One of our high tunnels full of salad greens!

We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Ours was full of family and food, just the way we like holidays to be. The outdoor work on the farm is starting to slow down, which allows us more time to spend with family, friends and each other. We're almost done getting all of our garlic in the ground for next year, plus overwintered shallots that will be ready in the early spring!

what we're eating

My tastebuds and stomach are conflicted. On one hand, they crave something light and bright like a salad with citrusy dressing. On the other hand, they're really feeling this rich, comforting foods thing - it's still late fall, after all! So here are two recipes that span each end of this spectrum - go with what feels right to you and your belly.

Caesar Salad Dressing

I think Caesar salad perfectly spans salad and comfort food. A friend of ours once described it as his "spirit food," and I can totally relate. Here's my go-to recipe. If you want to keep it vegetarian, ditch the anchovies and use vegetarian Worstershire sauce (up the quantity to closer to a teaspoon.)

Adapted from Bon Appetit

3 oil-packed anchovy fillets (optional)
1 large garlic clove, chopped
1/4 teaspoon (or more) kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon (or more) black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Worstershire sauce (vegetarian if you desire)
1 large egg yolk
2 tablespoon lemon juice
¾ teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons Parmesan, finely grated

Food Processor/Immersion Blender/Blender Directions

Combine all ingredients except olive oil and Parmesan in your food processor/blender. Once they're a relatively uniform paste, slowly add your olive oil while the device is on. This will create a beautifully emulsified, creamy dressing. Add teaspoons of water to reach desired consistency. Once achieved, add in Parmesan. Enjoy on Good Dog Farm salad greens!

By Hand Directions

Finely chop and combine all ingredients except olive oil and Parmesan in a medium sized bowl. Place the bowl on a damp towel on the counter to hold it in place. Whisk the mixture with one hand while gradually drizzling in olive oil with the other. Add teaspoons of water to reach desired consistency. Once achieved, add in Parmesan. Enjoy on Good Dog Farm salad greens!

Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

We saw this recipe in the Wegman's circular and immediately knew we needed to try it. We scaled up the ricotta and added sausage, and it was delicious!

1 (about 2 3/4 lbs) spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise, seeded

1 tsp salt, plus additional to taste

1 tsp black pepper, plus additional to taste

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic

3/4 lbs braising mix greens

15 oz ricotta cheese

1 Large Egg

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp dried parsley

1/2 cup grated cheese

24 oz tomato sauce

Roast the spaghetti squash in the oven at 425F for about 15 minutes, or until you can pierce the skin easily with a fork. Once it's cool, run tines of fork lengthwise over cut surface of squash to loosen spaghetti-like strands. Scoop strands into bowl; squeeze out any excess moisture. Season with salt and pepper to taste; set aside.
Heat oil in pan over medium heat; add garlic. Add braising mix a little at a time. Cook, stirring, 1-2 min until wilted. Remove from heat; squeeze out any excess moisture. Season with salt and pepper to taste; set aside.
Combine ricotta, egg, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, onion powder, oregano, parsley, and 1/2 cup grated cheese in large bowl; set aside.
Spray 8x8-inch baking dish with cooking spray or coat with oil; spread 1/2 cup sauce on bottom of dish. Top with one-third squash; spread with half of ricotta mixture. Top with half of spinach. Top with another third squash; spread with remaining ricotta mixture. Top with remaining spinach; top with remaining squash. Spread with 3/4 cup sauce. Cover with parchment paper, then foil.
Bake about 75 min until internal temp reaches 165 degrees. Remove from oven; remove foil and paper. Let rest 15 min before serving. Garnish with grated cheese; serve with warmed remaining sauce.

order these ingredients in your csa share!

And for posterity, here's what was on our Thanksgiving table! On the left, Bryan's sweet potato casserole (see last week's newsletter for the recipe), balsamic glazed carrots with pearl onions, and salad with blue cheese and pear - all Good Dog Farm produce! The center shows the "before" shot of that lovely produce, and on the right is the full spread.

Have a great week, and happy eating!

- Joanna and Bryan