1 dry pint Village Farms Lip Smackn' Grape tomatoes, diced small
1 jalapeno, diced small
4 green onions, diced
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
2-3 ears of fresh corn, sliced off the cob (about 1 cup)
2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1-1/2 teaspoon cajun seasoning
Instructions
Preheat grill to medium high heat, about 425 degrees.
Rub the salmon down with blackened seasoning. Spray with avocado oil on both the skin and flesh sides to prevent from sticking to grill.
Place onto the grill and cook for 5 minutes flesh side down and then carefully flip with spatula to continue cooking skin side down for another 3-4 minutes until salmon is cooked through. Remove from the grill and let rest.
While the salmon cooks make salsa by coming Lip Smackn’ Grape® tomatoes, bell pepper, jalapeno, corn, green onions, parsley, lemon juice, and Cajun seasoning. Stir to combine.
Serve a generous portion of salsa over the salmon and serve immediately.
Gently place the tomatoes on the grill and cook with lid down for 7-10 minutes until cheese is melty and tomatoes are cooked slightly.
1 cup fresh mozzarella cheese (torn into bite size pieces)
¼ cup basil, sliced thin
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoons black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
Preheat grilled to medium-low heat, about 325 degrees.
In a bowl combine cooled and cooked farro, torn mozzarella cheese, basil, and ½ of the salt and pepper. Gently stir to combine.
Take the Sensational Sara® tomatoes and with a very sharp knife cut off the stem and then go around the edge of the tomato to remove the seeds inside. Use a spoon to gently scoop out insides.
Flip tomatoes over gently and brush the bottoms with olive oil to prevent sticking on the grill.
Scoop 2-3 tablespoons of the farro salad inside of the tomato, careful not to overstuff.
Gently place the tomatoes on the grill and cook with lid down for 7-10 minutes until cheese is melty and tomatoes are cooked slightly.
Using a spatula, remove from the grill gently. Top with more fresh basil and serve immediately. Drizzle with a balsamic glaze if desired.
1 dry pint Village Farms Maverick Mix tomatoes, halved
2 to 4 scallions of spring onions, thinly sliced
1 watermelon radish or 2 regular red radishes, thinly sliced
Fresh herbs, optional
For the Charred Tomato Dressing:
1 dry pint Village Farms Maverick Mix tomatoes, left whole
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Instructions
To cook the farro, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil, and add the salt and vinegar. Add the farro and return to a boil. Reduce to a strong simmer, and cook 18 to 20 minutes until the grains start to split and they are al dente. Drain the farro and spread out on a dinner plate to cool. Set aside.
Blanch the snap peas for about 10 seconds and refresh in ice water. Pat dry and cut into slivers. Shave the fennel as thinly as possible, using a mandoline slicer if you have one.
Cut the tofu into 4 thick slabs and cut each slab in half. Lay out between a few layers of paper towels and press lightly to absorb excess moisture. Transfer to a plate, and coat with the BBQ sauce on all sides. Mix the paprika, garlic powder and salt together and spread out on a small plate. Dip the two largest sides of each piece of tofu in the spice mixture to coat and return to a clean, dry plate.
Light a gas grill to medium high. Toss the asparagus with enough oil to lightly coat them, and season with salt and pepper. Spread the asparagus on one side of a grill platter and spread one pint of tomatoes on the other side. Oil the grill grates using a paper towel soaked with oil and a pair of tongs and place the tofu on the grill. Cook the asparagus, tossing once with tongs, for about 5 minutes, until browned in spots. Cook the tomatoes until charred and softened, 8 to 10 minutes, and transfer using a spatula to a small bowl. Cook the tofu for about 3 minutes per side and transfer back to the plate.
Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper, add the oil and vinegar, and mix well. Press through a sieve and discard the skins and seeds. This is your vinaigrette.
Assemble the bowls: Divide the farro among four wide, shallow bowls. Arrange the asparagus, snap peas, fennel, tomatoes, and tofu on top of the farro. Garnish with the scallions, radishes, and herbs, if using. Spoon some of the dressing on each bowl and pass any additional on the side.
½ head Savoy cabbage (about 12 ounces), finely shredded
2 Village Farms Sweet Bell Peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
2 small or 1 large mango, not too ripe, peeled, pitted, and cut into thin strips
2 large or 4 small scallions, thinly sliced
Juice of 2 limes
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons neutral vegetable oil
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Kosher salt, to taste
½ cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped, plus more leaves for garnish
1 serrano or jalapeno chili, seeded and thinly sliced
Instructions
In a medium serving bowl, toss together the cabbage, peppers, mango and scallions. Season with the lime juice, vinegar, sugar and salt, and toss to combine well. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes to soften slightly. Add the cilantro and serrano and toss again. Top with more cilantro leaves and serve.
2lb Sensational Sara tomatoes (remove vine & stems then rinse)
3 tbsp. oil olive
2 tsp flake or kosher salt
1 bulb garlic (about 6 peeled cloves)
1 medium yellow onion (diced)
1 bunch basil (chopped)
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1.5 cups heavy cream or coconut milk
2 tbsp. butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Crushed red pepper to taste
Instructions
Place whole tomatoes in roasting pan calyx side down. Sprinkle with 2tlbs olive oil and salt. Place in oven on broil at 500 degrees for 30-45 minutes or until browned on top and tomatoes split open. At halfway point throw garlic cloves on top. Then remove from oven and let cool in pan for 10 mins.
While tomatoes are in the oven, caramelize onions in skillet on stovetop with remaining 1 tbsp. olive oil. Remove from heat and let cool.
In blender or food processor place roasted tomatoes and garlic add caramelized onion. Add half of chopped basil and all of broth then blend on high for 2 mins.
Heat butter in heavy bottom saucepan on stove top. Pour tomato mixture in saucepan on med heat until simmer then reduce heat to low. Add heavy cream and stir.. Salt and pepper to taste. Continue to simmer for 10 mins while stirring frequently.
Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with remaining basil. Add crushed red pepper to taste. A nice side would be to serve with crusty bread, and cheese of choice.
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Note: Make recipe vegan by replacing heavy cream with coconut milk, chicken stock with veggie stock and regular butter with vegan butter.
1 dry pint Village Farms Cabernet Estate Reserve® tomatoes
1 ripe avocado, pitted and peeled
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ cup cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish
3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
1½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
Hot sauce to taste
Tortilla chips, for garnish
Instructions
Using a small sharp knife, cut a very thin slice off the bottom of each tomato so it will sit flat. Then cut a slice off the top of each tomato. Use the knife to cut around the inside of the tomato and scoop out the seeds and flesh. Turn them upside down on a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
In a food processor (preferably a mini one), combine the avocado, salt, cilantro, yogurt, lime juice, and a few dashes of hot sauce. Puree until completely smooth. Adjust seasonings as needed. Set aside. It can be stored in the refrigerator for a few hours if packed into the smallest possible container with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface.
When ready to serve, transfer the avocado crema to a plastic piping bag, or into the corner of a resealable plastic bag. Snip the end off the piping bag or one corner of the resealable bag, and gently squeeze the crema down to the tip, and twist the bag at the top.
Turn the tomatoes over on a plate, and gently squeeze the bag to fill each tomato. Garnish each tomato with a broken piece of tortilla and a sprig of cilantro.
½ Village Farms Luscious Seedless Long English® cucumber. peeled
3 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice
4 tsp. dragon fruit powder
3 ounces tequila
2 Tbsp. simple syrup, or more to taste (equal parts sugar & water)
1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. dragon fruit powder
1 lime wedge
Instructions
Cut the cucumber into chunks and place in blender jar. Puree until smooth, pushing down on the cucumber if necessary.
Combine half of the cucumber puree, half the lime juice, half the dragon fruit powder, half the tequila, and half the simple syrup in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously.
Combine the dragon fruit powder and sugar on a small plate and mix well. Use the lime wedge to moisten the edge of 4 tumblers, and dip and rotate in the sugar mixture to coat evenly. Fill the glasses with ice.
Pour the cocktail into 2 of the glasses and repeat with remaining ingredients to make 2 more. Garnish the cocktails with a cucumber spear dipped in dragon fruit powder.
Start off by making your cucumber juice: take a cucumber or two and place in a high-powered blender like a Vitamix. Pulse blend on high until cucumber is fully blended and only juice remains. Set aside.
Next, take a strainer, milk nut bag, etc. and strain cucumber juice into a glass or jar, discarding any pulp.
Now let’s make your syrup: combine sugar and (strained) cucumber water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until sugar starts to dissolved.
Continue cooking until sugar is completely dissolved. Adjust temp as needed. You do not want to burn sugar mixture!
Once sugar mixture starts to bubble, reduce heat slightly. Then continue cooking until mixture is completely clear, and all sugar is dissolved into a syrup.
At this point, you want to add any flavorings or color. We used peppermint flavoring, and added a couple drops of green food coloring to bump up the color.
While waiting for sugar to dissolve, prep sticks. Dip the top part half (or less) of the stick in your sugar mixture. Then carefully roll the coated part of your stick in sugar.
Using a candy thermometer (or comparable) check temp. Once temp is 220 degrees proceed to carefully pour mixture into 1-2 jars.
Now, using a clothespin, suspend stick in the syrup in your jar as shown. Be careful to make sure that stick is ¾ of an inch or more from the bottom of jar. Set aside.
Finally, wait! This process usually takes at least five days, but can take longer. Make sure your jars are set aside in a place where they will not be disturbed.
Once you see that crystals have formed, and you are happy with the size of them, you can carefully remove your rock candy sticks from the jar. After removal, suspend in a separate, empty jar to dry.
1 container fresh mozzarella balls or pearls (8 oz, drained)
1- 1 and ½ pints Maverick Mix® Tomatoes
1 jar pepperoncini peppers
Pitted olives (we used a couple different varieties here)
A few handfuls of fresh basil leaves
Several fresh rosemary sprigs for garnish
You will also need small skewers, approximately 3 to 4 inches in size.
You may also want to serve with a dressing, like shown above. We used a store bought Italian dressing here.
Instructions
Heat butter and a few drizzles of oil in a large soup pot. Add garlic and sauté on medium-high heat until fragrant.
Prep all of your ingredients (cut, drain, etc. as needed).
Then set up all of your ingredients so that you almost have a kind of assembly line to work with.
Now, take your skewers, and mix and match ingredients; threading items on skewers as shown. You will not use all ingredients on every skewer, and may want to leave some meat/cheese free.
Once you have threaded all skewers, start arranging them on a circular plate. Depending on the number of skewers you make, you will overlap a time or two.
If using a dressing, as shown, place dip bowl in the center of skewers/center of plate.
Finally, cut off small pieces from the rosemary sprigs and place them into different places around the plate, for a more wreath-like feel.
1 tbsp dried oregano, and salt and pepper to taste
2 containers Village Farms heavenly villagio marzano tomatoes
olive oil
1 lb leftover tukey meat, cut up/shredded
fresh parmesan cheese and approx.
1 cup basil (rough chopped) for topping
Instructions
Heat butter and a few drizzles of oil in a large soup pot. Add garlic and sauté on medium-high heat until fragrant.
Next, add onions and cook for approx. 5 min. until fragrant and semi-caramelized.
While onions are on stovetop, roast the two containers of heavenly villagio marzano tomatoes- cut in half, then toss with a bit of olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast on 425 for 15-20 min.
