We now have a new website! Please visit us at
www.jaxorganic.com

Welcome to The Neighborhood Garden!
We are an organic produce co-op that provides organic fruits & veggies for less. Because we buy in bulk, we receive extremely low prices. For $33 you will take home 11-12 different varieties of organic fruits and veggies. Not only will you no longer pay grocery store prices for produce, but you may find that you are buying fewer unhealthy snacks.
If you would like more info please email me at jaxorganic@gmail.com.

All of our produce is top quality. If you ever have a problem simply let me know and it will be made up the following week.

We offer 12 different pick up locations and delivery to limited areas. Each Monday we pick up at our Arlington, Northside, Julington Creek, World Golf Village and Nocatee location. Each Thursday is Kensington, Atlantic Beach, JTB/Hodges, Mandarin, Orange Park, Westside, and Riverside.

We also have a convenient delivery service. Delivery is offered from Arlington to Ponte Vedra at this time. For only $5 you can have your produce brought to your front door. Won't be home? Just leave a cooler by your front door and it will be waiting for you!


Friday, May 8, 2009

Freezing Jalapeno Peppers

Freezing peppers is a good idea if you have a large crop and want to save them for later use. You don't have to cook your jalapenos before freezing, although you can skin/peel them if desired. Just keep in mind that after you thaw them, the skins usually come right off easily. Simply wash the peppers, drop them into a ziplock baggie, and set them in the freezer in 2 lb bags.

You can also freeze roasted jalapenos and even chop them up before freezing. When you thaw the peppers out for later use, they can become limp and rather squishy, but they won't lose their flavor.



In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18



Michelle Herring

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Healthy cooking techniques

Healthy cooking doesn't mean that you have to become a gourmet chef or invest in expensive cookware. You can use basic cooking techniques to prepare food in healthy ways.

By using healthy cooking techniques you can cut fat and calories. Consider, for instance, that each tablespoon (about 14 g) of oil you use when frying adds 14 grams of fat and more than 100 calories. To put it in perspective — a healthy adult eating an 1,800-calorie diet should have no more than about 70 grams of fat a day. By switching to roasting, you not only eliminate added oil but also allow any fat in the food to drip away.

Ingredient substitutions: Make the switch for healthier recipes

Cook up healthier recipes by swapping one ingredient for another. These substitution tips can help.
By Mayo Clinic staff

You stock healthy foods in your pantry, but what do you do with them? And how do you modify favorite family recipes so that they're more in line with your healthy-eating plan? It's not as hard as you may think. The key is to incorporate healthier alternatives into your daily eating routine.

The following suggestions can help you lower fat, salt, sugar and calories and increase fiber in your recipes.

If your recipe calls for:
All-purpose (plain) flour-

Try substituting:
Whole-wheat flour for half of the called-for all-purpose flour in baked goods
Note: Whole-wheat pastry flour is less dense and works well in softer products like cakes and muffins.

bacon - Canadian bacon, turkey bacon, smoked turkey or lean prosciutto (Italian ham)

Butter, shortening or oil in baked goods- Applesauce or prune puree for half of the called-for butter, shortening or oil
Note: To avoid dense, soggy or flat baked goods, don't substitute oil for butter or shortening.

Butter, margarine, shortening or oil to prevent sticking - Cooking spray or nonstick pans

Creamed soups - Fat-free milk-based soups, mashed potato flakes, or pureed carrots, potatoes or tofu for thickening agents

Dry bread crumbs - Rolled oats or crushed bran cereal

Eggs - Two egg whites or 1/4 cup egg substitute for each whole egg

Enriched pasta - Whole-wheat pasta

Evaporated milk - Evaporated skim milk

Fruit canned in heavy syrup - Fruit canned in its own juices or in water, or fresh fruit

Fruit-flavored yogurt - Plain yogurt with fresh fruit slices

Full-fat cream cheese - Fat-free or low-fat cream cheese, Neufchatel or low-fat cottage cheese pureed until smooth

