Farmers Market Finds!

God is good, all the time. I usually end each post with this statement, but why not start with it?  God is good. He really is good! He always supplies all of my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus, Philippians 4:19. Not some, but all! 

A couple months ago, we needed a couple things that we purchase via a website. We were in the middle of preparing for our move to Pittsburgh and I was hoping that this order could wait to as to prevent a higher credit card bill (moving can be costly). I prayed over the situation in hopes the items, that were on empty, would replenish themselves, in similar fashion to when Elijah told the widow in 1 Kings 17:8-16 to give him a morsel of bread. The widow only had enough oil and flour to make one small cake for her and her son, but instead, made the small cake for Elijah. Verse 16 says,“The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke by Elijah.” I felt led to go to the website and place the order. So, I went to the website and began placing the order. The total was $49.61. Just before I hit the ‘confirm’ the order button, I saw a checkbox that stated, “Would you like to use the credit on file for $49.61?” I thought, really? Yes, I do! I checked that box and clicked ‘confirm’. That $49.61 was NEVER charged on my credit card. God took care of it! He supplies All of my needs confirming that God is good, ALL the time! 

Now we have happily settled into our new home in Wilmerding, Pennsylvania, about 25 minutes from downtown Pittsburgh. And, we found a Farmers Market at a park in Monroeville, 10 minutes from here. I love a good Farmers Market Find because I can turn it into a delicious meal or snack. So here’s a Big Shout Out to the farmers and vendors who make the Market in Monroeville a success and to the Farmers Markets everywhere! And I present, Farmers Market Finds!

God is good, all the time!

Priscilla

Farmers Market Salad with Strawberry Ranch Fusion Dressing

Any or all equaling up to 6 cups:

Red beets, cooked and diced

Strawberries, sliced

Tomato, chopped

Cucumber, diced

Onion, chopped

Pineapple, diced

Sunflower seeds

Almonds, sliced or chopped

Pepitos

Sesame snacks

Variety of lettuce and baby greens

Cabbage, chopped

Your favorite Farmers Market Find

Strawberry Ranch Fusion Dressing, recipe below

In a large bowl, add all of the Farmers Market Salad ingredients, except the dressing. Blend. Drizzle the Strawberry Ranch Fusion Dressing over the Farmers Market Salad. 

Strawberry Ranch Fusion Dressing was created because I would combine purchased Strawberry Vinaigrette with my homemade Buttermilk Ranch dressing and drizzle it onto a salad. I thought, I make the Buttermilk Ranch, so why can’t I add the Strawberry Vinaigrette ingredients and create my own? So voila! I have added both the Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Mix recipe and the Strawberry Ranch Fusion Dressing recipe. 

 

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Mix

1/4 cup dry buttermilk powder

1 tablespoons dried onion powder

2 tablespoons dried parsley

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon celery salt

1/4 teaspoon white pepper, ground

1/4 teaspoon paprika powder

1 tablespoon dried dill

1/2 teaspoon salt

Add all ingredients to a dry, clean glass jar or an air-tight plastic container and place the lid on the container.

Shake the container to blend. Refrigerate. 

To make ranch dressing

2-3 tablespoons Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Mix

1 1/4 cup whole milk

1/2 cup mayo

Blend together all ingredients in a bowl. Drizzle onto you favorite salad. Refrigerate the leftover dressing for up to two weeks. 

Strawberry Buttermilk Ranch Fusion Dressing

1/2 c strawberries

1-2 tablespoon Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Mix

1/4 c mayo

1 tablespoon balsamic

1-2 tablespoon  raw honey

splash of pepper

1/4 t salt

1/2 to 1 cup whole milk

1/4 - 1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

In a blender, add all of the ingredients, except the milk and sour cream or yogurt. Add 1/2 cup of milk and 1/4 cup of sour cream or yogurt, then blend. If the mixture is too thick, drizzle additional milk. If the mixture is too thin, add another 1/4 cup of sour cream or yogurt. 

Drizzle onto you favorite salad. Refrigerate the leftover dressing for up to two weeks. 