Add broth, crushed tomatoes, heavy cream and a bit of salt and pepper; stir to combine.
Allow mixture to start to boil, then reduce heat to medium. Allow to simmer for approx. 10 min., stirring occasionally.
While mixture cooks, re-heat approximately 1 pound of turkey. Once reheated, set aside.
Once the tomatoes are roasted, remove from oven. Transfer ½ of them to the soup pot/mixture. Set remaining tomatoes to the side.
Use an immersion blender to completely combine with the remainder of the mixture. Add in oregano and stir.
Next, add in turkey meat and remainder of tomatoes. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust as needed.
2 tbsp adobo sauce (sauce only from canned chipotles in adobo)
¼ cup olive oil (plus more as needed)
5 garlic cloves (divided and minced)
approx. 1 lb leftover turkey meat
2 tbsp butter (divided)
1 red onion (halved/ thin sliced)
1 package of Village Farms Cheeky Sweet® Mini Sweet Peppers
2 serrano chiles (halved, seeded and chopped small)
¼ cup cilantro (chopped), and romaine lettuce
flour or corn tortillas
WHAT YOU NEED (for Salsa Fresca*):
¼- 1/2 red onion (minced)
1 tsp red wine vinegar, approx.
1 lb Village Farms maverick mix tomatoes (chopped)
1-2 serrano chiles (seeded, and fine chopped or minced)
3 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro
2 tsp fresh-squeezed lime juice
Instructions
HOW YOU MAKE IT (Salsa Fresca):
Place diced onion in a bowl and cover completely with cold water. Add in vinegar, and set aside for 10 min. or longer.
Drain. Rinse with cold water and set aside.
Next, in a medium sized bowl, combine all remaining ingredients. Then, stir in onions.
Allows mixture to stand at room temperature for at least 30 min. Now, make your fajitas (see below)!.
HOW YOU MAKE THEM (Fajitas):
In a small bowl, combine lime zest and fresh squeezed lime juice, salt, chili powder, adobo sauce, ¼ cup only olive oil and 3 cloves only garlic. Mix well. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the marinade for later.
Next, place leftover turkey in a resealable bag. Pour in the marinade and seal bag. Move turkey around to coat well. Then place in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
While turkey marinates, make Salsa Freca (see below). Set aside.
Then, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and drizzle with a bit of olive oil.
Once hot, add onion slices and cook. Stirring until softened.
Next, stir in mini sweet pepper slices and chopped chiles, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until peppers begin to softened.
Then, add in remaining garlic cloves, cumin, a few pinches of salt and 1 tbsp butter. Cook, stirring often, until peppers are also softened and beginning to caramelize, approx. 6-8 min.
Pour in reserved marinade and add in about half of the cilantro and stir. Once well combined, remove from heat.
Heat a few drizzles of olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Remove turkey from marinade and add to pan (with marinade) with 1 tbsp butter. Cook until heated through and fully coated with marinade. If turkey meat is too dry, add in a drizzle of olive oil, or ¼- 1/2 lime, squeezed.
While turkey reheats, warm up tortillas as desired.
Next, begin to plate tortillas. Pile lettuce, turkey, pepper mixture, and salsa as desired and enjoy!
2 full sticks unsalted butter; cubed (refrigerated)
2 large eggs (divided)
2 tbsp. heavy whipping cream
2 drizzles of olive oil
3 cloves of garlic (pressed or minced)
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to taste
1 large ball / 4 oz. of Burrata cheese (divided between pies)
1 handful of fresh basil (basil cut into thin strips, then in half)
Instructions
Start off by making your dough (this will take at least 1 hour, so do this ahead of time). *You can use a store-bought, pre-made dough to make these quicker. If doing that skip this step and go to step 5.
Combine flour, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk gently to combine.
Add your cubed butter into the mixture. Work it in, using your hands as necessary, work it until small balls start to form with the cold butter and flour. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine together whipping cream and 1 egg. Whisk until combined and smooth. Then, add to the flour mixture from the previous step and knead, knead, knead, until dough starts to form. Once dough is formed and in a ball, cover/wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or more.
While tomatoes cook, mix together cornstarch and lemon juice. Once completely combined, and tomatoes are semi-broken down add slurry to your tomato/garlic mixture and cook until thickened up. Season with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning and set aside to cool.
Once the dough has chilled for at least one hour, remove from the refrigerator and pre-heat the oven to 385 degrees. Also line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Now for the fun part: roll dough out to approx. ¼ inch or so thick on a lightly floured counter. Then using a circular cutter or even the rim of a cup, cut out a bunch of circles. The exact number of hand pies you can make will depend on the size of circles, we got 7 pies (14 circles) out of ours.
Once you have your circles, place filling inside the center of half of the circles. Take a small piece of Burrata and place on top of filling, with a sprinkle of fresh basil.
Now, take your remaining (1) egg, and whisk until completely beaten. Using a pastry brush, brush the outer edges of the circle with the filling on it. Immediately place a second circle over top of the filling and stretch over to allow the edges to come together. Crimp edges using a fork or fingers to seal the filling inside. Cut a slit or two on the top of your pies, and lightly brush the tops of pies with remaining egg.
Transfer pies to prepared baking sheet and bake at 385 degrees for 25- 30 min. Cook times can vary slightly so keep an eye on pies so they do not overcook.
Once done, enjoy, or refrigerate to enjoy later. These are perfect for a lunchbox, lunch at home, dinner, etc. Y-U-M!
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Recipe and photography created exclusively for Village Farms by Lunches + Littles Read- Back to School Made Easy
Start off by prepping all of your produce: slice peppers, carrot and cucumbers into thin strips, cut cabbage into small shreds, etc. Set aside.
Assemble your rolls: fill a shallow dish with warm water and dip rice paper into dish, spinning and allowing paper to get completely wet but not for too long (this will cause wraps to get too soft; you want it to be mold-able but still slightly stiff). Remove wrapper from water and set down on counter you are using.
Now, lay your filling ingredients in the middle of your wrapper (in a line going up and down) and then fold the sides of the wrapper over the filling and roll it up!
Repeat until all filling and wrappers are used.
For sauce: simply combine all of the sauce ingredients together in a small mixing bowl. If the consistency is too thick, add in a little more sesame oil and stir up.
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Recipe and photography created exclusively for Village Farms by Lunches + Littles Read- Back to School Made Easy
2 cups fresh soft herbs (I used parley, dill, mint), finely chopped
100g feta cheese, crumbled
sea salt and black pepper
Tomato puree
1 juicy beefsteak® tomato, chopped
½ cup vegetable stock or water
½ tsp salt
1 clove garlic
1 tsp oregano
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400˚F.
Slice the tops off the tomatoes (making a note of which top belongs to each vegetable, as this will look neater when you bake them) and use a spoon to scoop out the flesh and seeds, reserving any juice.
Finely chop the flesh and add it back to the seeds and juice; set aside. Remove seeds and membrane from the bell peppers, rinse inside and drain.
Heat a large skillet until hot, and then add ¼ cup olive oil and the onion. Reduce the heat to medium low and sauté the onions for 8-10 minutes until they are soft and golden.
Add the garlic and rice to the pan and stir for 4-5 minutes, until the rice is well coated in the oil and starting to turn translucent. Add the chopped tomato flesh, stock/water, sugar, and season with salt and pepper.
Simmer, covered, for another 5-7 minutes until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid but still has a bite (the rice will continue to cook in the oven). When it’s ready, you want the filling to be juicy and not dry at all. If too much moisture has evaporated, add another few splashes of stock or water to loosen up the rice.
Meanwhile, make the puree by adding the tomatoes, stock, salt, garlic and oregano to a blender or food processor; whizz until smooth.
When the rice is ready, fill your tomatoes and peppers with the rice mixture. Fill it about three-quarters full, to allow the rice to expand further. Cover with their corresponding tops and place them into a tray that fits them snugly.
Peel and slice the potatoes into wedges. Season the potatoes with sea salt and black pepper and place the potatoes in and around the tomatoes and peppers (this helps to keep them upright while in the oven).
Carefully pour the tomato puree over everything, followed by ¾ cup of olive oil. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 45 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender.
Gemista can be enjoyed hot, or at room temperature, and are even better the next day.
Beefsteak Tomato Salad with Crispy Chickpeas and Lemon Tahini
Cook time:
Total time:
Yields: 4
Ingredients
500g chickpeas (2 cans), drained
extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp paprika
4 juicy beefsteaks® tomatoes
handful of flat leaf parsley, chopped
sea salt and black pepper
Lemon tahini
¼ cup tahini
¼ cup water
1 clove garlic, finely grated
juice of ½ lemon
sea salt and black pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400˚F.
Place the chickpeas on a sheet pan and scatter with the cumin, coriander, paprika and garlic. Drizzle generously with olive oil, season with sea salt and black pepper, and toss to coat the chickpeas well. Place in the hot oven and roast for 30-35 minutes, turning the pan halfway and shaking it to disperse the chickpeas, until golden and crispy.
Meanwhile, slice the tomatoes and place them, overlapping slightly, onto a large serving plate or platter.
Place the tahini into a bowl and add the water. The tahini may seize and get thick, but this is normal, just keep whisking until it becomes smooth again. If it is too thick, simply add more water, a teaspoon at a time, until you get the consistency of cream. Add the garlic, lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Taste and, if needed, adjust with more lemon, salt or pepper.
To serve, top the sliced tomatoes with the crispy chickpeas and drizzle over the lemon tahini. Season the salad with a finishing touch of salt and pepper, along with some olive oil. Top with parsley and enjoy.
2 and ½ tsp Italian seasoning (plus more for topping, as desired)
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
a few drizzles of EVOO
4 slices of fresh mozzarella cheese
fresh basil leaves
a sprinkling of fresh/chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste
WHAT YOU NEED (for balsamic vinaigrette)
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1 tbsp finely diced shallots (*optional)
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tbsp honey (use less if desired)
¼ tsp black pepper
½ tsp salt
½ cup EVOO
Instructions
In a sealable plastic bag (or equivalent) combine salad dressing, poultry seasoning and Italian seasoning. Seal and move contents of bag around to combine.
Add chicken to bag, re-seal, and move chicken around bag to thoroughly mix/coat. Refrigerate chicken for at least 1 hour- up to 3.
Once time is up for chicken pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Then remove chicken from bag and discard any excess marinade.
Next, in an oven-safe skillet, heat a few drizzles of olive oil over in pan over medium heat. Place chicken in pan and begin to cook allowing chicken to lightly brown on each side (flip once you have achieved a nice browning on first side). *You are not trying to cook chicken thoroughly at this point, just getting the outsides seared and browned.
Once chicken is nice and browned, drain excess oil from pan- then place in oven and bake for approx. 15 minutes (may need longer- just keep checking it!) until fully cooked.
While chicken is baking, make balsamic vinaigrette. To make vinaigrette: place all vinaigrette ingredients into a mason jar with lid. Seal and shake vigorously for 30 seconds or more, until very well-combined. Set aside.
Remove pan from oven, top each piece of chicken with a slice of mozzarella cheese and 1- 2 pieces of tomato (place excess tomato slices in pan to warm a bit). Return to oven until cheese is melty.
Remove pan from oven again. Top chicken with balsamic vinaigrette and fresh basil leaves, as desired. Sprinkle with additional Italian seasoning and/or freshly chopped parsley if desired. Season with salt and pepper as needed.
