February 2024 Newsletter 2

We still have an abundance of winter squash, and have been experimenting with fast ways to make a delicious dinner. Inspired by a zucchini dip her brother was making all summer, Livia decided to experiment with the best flavors winter can bring: squash, garlic, and a bit of fennel. She also added a tablespoon of masala paste from PUR Spices for a new twist on this evolving recipe.

Ingredients:
1 squash: she used sunspot, but she’s also made this with acorn and buttercup
4 cloves of garlic (could use more or less depending on preference)
1 can coconut milk or cream
1 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 bulb of fennel (optional)
1 tbsp of masala paste (optional)
OR
1-2 tsp of dried rosemary/thyme (optional)

Directions:
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
1. Cut squash in half, scoop out the seeds, drizzle with olive oil, then roast for
50 minutes.
2. While the squash is roasting, peel your garlic. Cut off half of your fennel bulb and roast these with rosemary/thyme (optional) for 25 mins.
3. After both are fork-tender, remove from oven and let cool.
4. Scrape the flesh from the squash into your food processor or blender. Then add your other roasted ingredients.
5. If you want to bring an Indian flavor to the dish, add 1 tbsp of masala paste.
6. Add 1 tbsp of maple syrup, then 3/4 of the can of coconut milk or cream into the blender. You could also use regular or plant-based milk, but we recommend 1/2 c as it is significantly thinner and you want this dip to be the consistency of hummus.
7. Blend it all together.
8. Reheat on the stove in a saucepan until steaming.
9. Serve in a delicious bread bowl from the Boro Sweet Spot (or make your own!). Enjoy!

Thank you to John-Scott of Clarion Farms for taking time to Meet & Greet our customers and staff on February 18. As we currently only carry their ground beef, he brought a variety of meat cuts to sell as well. We got some down time to dig deeper into why and how John-Scott does what he does.

Not a fan of heavy equipment — John-Scott left grain and crop farming behind to focus on the simplicity of raising livestock. He is a third generation farmer on his land, and through livestock farming, he’s replenishing the soil with nutrients it’s lost due to previous farming practices. He loves the way grasslands look, and his cattle love the way it tastes— especially when they find Dogbane in the paddock. Dogbane has an extremely bitter, sticky white sap and he says they eat it like candy! John-Scott raises two breeds; Devon, which are primarily grass-fed and grain-finished, and Holsteins, which are grain-fed. In the future, he hopes to offer farm tours again because he believes it’s important that people can see where their food is coming from— and we believe the same! For more information, keep up with Clarion Farms on FB/Instagram!

Join us Sunday, March 3rd from 12-2 pm for a Meet & Greet with Highland Farm and Gardens. Learn more about what they grow and make, including their alpaca products, duck eggs, paw paws, a variety of produce and lamb! They will be sampling 4 different lamb dishes and will be happy to answer your questions!