Full-fat sour cream - Fat-free or low-fat sour cream, plain fat-free or low-fat yogurt

Ground beef - Extra-lean or lean ground beef, chicken or turkey breast (make sure no poultry skin has been added to the product)

Iceberg lettuce - Arugula, chicory, collard greens, dandelion greens, kale, mustard greens, spinach or watercress

Margarine in baked goods - Trans fat-free butter spreads or shortenings that are specially formulated for baking

Note: If ingredient lists include the term "partially hydrogenated," it may have up to 0.5 grams of trans fat in one serving.
To avoid dense, soggy or flat baked goods, don't substitute diet, whipped or tub-style margarine for regular margarine.

Mayonnaise - Reduced-calorie mayonnaise-type salad dressing or reduced-calorie, reduced-fat mayonnaise

Meat as the main ingredient - Three times as many vegetables as the meat on pizzas or in casseroles, soups and stews

Oil-based marinades - Wine, balsamic vinegar, fruit juice or fat-free broth

Salad dressing - Fat-free or reduced-calorie dressing or flavored vinegars

Seasoning salt, such as garlic salt, celery salt or onion salt - Herb-only seasonings, such as garlic powder, celery seed or onion flakes, or use finely chopped herbs or garlic, celery or onions

Soups, sauces, dressings, crackers, or canned meat, fish or vegetables - Low-sodium or reduced-sodium versions

Soy sauce - Sweet-and-sour sauce, hot mustard sauce or low-sodium soy sauce

Syrup - Pureed fruit, such as applesauce, or low-calorie, sugar-free syrup

Table salt - Herbs, spices, fruit juices or salt-free seasoning mixes or herb blends

White bread - Whole-wheat bread

White rice - Brown rice, wild rice, bulgur or pearl barley

Whole milk - Reduced-fat or fat-free milk

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Gold Potato Storage

Since they have a slightly higher sugar content, gold potatoes do not store as well as russets. They need a cold environment, 40 to 50 degrees F., and 90 percent humidity is optimum. Storage below 33 degrees F. will cause the starches to turn to sugar.

Store gold potatoes in a paper bag (preferable) or perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator vegetable crisper drawer, away from onions. Use within a week. If you have a cold storage area, you can store the potatoes in a well-ventilated area, being careful to keep them away from any light source.

Do not wash before storing as you will remove the protective coating. Lightly scrub just prior to using.

It is true that refrigerating starchy white potatoes promotes the starches turning to sugar. However, the golds have a lower starch content, causing less of a problem. Depending on how long the potatoes have been in storage before you purchase them, some experts say you can remove them from your refrigerator and let them sit in a cool dark place to let whatever sugar has formed revert back to starch. Potatoes with a higher sugar content will brown more quickly during cooking.

Cooked, mashed gold potatoes can be frozen. Pack in a sealed container with 1/2 inch headspace and freeze up to one year. Reheat in the microwave, or over low heat in a saucepan with 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk or water, while stirring constantly.

Gold Scalloped Potatoes

Gold potatoes are combined with onions and a hint of garlic, then cooked in low-fat milk and chicken broth for full flavor. These scalloped potatoes are low-calorie and low-fat.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Ingredients:

* Olive or vegetable oil spray
* 1 garlic clove, split
* 1 teaspoon butter
* 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
* 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus additional to taste
* 2-1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (see note)
* 2 tablespoons flour
* 2 cups lowfat milk
* 1 cup defatted lower-sodium chicken broth
* 3 tablespoons snipped chives

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly coat a 2-quart baking dish with oil spray and rub with the cut sides of the garlic clove.

Melt the butter in a medium-sized skillet. Add the onion and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the salt and pepper and stir to continue.

Cover the bottom of the baking dish with about one third of the gold potatoes. Spread with half the onion mixture and sprinkle with half the flour. Make another layer of gold potatoes and spread with the remaining onions and flour. Top with a layer of gold potatoes.