Serve immediately or portion out for meals throughout the week. Just reheat when ready to eat and enjoy. Yum!
• 3- 4 cups fresh greens of choice (we used a spring mix)
• crumbled feta cheese, as desired (we used ¼- 1/2 cup or so)
• a sprinkling of fresh/chopped parsley
• Additional salt and pepper to taste
WHAT YOU NEED (for fresh lemon vinaigrette):
• 4 tbsp fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• 1 and ½ tbsp white wine vinegar
• ½ cup EVOO
• 1 and ½ tbsp raw honey
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• ½ tbsp dried parsley
Instructions
spray or line with parchment paper.
Cut all tomatoes in half and lay out on tray(s). Toss with a bit of olive oil, garlic, sugar and salt. Toss to coat. Then spread out on tray(s). Roast for up to an hour, until caramelized, and somewhat shriveled. These get so sweet- you are going to love them (and may just want to roast an extra batch for snacking)!
While tomatoes roast you want to prep everything else you need for the recipe: cook farro according to package instructions, toast pine nuts, chop fresh greens and then make vinaigrette.
To make vinaigrette: place all vinaigrette ingredients into a mason jar with lid. Seal and shake vigorously for 30 seconds or more, until very well-combined. Place vinaigrette in refrigerator.
Once tomatoes are roasted, remove from oven and allow to cool just a couple minutes, then carefully loosen them with a flipper/turner so they are not stuck to the pan.
To make salad: combine farro, about ¾ of the tomatoes, pine nuts, fresh greens, and feta. Pour about ¼ of the vinaigrette over top salad and gently toss to coat.
Serve immediately, season with salt and pepper, top with chopped parsley and additional tomatoes as desired. Serve alongside remaining dressing to use as desired as well, and ENJOY!
Recipe serves 3-4, depending on portion size. Recipe is easily doubled, if needed.
1 can (15 oz.) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
½ c fresh mozzarella ciliegine "cherry size"
½ c arugula
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. olive oil
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1 fresh baguette
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 425°F.
Toss Sinfully Sweet Campari tomatoes, cannellini beans, mozzarella, arugula, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper in a medium sized mixing bowl. Refrigerate.
While your bruschetta topping soaks in its flavor, toast your baguette. Slice bread into ½-inch thick slices (about 30) and spread over a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 6 minutes.
Remove bruschetta toasts from oven and spoon tomato mixture atop. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and serve.
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Recipe and photography by Rebecca Lilly Costa from xxrlilly
finely chopped parsley and/or sage leaves for sauce, for topping, etc. (as desired)
*You may also like: additional cheese for topping
Instructions
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place a small flameproof baking dish over medium heat and add the oil (if you only have a ceramic baking dish, heat it in the oven). Add the garlic, and cook, stirring, until golden brown all over, about 5 minutes. Scoop the garlic out, and set aside. Leave the oil in the dish.
Add the tomatoes with the salt and red pepper flakes, and toss to coat.
Slice the mozzarella, and tear into smaller pieces, tucking them among the tomatoes. Tuck the basil leaves in.
Sprinkle the Parmesan over the top and place in the oven. Bake 15 minutes, until bubbling. Broil briefly to brown the top, watching carefully.
Serve immediately with the crusty bread. Keep warm on a hot plate if not serving immediately.
1 lb. package Sinfully Sweet Campari tomatoes, cut into ⅛’s
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, cut into 2-inch slivers
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. paprika
Pinch of cayenne
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
½ tsp. Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
4 large eggs
3 oz. feta cheese
⅓ cup pitted Kalamata olives
Handful of fresh dill
Handful of fresh cilantro
Instructions
Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, until translucent (reduce heat if onions are browning).
Add garlic and cook 2 minutes. Add peppers and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add cumin, paprika, cayenne, tomato paste, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes
Add ¼ cup water, stirring to release any brown bits on pan, and add tomatoes. Cook, stirring gently a few times, for 5 to 7 minutes. Add ¼ cup more water if needed. It should be saucy, not dry.
Dig a little well, and crack an egg into it. Repeat for the other 3 eggs, spacing them evenly. Crumble the feta into large pieces and scatter around the eggs. Do the same with the olives.
Cover and cook over medium-low until the eggs are done to your liking, about 15 minutes.
2 Pints Village Farms Cherry no. 9 Fall in Love Again Tomatoes
1 Acorn Squash, seeds removed and sliced (can sub butternut squash or any other squash variety that you choose.)
1 Cup Diced Apple
½ Cup Pomegranate Seeds
4 Cups Diced Ciabatta or French Bread
3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
For Dressing:
¼ Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
¼ Cup Fresh Orange Juice
½ Shallot, Sliced Thin
1 Tsp. Chopped Fresh Sage
1 Tbsp. Honey
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
½ Tsp. Salt
¼ Tsp. Black Pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and add tomatoes onto one baking sheet and the acorn squash onto the other baking sheet. Toss with ½ of the olive oil and salt and pepper.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until vegetables are golden brown and tender. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
While the vegetables are cooking, make vinaigrette by combining all ingredients into a mason jar and shake to combine. Let sit for at least 15 minutes before serving.
On another baking sheet add bread and drizzle with remaining olive oil and salt and pepper and toss to coat lightly.
Remove cooked vegetables from the oven and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Bake bread for 15 minutes until lightly golden brown, careful not to burn.
To assemble salad, add toasted bread, squash, and tomatoes to a large platter. Add diced apples and pomegranates and then toss with ½ of the dressing.
Let sit for 15 minutes for flavors to soak in and then taste. Add more dressing if desired and season with more salt and pepper if needed.
1 lb lean ground turkey (could also use beef, if desired)
2 cups cubed pumpkin (divided)
1 package (ours was 17.6 ounces) of Pappardelle Pasta
1 small tub (8 ounces) Mascarpone cheese (room temp)
1 and ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
5 cloves garlic (minced)
1 small yellow onion (fine diced)
1 small red pepper (fine diced)
1 tbsp. Italian seasoning
½ tsp smoked paprika
⅛ tsp (a small pinch!) of nutmeg
¼ tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp. plain tomato paste
⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese
finely chopped parsley and/or sage leaves for sauce, for topping, etc. (as desired)
*You may also like: additional cheese for topping
Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper/foil. Set aside.
Cube pumpkin (skin off) into bite-sized pieces and transfer to baking sheet. Drizzle cubes with olive oil, then add a bit of salt and pepper until they are well coated.
Next take 1 and ½ pints of Heavenly Villagio Marzano® tomatoes and arrange on second baking sheet. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
Roast pumpkin and tomatoes at 400 degrees for 30-45 min, flipping pumpkin once. Tomatoes may be done first- if so, just remove them and set aside.
In a large pot over medium-high heat drizzle olive oil, then add garlic, onion and pepper. Sauté until fragrant and onion begins to soften, approx. 4 minutes.
While doing the above, transfer roasted tomatoes (put about 10 off to the side) to blender and pulse a couple times until your tomatoes have a chunky sauce consistency. Set aside.
Next, add in your ground turkey, using a wooden spoon to carefully break it up as it cooks.
Add in Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, nutmeg and cinnamon. Stir until seasonings are well combined with turkey.
Now, add pulsed tomatoes only (you will still have some reserved on the side) to pot as well as roasted pumpkin (again, reserve about 10 pieces of pumpkin or so) and tomato paste. Work pumpkin and tomatoes into turkey mixture.
Simmer sauce mixture for approx. 15 min. or until well-combined, and has a thicker, sauce consistency. Remove sauce from heat and set aside.
While sauce simmers, prepare pasta per package instructions then remove from heat and drain. To make cheese mixture: combine mascarpone (room temp), 1 cup only of the mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Stir well until combined.
Now, gently combine pasta and cheese mixture.
Once combined, add in approx. half of your sauce, or enough to fully coat pasta and then some.
In a large oven-safe skillet or dish, layer pasta and cheese mixture with sauce, ending with pasta mixture on top.
Add the remaining roasted tomatoes as well (scatter throughout dish), and top with any additional sauce, as desired.
Bake approximately 25 minutes. Then topping with remaining mozzarella and bake an additional minute or so, until cheese is melted.
While dish bakes, take the remaining ½ pint of tomatoes, cut them in half lengthwise, or slice, as shown, for topping.
Remove dish from oven, top with fresh cuts and slices of tomato, pumpkin cubes and parsley and sage as desired.
6 Sinfully Sweet Campari Tomatoes® cut into ¼" slices
1 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp. olive oil
4 yellow peaches cut into ¼" slices (see note below)
12 oz. fresh mozzarella cut into ¼" slices
1 cup fresh basil leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
Place the balsamic in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil then reduce heat slightly and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, or until reduced in half and slightly thickened. It will coat the back of a spoon once ready. Set aside.
Turn your grill to medium-high heat.
Brush oil on both sides of the peach slices and then place on the grill over direct heat. Cook for about 4 minutes per side, or until grill marks begin to appear. Remove from grill.
Arrange the salad by starting with a tomato slice on a platter, then place a grilled peach across half of the tomato, then placing a mozzarella slice over half of the peach, then placing a basil leaf over the mozzarella. Repeat until the platter is full and you have used all the ingredients.
Drizzle the balsamic reduction over the top and serve at once.
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NOTES
To slice the peaches, use a sharp knife and carefully slice one side of the peach off, about 1/4″ thick. Moving inwards, cut another slice. Once you reach the pit, turn the peach around and cut slices in the same manner. Save the peach that is left around the pit for another use (or a quick snack).
We find that using a quality balsamic produces the best tasting reduction. The reduced balsamic will stay in a container with a lid in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
1 cup Heavenly Village Marzano® tomatoes Sliced in half, lengthwise
4 large Portobello mushrooms
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp Kosher salt
1 cup pesto homemade or store-bought
2 cups fontina cheese shredded
1 cup pancetta cubed and cooked until crisp
1 cup fresh baby arugula
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Turn your grill onto medium high.
Brush the oil all over the prepared mushroom caps and then sprinkle salt all over.
Place the mushrooms, cap side down, onto a large grill rack or cast iron skillet.
Place the mushrooms (on the rack or skillet) directly over the heat and cover the grill. Let cook for 6 minutes. Carefully remove the rack or skillet from the grill.
Using a spatula, carefully turn the mushroom cap over, so the underside is facing up, still on the rack or skillet.
Spread each cap with ¼ cup of the pesto sauce. Next, to each mushroom cap, add a layer of cheese, then a small handful of cooked pancetta, topped with the sliced tomatoes.
Place back on the grill and cover. Cook for about 6 to 7 minutes, until cheese has melted and is bubbly.
Remove from the rack or skillet onto a plate and top with a small handful of arugula. Top with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan, if desired. Serve at once!
Place a large cast iron skillet directly on the grill. (If you don’t have a cast iron, feel free to do this portion on the stove.)
Add oil to the skillet along with the shallots, garlic, fennel, tomatoes, and red chili flake and season with ½ of the salt and pepper.
Sauté the veggies until the tomatoes start to burst and the shallots and fennel get tender.
Add in tomato paste, seafood stock, and bay leaves to the skillet and stir to combine.
Bring to a simmer and cook for another 5-10 minutes until reduced slightly.
At this time remove the skillet from the grill.
Make 4 Foil Packets and add a few ladles of the tomato broth into each packet.
