New York Times' Quick Tomato, White Bean and Kale Soup

We signed up for a Fall CSA from Simpaug Farms in Suffield and we've been using up these beautiful fall vegetables right and left.

With our first batch of kale, which also had some lingering summer tomatoes, onion, and parsley along with it, we made this delicious and nutritious soup from the New York Times.

It includes a melange of veggies - onion, carrot, celery and garlic plus the tomatoes (we chopped a few fresh ones instead of the can this recipe calls for), potatoes and of course, kale. Fresh herbs like parsley, thyme and bay add flavor and white beans add heartiness.   

In addition to sprinkling some Parmesan on it when serving, we threw a big piece of Parmesan rind in it while it simmered, which added some saltiness and flavor. This recipe is bookmarked for sure. We even shared some with Simpaug's farmer Keith and he gave it a thumbs up, too.

Happy harvesting!

Simpaug Farms' Fall CSA

Amy's first writing assignment for Go Local Magazine was a feature on Simpaug Farms, a family-owned farm on 250 acres of preserved farmland in Suffield, Connecticut. You can read that article HERE (January 2016 Issue).

Many farms, including Simpaug, now sell shares of their crops. This is known as Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA, and is essentially a pre-paid subscription to a farm's seasonal produce (veggies, herbs, flowers), and sometimes, meat and eggs. There are many excellent reasons to purchase a CSA, such as getting to know the farmer, having confidence and trust in exactly where your food is coming from, and gaining the satisfaction of supporting a local business. You may even enjoy the benefit of eating healthier, as your fridge will be automatically stocked with fresh, local, seasonal food.

You may wonder why we bring this up now, when the farming season, at least in Connecticut, is nearly at its end. Well, that is because while most farms sell Summer CSAs, Simpaug Farms is one of the few farms that has a Fall CSA. If you have never tried a CSA, and you're not sure if it's right for you, it makes sense to start with one that is shorter, and therefore a smaller investment. 

Simpaug Farms offers a lot of options for their CSAs. Fall CSAs can be purchased as weekly or biweekly shares, with or without eggs. There are also a variety of pick-up locations throughout the state. Options, dates, prices, locations and all other pertinent information (including an order form) can be found HERE. You can pay online for added convenience or you can sign up online and have an invoice mailed to you so you can pay by check.

We just purchased ours, choosing a Fall half-share (since we're a two-person household), with a dozen eggs added in, which means we will be picking up our share at the Ellington Farmers Market every other Saturday starting October 1st. We are very much looking forward to our very first CSA, and to enjoying the bounty of Simpaug Farms. 

Look for our fresh produce-inspired recipes starting in a few weeks!

Go Local Magazine - April 2016

Go Local Magazine is a local lifestyle magazine showcasing life around the Massachusetts/Connecticut line. Its mission is to improve the community by promoting the region (which includes Stafford Springs, Somers, Enfield and Suffield, CT; and Hampden, East Longmeadow, Longmeadow and Agawam, MA - and this territory will be expanding soon!) as a destination to live, play, shop and eat, and to showcase the citizens who make it great. 

Amy wrote the article on Enfield's newest cafe, For Love and Food (on page 20). Also, you can find a 2-page spread highlighting our Together, We Eat! contest-winning recipe and story on pages 40-41. 

Thinking of purchasing a local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)? There's a great list of farms in the area that offer shares, including our favorite Simpaug Farms. 

You can get a free copy of Go Local Magazine at many businesses around these towns (go here for a list) or check it out online (here).

And - don't forget to tune in Sunday around 7:15 to see Amy on WTNH ABC Channel 8 doing her first live TV cooking segment.

Happy New Year and an Update

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!

The past few weeks have been extremely busy, but we wanted to check in with our readers with an update of what we've been doing.

This month, we are making our second "appearance" in Go Local Magazine. Go Local Magazine is a local lifestyle magazine showcasing life around the Massachusetts/Connecticut line. Its mission is to improve the community by promoting the region (which includes the towns of Stafford Springs, Somers, Enfield and Suffield, CT; and Hampden, East Longmeadow, Longmeadow and Agawam, MA) as a destination to live, play, shop and eat, and to showcase the citizens who make it great. 

Not only is our award-winning recipe for Fried Crab and Avocado Wontons being featured in the current (January 2016) issue (perfect for your Super Bowl party!), but Amy also wrote the article featuring Simpaug Farms in Suffield, CT (their Facebook here). You can get a free copy of Go Local at many businesses around these towns (go here for a list) or read current and past issues on their website. The recipe is on page 24 and the article starts on page 29 in the January issue. 

In a few days, we head to New York to enjoy our Grand Prize in the IKEA Together, We Eat Contest, which includes a $1,500 shopping spree at IKEA, a video shoot at the Paramus store, and a photo shoot with O, The Oprah Magazine. 

Obviously, we have much to be excited about, and thank you, our readers, for your continued support and inspiration.

CHEERS!