The Modesto Certified Farmers Market brings something new and different every week; from the first vegetables and fruits of a new season to special events, festivals, and much more.  Spring is the time of year that produce offerings from the Farmers Market start to really come alive, and recipe options for fruits and vegetables abound.

Event: Join in the fun of cooking and celebrate the fresh bounty of spring at the first ever hands-on MCFM Cooking Class, Saturday, May 11, 2013 from 9 am till 11:30 a.m. 

What You Will Learn: In this hands-on learning environment, you will enjoy the class led by MCFM Chefs featuring fresh produce from the Farmers Market, the meals  you create and eat in class, tips and techniques, interacting with other students, and recipes to take home.

Class Fee:    $25 class registration fee.

Class Location: Through their generous support and cooperation, the class will be held in the commercial kitchen and dining facility of the First United Methodist Church located adjacent to the Farmers Market.

Registration: Space is limited so please register early by emailing modestocfm@gmail.com.  A minimum of reservations must be received for the class to be held.

Must be 18 years of age and above; skill level is beginner to intermediate.  Ingredients and cooking tools provided – just bring your enthusiasm and joy of cooking fresh.

• We call this ‘Goulash’. The name came from my Nana Ranck. This was her way to stretch leftover macaroni and cheese to make enough to feed my father’s family. We still do it today. Brown some ground beef in a skillet. Add chopped onions, tomatoes and basil. Add the leftover macaroni and cheese. Heat on low just until hot. Taste for seasoning. Add Parmesan cheese. You now have homemade Homemade ‘Hamburger Helper’.
• My typical macaroni and cheese dinner includes fried sausage and baked tomato halves, both of which are in the similar and related recipes. One time I had quite a lot leftover because someone did not show up for dinner. Now I sometimes make extra so that I can make this delicious dish with the leftovers. I chop the sausage (about 1-1/2 cups) and tomatoes (about 1 cup), mix it with the macaroni (about 2-1/2 cups), and add 1 cup of frozen peas. I place it all in a dish and microwave until hot. Then I top it with extra shredded cheese and return to the microwave until melted. This can also be done in the oven, covered with foil. It makes a delicious Easy Cheesy Macaroni Casserole that can be made with any amount that you have leftover.

Make in any amount

Strange though it may sound, I happened to find myself with leftovers and decided to use it for Ravioli with Butternut Squash Cream Sauce. I used frozen cheese ravioli, but any stuffing you prefer would work as well. Sausage or mushroom would both be delicious. Sauté a few onions and garlic, add the soup, reduce it slightly, season with some sage, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. If desired, add a little cream to stretch the amount and mellow the sauce. Serve with the ravioli, passing grated Parmesan cheese separately. This makes a spectacular meal and tastes as though the sauce was made for that purpose.

Notes: This method will work with just about any type of creamy soup you have leftover. A short-cut pasta, such as penne or rotini, can be used in place of the ravioli.

Pasta with Cream Sauce

This makes a delicious, creamy pasta that can be accomplished using most any leftover creamy soup you have on hand, altering the wine and herbs to complement the original dish. The Creamy Seafood Chowder recipe is in the similar and related recipes on the full page view linked above.

Sauté some garlic in a little olive oil, add some optional dry sherry, then the soup. Reduce to desired consistency, depending on the original thickness. Add some fresh or dried basil. Toss with hot pasta and serve, with or without grated cheese.

Notes: The first time I made this, I happened to have some leftover steamed spinach, so I added that to the sauce. No one guessed it was made from leftovers. You can add some fresh spinach for a colorful and flavorful touch.

Make in any amount

• One time when I had some of the vegetables leftover, as well as some rice I had to go with them. I had two extra eggplants that needed to be used. I decided to make Stuffed Eggplants. I browned some ground beef, then added it along with extra seasonings and Parmesan cheese to the vegetable and rice mixture. I used it to stuff the eggplants and baked them until hot. The resulting dish was as good as the first time around. If you prefer, keep it vegetarian by cooking more rice in place of the beef.
• Make Pasta with Vegetables. Reheat the vegetables and toss with cooked pasta, such as farfalle or rotini. Pass grated Parmesan or Romano cheese.
• Make a Summer Vegetable Soup. Sauté some onions and garlic, add canned diced tomatoes, or whole tomatoes crushed, a little water or broth to thin it out, then the vegetables. Season with oregano and/or basil. If you have leftover rice or other grain, add that just long enough to heat. If not, and you need to stretch the amount of soup, add some small pasta before adding the vegetables, such as ditalini or small shells and cook until tender.

• Add some more tomatoes, garlic and oregano; toss with hot pasta.
• Heat the cabbage in a skillet. Add eggs on top, cover and poach to desired doneness.
• Add some tomatoes and/or water and make Cabbage Soup.

Notes: Add as much of the additional ingredients as needed to make the required number of servings. These ideas work equally well for leftover cabbage that was cooked without tomatoes.

Serves 4

This eggplant stew, a cross between a stew and hearty soup, is a quick, easy, healthy and delicious one pot meal. All you need for a complete meal is some good crusty bread. The recipe is written as I it was given to me by my sister-in-law. See the notes below for some variations and the similar and related recipes on the full page view linked above for an equally delicious vegetarian version with mushrooms.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, more or less as needed
• 1 pound ground beef, about 90% lean
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 large eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 2 large cans (about 2-pounds each) whole tomatoes, chopped with juices
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano, more to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional garnish)

Heat a medium stock pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add just enough olive oil to coat the bottom. Add the ground beef and brown, breaking it apart as it cooks. Add onions and peppers and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the eggplant and cook about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, oregano, salt and pepper. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until eggplant is very tender, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately, or keep over very low heat until needed, passing the Parmesan cheese separately.

Notes: You can use more or less ground meat. I usually substitute 93% lean ground turkey because I love the flavor. More eggplant can be added for a thicker stew, more tomatoes for a thinner stew, adjusting the seasonings as needed. Although it was not in the original recipe, I always add some minced garlic just before I add the eggplant to the pot. Sometimes, I add fresh basil at the end for a bright flavor addition. Obviously, this soup is extremely versatile. Leftovers are great and can be served as is or on pasta.

• Chop some onion and carrot. Sauté in a soup pot with a little olive oil. Add some minced garlic. Add water and/or broth. Simmer about 20 minutes, then add leftover cooked greens, small pasta, such as ditalini, and some frozen corn. Simmer until pasta is cooked. This makes a delicious and healthy Greens Soup. The more greens, the better.
• Add some garlic and use as a sauce with cooked pasta. You now have a delicious Pasta with Greens.
• Heat the greens in a skillet and top with eggs. Cover and steam until eggs are set. You now have Poached Eggs on Greens.