Top with an equal amount of all seafood and then stir to combine.
Season with the rest of the salt and pepper and close the foil packets tightly.
Close the grill lid and cook for 10-12 minutes until seafood is just cooked through.
For the last couple minutes of grilling, place slices of baguette onto the grill for 1-2 minutes per side.
To serve open foil packets, garnish with fresh basil, and serve with grilled bread for dipping.
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P.S. Come share your favorite summer tomato or cucumber potluck dish and recipe with me on Instagram and you can be entered for a super fun giveaway that is happening too! You won’t want to miss it!
1 medium-sized cucumber (very finely diced or shredded)
1 and ½ tsp dried basil
salt and pepper to taste
15- 20 Heavenly Villagio Marzano® Tomatoes
a bunch (or two) of green onions
*You will also need a couple of skewers (see below) and a nice platter for presentation.
Instructions
Start off by making your filling: combine cream cheese, cucumber and basil in a bowl. Mix to thoroughly combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set in refrigerator once done until ready to use (this will help it firm up a bit, which will make stuffing easier).
Take your tomatoes and carefully cut a cross shape (2 slits as shown) on top of tomato with a small/sharp knife.
Then, using a small spoon or the knife, scrape out as much of the seeds/insides as possible. Set tomatoes aside, repeating until you are done with all of them.
Next, take a skewer and poke a hole in the bottom of the tomato (opposite your cuts), ensuring that the hole is large enough for a green onion piece to fit inside (you may need to poke a couple holes close together for a large enough opening). Repeat until you have done this with each tomato. Set aside.
Next, get out your filling from the refrigerator and stuff tomatoes as shown. Once done, place green onion piece in prepared hole. Continue until all are done.
Arrange tomato tulips into a bouquet on a platter or larger plate. Use extra green onions to wrap bouquet, or add more greenery for presentation, as shown.
1 to 2 tbsp maple syrup (more or less depending on preference)
1 bag of pre-shredded hash browns (thawed). We used the Simply Potatoes brand; 20 oz bag
1 and ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
6 eggs
milk if desired (for eggs)
1 to 2 pints Maverick Mix® Tomatoes
chopped parsley, if desired for garnish
Instructions
Spray a muffin tin with non-stick spray and set aside, Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat a small amount of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add garlic and onion to skillet and sauté for a few minutes until tender and fragrant.
Add sausage and cook, breaking it up with the side of a spoon as you go, until cooked through.
Add in maple syrup, stirring it around and coating sausage with it in the process. Cook another minute or so, until syrup is thickened a bit.
Remove pan from heat and set aside, allowing sausage to cool off a little.
Next, in a large bowl combine hash browns, cheese and sausage mixture. Gently mix together until well-combined, add salt and pepper if desired.
Now it's time to fill your muffin tins: take a small amount of the sausage/cheese mixture and place it into each prepared well. With the back of a spoon, work mixture up the sides of the wells, adding more as necessary. *Please note: hash brown mixture will get smaller/ shrink as they cook, so overfill/ bring mixture up and out of the wells a bit, to ensure their nest form, as shown above, once cooked.
Cook nests in the oven for approximately 30 min. or until edges are crisp/ lightly browned. *Please note: oven times vary. Check on nests every 5 minutes or so, after the initial 15 minutes. Once done, remove pan from oven.
While nests cook: make scrambled eggs as you usually would. 6 eggs is suggested.
Also, while nests cook: briefly cook your tomatoes. Transfer tomatoes to a pan with a little bit of olive oil over low heat. Cook until just slightly blistered. Then remove from heat.
When everything is ready it is time to assemble your nests: Place scrambled eggs in individual nests, and top with a few tomatoes each. Sprinkle with additional salt and pepper and parsley as desired for garnish.
Slice tomatoes in half, and place onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil and bake for 15-20 minutes until tomatoes caramelize slightly and release some of their liquid.
Make pesto by combining spinach, basil, pine nuts if using, garlic, parmesan cheese, ¼ cup olive oil, salt, and pepper, and blend until smooth.
When tomatoes are done, slice English muffins in half and place onto a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes to toast slightly.
Remove muffins from the oven and top with pesto, shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 tbsp. per muffin) and tomatoes.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted. Top with peas for the last 2 minutes of cooking.
Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator and/or freezer for easy lunch box additions.
Seared Ribeye with Blistered Cherry No. 9® Tomatoes and Bordelaise Sauce
Author: How to Feed a Loon
Ingredients
FOR THE BLISTERED TOMATOES
2 tbsp olive oil
2 pints Village Farms No. 9® Tomatoes
1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped, plus extra for garnish
FOR THE BORDELAISE SAUCE
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 larger shallot, chopped
1¼ cups dry red wine
1 fresh thyme sprig
2 fresh bay leaves (or 1 dried)
½ cup purchased veal (or beef) demi-glace
¼ to ½ cup beef stock, as needed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 10 oz. rib-eye steaks, about ¾-inch thick
Instructions
PREPARE THE BLISTERED TOMATOES
Turn broiler on high.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large oven-safe skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high heat.
Add the tomatoes, thyme and healthy pinch each of salt and pepper to the skillet.
Cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until tomatoes have become soft and starting to release some of their liquid, approximately 12 minutes.
Carefully place the tomatoes in the skillet under the broiler until lightly charred on top, 2 to 4 minutes. Watch closely, as broilers vary.
Sprinkle the blistered tomatoes with the chopped basil.
PREPARE THE BORDELAISE SAUCE
Meanwhile, heat the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.
Add the shallots and cook until translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the wine, thyme and bay leaves and raise the heat to medium-high. Let simmer until reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
Remove and discard the herbs and strain the sauce.
Return sauce to the pan and stir in the demi-glace and ¼ tsp each of salt and pepper. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often.
Add the beef stock one tbsp. at a time until the consistency is smooth and slightly syrupy. Turn off heat, cover, and set aside.
COOK THE STEAKS AND PLATE THE DISH
Liberally season the steaks with salt and pepper.
Either heat grill to medium-high heat, or heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
Grill, or sear, the steaks for about 3 to 4 minutes, per side, for medium-rare, 140°F-150°F.
Let steaks rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, gently warm the bordelaise sauce over medium-low heat.
Slice steaks against the grain and place on warmed plates.
Spoon blistered tomatoes over the sliced steaks and drizzle sauce over the top.
Grilled Oysters with Roasted Cabernet Estate Reserve® Tomato Compound Butter
Author: How to Feed a Loon
Ingredients
2 pints Village Farms Cabernet Estate Reserve® Tomatoes
1 garlic clove, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
2 sticks (16 tbsp) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
12 medium to large fresh oysters
Rock salt
Instructions
PREPARE THE ROASTED TOMATO COMPOUND BUTTER
Pre-heat oven to 400°F.
In a large bowl, toss the tomatoes with the garlic, a healthy pinch of salt and pepper, and the thyme.
Place tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft and have begun to release some juice.
Transfer tomatoes and juices to a bowl and let come to room temperature (this can be expedited by placing in the refrigerator).
In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, add the softened butter, basil, balsamic vinegar and 1 cup of the roasted tomatoes. Process until completely combined.
Transfer to a serving bowl. Leave at room temperature if using immediately, or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
PREPARE THE OYTERS
Prepare grill to high heat, approx. 400°F.
Spread a layer of rock salt (or a layer of crumpled foil) in a large cast iron skillet, or pan.
Shuck oysters, leaving them on the half shell. Nestle the oysters in the rock salt, or foil.
Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of the compound butter on each oyster.
Place the skillet (or pan) on the grill and cook, covered, for 5 to 6 minutes, until the butter is bubbly and the oysters are beginning to curl, slightly.
Serve with additional roasted tomato compound butter on the side.
2 Village Farms Luscious Seedless Long English® Cucumbers
2 Tbsp. Lime Juice
¼ Cup Sugar
¼ Cup Water
3 Oz. Gin
Instructions
Make rosemary simple syrup by combining sugar, water, and rosemary sprigs in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir until sugar dissolves and then turn off heat and let steep for 10 minutes. Remove rosemary sprigs and chill.
In a blender combine cucumbers (ends cut off), lime juice, 2 oz. of simple syrup and gin and blend until smooth.
Strain the mixture and pour over ice into two glasses.
Garnish with fresh limes, rosemary, and cucumber slices.
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add oil.
Add ham hocks and brown on all sides.
Remove the ham hocks from the pan and set aside.
Add diced onion, garlic, and bay leaf.
Season with salt and pepper and sauté until onion is translucent.
Add in Village Farms Heavenly Villagio Marzano® tomatoes at this time and scrape up any bits that have accumulated on the bottom of the pan. Season again with salt and pepper.
Add in black eyed peas at this time and cover with chicken stock. Stir to combine and then add ham hocks back into the stew.
Add in collard greens at this time, slowly wilting them into the stew.
Season again with salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to a simmer and let cook 3-4 hours until beans are tender and meat is falling apart.
Taste test for salt and pepper and then serve with tomato relish.
1 pound short pasta (shells, macaroni, fusili, or penne)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1¾ cups milk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
12 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Roast the tomatoes: Slice the tomatoes in half. In a small bowl, stir them together with the olive oil and 1 generous pinch kosher salt. Place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet face up and spread them evenly apart. (You can also place some of the tomatoes face down for a delicious sundried tomato effect; they lose their shape and blacken a bit more but are still delicious.) Roast the tomatoes for 40 minutes, then allow them to cool for at least 5 minutes.
Boil the pasta: Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until just al dente (cook until just tender but still a bit firm).
Grate the white cheddar cheese.
Make the cheese sauce: In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the butter over medium heat; when it melts, stir in the flour. Heat the mixture for several minutes, stirring constantly. Immediately when the color starts to turn light brown, reduce the heat to low. Start to add the milk very slowly, whisking constantly until the mixture is completely smooth, then adding more milk. Add the salt, onion powder, and garlic powder, and continue cooking on low heat for 4 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat, then add the grated cheddar cheese and keep stirring until it is melted and a smooth, thick sauce forms (if necessary, return the heat to low to finish melting the cheese).
Finish the dish: Add the pasta to cheese sauce and stir to combine. Then pour the pasta into a serving dish. Top it with tomatoes and serve immediately.
Add all ingredients to the pan and bring to a simmer.
Once the cranberries and tomatoes start bursting and the sauce starts to thicken, turn off heat and using an immersion blender or regular blender, process until smooth or to desired consistency. Feel free to leave the sauce chunky as well!
Place in an airtight container and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Will keep for two weeks.
Line a muffin tin with liners (optional, but makes for easier clean up!)
Whisk together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper until egg yolks and whites are combined.
Chop fresh herbs and crumble goat cheese.
Add in Mix and Match Village Farms tomatoes, herbs, and cheese and fold into the whisked eggs.
Ladle egg mixture into muffin cups and place into the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until eggs have puffed and cooked through. (Note: eggs will deflate after they come out of the oven.)
Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to two weeks.
Place the almond flour, tapioca flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, and sea salt in a large bowl.
Whisk until the dry ingredients are combined.
Add the eggs, cream, butter and vanilla to the bowl.
Use your hands to mix everything together until incorporated and combined.
Use a rubber spatula to fold in the feta and chopped sage.
Transfer the dough to a cutting board and form into a large circle with your hands. Use a sharp knife to cut into size large triangles.
