Delivery 12/15/21
ITEMS
Candy Cane Beets
Diced Butternut Squash
Shallots
Whole Milk (1 pint)
Strawberry Lemon Jam
Molly's Wheat Flour / GF Baking Mix
PRODUCERS
Amaltheia Organic Produce - Belgrade
Root Cellar Foods - Belgrade
Lowdown Farm - Moiese
Kalispell Kreamery - Kalispell
Roots Kitchen & Cannery - Belgrade
Conservation Grains - Choteau / Montana Gluten-Free - Belgrade
Â
Whole Wheat Thumbprint Cookies
A classic Christmas cookie, or an anytime cookie. You can fill them with anything you like - lemon curd, chocolate ganache, colored buttercream frosting, etc. I prefer jam, though. The tartness of a berry jam balances everything out, and there's no extra work needed. Adapted from Chad Robertson, NYTimes Cooking. Makes ~4 dozen small cookies.
1 1/2 C pecans, walnuts, or hazelnuts, etc.
1 1/2 C whole grain flour, like Molly's Wheat (Gluten-free Cookie Recipe)
2/3 C granulated white sugar
1/4 tsp salt
9 Tbs unsalted butter, cut into pieces and softened at room temperature
Strawberry Lemon Jam
Heat oven to 350 F. Spread nuts on a baking sheet and toast until golden, 8-10 min. Remove and cool completely. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats and set aside.
In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine nuts, flour, sugar and salt and pulse until very finely ground, ~1 min. Transfer to a large bowl and add butter by hand, a few pieces at a time, massaging it into dry ingredients until it forms a shaggy dough. (If dough seems dry and is not coming together, work in a bit of water, 1 Tbs at a time, until it comes together). Then, scoop out the dough to roll into balls roughly 1/2-in in diameter. Have a bowl of warm water near by to wet your hands and prevent sticking, if needed. Transfer dough balls to prepared pans, spacing them ~1/2 in apart. *For more precise cookies, divide dough in 1/2, roll into logs ~1/2-in thick, and cut off 1/2-in pieces to roll up.
Once all dough has been dished out onto cookie sheets, use your thumb, pinky, or the rounded end of a small wooden spoon, to press gently into the top of each ball to make a well. Place pans in refrigerator and chill for at least 30 min, or up to 12 hours. Then, bake at 350 F for 10-12 min, rotating baking sheets halfway through to ensure even browning, until cookies are golden around the edges. Let cool completely and fill each well with jam using a spoon or a pastry bag.
Â
Butternut Squash & Shallot Quiche
I intended to share a whole wheat dinner roll recipe, but got distracted by the idea of quiche. Here's a wheat/white roll and here's a GF roll to try. Quiche is an ideal holiday breakfast or brunch because it can be made ahead of time and is so flexible. This crust recipe is a press-and-pat method, instead of needing to chill it and roll it. It's more rustic, but no less delicious. You can sub any pie crust you like, though some may need to blind bake first. Makes 1 quiche.
Crust Ingredients:
1 1/2 C whole wheat flour like Molly's Wheat
1/2 C butter, melted
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbs milk
Filling Ingredients:
1/2 lb shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 Tbs olive oil, divided
1 Tbs balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 C diced butternut squash
1 C whole milk
5 large eggs
1/2 tsp fresh thyme, or 1/4 tsp dried thyme (minced or dried rosemary or other herbs work, too)
1/2 tsp each salt and black pepper
1 C grated cheese like gruyere or sharp cheddar, dabs of goat cheese, or whatever you like
To make the crust: In a 9-inch pie pan, combine all crust ingredients and mix with a fork. Use your hands to finish mixing and shape dough into a ball. Press it into the pan, bring it up on the sides, and then pinch to scallop the top edge, or leave a rough edge. Whatever you like.
To make the filling: Heat 1 Tbs of the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the sliced shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized and deep golden brown. This could take anywhere from 20-40 min. If shallots start to burn, turn heat down. As soon as they are deeply golden, add the balsamic vinegar and cook for a few more minutes. While the onion is caramelizing, heat the oven to 375 F. Spread the diced butternut squash on a baking sheet and toss it with 1 Tbs olive oil along with a bit of salt and pepper. Roast the squash until it starts to brown and soften, ~20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Let cool somewhat.
In a large bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs. Add the herbs, salt, and pepper, then add the cooled caramelized onions and roasted squash, and the grated cheese. Pour the mixture into the raw pie crust. Don't overfill! If you have too much filling, you can bake it alongside the pie in a separate dish. Bake the quiche for ~40-45 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the center is just set. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack. Serve warm, at room temperature, or freeze whole to thaw and reheat later.
Make this colorful Candy Cane Beet Salad to go with!
Â
Additional Recipes & Suggestions
Drop Biscuits with whole wheat flour are faster than rolls
If you have frozen puff pastry, make this butternut squash and shallot tart
My favorite beet salad with orange, fennel, and cumin