Fall is here! Fall is here! The weather, the produce, the stuff in the stores…I am excited because this is my favorite time of year. The weather is great for hiking and it feels great to wear a hoodie in the morning. The produce at all the farm stands is spectacular. It’s getting really hard to control myself with baking and using the Crockpot all the time. finding recipes for you guys is going to be great this time of year. Let’s start this week off now!

All Local Bin this week: Bread (14 Acre Farm), Tomatoes, Beets (Liberty Gardens), Purple Viking Potatoes, Hot Peppers, Green Beans, Sweet Potatoes (Lancaster), Lettuce Mix, Edamame, Egyptian Walking Onions (Salvaterra)

Edamame

I made this recipe last week and it was sooo good that I had to share it! It’s from Cooking Light and is less than 500 calories per serving!

Honey Cashew Chicken with Rice

1 cup instant rice

2 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch cubes

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 tablespoon dark sesame oil

2 cups broccoli florets

1 cup shelled edamame

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1/2 cup dry-roasted cashews, unsalted

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

3 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon Sriracha

Cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Combine chicken and next 3 ingredients in a bowl; toss to coat. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add canola and sesame oils. Add chicken mixture, and sauté for 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Increase heat to high, and add broccoli and the next 4 ingredients (through red bell pepper). Cook 5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender and chicken is done, stirring frequently. Stir in cashews. Combine vinegar and remaining ingredients in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Add vinegar mixture to chicken mixture; toss to coat. Serve with rice.

Lettuce and Beets

This is simple and great for people who like beets.

Green leaf lettuce with Roasted beets, Cabbage and Radishes with Red Wine Vinaigrette

2 bunches beets, tops removed
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 heads green leaf lettuce, torn
1/2 head red cabbage, thinly sliced
1 watermelon radish, peeled and thinly sliced
Red wine vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss beets with olive oil. Place on a sheet tray with 1/2 cup water and roast until tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. When cool, peel and slice. Combine with lettuce, cabbage and radish.

To make vinaigrette, whisk together 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar, 1/4 cup olive oil, juice of 1 lemon and salt and pepper, to taste. Toss vinaigrette with salad before serving.

Potatoes and Green Beans

This is dinner tonight. I cannot wait.

Roasted Chicken Thighs with Mustard-Thyme Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil

8 bone-in chicken thighs, skinned (about 2 1/2 pounds)

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

1 cup  chicken stock , divided

4 teaspoons flour

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 425°.  Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Remove chicken from pan; place in an 11 x 7–inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Bake at 425° for 16 minutes or until a thermometer registers 165°. Remove chicken from dish; reserve drippings.  Return skillet to medium-high heat. Add butter; swirl to coat. Add onion and thyme; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Combine 3 tablespoons stock and flour in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Add flour mixture, remaining stock, and reserved drippings to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Bring to a boil, and cook for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat, and add mustard, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, stirring with a whisk. Serve sauce with chicken.

Serve this with Roasted Potatoes and Green Beans

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 pound fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise *(I am using sweet potatoes and blue potatoes from the bin this week)

10 ounce trimmed haricots verts (green beans)

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 425°. Combine olive oil, salt, black pepper, potatoes, haricots verts, and garlic on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray; toss to coat. Bake at 425° on bottom rack for 25 minutes, stirring once.