Coming soon:

Pittsburgh Pico

Carrot Top Cordon Bleu Fusion Pesto Pasta

Not pictured:

Sauteed Red Beet Tops and Swiss Chard

Honey Glazed Spring Carrots

Pineapple Jalapeno Bacon

Chocolatey Almond Date Balls

Time For A Change!

It's a beautiful spring morning and I'm enjoying breakfast on the deck before starting the day.  Spring is an interesting season. It's warm, it's cool, it's hot, then cold and back to warm. But it marks the start of something new. A time for changing things, new beginnings.  

It's been a whirlwind year. Many things happened that changed our season.  Some good, some not so good and some indifferent. But it changed our lives. 

We sold a house and bought a house. We lived in a lovely 1946 bungalow. We bought a 1995 townhouse. We lived in the midwest and now we live six hours east in Wilmerding, Pennsylvania, 20 minutes from downtown Pittsburgh!   A new season. 

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 says 

1 For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.

2 A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest.

3 A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up.

4 A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance.

5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away.

6 A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away.

7 A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak.

8 A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace.

Then, continue reading Ecclesiastes 3:11-14

Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God. And I know that whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God’s purpose is that people should fear him. What is happening now has happened before, and what will happen in the future has happened before, because God makes the same things happen over and over again.

So, in our new season, we are enjoying everything that God has placed before us. Good friends, good food, good food. Did I mention good food? Like Cheesy Spinach Pesto Roll. This is a change for a new season. For years I made Pepperoni Roll or Sausage Roll, but I thought I would change it up. So, for a change of pace, enjoy a Cheesy Spinach Pesto Roll!

God is good, all the time.

Priscilla

Cheesy Spinach Pesto Roll

2 loaves frozen bread dough, thawed, following the package directions or make your own!

8 oz package of fresh spinach leaves

4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese or provolone cheese 

or

2 eight oz packages of sliced mozzarella or provolone cheese

2 to 4 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1 tablespoon chopped onion

1 tablespoons basil

1 teaspoon salt

splash of black pepper or red pepper flakes

1/4 cup chopped nuts per loaf - almonds or pine nuts, optional

Preheat the oven to 350 

Prepare the pan by laying parchment paper over a large cookie sheet. 

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a skillet on medium low heat. Add the nuts and stir constantly for 1 to 3 minutes or until the nuts are slightly toasted. Remove the nuts with a slotted spoon and place it into a bowl. Add the onions to the pan with the hot oil and saute until they are translucent. then add the garlic saute for 30 seconds to one minute until the garlic begins to brown. Remove the pan from the heat. 

Using a food processor, chop the spinach by pulsing 1/3 of the bag several times. Add another third of the bag and pulse several times, and finally add the rest of the spinach and pulse until it’s chopped. Add the onions and garlic, along with the oil in the pan, as well as 1 to 2 tablespoons of additional oil. Add the basil, salt and pepper. Pulse until the mixture is blended. If it seems dry, add the additional tablespoon of olive oil. The spinach pesto is ready!

Roll one loaf of frozen bread dough into a large round circle. I roll it until it is just about ready to tear! Spread half of the spinach pesto over the large dough circle. Sprinkle the toasted nuts evenly over the pesto, then top with 2 cups of shredded cheese or with one package of sliced cheese.

Carefully roll. If you are like me, you did not produce a circle, but more of an oval. Roll the wide side so that you end up with a lovely long loaf.  Carefully lift the Cheesy Spinach Pesto Roll onto the prepared cookie sheet. 

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. The Cheesy Spinach Pesto Roll will be nicely browned and possibly leaking the ooey, gooey, melty cheese. 

Let the Cheesy Spinach Pesto Roll rest for up to 5 minutes before slicing. 

While the first Cheesy Spinach Pesto Roll is in the oven, prepare the second. The second can be baked now or once it’s rolled, carefully wrap it in plastic wrap or foil and freeze for a month or two. To bake the frozen Cheesy Spinach Pesto Roll, place it on a prepared pan and into the preheated oven. Baking time will vary, but should be 25 to 35 minutes (sometimes longer). Just watch for the ooey, gooey, melty cheese oozing from the golden brown crust and you’ll know it’s ready!