Heat the milk and broth to simmer in a saucepan and pour over the potatoes. The liquid should come just to the top of the potatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake, uncovered, until the potatoes are soft and most of the liquid is absorbed, 50 to 60 minutes. Sprinkle with chives before serving.

Fat-Free Gold Fries

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a jellyroll pan with non-stick foil and spray with olive oil. Scrub potatoes. Parboil potatoes and cut into fries. Dry with paper towels. Whip egg whites to a light froth. Gently fold in seasonings of your choice, such as garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, etc. Dip fries into seasoned, whipped egg whites, shaking off excess, and spread evenly in one layer on cookie tray. Bake at 450 degrees F. for about 30 minutes until lightly golden, flipping fries halfway through cooking time. Sprinkle lightly with salt, cayenne pepper, or one of the new powdered bouillons. Serve hot.

Parboiling or blanching is a cooking technique in which something is partially cooked in boiling water, but removed before it is cooked all the way through.

Storing Garlic

Whole bulbs of store-bought garlic will keep for several months or more when stored at room temperature in a dry, dark place that has ample air circulation. Keep in mind, however, that garlic's lifetime decreases once you start removing cloves from the bulb.

Storing garlic uncovered, such as in a wire-mesh basket inside your cupboard or beneath a small overturned clay pot, is ideal.

You can also store garlic in a paper bag, egg carton, or mesh bag. Just be sure there is plenty of dry air and little light to inhibit sprouting. To avoid mold, do not refrigerate or store garlic in plastic bags.

If you've prepared more garlic than you need for a particular recipe, you can store minced garlic in the refrigerator in an air-tight container. Although the most active sulfur compound diminishes within a few hours, refrigeration will slightly slow the process. Use refrigerated garlic as soon as possible. Some people are tempted to freeze garlic, but this is not recommended because its texture changes, as does its flavor.

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Submitted By: Campbell's Kitchen
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour 15 Minutes

Ready In: 1 Hour 25 Minutes
Servings: 6
"Sweet roasted garlic adds a sophisticated note to perfectly creamy mashed potatoes made lean with Swanson® Chicken Broth."
Ingredients:
1 whole bulb garlic
2 2/3 cups Swanson® Chicken Broth
(regular, Natural Goodness™ or Certified
Organic)

5 large potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons chopped chives or green
onion tops
Directions:
1. Cut off top of garlic bulb. Drizzle with about 2 tablespoons broth. Wrap in aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or until softened.
2. Place broth and potatoes in saucepan. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook over medium heat 10 minutes or until tender. Drain, reserving broth.
3. Mash potatoes with 1 1/4 cups broth, 2 or 3 cloves roasted garlic* and chives, if desired. Add additional broth, if needed, until desired consistency.

Roasted Garlic Recipe

A friend of mine told me about the same recipe except she cuts an x on top of the garlic (not all the way through) and places 1/2 or a whole beef bouillon cube inside before baking. The bouillon cube will make it salty, so you decide.
Method

1 Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2 Peel away the outer layers of the garlic bulb skin, leaving the skins of the individual cloves intact. Using a knife, cut off 1/4 to a 1/2 inch of the top of cloves, exposing the individual cloves of garlic.

3 Place the garlic heads in a baking pan; muffin pans work well for this purpose. Drizzle a couple teaspoons of olive oil over each head, using your fingers to make sure the garlic head is well coated. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 400°F for 30-35 minutes, or until the cloves feel soft when pressed.

4 Allow the garlic to cool enough so you can touch it without burning yourself. Use a small small knife cut the skin slightly around each clove. Use a cocktail fork or your fingers to pull or squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins.

Eat as is (I love straight roasted garlic) or mash with a fork and use for cooking. Can be spread over warm French bread, mixed with sour cream for a topping for baked potatoes, or mixed in with Parmesan and pasta.