Transfer each triangle to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 25 minutes until golden brown.
While the scones are cooking, place the sliced Lorabella Blossom® tomatoes in a pot over medium heat.
Cook the tomatoes, stirring frequently until the tomatoes are reduced, about 20-30 minutes.
Add the coconut sugar and balsamic vinegar. Continue to cook until combined and thick, about five more minutes.
If you like chunky jam, transfer to a jar and set aside. If you like smoother jam, transfer to a food processor and process for about 30 seconds until the jam is less chunky before transferring to a jar.
When the scones are done baking, transfer to a cooking rack then serve with the jam.
8 Slices of Cheese (I used Havarti and Colby Jack)
Salt and Pepper
4-6 Tbsp. Softened Butter
Instructions
Slice Delectable TOV® about ⅛-inch-thick and then salt and place on paper towels to remove excess liquid for 5-10 minutes.
Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium high heat.
Butter one side of all of the bread slices and then layer the non-butter side with Havarti cheese, tomatoes, a little pepper, and then a layer of Colby jack cheese.
Place the other bread slice on top, buttered side up. (So that buttered sides are facing out.)
Place onto the hot skillet and use another heavy pan to place on top of the sandwiches to help melt the cheese and press the sandwiches.
Flip after about 5 minutes when a nice crust has formed on one side.
Repeat the process on the other side. Serve immediately.
Slice Sinfully Sweet Campari® tomatoes in half and place on a parchment lined baking sheet along with the poblano pepper, the onion, and garlic.
Drizzle with oil and season with salt, pepper, cumin, and oregano.
Roast for 20-25 minutes until caramelized slightly and then remove seeds from pepper.
After roasting place in a large pot and add chicken stock and lime juice. Use an immersion blender to blend until smooth. Strain with a fine mesh strainer to achieve a smooth consistency if desired and then bring to a simmer for another 5-10 minutes.
Season chicken on both sides with ½ of the salt and pepper and all of the sumac.
Add oil to the hot skillet and add chicken skin side down to sear on both sides.
Sear for 5 minutes or until chicken skin easily releases from the pan and flip and repeat on the other side.
Bring pot of water to a boil and then add green beans to blanche for 2 minutes and then drain.
Remove the chicken from the pan and add tomatoes at this time along with the garlic and slightly char the tomatoes for 2-3 minutes.
Add in green beans, season with the rest of the salt and pepper, and then nestle the chicken back into the pan in between the tomatoes and green beans.
Place into the oven for 15-20 minutes until chicken is cooked through and skin is crispy.
Squeeze lemon juice over the whole dish when it comes out of the oven and serve immediately.
Optional: additional parmesan cheese and basil for garnish
Instructions
For the pesto: place macadamia nuts into a blender or food processor (I use a @vitamix) and pulse until broken into small bits.
Add basil, parmesan cheese, oil, 3 garlic cloves only (minced), salt, pepper and lemon juice.
Pulse until well-combined. Once done, set pesto aside.
Next, cook tortellini per package instructions, then set aside.
While tortellini cooks: in a large skillet over medium-heat, drizzle pan with oil and then add remaining 2 cloves garlic (minced).
Cook until fragrant, being sure not to burn. Add in tomatoes, turn down heat slightly and move tomatoes around the pan several minutes until they start to blister.
Remove from heat and allow to slightly cool.
Mix pesto and tortellini. Then top with blistered tomatoes and some of the pan juice from skillet if desired.
Finally, top with parmesan cheese and basil for garnish.
¼ cup olive spread or tapenade (purchased or homemade Kalamata Olive Spread)
4 artisan hoagies (or 8 pieces of bread)
Basil leaves, for the garnish (optional)
Instructions
Start the coals or heat a gas grill for medium direct cooking. Make sure the grates are clean.
Cut the eggplant into ½-inch thick slices. Brush each side with olive oil. Sprinkle the tops with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Grill for 10 to 20 minutes (depending on the grill), turning halfway through until tender and grill marks form. (Alternatively, you can use a grill pan on the stovetop: heat the pan and grill the eggplant slices until they are tender and grill marks form. Or, you can bake it using this method.)
If desired, toast the bread in the remaining minutes on the grill.
Meanwhile, thinly slice the tomatoes. Tear the mozzarella into pieces.
Assemble the sandwiches: Spread pesto on the cut side of one piece of bread, and olive spread on the cut side of the other bread. Place grilled eggplant on the bread, and top with mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, and basil, if using. Top with the other bread slice. If desired, wrap in aluminum foil to help contain the mess when eating!
Make ahead: The sandwiches can be made a few hours in advance for picnics. If doing so, you may want to slice the tomatoes and let them sit on a cutting board for several minutes to drain excess liquid.
1 tbsp fresh chopped basil (can also use a tsp or so dried instead)
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp marjoram
1 medium-sized lemon (juiced)
¾ cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Cook pasta al dente per package instructions. Once cooked, drain and set aside.
While pasta cooks, prep any produce that you need to prep and measure out your spices, etc.
Make the dressing by combining the following in a large bowl: vinegar, garlic, basil, oregano, marjoram and lemon juice. Once combined, slowly add in your olive oil whisking gently as you go
until oil is incorporated. Add salt and pepper to taste, and then set dressing aside.
Arrange salad jars by layering dressing on the bottom of jars, followed by tomatoes, chicken, cucumber, pasta, olives, more tomatoes, red onion, feta cheese and butter lettuce on top. Once
done, secure lids on tops of jars.
If you are enjoying immediately, shake jar to distribute dressing. *If making ahead of time, please note that this salad can be refrigerated for a couple days. When ready to eat, shake jar to distribute dressing before serving. Enjoy straight from the jar or transfer to a bowl and enjoy!
For more depth of flavor pour a very small amount of dressing onto individual salad components (onion, cucumber, etc.) and allow to marinate a bit prior to assembling. I always do this and it really gives it a much more intense flavor!
Store extra dressing in the refrigerator for up to one week.
½ tbsp tube basil paste (or sub 20 fresh basil leaves)
1 ¼ cup unsweetened almondmilk, divided (or sub regular milk)
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
¼ tsp sea salt
2 tbsp granulated monkfruit (or sub sweetener of choice)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 eggs
For serving:
4 – 5 fried eggs
4 pieces of bacon, cooked and crumbled
A pinch of red pepper flakes
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut 8 of the Heavenly tomatoes in half, longways, and then lay them in a single layer on a prepared baking sheet. Bake/roast for 10 minutes.
In a large measuring cup, combine the olive oil, basil paste, ½ cup almondmilk, and the roasted tomatoes. Blend until smooth. Then, set aside.
Dice the remaining 4 Heavenly tomatoes. Then set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sea salt, and monkfruit. Whisk until combined.
Then, stir in the remaining ¾ cup almondmilk, apple cider vinegar, 2 eggs, roasted tomato mixture, and fresh diced tomatoes. Stir until just combined. If it seems to dry, add a splash more almondmlk.
Heat your waffle iron per owner instructions. Lightly spray cooking spray into iron and then add enough batter to the iron to make waffles. Every few waffles, be sure to re-spray your waffle iron as necessary.
Once cooked, stack up a couple of your waffles and adorn with a fried egg, bacon crumbles, and crushed red pepper flakes (optional).
If you like things sweeter, feel free to add a bit of maple syrup on top… or tomato jam!
Please note: I used a mini waffle maker for these (I just think mini is more fun!). I used this one here, which yields waffles that are approximately 4 inches in diameter.
Other possible add-ons: melty queso dip, Chalula, or black beans.
For the Street Corn:
3 ears of corn, cut off the cobb
1 tbsp avocado oil (or sub olive oil)
Juice from ½ a lime
1 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp Siggi’s plain yogurt
2 tbsp queso fresco
For the taco meat (optional):
½ pound ground beef
½ cup cooked quinoa
½ cup grated sweet potato
1 tbsp taco seasoning
Instructions
In a large skillet pan over medium heat, combine the corn kernels, avocado oil, and lime juice. Saute for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Corn should get lightly browned, but not burned. Then, stir in chili powder, yogurt, and queso fresco. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
In another large skillet pan over medium heat (or the same one emptied/wiped), saute the ground beef, quinoa, and grated sweet potato for approximately 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Beef should be browned and cooked through (no pink). Set aside.
Time to assemble your nachos!
On a large sheetpan, lay out the tortillas chips in a single-ish layer. Top with ½ the shredded Mexican cheese. Then add any remaining tortilla chips and then top again with the rest of the Mexican Cheese. Spoon the Mexican street corn mixture on top of the chips evenly. Then add on the taco meat (optional). Then top with crumbled queso fresco. Bake for 10-12 minutes. You want the cheese to be melted on the nachos and the chips to be lightly browned, but not burned!
Remove from heat and then add on the toppings (evenly spaced): Maverick Mix® tomatoes (halved), red onion, jalapeno, cilantro, Siggi’s yogurt, and guac.
Feel free to arrange based on preference --- for example, I only put the red onion and guac on one half because my daughter and husband don’t love those.
Place tomatoes in a large bowl and drizzle with a little olive oil (*as much is needed to coat), and salt and pepper to taste. Toss to coat. *Prior to drizzling you can cut a slit down the side of
each tomato if desired. This is optional, and I did not do it this time but have done it in the past. Later you will be removing the skins from the tomatoes and so cutting into them prior to
roasting can help with the removal.
Spread tomatoes in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
Roast tomatoes in pre-heated oven for approximately 30 minutes.
While tomatoes are roasting, prepare the remainder of your ingredients: peel garlic cloves, dice onion, rough chop cilantro and juice one lime. Set all aside.
During the last 15 minutes of roasting, place prepared cloves on tray with tomatoes.
Once done, remove tomatoes and garlic from oven and let cool for approximately 10 minutes.
While tomatoes/garlic are cooling, cut your jalapeno pepper in half, remove seeds and place halves skin side up on a small pan. Broil pepper for just a few minutes until skin is charred.
Then remove from broiler, let cool and then chop. Set aside. *You of course, can completely omit this step if you do not wat the heat that comes from the pepper. However, I think it adds
just enough to give a little kick that isn’t too overwhelming for the younger ones!
Once tomatoes are cooled, slip the skins off the tomatoes as much as possible. It’s okay for some skin to stay on but try and remove as much as possible. Once skins are removed,
use a sharp knife to dice tomatoes as chunky as you desire for your salsa. Also, mince garlic. Set both aside.
Next, in a small serving bowl combine tomatoes, pepper, onion, cilantro and lime juice. Add honey if desired. Season generously to taste with salt and pepper.
1 (15 oz) can unsalted chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
2 garlic cloves
3 tbsp water
*You will also need fresh thyme, grated or shaved parmesan cheese, and a couple additional tomatoes (sliced in half).
Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
In a small bowl place 1 cup tomatoes and drizzle with a little (approximately ½ tbsp) olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss to coat.
Spread tomatoes in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
Roast tomatoes in the preheated oven for approximately 30 minutes.
While tomatoes are roasting combine tahini, lemon juice, 1 tbsp oil, chickpeas, garlic, salt, pepper and water in a large capacity food processor or blender (I use a @vitamix). Blend until smooth, then set aside (keeping contents in blender/food processor).
Once tomatoes are done/roasted, remove from oven and allow to cool for approximately 10 minutes.
