I haven't posted about Bountiful Baskets for awhile, so I thought I would show you all what was in this week's basket. I am still loving that I can get all of this produce for $15.00 (plus $10.00 for 5 loaves of bread that is made with all natural ingredients). This week Mother Lode included:
- A giant head of leaf lettuce
- Three tomatoes
- The artichokes
- Two (1 pound) bags of carrots
- Three red peppers
- A head of celery
- Two pounds of green grapes
- One pound container strawberries
- Eight gala apples
- Three pound bunch of bananas
- Ten kiwi
- One cantaloupe
For the artichokes, cut the tips of the leaves off on as many leaves as you can (the leave get too tight at the top but the thorns aren't as sharp). If the stem is long, you can cut some of that off as well, but it's edible. Boil or steam the artichokes for around 45 minutes, but test and make sure a leaf or two pulls off easily and the flesh at the bottom of the leaf is tender (you slide the bottom of the leaf between your teeth to pull of the flesh).
ReplyDeleteThere are many kinds of dips you can make for the cooked leaves: mayonnaise, flavored or not, melted butter, lemon butter, and so forth. You can also put a small amount of stuffing or chopped shrimp inside of each leaf before steaming, then eat that as you pull off the leaves.
When you've eaten all the leaves, you can cut out the core (the choke) and eat that as well as the stem. They both have a lovely, delicate flavor.
We LOVE artichokes here. I could fix them every day and we wouldn't get sick of them. They're fun to grow too, and a pretty addition to a garden.
I am so excited about our basket this week. With the tomatoes in my garden (the only thing planted) we are going to enjoy BLT sandwiches. I may be able to stick to my diet too....except all the lovely fall baking and cooking.....;-)
ReplyDeleteBTW: anyone up for a visit down south any time soon? We'll dutch oven!
I ate one today (saved the heart) and googled how to cook and freeze the rest for later. easy breezy. although I'd rather get something else, these are fine every once in a while. def not filling, but an extra appetizer-ish thing. I'm hoping we get a break next week. :-)
ReplyDeleteI think you can dry the artichokes and use them in your decorating. I happened on a blog the other day where the writer said she used artichokes she had dried a few years ago in her Fall wreath. Google would probably have some instructions.
ReplyDeleteOk sis- you're first up. YOU'VE BEEN BOO'D!!!
ReplyDeleteCome by pick it up and pass it on. You know the game in the neighborhood- just doing it with our blog friends!
This is so Awesome. My husband and I learned about Bountiful Baskets just the other day and had no idea something like this exists. Can't wait to pick up my first basket!
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