Storing Jalapenos

Store them in a paper bag for 1 or 2 weeks in the refrigerator or freeze for six months after roasting or blanching.

Jalapeno Cornbread

Printed from COOKS.COM

3 c. cornbread mix
2 1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. salad oil
3 eggs, beaten
1 lg. onion, grated
3 tbsp. sugar
1 c. cream style corn
1/2 c. or less jalapeno pepper (depending on how hot you like your food)
1 1/2 c. yellow cheese, grated
Garlic powder to taste
Crisp bacon, chopped
Red sweet pepper may be added

Mix above ingredients as in order above, bake in 375 degree oven for about 35 to 40 minutes.

Jalapeno Poppers 3

10 fresh green and/or red jalapeno peppers
1 cup (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
2 pieces crisp fried bacon, crumbled
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup flour for dredging
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Cut each pepper in half lengthwise. Remove seeds and membranes. When removing the stem, be sure to leave the tops intact as to form a bowl. Set aside.

Stir together cheddar cheese, cream cheese, bacon and Italian seasoning in a medium mixing bowl. Spoon some of the cheese mixture into each pepper half, slightly rounding it.

Beat together the egg and the milk in a small bowl. Dip each pepper into the flour, then roll in the bread crumbs. Shake off crumbs, them repeat process once more. Place pepper halves, filled side up on a large baking sheet covered with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 30 minutes or until tender and heated through.

Storing Mushrooms

Things You'll Need

* Paper towels Paper bag Mushroom brush (optional)

Steps
1
Step One
Be sure the mushrooms are fresh. Choose mushrooms that are firm and free of any decay. Look at the gills under the mushroom tops. Gills that are closed tightly indicate a young mushroom that has a delicate taste and will last longer. There's nothing wrong with gills that are more open; it simply shows that the mushroom is older. It will have a richer taste but won't stay fresh for long.
2
Step Two
Remove any plastic wrap covering the mushrooms. Mushrooms need ventilation. Plastic bags and plastic storage containers will lead to quick decay. A plain brown paper bag is a great choice for storing mushrooms. You can also simply cover the original container with a paper towel as a replacement for the plastic wrap.
3
Step Three
Do not wash the mushrooms before storing. It's important to keep them dry. However, you can gently brush the dirt off with your fingers or a mushroom brush. Later, when you start to prepare them for a meal, lightly rinse the mushrooms and dry them right away with paper towels.
4
Step Four
Refrigerate the mushrooms. Keep the mushrooms in the least humid part of the refrigerator.
5
Step Five
Be aware of storage times for different mushroom varieties. Agaric mushrooms, often called white mushrooms, have button caps and a white or light brown color. Agaric mushrooms will stay fresh for up to one week. Crimini mushrooms are also called Italian brown mushrooms. Their earthy flavor works well with many dishes and they can stay fresh for a maximum of one week. Shiitake mushrooms are best known for their use in Asian cooking. Their color varies from tan to dark brown. Fresh Shiitake mushrooms can be stored for approximately two weeks. Portobello mushrooms are related to Agaric mushrooms, but they're much larger and have a meaty flavor. They can be stored for up to ten days.
Overall Tips & Warnings

* Do not freeze fresh uncooked mushrooms. First saute the mushrooms in oil or butter, let them cool and then put them in a freezer bag. One month is the maximum freezer storage time for these mushrooms.

Crab Stuffed Mushroom Caps

I would love Red Lobsters recipe!

24 lg. mushroom caps, cleaned
1/3 c. butter, melted
1 (6 oz.) pkg. frozen snow crabmeat, thawed or 1 can snow crabmeat
3 tbsp. mayonnaise
2 tbsp. minced green onions
1 tbsp. horseradish
1/4 c. dry bread crumbs
1 tbsp. minced parsley
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Adjust rack to upper third. Brush mushrooms with melted butter. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Drain crabmeat, discard liquid and set meat aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together mayonnaise and horseradish. Add bread crumbs, cheese, green onion and parsley. Stir until well mixed. Add crabmeat and toss with a fork. Mound 1 level tablespoon of the mixture into each mushroom. Bake for 5 minutes or until warm, then broil 4 inches from heat for about 1 minute or until light golden brown. Serve immediately.