Next, add roasted tomatoes to blender/food processor (with hummus mixture still inside) and pulse/blend to combine thoroughly. If hummus mixture is too thick, you can add a drizzle
more olive oil or a splash of water.
When done, transfer hummus to a small dish or bowl and garnish with fresh thyme, grated/shaved parmesan cheese and a couple additional tomatoes (sliced in half), as shown.
Serve hummus with vegetables of choice. As shown: served with cauliflower, celery, and carrots.
2 pieces of sourdough bread or a larger sourdough roll will work too
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
Salt, black pepper, white pepper, and chili powder to taste. Optional: Tomato Infused Salt
*You will also need additional diced green and red pepper pieces, diced cucumber pieces and a handful more tomatoes for garnish.
Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
Start off by cutting up your onion into smaller chunks (just a few cuts will do). Set aside. Then, cut your red peppers, removing all seeds and cutting into large halves or thirds that can be
laid flat on your pan when roasting. Peel garlic cloves. Set aside.
Place tomatoes, onion and red pepper pieces in a large bowl and drizzle with a little olive oil (*as much is needed to coat), and salt. Toss to coat.
Spread everything in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet (or two!)
Roast tomatoes, onion and peppers in preheated oven for approximately 30 minutes. During the last 15 minutes of roasting, place cloves on a tray with tomatoes.
While everything roasts, peel the cucumber and cut into a couple large pieces, and also dice *additional green pepper, red pepper and cucumber for garnish. Set aside.
Once done, remove roasted ingredients from oven and allow to cool for approximately 10 minutes. Once cooled, carefully remove skins off of red peppers.
In a high-powered blender (I use a Vitamix) add the following: onion, garlic, peppers, and a handful of tomatoes. Blend until smooth.
Next, add the remainder of the tomatoes, sourdough and peeled cucumber chunks to the blender. Blend again until completely smooth.
Then, add your olive oil, lime juice, salt, peppers and just a pinch of chili powder (can omit chili powder if desired!) Taste and adjust as needed.
Divide between 4- 5 bowls, and garnish with diced peppers, cucumbers, and additional tomatoes – sliced in half. I also sprinkled a bit of infused tomato salt (from Gneiss Spice) on top for an extra flavor punch! So good.
Cook your pasta according to package directions and drain.
While the pasta is cooking, saute the bacon on medium heat, flipping every couple minutes.
Once the bacon is cooked through, transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel.
When the bacon is cooled, chop into bite sized pieces.
Drizzle the asparagus and corn with avocado oil.
Heat your grill on high, and then turn it down to medium. Grill your veggies, turning them often so they don’t burn. The asparagus cooks pretty quick, so watch to make sure it’s the perfectly crispy brown.
Once your corn is brighter yellow and has grill marks, you can pull it off.
Cut the corn off the cob and cut the asparagus into 2 - 3 inch pieces.
In a food processor or blender, combine the lemon juice, basil, avocado oil, garlic, and a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Blend until combined, about 15 seconds.
In a large bowl, combine the chickpea pasta, bacon bites, asparagus, corn, halved tomatoes, and dressing.
Farro Grain Bowl with Heavenly Villagio Marzano® tomatoes
Author: Diana Chan
Cook time:
Total time:
Yields: 2
Ingredients
1 cup uncooked Farro, rinsed
½ Cucumber, sliced
½ cup Village Farms Heavenly Villagio Marzano® tomatoes
1 cup Chickpeas
1 cup Arugula
½ Avocado, sliced
1 Round Radish, sliced
2 tablespoon Red Vinegar
3 tablespoon Olive Oil
2 tablespoon Lemon Juice
½ teaspoon Dijon Mustard
Pinch of Salt and Pepper
Instructions
Rinse and drain farro. Place in a pot and add 3 cups of water.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 30 minutes. Drain any excess
water. Let cool to room temperature.
Start with a base of arugula in a bowl. Add farro, cucumber, chickpeas, round radishes, avocado, and Village Farms Heavenly Villagio Marzano® tomatoes.
In a bowl, combine red wine vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.
10 thin stalks asparagus (enough for 1 cup of ribbons)
8 eggs
½ cup feta crumbles, divided
¼ cup milk
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
½ tablespoon butter
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400F.Slice the tomatoes in half. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place them on top. Drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with oregano, kosher salt, and fresh ground black pepper.Roast the tomatoes 22 to 25 minutes until tender and slightly browned.
Wash the asparagus and chop off the tough ends. Lay asparagus spears on a flat surface. With a vegetable peeler, shave each spear from the from the bottom up. Remove the tips if desired. Measure out 1 cup of ribbons.
Whisk together the eggs, ¼ cup feta cheese crumbles, milk, kosher salt, and several grinds black pepper.
In a 10-inch ovenproof skillet, melt the butter and swish around the pan to evenly coat. Pour in egg mixture and cook over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until the edges are set. Top with the
tomatoes and asparagus ribbons, arranging them as desired, then sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup feta.
Place the skillet in the oven and bake 10 to 12 minutes until the center is firm. Cool for a few minutes before serving, then cut into pieces and serve warm. (You also can serve at room temperature.)
Pre-made pizza crusts, naan bread, etc. - use whatever you would usually use (I used a combo)
Rainbow colored toppings (I used additional cherry no. 9 fall in love again® tomatoes - halved, orange, yellow and green bell peppers - cut using mini heart shaped cookie cutters, yellow corn, broccoli and purple onion - diced)
Shredded cheese for topping - use whatever you would usually use (I used a dairy-free cheese option for these)
Instructions
To make sauce: Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees
Remove stems from tomatoes and rinse. Then, cut bell pepper into strips.
In a large bowl, add all of your sauce ingredients (minus the salt and pepper and 1 half of the olive oil - 2 tsp). Coat all ingredients well - ensuring that the tomatoes and pepper pieces are covered on all sides.
Transfer coated mixture to an oven safe dish and cook in oven until tomatoes and peppers are softened and mixture is fragrant and bubbly.
Remove from the oven (but keep oven on) and allow mixture to cool just slightly, then transfer to a high-powered blender (I used a Vitamix) and blend until smooth.
Next, in a sauce pan, add the remaining 2 tsp oi and heat. Then add sauce to pan and add in butter, mixing until worked into sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Remove from heat and use as you start making pizzas (See below), or store in a jar in the refrigerator for up to one week. *Please note: this recipe yielded approximately 18 ounces of sauce, which was enough for 3 pizzas and additional sauce to store for use later.
To make pizzas: Smooth sauce over your pizza crusts or bread.
Then, top pizzas with toppings. As mentioned above, we used mini cookie cutters in the shapes of hearts to cut out different size heart peppers to top ours with. Going from red to purple (if desired) arrange veggies on top of crust/ bread.
Finish off by topping with cheese of choice.
Cook for approx. 12 - 15 min., or per crust’s instructions.
Enjoy immediately! Now THAT is a pizza with heart!
1 container (approximately 5 oz) arugula, baby arugula or a spinach/ arugula mix
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Then, line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper or foil and spray lightly with a cooking spray of choice. Alternatively, you can just spray your cooking spray directly on your pan(s). Set aside. *If cooking for two, just divide the entire recipe in half and use one pan!
Next, zest one of your lemons. Once finished zesting, cut a lemon in half and squeeze all juice from lemon halves, ensuring to remove any seeds from the juice. Depending on the amount of juice squeezed, you may need to juice second lemon. Set juice and zest aside.
Rub/ season chicken generously with the following: 1 and ½ tbsp olive oil, only ½ tsp oregano, salt, pepper and most of your lemon zest (saving just a bit for garnish). Divide chicken between the two prepared baking sheets.
Next, cut potatoes in quarters, or if very small - halves. Place in a large bowl and season with the following: 1 and ½ tbsp olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Toss to evenly coat. Then transfer potatoes to baking sheets (divide between the two).
Place your baking sheets in the oven and cook for 12-15 min. until chicken is cooked through. Then, remove chicken only from pans and set aside (keeping warm). Return pans with potatoes back to the oven. *If desired, you can also change oven setting mid-way through and broil chicken for last 2-3 min. of cook time. Continue cooking potatoes another 8-10 min., or until potatoes are soft, yet crispy and cooked through.
While potatoes are back in the oven, take approx. 2 cups of tomatoes, and in a medium-sized bowl, and add ¼ tsp basil, 1 tbsp olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss to evenly coat. Then, in the last 5 min. of cooking potatoes, add tomatoes to your baking sheets and cook alongside potatoes for the remainder of the time.
While potatoes and tomatoes finish cooking, make your dressing by adding 2 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp olive oil, mustard honey and ½ tsp oregano in a glass jar. Cover and shake until well blended. Alternatively, you can whisk these ingredients together and set aside.
When potatoes and tomatoes are finished cooking, remove pans from oven and allow to just slightly cool. Then, add arugula or other greens to baking sheets and drizzle with dressing. Toss to coat.
Divide chicken, and potato/ tomato salad between 4 plates or bowl. Eat immediately and enjoy!
On a floured surface, roll out pizza dough to ½-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut Christmas trees out of the dough. Lay on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Top each pizza with pizza sauce, tomatoes, cheese, and spinach.
Bake 10 minutes, or until browned and cheese is melted
Cabernet Estate Reserve®, Goat Cheese & Caramelized Onion Mini Quiche
Author: Produce for Kids
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Yields: 24 quiches
Ingredients
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• ½ large sweet onion, sliced
24 mini phyllo shells
½ cup chopped Village Farms® Cabernet Estate Reserve® tomatoes
4 oz. crumbled goat cheese
3 large eggs
2 Tbsp. heavy cream
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Heat butter in skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until onions are softened.
Reduce heat to low and cook additional 20-30 minutes, stirring often, until onions are caramelized. Remove from heat, transfer to cutting board and finely chop.
Place phyllo shells on parchment-lined baking sheet. Add onions, tomatoes and goat cheese.
Whisk eggs, cream, salt and pepper in bowl. Pour into phyllo shells.
Bake 10-12 minutes, or until eggs are set.
3.3.3077
Recipe and photography created exclusively for Village Farms by Produce for Kids
Toss tomatoes with oil, salt and pepper. Set aside.
Unroll puff pastry on baking sheet lined with parchment paper and cut into 9 squares. Roll in edges of puff pastry slightly to create a frame. Top each square with 1 tsp. pesto, feta and a tomato slice.
Using a sharp serrated knife, thinly slice the tomatoes. Salt them and place them on a cutting board. After a few minutes, transfer them to a paper towel and place another paper towel on top to remove as much liquid as possible. Wash and dry the sage leaves.
In a large bowl, stir together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, then stir in the milk and olive oil.
When the oven is preheated, place the butter in a 9 x 13” pan and place the pan in the oven for a few minutes to melt the butter. Once the butter has melted, brush it over the entire pan. Arrange tomatoes and sage leaves on the bottom of the pan (ours fit 6 rows of 4 tomatoes; make sure to place the sage leaves upside down).
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. As carefully as possible, slowly pour the batter over the tomatoes and sage leaves, making sure not to move the rows of tomatoes. Smooth out the top with a spatula.
Place the pan in the oven and bake about 30 minutes, until the sides are browned (if your oven is uneven, at 15 minutes, rotate the pan for even baking). Remove from the oven and run a sharp knife around the edges, then carefully invert it onto a baking sheet. Top with a thin layer of finely grated Parmesan cheese and broil on high for 3 to 4 minutes until crisp.
