Have you ever found yourself unable to stop eating a really great hot dip? Well brace yourself...this week's CSA share includes amazingly green and beautiful brussels sprouts as well as a full bag of dark spinach. This spinach and artichoke dip with a twist will impress all your guests. Another awesome tid bit: you can make this ahead of time and let it sit overnight, all you have to do the day of is bake about 15 minutes longer than suggested baking time in this recipe.

Ingredients:
1/2 lb spinach
12-15 Brussels Sprouts, trimmed, halved and chopped 
1 yellow onion diced
2 cloves crushed garlic
2 cans quartered artichoke hearts, drained
1 8oz block cream cheese
1⁄2 cup sour cream
2 cups grated cheese of choice (I like cheddar)
Salt and pepper to taste.
Carrots, kohlrabi, radishes, salad turnips, or other vegetabes for dipping (I used purple carrots)
Corn chips or crackers for dipping

Method:
Sauté the onion over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and Brussels and sauté 10 more minutes, covered. The Brussel sprouts should start to soften significantly as you cook. Next add the artichokes and cook for 5 minutes uncovered. Add the chopped spinach and cover for 5 minutes, over low heat.

Next add the cream cheese and cover again. Allow the cream cheese to soften before stirring.

​Add in the Sour cream and grated cheeses. Stir well. Taste before adding salt and pepper. The cheeses can make this pretty salty. I like to add lots of pepper, and sometimes even a dash of cayenne or pepper flakes.

Transfer from the stovetop pan into an oven safe dip dish. I like to use a pie pan or smaller casserole dish. If you want a crispy top, reserve 1⁄2 cup cheese for the top and sprinkle before baking! Bake uncovered for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve with a variety of veggies and crackers! The CSA purple carrots look amazing beside this masterpiece!

These spinach cakes are a great way to eat your vitamins, and still enjoy the comfort of a savory pancake...with a twist.

Now: Melt the butter in a sauce pan. While that melts, whisk all of the dry ingredients  together in a large bowl, then add the melted butter and whisk until you have a nice, smooth mixture. Next add the spinach and stir well. Let set for 5 minutes. 

​Make the sour cream by mixing together the sour cream, lime and cilantro. Set aside. Wash and thinly slice the radishes.

To make the cakes:
Heat 1 Tsp olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Use about 1⁄3 cup of the batter per cake. The batter should sizzle as you place it on the skillet. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Watch closely as to not burn the batter edge. Flip the cake and press firmly with a spatula. Let cook for 3-4 more ​minutes. Heat should remain between medium and high. Repeat until all the batter has been turned into cakes! This will make about 5-6 cakes.

The weather has cooled off a bit and we're enjoying roasting vegetables in our oven again. Late September is an amazing time of year for roasting vegetables because there are so many options available. The first of the winter squash are starting to show up at markets, but the tables are still full with sweet summer peppers, tomatoes, fresh herbs, and leafy greens! This recipe embraces this beautiful time somewhere in between summer and fall- roasted delicata squash, oven roasted tomatoes, caramelized onions and spinach- it's a trio of seasonal delight!

​1. Roasted Delicata Squash
Ingredients:
Delicata Squash- Wash and remove seeds. Cut lengthwise and slice into half moons. You don't need to peel, the skin is tender and edible! Put the flat side down on the cutting board to make slicing easier.
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 Tsp salt
1 Tbsp paprika

Method: Toss the prepared squash in a bowl. Coat with all the spices and oil. Once all pieces are evenly coated, transfer to a baking sheet. Bake at 425 degree for 40-­45 minutes. After 30 minutes of baking you can flip over with a spatula. If you like them a bit crispier, cook an additional 5-10 minutes!

2. Oven Roasted Tomatoes
Ingredients:
5-­7 Roma tomatoes, whole and washed  
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tsp fresh ground black pepper
​1 Tsp salt 1 Tbsp paprika

Method: Toss the prepared tomatoes in a bowl. Coat with all the spices and oil. Once all tomatoes are evening coated transfer to a baking dish. (I used a glass pie pan, and it worked great!) Bake at 425 degree for 40-­45 minutes. Tomatoes will start to bubble and produce juices, this is good! ­I baked tomatoes and squash at same time and it worked well. Remove from oven and let sit for 5­-10 minutes before serving. NOTE: I had some leftover tomatoes and I made toast this morning. I put cream cheese followed by reheated tomatoes on the bread and it was SO GOOD!

3. Caramelized Onions and Spinach
Ingredients:
1/2 lb bag fresh spinach (about 8 cups)
1 onion, red or yellow, cut into medallions
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

Method: Heat butter in sauce pan over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook for 3 minutes. Add the brown sugar and cook slowly for 10 more minutes. Stir occasionally and reduce heat if sugar starts to burn. Add the spinach and cover for 3 minutes, until spinach start to reduce. Uncover and cook for 3 more minutes. Serve HOT! 

We paired all of this with arancini balls we made from leftover risotto and roasted shishito peppers! Delicious!