Eggplant

Cut & clean
Rinse eggplant. If it is young, the skin is edible. As it ages, the skin becomes bitter and may need peeling. Cut eggplant just before cooking, salt, and let it weep for 20 minutes to remove any bitter flavor.

Eggplant should be stored in fridge. Use within 4 days.

Eggplant Parmesan II

Prep Time: 25 Minutes
Cook Time: 35 Minutes

Ready In: 1 Hour
Servings: 4
"Eggplant slices are dipped in egg and bread crumbs and then baked, instead of fried. The slices are layered with spaghetti sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses."
Ingredients:
1-1/3 eggplant, peeled and thinly sliced
7/8 eggs, beaten
1-3/4 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
2-2/3 cups spaghetti sauce, divided

1/2 (16 ounce) package mozzarella cheese,
shredded and divided
3 tablespoons and 1-3/4 teaspoons grated
Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
Directions:
You have scaled this recipe's ingredients to yield a new amount (4). The directions below still refer to the original recipe yield (9).
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Dip eggplant slices in egg, then in bread crumbs. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes on each side.
3. In a 9x13 inch baking dish spread spaghetti sauce to cover the bottom. Place a layer of eggplant slices in the sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Repeat with remaining ingredients, ending with the cheeses. Sprinkle basil on top.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until golden brown.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2009 Allrecipes.com Printed from Allrecipes.com 5/5/2009

Charcoaled - Grilled Eggplant & Tomato

Printed from COOKS.COM

1/2-2/3 c. chopped fresh basil leaves
4-5 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 lg. eggplant, about 1 1/2 lb. each
4 sm. fresh ripe tomatoes (1 lb.)
Fresh basil sprigs, optional
Foil for wrapping

Note: You can substitute zucchini for the eggplant using large zucchini and making about 4 or 5.

In small bowl, mix basil, oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Cut each eggplant into about 10 thin lengthwise slices, starting at bottom and leaving top intact.

Place each eggplant on doubled 14 x 12 inch sheet of foil. Brush slices on both sides with basil-oil mixture. Separating eggplant slices to make a fan inserted 2 or 3 slices between each. Cover each eggplant with second double sheet of foil, crimp top and bottom edges to seal tightly.

When coals are ready, place foil packets on grill, cook with grill covered about 30 minutes until eggplant is tender.

To serve: Remove tops of packets carefully. Drizzle eggplants with additional oil and chopped basil, is desired and fresh basil sprigs.

Grilled Eggplant

The last step in this recipe says to chill the eggplant. According to other recipes I've read, that's not necessary. (This will be our first time eating eggplant.)
Printed from COOKS.COM

BASTING SAUCE:

2 minced garlic cloves
2 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
2 med. eggplants
2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. chopped fresh basil
3/4 c. olive oil

Combine all ingredients for the basting sauce and let stand for one hour.

While the oil is standing, slice the eggplant crosswise into 1/2 inch slices. Arrange the slices in one layer on a large rack set over a tray and sprinkle them with half the salt. Turn the slices, sprinkle with remaining salt and let drain, turning them once for one hour.

Pat the slices thoroughly dry with paper towels. Brush one side of each slice with the basting sauce and grill the slices, oiled side down on an oiled rack set 3 to 4 inches above glowing coals. Grill for about 3 minutes per side. Brush with more oil and turn them. Grill for about 3 to 4 minutes more or until they are browned and tender.

Transfer grilled slices to a platter. Drizzle with a small amount of any remaining oil. Sprinkle with ground pepper to taste.

Chill the eggplant, covered, for at least 4 hours or overnight. Serve them cold or at room temperature as a salad or appetizer with sliced French bread.