Cut into pieces and serve warm (or at room temperature). To store, wrap the remaining pieces in aluminum foil and store refrigerated or frozen. Prior to serving, reheat in a 350F oven until warmed through and crisp (the bread becomes very dry when cold, so reheating for a few minutes in the oven is preferable.)
On a skewer place whole wheat bread (sliced into fourths), Village Farms Heavenly Villagio Marzano® Tomato, deli turkey, romaine lettuce, cubed cheese, crispy bacon and another piece of whole wheat bread on the other end.
Fill remaining spaces of bento style lunchbox with other items listed.
In a medium bowl, combine the butter, 1 egg, almond flour, and sea salt.
Whisk everything together and place in the fridge for 15 minutes.
Grease your pie tin with coconut oil, spray, or extra butter.
With your hands, press the crust into the pie tin. This won’t be typical pie crust consistency, it’s pretty malleable, so feel free to really spread it, break it and fill in the entire tin.
In a small bowl, whisk the second egg.
Brush the whisked egg on the inside of the pie crust.
Bake in the oven for 10 - 12 minutes until golden brown.
When it’s done baking, crumble the goat cheese into the bottom of the pie crust.
Cut the the Lorabella Blossom tomatoes in half and line them in the pie crust, pushing them into the goat cheese if they need some help standing up.
Turn your broiler on high and broil for 2 - 5 minutes depending on what kind of oven you have. I have an electric oven and it took me 5 - 7 minutes.
Cut into 6 - 8 slices and drizzle with balsamic reduction if desired!
In a cocktail shaker, muddle cucumber slices with sugar until the cucumbers exude their juices. Add the remaining ingredients into the shaker and fill with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a cocktail glass rimmed with salt (optional). Garnish with a cucumber slice.
Preheat the oven to 350F. Brush the pita breads on both sides with olive oil and sprinkle with a few pinches kosher salt. Slice each pita into 8 wedges with a pizza cutter. Place the wedges on a baking sheet and bake until golden and crispy, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, then break the wedges into irregular pieces.
Meanwhile, mince the garlic, then use the flat blade of your knife to scrape it into a paste. In a medium bowl whisk together the garlic, ¼ cup lemon juice, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, cinnamon, allspice, maple, and several grinds of black pepper. Gradually whisk in ½ cup olive oil a tablespoon or two at a time until a creamy emulsion forms.
Drain and rinse the chickpeas, shaking off as much water as possible. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the chickpeas, cumin, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and several grinds of black pepper and sauté for 5 minutes until the chickpeas are golden and warmed through.
Chop the romaine hearts. Slice the tomatoes in half. Dice the cucumber. Thinly slice the scallions and radishes; slice the radishes in half. Thinly slice the mint leaves. To serve, place the greens in the bowl and arrange the vegetables, chickpeas, and toasted pita on top, adding a few pinches of kosher salt to the tomatoes and cucumber. Drizzle with dressing and garnish with mint and lemon zest (or sumac, if desired).
1 day-old baguette or country loaf (about 10-12 ounces), cut into 1-inch cubes (about 10 cups)
8 ounces of grated Gruyere or Fontina cheese (about 2 ½ cups)
Instructions
Prep the vegetables: Stem the tomatoes and cut into eighths. Thinly slice the white and green part of the leek into half moons to yield 1 cup. Cut off the ends of the asparagus spears and cut into 1-inch pieces to yield about 2 ½ cups.
Cook the vegetables: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and add the leeks. Season them with ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper and stir frequently until the leeks soften and are beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn up the heat to medium high and add the asparagus. Stir to combine and then let sit undisturbed for 1 to 2 minutes to encourage browning. Stir and then let sit for another 1 to 2 minutes until both the asparagus and leeks are browned in places. Take skillet off the heat and stir in the tomatoes.
Make the custard: Beat the eggs in a bowl or large pitcher and whisk in the milk and ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper.
Assemble the strata: Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread half the bread in a single layer on the bottom of the dish. Top with an even layer of half of the vegetables, half of the custard, and then half of the cheese. Repeat with the remaining bread, vegetables, custard, and cheese. Cover with plastic wrap and press down on the bread to make sure it is submerged in the custard. Refrigerate for at least four hours and up to a day before baking.
Bake the strata: Take the strata out of the fridge and preheat the oven to 350F. Take the plastic off the strata and bake until the custard is set, 45-55 minutes. Don’t worry if the middle is not quite set if the rest of the strata is firm. It will set as it cools. If, however, the custard is not set after 55 minutes and the top is browning, cover loosely with foil and bake until it sets, checking every 5 minutes. When ready, take out of the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes and then cut into squares and serve.
1 package Maverick Mix® tomatoes (1 pound), halved or quartered depending on size
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, oregano, or marjoram
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
Chili flakes (optional)
4 eggs
4 slices of crusty bread
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450F.
Combine tomatoes, garlic, herbs, olive oil, ¼ teaspoon each of salt, pepper, and chili flakes (if using) in a baking dish (1 to 2 quarts in size).
Bake for 10 minutes until tomatoes are soft (or up to 25 minutes if you have the time and you want more of a concentrated tomato sauce).
With a wooden spoon, make 4 small wells in the tomatoes. Crack an egg into each well and sprinkle salt, pepper, and chili pepper (if using) atop the eggs.
Bake until the yolks are set to your liking, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Let rest 5 minutes.
Serve in individual bowls with bread to soak up the savory juices.
Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Saute red onion, chorizo and mushrooms until onions and mushrooms are softened. Season with red pepper flakes.
Toss in tomatoes to the mixture and cook slightly to heat. Remove from heat.
In a non stick skillet, heat butter. Whisk eggs and pour into skillet to scramble. After eggs are nearly cooked, stir in cheese.
Remove from heat and fold eggs into sauteed tomato mixture; garnish with cilantro.
Serve warm wrapped in a tortilla.
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Recipe and photography created exclusively for Village Farms by Kristina LaRue, RD
1 large head cauliflower, chopped into small florets (about 6 cups riced cauliflower)
¼ cup chicken or vegetable broth
½ cup shredded cheddar
2 tablespoons half and half or milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
In a large cast iron skillet, cook bacon until crispy over medium heat. Remove from pan and set aside on paper towels. Chop or crumble bacon when cool enough to handle.
Reserve 2 teaspoons bacon drippings in pan for shrimp. Arrange shrimp in pan in single layer, cooking over medium heat until pink and cooked through. Flip halfway to ensure even browning on both sides. Remove shrimp from pan. Add onions and kale to the skillet and cook until onions begin to turn translucent; stir constantly and slowly add broth to skillet to keep veggies from sticking.
Stir in cherry tomatoes and cook just until they begin to burst, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in parsley.
For the grits, rice cauliflower in blender or food processor. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add riced cauliflower and cook until starting to brown about 8 minutes, stir in broth and cover for about 5 minutes to steam cauliflower until fully cooked.
Using an immersion blender, puree cauliflower slightly to create a creamy consistency that resembles grit like texture. Remove from heat and stir in cheese and cream; season with salt and pepper to taste.
To serve, ladle shrimp and tomato mixture over cheesy cauliflower grits and top with crumbled bacon.
3.3.3077
Recipe and photography created exclusively for Village Farms by Kristina LaRue, RD
To make the balsamic reduction, stir the balsamic vinegar and honey together in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low, and then simmer for about 10 minutes or until the mixture has reduced to ⅓ cup. Allow it to cool to room temperature before using.
Slice the campari tomatoes and mozzarella.
Layer them on the plate, alternating between the two.
Garnish with basil leaves and drizzle with the balsamic reduction before serving.
Make the Pork Belly: Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Remove skin from meat. Use sharp knife to score fat cap into a criss cross pattern (or ask your butcher to do this for you). Place meat in roasting pan and generously season all over with salt and pepper. Transfer to oven and cook 3 hours.
Raise oven temperature to 400 degrees and cook 30 minutes longer or until top of meat is caramelized and crisp, basting meat with accumulated juices every 10 minutes. Transfer meat to cutting board and let stand 30 minutes before slicing.
Meanwhile, make the Tomato Jam: In medium saucepot, heat mini san marzano tomatoes, sugar, vinegar, ginger, cumin, salt, allspice and red pepper flakes to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour or until mixture has the consistency of jam, stirring occasionally.
Assemble the Sliders: Slice pork belly into ¼-inch pieces. If pork belly has been prepared in advance and refrigerated, gently reheat sliced pieces in nonstick skillet until warmed through.
Divide sliced pork belly among bottom buns. Top pork belly with a spoonful of Tomato Jam and a small handful of arugula. Covers with tops of buns and serve immediately.
Home Chef Tip: The pork belly can be roasted up to 2 days in advance. After roasting, transfer whole pork belly to large plate or container and transfer to refrigerator, uncovered, for 2 hours or until completely cool, then cover until ready to slice, reheat, and assemble sandwiches. Tomato jam can be made up to 5 days in advance. After making tomato jam, let stand at room temperature until completely cool. Transfer to jar or covered container and refrigerate.
On large rimmed baking pan, prepare ravioli according to package directions. Sprinkle with black beans and cheese; return to oven and bake 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese is melted and beans are warmed through.
Serve topped with campari tomatoes, jalapenos, cilantro, onion and olives. Serve with guacamole, hot sauce, sour cream and lime wedges.
1 14.1 oz Package refrigerated Pillsbury Pie Crusts, use one of the two crusts
1 Egg white
½ tsp Milk
1 tsp Fresh thyme
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400º. Remove one roll of dough from the box, remove dough from plastic wrapper and let come to room temperature for 15 minutes.
In a large skillet, heat oil and add sliced onion and salt and cook until caramelized, about 25–30 minutes on medium heat. Remove from heat and drain well on a paper towel.
Unroll the dough and place onto crust – in order – onions, shredded cheese and mini san marzano tomato slices being careful to leave a 1-inch border around the edges of the dough for folding. Fold the uncovered 1-inch edge of the dough up around the contents. The filling inside the galette (or tart) should be visible. Brush a small amount of the egg white mixture over the edges of the exposed crust. Bake at 400º for 20–25 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Top with fresh thyme before serving.
Celery stalks, cooked cocktail shrimp, lemon wedges, olives, and/or Village Farms true rebel mix® tomatoes, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425°F. Cut campari tomatoes in half and divide between two rimmed baking pans. Drizzle campari tomatoes with oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Use hands to toss until all campari tomatoes are coated in oil, then turn them so cut sides are facing down. Transfer pans to oven and bake 45 minutes or until campari tomatoes are very soft and tomato skins are shriveled. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes.
Carefully pull skins off tomatoes and discard. Transfer campari tomatoes and any accumulated juices to blender. Add water, Worcestershire sauce, dill, lemon juice, horseradish, celery seeds, lime juice, sriracha, paprika, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Blend until smooth. If mixture is too thick, add additional water 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is achieved. Taste mixture and adjust seasonings and spices to suit your taste. Transfer mixture to covered container or jar and refrigerate until chilled, or up to 5 days.
Fill 8 pint glasses with ice. Add 2 ounces vodka to each glass; top with Bloody Mary mix. Stir well and serve with desired garnishes.
Begin by washing all fresh vegetables. Using a spiral slicer, cut all of the zucchini into spaghetti (there are many inexpensive spiral slicers on the market).
