Carrot Leek Soup

Over the years, I’ve discovered a sneaky way to get all sorts of vegetables into my kids: a bowl of soup. What makes soup so universally appealing? Perhaps it’s the intoxicating aroma that permeates every corner of the house when a pot of soup simmers on the stove—or maybe it’s the buttery potato chunks that are often involved. I don’t ask questions, I just stir up enormous, steaming potfuls as often as possible. The leftovers keep well in the fridge and freezer for school lunches or an easy dinner when time’s in short supply.

Use the sweetest carrots for this soup—or add a tiny bit of honey to taste, if you like.

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Indian-style Potatoes and Greens

 

All sorts of leafy greens work in this dish—kale, chard, spinach, whatever you have. Just keep in mind whether the leaves are delicate or more substantial and cook for the appropriate amount of time. You can substitute turnips or rutabaga for the potatoes if you like. Serve with raita (a cooling yogurt dish) and Indian flat bread such as naan (available frozen at Trader Joe’s). You’ll find all the spices at most grocery stores and any Indian market.

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Russian Tea Cakes

Adapted from the vintage 1950 Betty Crocker’s Picture Cook Book. We always add more nuts than the original. Pecans or walnuts are our favorites, but almonds would be great too. To grind nuts, place shelled nut pieces into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal chopping blade. Process until nuts are finely ground, though still in discernible (albeit very fine) pieces and not yet paste-like. For a fantastic variation try adding 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder and an extra teaspoon of vanilla (2 teaspoons total) to the butter and sugar mixture.

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Holiday Cookies: Comfort in the Tried and True

While baking holiday cookies doesn’t involve local produce (my usual subject), it includes other locally-sourced ingredients; for starters there’s dairy and nuts (sometimes walnuts from our own backyard trees).  Humanely-raised Glaum Rancheggs are cracked into the mixing bowl (they arrive each week in our farm bag delivery).  Sometimes we drizzle organic honey that’s produced in a gnarly, old fruit orchard nestled in a nearby Sunnyvale neighborhood (available only from Freshness Farms).  Plus we’re making the goodies ourselves — no packaging or long-distance shipping.  Now that’s local.  The best part is the pleasure that permeates a kitchen full of busy bakers humming to holiday music as they mix, measure (and taste) — no “bah, humbug” around these parts.

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