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Thanksgiving is right around the corner! This year, try our stuffing recipe that's sure to be a crowd pleaser. We even have many of these ingredients currently in stock at the farm store!
Traditional Holiday Stuffing 
​Ingredients 

• 12oz pork breakfast sausage
• 3/4 cup diced yellow onion 
• 12 cup diced celery 
• coarse salt and fresh black pepper
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries
• 14oz package of herb season stuffing 
• 1 tsp fresh chopped sage or thyme 
• 2 tsp fresh chopped parsley 
• 2 14oz cans of low-sodium chicken broth
• 4 tbsp melted butter, plus more for greasing the pan and dotting the top

Instructions 

1. Set a large skillet over medium heat and brown the sausage, breaking it apart as it cooks into small crumbles. Once cooked, place in a large mixing bowl. Drain excess grease leaving about a tablespoon in the pan.
2. Place dried cranberries in a medium bowl and pour boiling water over them. Let sit 5 minutes to plump up, then drain well and pat dry with paper towels.
   
3. Add onion and celery to skillet, season with salt and pepper and cook until tender, stirring often.
   
4. Add cranberries, onion and celery to the bowl with the sausage.
   
5. Add the stuffing mix, sage and parsley to the bowl and mix.
   
6. Pour chicken broth and melted butter over the stuffing mixture and mix well. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit 5 - 10 minutes.
   
7. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. and grease an 8 x 8 casserole or baking pan with deep sides.
   
8. Taste the stuffing and season with salt and pepper if needed - stir well again and then spoon into the pan. Cut a tablespoon or two of butter into small pieces and dot the top with it.
   
9. Bake 25 minutes, uncovered for a crunchy top or cover with aluminum foil for a soft top.

 

With a bounty of Green String tomatoes still in the farm store, we decided to share with you on of our favorite tomato recipes. This tart makes for a perfect quick and easy way to serve tomatoes! 
Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart
Ingredients

• 12 ounces assorted tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• Kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for brushing the tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse grey salt
• freshly ground pepper
• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, defrosted
• 4 ounces soft goat cheese, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons julienned basil leaves

Instructions

1. Line a large baking sheet with a double layer of paper towels. Lay tomato slices in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle tomato slices with salt. Flip the tomatoes over and sprinkle second side with salt. Allow the tomatoes to sit for 30 minutes. While tomatoes are draining, set out the goat cheese to soften if you haven’t already.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
3. Unfold one sheet of puff pastry and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. With the tip of a sharp paring knife, lightly score a border ¾ inch from edges (being careful not to cut all the way through the puff pastry). Spread the goat cheese on the pastry sheet up to the scored border line. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over the goat cheese and the French grey salt, again staying within the scored border. Pat the tomato slices dry and lay them on top of the goat cheese, overlapping as necessary. Brush the tomatoes lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. Sprinkle baked tart with julienned basil leaves and serve.

Apple pie, one of our favorite desserts here at Green String Farm, especially when made with our farm fresh Green String Apples! This recipe is sugar free and still completely delicious..Make sure to tell us your favorite takes on the classic apple pie!
Ingredients:

• 6 cups sliced apples
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
• Pinch of salt
• Pie Shell

Crumble Topping:

• 1 cup (140 g) all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 8 tablespoons (112 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1/2 cup chopped Green String Almonds

Directions: 
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Although we usually would make our own pie crust, sometimes you don't have the time. This time we decided to use a pre-made pie shell. Cut peeled apples into thin wedges and put into a large bowl. Stir in lemon juice. In a small bowl, combine  cinnamon, cornstarch and salt. Add this mixture to the bowl of apples and stir to coat. Dump into pie plate with bottom crust. Put crumble topping on top of apple filling. Bake pie on the bottom rack for 7 minutes, then move to the middle rack, placing pie on a metal baking sheet to catch spills. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for additional 40 minutes or until juices are bubbling and crust is nicely browned. Then remove from oven and let rest for 1 hour on a wire rack. 
Crumble:
 In a medium-sized bowl, place the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt, and whisk to combine. Add the butter and chopped almonds, and mix to combine well. Place the bowl in the refrigerator to chill for about 10 minutes or until firm (or the freezer for about 5 minutes).

Arguably the greatest thing about Summer is the produce that we have access to in this beautiful part of the world and this time of the year. And right now the Green String Farm store is bursting with ripe tomatoes! Our favorite uses for these lovelies? Too many to choose from, but here are some of our go to's!
1. Make tomato sauce: (and freeze some of it) that way you can enjoy summer freshness all year round on pizza, pastas, baked eggs, or stews. 
2. Caprese Salad: You have to keep it fresh in the summer and nothing says summer more than a good old fashioned caprese salad with fresh basil and mozzarella!
3. Homemade Bloody Mary: Easily one of our favorites because it's delicious, and it's EASY all you gotta do is combine fresh tomatoes, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, salt, pepper, and celery in a blender until you have a smooth consistency, add vodka as needed! :) 
4. Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Make these delicious sun-dried tomatoes and keep them for sandwiches and salads. We like using the sun, and we dry the tomatoes outside for 1.5 days! but you can also use your oven and bake the tomatoes for 12 hours!
5. The BLT: A classic! You can't go wrong with this comfort food, and nothing tastes better than when a tomato goes straight from the farm to the sandwich! 

We all love to use herbs in our cooking! There's nothing better than a sprig of thyme, muddled mint, or rosemary anything! But if you're looking for other ways to use Green String herbs, look no further, we've compiled a list of our 5 favorite herb uses outside of cooking:
1. Tea: We LOVE using herbs as tea mint and lemon verbena are our favorite!! We dry out Lemon Verbena leaves and simply boil the dried leaves until the water is steeped to our liking, strain and enjoy! It's 100% one of the most relaxing things possible! 
2. Skin Care: It's no wonder that the majority of skin products have herbs in the ingredients, but no need to go out an buy all those expensive bottles! Use an herbal steam to calm the skin and to keep pores clean.
3. Muslin Dryer Bags: This is a great way to have your clothes smally herb-y fresh! Create small muslin bags filled with your favorite scented herb and throw it into the dryer with your clothes - they'll come out smelling wonderful! 
4. Add to your flower bouquets: Herbs like lavender and rosemary make beautiful additions to flower arrangements or work on their own as lovely bouquets!
5. Muddled: We're back to the drinks because herbs compliment drinks so well! You can go for the obvious muddled mint for mojitos, or get creative with some thyme hard lemonade, or Tarragon iced tea! 

1. Artichokes are DELICIOUS: We can never keep artichokes in the store for long! Artichokes are so versatile and are easily worked into any meal (we love artichoke dip!). 
2. Vitamin C: Artichokes provide you with 25% of your daily recommended Vitamin C! Give your immune system a boost with artichokes!
3. Stay Regular: Keep your digestive system happy and healthy with Artichokes, which have high amounts of fiber.
4.​ Keep a Healthy Liver: Two antioxidants found in artichokes, cynarin, and silymarin, have been shown to improve the overall health of the liver by reducing the presence of toxins.
​5. Heart Health: Certain ingredients in artichokes leaves have been found to reduce the levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) and increase the levels of good cholesterol (HDL or omega-3 fatty acids).