Grate Parmigiano cheese, coarsely chop parsley, and cut cherry tomatoes in half.
Lightly toast the pine nuts in a dry pan.
Mix together the ricotta and tomato paste; reserve.
Lightly heat up the cherry tomato crudo sauce.
Toss the raw zucchini “spaghetti” with the warm tomato sauce, cherry tomatoes, and chopped parsley.
Add in the Parmigiano and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Plate spaghetti and top each dish with toasted pine nuts and a dollop of the roasted tomato ricotta.
This dish can also be served raw and chilled as a refreshing summer salad.
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, coarsely shaved with a carrot peeler
½ tsp Black pepper
½ tsp Sea salt
Instructions
Begin by washing all the fresh vegetables;
Cut the eggplant into ½” thick discs - pat with salt and set aside for 30 minutes.
Chop the parsley and grate the Parmesan.
Wipe salt off of the eggplant with a paper towel, and brush with half of the olive oil; reserve the other half of oil for the sautéing later.
Grill the eggplant on a hot BBQ or grill pan until the outside is charred and the center is soft. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Mix the flour, cornstarch, chopped parsley, stale bread, and Parmesan cheese in a food processor and transfer to a bowl in preparation for breading the eggplant.
Crack both eggs into another bowl and stir with a fork.
Dip the eggplant into the egg mixture and coat thoroughly, then transfer to the breading mixture and pack breadcrumbs on firmly.
Repeat by dipping the breaded eggplant into the egg mixture, then once more into the breadcrumbs to add another layer of breading.
Once breaded, arrange eggplant slices onto a baking sheet and chill in the oven 10–15 minutes to set up firm.
In a large sauté pan, heat up the remaining olive oil. Once heated, place the eggplant cutlets down to sear. Be sure to allow each side to form a crisp, golden crust (approximately one minute for each side).
Transfer the finished eggplant cutlets to a baking sheet and hold warm in the oven until you’re ready to plate and serve.
To plate, spoon the warm tomato sauce in the middle of your plate, then alternate by piling on the eggplant cutlets, shavings of Parmesan cheese, and more tomato sauce. Enjoy.
Pat the scallops dry and pull of the small abductor muscle on the side if its still attached. (little tough rectangle that’s sometimes on the side of the scallop, peels off easily)
Slice the raw fennel thinly and reserve in ice water until serving time. (save the green fronds for garnish as well).
Lay the pancetta discs out flat on a baking sheet on parchment paper or wax paper.
Bake the pancetta at 300° for 8-10 minutes, keeping an eye on them, this one’s very particular - you want them crispy but every pancetta will act differently depending on how fatty or thick it is. You can take them out when they’re a nice dark roasted colour even if they’re not totally crisp yet because they will crisp up more as they cool.
Once the pancettas are done, transfer them to a paper towel to ensure they stay crisp.
Heat up a sauté pan, dry without any oil.
Quickly toast the pumpkin seeds in the dry pan then reserve them.
Return the hot pan to the heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil.
Season the scallops with salt and pepper, and add to the hot pan- don’t move them at all for 1 minute.
Flip the scallops and give them another minute of searing on that side, then pull the pan off the heat and let them sit in the pan as it cools to gently continue to cook. You can remove them at any point depending on how you like them done; if you pull them out right away you should have a nice medium-rare scallop.
Once you’ve removed the scallops from the pan and placed them somewhere warm to rest for a few minutes, add the cabernet estate coulis to the pan to heat it up and prepare to plate.
To plate the scallops, first pool ¼ cup of the tomato coulis in the center of the plate, then stack up the seared scallops, shaved raw fennel, and pancetta discs into a tidy tower or jumbled pile, as you see fit.
Zest and juice a lime over the 4 dishes to finish.
Put the lukewarm water in a mixing bowl with a dough hook.
Add the yeast and the sugar. Stir once, then allow to sit for a few minutes until it develops a bit of a froth.
Add olive oil, and mix on low for 10 seconds to incorporate the oil and agitate the yeast.
Add the flour, and mix on low until the loose flour is combined. Increase the speed to medium-high.
Mix until all the dough begins to be caught up in the dough hook and is no longer sticking to the walls.
Increase mixer speed to high and allow the dough hook to work the dough for 30 seconds.
Remove the dough from the mixing bowl, and turn out onto a floured surface. Lightly knead the dough for another 30 seconds.
Shape into individual balls, and lay out on a baking sheet covered with a clean dish cloth.
Allow to proof on the counter for 30–40 minutes.
When the dough is ready to roll out, dress and bake in a 400°F oven. (If you want to store the dough longer, place the whole batch in a large ball in a covered bowl, and store it in the refrigerator.)
Chop parsley and mint, fold half into the ricotta and reserve the rest for garnish.
Zest the lemon into the ricotta and reserve the remaining lemon/juice to finish.
Cut baguette into cross sections 1” thick and place on a sheet pan.
Drizzle baguette slices with half of your olive oil.
Toast baguette slices in oven at high heat until brown and crusty, 3–5 minutes.
Rub each crusty slice of bread 2–3 swipes with a raw garlic clove.
Cut Campari tomatoes in half and rub the cut surface of the tomato onto the crusty bread until it's mashed down to a paste on the bread. Do this for all the baguettes and lay them out on a sheet pan.
Top each baguette slice with a dollop of the herbed ricotta. Pat down a flat spot, then drop a tablespoon each of diced chorizo and peas directly onto the ricotta.
Top with the remaining lemon juice, chopped mint, and parsley.
Season with salt and pepper, and transfer to a serving platter.
In a dry pan, toast the mustard seeds, cumin, and chili powder on medium-high heat until you just begin to see fine whisps of smoke, then remove from heat and transfer to a food processor or blender.
Add all the other ingredients except the oil and the fresh cilantro to the blender and purée with brief pulses until uniformly chopped.
Slowly add olive oil as you continue to purée until it's all incorporated.
Add cilantro and pulse briefly until it's just rough chopped.
Cut the avocado in half and brush it with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Grill the avocado by placing it cut-side down on the hot grill/pan and not moving it for 1 minute.
Gently remove avocado from grill, coarsely chop, sprinkle with the juice of ½ the lime and reserve.
Roughly chop the cucumber, kale, and mint. Combine all in a large mixing bowl.
Peel down the Brussels sprouts into leaves and add to bowl.
Add the avocado to the bowl.
–15 minutes before serving, squeeze the remaining lime juice into the bowl, add the remaining olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Hand toss to mix.
Plate the salad by pooling the cucumber yoghurt in the center of the plate, spreading it out, then dropping your olive oil and lime-dressed salad in the center, then topping the salad with pumpkinseeds.
(If you’d like to step it up a little, you can use pumpkinseed oil, which is a beautiful, nutty-tasting oil, and drizzle it through the cucumber dressing.)
Transfer to a food processor or blender and purée while pouring in the remaining olive oil.
Once the mixture is smooth, add garlic, chickpeas, and sesame seeds, and continue to purée.
Add salt, pepper, cumin, parsley, lemon juice, and zest, and purée once more briefly—just enough to rough chop the parsley and combine the final seasonings.
Combine all ingredients in a food processor or combine in a bowl and puree with a hand blender. (All of the cilantro plant is useable, including the stalk…)
Put a pot of salted water on to boil and prepare an ice bath.
While you're waiting for the water to boil and the pan to heat up, brush the chicken breasts with some of the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
Heat a grill pan, bbq, or heavy skillet to high heat and grill chicken to 100% cooked – cool, slice, and set aside.
Once your water has reached a boil, place spinach in water for 30 seconds then transfer immediately to ice bath. After Squeeze out excess water, rough chop spinach, and reserve.
Cut the mini san marzano tomatoes and grapes into halves.
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl, toss with herb dressing, taste and re-season.
Preheat oven to 350º. Cream butter, shortening and brown sugar in a stand mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Add egg yolk and vanilla.
Combine flour and salt in a small bowl. Add flour mixture to the mixer a little at a time, making sure not to over beat.
In a separate bowl, beat 1 egg white and set aside.
Make 16 quarter-sized balls with the dough and create a deep well in each cookie using your thumb or the back of a small spoon. Cookies expand when baking, so smaller balls are better.
Place unfilled cookies into the freezer for 15 minutes prior to baking.
Remove and bake for 16–18 minutes until golden brown. Remove and reform the wells if needed. Let cool and fill with tomato jam.
Preheat oven to 400°. Place tomatoes, onions, olive oil and salt onto baking sheet and mix well. Place on center rack in the oven and roast for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
Slice the chiles down the center and remove stems and seeds. Place onto a dry baking sheet and bake for 2–3 minutes at 400° until fragrant, being careful not to burn. Remove from oven. Place beef stock in a saucepan and heat without boiling. Remove saucepan from heat. Add chiles to the stock and allow to soften for 30 minutes. Remove chiles to a bowl and save all the liquid.
Cook tamales in their sealed package in boiling water for 45 minutes. Remove from package and set aside.
Place tomato/onion mixture, garlic, cumin, 2 Tablespoons chili-infused beef stock, salt and reconstituted chiles into food processor or blender and blend until very smooth. Add more stock to obtain desired consistency.
Place a small amount of sauce on top of your tamales and top with a dollop of sour cream.
Mix all ingredients together. Chill if possible for about an hour to let flavors blend. Serve at room temperature with pita bread or pita crisps (baguette slices in lieu of pita)
Cook noodles in salted boiling water for approximately 9 minutes, or until al dente, reserve noodles to add to finished sauce.
In a preheated pan, add olive oil and bring to medium-high heat; add chopped guanciale, render at medium heat until slightly crisp. Add chili flakes, parsley and garlic, maintaining a medium heat, cook out for approximately another minute. Increase temperature, and add chopped fresh mini san marzano tomatoes – cook out for a few more minutes. Finish with pachino tomato sauce, add pasta, Pecorino and salt to taste.
Bake diced bacon in a 375°F oven until crisp and golden; reserve.
Heat canola oil in a deep pot in preparation to deep-fry the parsley and the shallots.
Heat oil until it bubbles when you drop in a parsley leaf.
Fry the parsley in a couple of small batches until crisp.
Transfer to a paper towel–covered plate when done and reserve.
Toss the shallots in cornstarch, taking care to shake off the excess. Fry until golden brown; transfer to a paper towel to absorb excess moisture. Reserve.
Purée ripe avocados in a blender with garlic, olive oil, and lime juice.
Salt and pepper to taste, and reserve.
Slice the beefsteak tomatoes into thin disks and arrange on plates “carpaccio”-style (laid out flat).
Season with salt and pepper, then spread the avocado purée over the tomatoes.
Top the purée with the crisp bacon, raw onions, and fried shallots evenly. Finish by gently placing the fried parsley leaves standing up throughout the carpet of garnish as a finishing touch.
Finish seasoning with sea salt and cracked pepper.
Slice the baguettes in cross sections ½ inch thick; lay out on a baking tray and drizzle liberally with the ¼ cup olive oil. Bake in a 350°F oven until just golden and crisp on the exterior, but retaining a soft core.
Toss the chopped roma tomatoes and the artichokes with olive oil and vinegar. Make sure to save any juice from chopping roma tomatoes and add back into mix. Add the fresh herbs, then season with salt and pepper to taste then spoon mixture onto the crostini. It is important not to dress crostini too far ahead otherwise they will lose crisp texture due to moisture being absorbed.
