whole milk)
2/3 cup Parmesan, grated
10 kalamata olives, pitted and sliced

for sun-dried tomato pesto:
4 sun-dried tomatoes, halved
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup olive oil

Instructions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 375F and blind-bake the chilled pate brisse for 20 minutes, lined with foil (or parchment paper) and filled with pie-weights. Take out weights and off the foil, and bake for another 3 minutes. Set aside to cool.
2.  Place cherry tomatoes cut side up in an oven-safe dish, toss with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 30 minutes, then set aside. Turn oven down to 350F.
3. Make the sun-dried tomato pesto by combining all ingredients in a food processor, scraping down the sides until a paste is formed. Set aside.
4. Whisk together ricotta, eggs, cream, and Parmesan until smooth.
5. Assemble the tart: spread the sun-dried tomato pesto on the bottom, then pour in the egg-ricotta mixture, then dot around the kalamata olives and roasted tomatoes.
6. Bake tart for 30-40 minutes, or until custard is set. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Butternut Squash Soup with Fried Sage

If you make this soup, it will turn out way more bright and beautiful. Unfortunately, I didn't think to decrease the vegetable broth content, since I used some of my left over butternut squash puree, so mine is quite dark, but this is a great soup and I'm definitely going to make it again and update the pic!

Butternut Squash Soup with Fried Sage
from Divine Cuisine

Ingredients:
1/2 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
1 medium carrot, peeled and cubbed
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 Tbs. fresh ginger, grated
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 cups vegetable stock
1/4 cup cream (I substituted whole milk)
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

for fried sage:
7 - 10 fresh sage leaves
1.5 Tbs. self rising flour
2 Tbs. white wine
pinch of salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil, for frying

Instructions:
1.  Pre-heat the 2 Tbs. olive oil in a medium sauce pan and sauté onion, carrot, squash, and ginger 5-7 minutes or until lightly browned.
2. Pour in just enough vegetable stock to cover vegetables, and reduce heat to low. Cover pot and simmer for 30-40 mins or until all vegetables are tender.
3. Transfer soup to a blender and blend until smooth. Return to pot, and mix in cream and remining stock to desired consistency.

for fried sage:
1. Pre-heat oil in a small sauce pan.
2. In a small bowl, mix together flour, wine, and salt. Cover each leaf in batter and fry until JUST golden. Transfer to a paper towel.
Caution: These little guys cook really fast, so be very careful!

Mushroom Sauce Pasta

Mushroom Sauce Pasta
adapted from lemons and anchovies

Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
10 oz. mushrooms, sliced
pinch nutmeg
1 cup cream
1/2 cup white wine
3 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
1/2 lb. pasta
Parmesan for grating

Instructions:
1. Soak 1 oz. of the mushrooms in hot water for 10 minutes, reserving 1/2 cup of liquid.
2. Prepare pasta according to package directions.
3. Heat olive oil on medium-high heat, add dry mushrooms. Cook until they start to wilt. Add soaked mushrooms, and cook for another 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute.
4. Add wine and reserved mushroom liquid, and turn up heat cooking liquid down to half.
5. Add cream, nutmeg and parsley. Bring down to a simmer for 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Remove from heat, combine with pasta, and sprinkle grated Parmesan over.

Tomato and Caramelized Onion Tart

Delicious! Everyone loved this tomato tart. We ate it in one sitting.


Tomato and Caramalized Onion Tart
adapted from tarte du jour

Ingredients:
1 recipe whole wheat and olive oil pastry crust
2 large red onions, thinly sliced
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. minced fresh thyme
1.5 tsp. salt
4 oz. gruyere cheese, grated
2 large eggs
1 cup cream
3 Roma tomatoes (or any other kind), sliced 1/2" thick

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C).
2. Heat olive oil on medium-high heat in large pan. Add onions, 1/2 of the thyme, and 1 tsp. salt. Stir, scrapping the bottom constantly, until onions are completely caramelized (about 20-25 minutes).
3. In large bowl, beat together eggs, cream, and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt.
4. Place caramelized onions in pre-baked tart crust, spreading evenly. Pour custard over the top. Sprinkle cheese over the top of the onions. Arrange tomato slices cut-side up over cheese. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and rest of the thyme.
5. Bake 40-45 minutes until top is lightly golden brown.