Monday, August 23, 2010

CSA



Every Saturday from July through October, Dave and Andrew show up at our church between 8:30 and 10:30 to pick up our farm share. This year we bought fruit, veggie and egg shares and we are now at the height of the season. Last Saturday Dave brought home tomatoes, basil, green beans, kale, corn, lettuce, cucumbers, apples, peaches, plums, eggs, and potatoes.

Starting in July, I plan our week's meals around the farm share. On Sunday mornings, I sit at the computer with my cookbooks and coffee and order the other groceries we'll need based on the produce we got. Usually the produce only affects what I'll be cooking, but recently it's been seeping into what I bake.

Right now we have so many potatoes. And I know, potatoes can last a little while. There really is no rush to get rid of them, except that I have a small kitchen and the potatoes are taking up more than their fair share of space. Some of them have got to go. And so yesterday, while it rained and the boys' watched an afternoon movie, I made several loaves of potato bread. In the past I've made this bread with chives and garlic scapes. Yesterday I made it with scallions. It smells amazing in the oven and because of it's kick of onion, it's easily a family favorite.

15 potatoes down. About 20 more to go.






Potato Bread

1 1/4 c warm water
5 t yeast
4-6 c flour
1 c warm mashed potatoes
1/4 c milk
2 T butter
1 T sugar
1 T salt
1/2 c minced chives or scallions or garlic scapes or shallots

Make the mashed potatoes. Let them cool. If they are too hot to touch, they will kill the yeast.

Combine warm water and yeast.
In a large bowl put the water, yeast, potatoes, 2 c flour, milk, butter, sugar, salt. Mix it, mix it. Add in the chives. Add enough flour to make a soft dough and knead. Let rise for 45 minutes in a floured bowl. Shape into loaves. Let loaves rise for another 45 minutes. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes...though the time will depend on the size of the loaves. If they sound hollow when you tap them, they are done. ;)

Next up, potato cookies! ok, not really.

7 comments:

Deb @ PaperTurtle said...

Mmmmm...that potato bread sounds so yummy!

It's interesting for me to read about how you get your produce and other groceries - so different from the 2-3 trips by the grocery store that I make every week. There's a store about 1/2 mile from my house that I drive by to and from work - convenient to stop at pick up what I need when I need it. :o)

debs14 said...

You can't get fresher food than that! I have never heard of putting mashed potato in bread! I make bread at home, but use a breadmaking machine, not sure it would be happy with me adding potato to the mix!
We grow a few vegetables in our garden, but only beans, courgettes and tomatoes but there is nothing to beat veggies that haven't come via a supermarket is there?

ComfyMom~Stacey said...

I do enjoy well made potato bread

Plume said...

Oh my...I'm such a sucker for bread. And potato bread just happens to be one of my faves. This has been saved.

MandiCrocker said...

YUM, potato bread! Robykins... I am hardly a bread aficionado! Should I assume the yeast in the recipe is of the 'active dry yeast packets' sort? :)

Also, will be flying home for a wedding in November. Not sure if I'll make it to the city. If I do, though, would LOVE to see you!

Dave said...

Mandi, that's crazy, because I'd LOVE to see you!

Hey dude. I usually use rapid rise. It's a stabler yeast, easier to use. But active dry would work too! just saying...

MandiCrocker said...

I did it!! I made the bread. And wooow! My friend LOVED it! And I made it vegan, worked just as well. Delicousness. :) :) :) Pics here: http://mandicrocker.blogspot.com/2010/08/vegan-feasting.html