If you are looking for a fun meal to make with your kids or a way to use up potatoes then pierogis are the way to go. This dish is a perfect Sunday night supper meal that everyone will enjoy.
Ingredients

• 2 cups flour 
• Pinch of salt
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbs Wild Groves Olive Oil
• 5 tbs cold water
• Sierra Nevada butter
• Mashed potatoes
• Sierra Nevada sharp cheddar
• Sliced onion
• Sliced mushrooms
• Chopped garlic
• Llano Seco bacon chopped
• Sour cream (optional)

Instructions;

• In a food processor pulse the flour and salt together. With the food processor running on low add in the whole egg, then the egg yolk, then the olive oil then one tbs of water at a time. Turn the food processor onto high and the dough should form into a ball.
• Remove the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for several minutes. Form it back into a ball and wrap in Saran Wrap. Allow to sit for 1-2 hours.
• In a large bowl mix your mashed potatoes with cheese.
• After sitting roll the dough out to about 1/4". With a biscuit cutter cut out as many circles as you can. Place 1 tsp of the mash potato cheese mixture in the circle. Fold over and press the edges with a fork to seal.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil with salt. Place pierogis in the boiling water and cook for 8-10 minutes. When done remove the pierogis to a colander.
• In a large skillet start to cook the bacon. When bacon is about halfway done add the onions and mushrooms. In the last minute add the garlic.
• Remove the bacon mixture from the skillet and wipe down clean. Add a tbs butter over medium heat. Place pierogis in skillet and cook for about 30 seconds each side. This will need to be done in batches.
• Place pierogis on plates, top with the bacon mixture and a dollop of sour cream.

This week we included the greens from sugar snap peas. They have the flavor of the peas and all of the nutrients that come with them. We chose to use ours in a pesto this week. The great thing about pesto sauce is that it is super easy to make and full of flavor. Pesto can be used as a sandwich spread or toss pasta with it. We enjoyed it with gnocchi and bacon.
Ingredients;

• 1 bunch pea tops
• 2 cloves garlic
• Lemon Juice
• Pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup Wild Groves olive oil
• 1/4 cup grated Pedrozo Black Butte cheese (or parmesan)

Instructions;

• Rough chop the greens and the garlic. Place in a food processor and pulse on high for several rounds or until well blended and fine.
• Add in the lemon juice and salt. Turn food processor on and from the top slowly drizzle in the olive oil. 
• Add in the cheese and pulse on high several more times.

Salads are a great way to feel good about what you are eating, Pile on the creamy dressings and the calorie and fat count can go way up. I love Cesar salads and many years ago I started using greek yogurt for a healthier version. Then I tried Sierra Nevada's plain yogurt and it is the best dressing ever now. Grill some chicken and make a meal out of it, Or use the dressing as a marinade for your protein.
TIP - In regards to the garlic, I love love love garlic and always believe more is better, except for this recipe. Stick to one clove otherwise it will take over the other flavors.
Ingredients;

• 1 6oz container Sierra Nevada plain yogurt
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup grated Pedrozo Black Butte Reserve cheese
• 1-2 tsp anchovy paste
• 1 tbs Wild Groves kitchen blend olive oil
• 1 tbs dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove minced
• Salt & pepper
  

Instructions;

• Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk together really well. Refrigerate until ready to use.

There was a time that chicken was my go to protein. Then when I became pregnant with Maggie it was in my top 5 items that I could not be around. 8 years later and it is still not in the regular rotation of meals but this lemon chicken is so amazing I could eat it every week. 
Ingredients;

• Bonesless skinless chicken breast
• Lemon
• Salt and pepper
• Flour (we use Llano Seco patin flour)
• 2 tbs Sierra Nevada butter
• Wild Groves kitchen blend olive oil
• 1 cup chicken broth

Directions;

• Place the chicken between two pieces of parchment paper and thin chicken with a meat mallet.
• Sprinkle sale and pepper on each side of the chicken. Pour some flour onto a plate and dredge the chicken. Shake off any excess flour.
• Heat half of the butter and a drizzle of olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken and brown on each side for 2 minutes.
• Remove the chicken to a plate. Reduce the heat to medium or medium low. Add the chicken broth and juice the lemon to the skillet.Add the remaining butter. Using a wooden spoon stir the broth and juice picking up any of the brown bits on the skillet for 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken back in and allow to cook for about 8 minutes on each side.

If you are looking to amp up your egg salad then this is the recipe for you. If you are are trying to cut down on carbs enjoy this salad in a butter lettuce cup. We cut the mayo with yogurt to be it a little more healthy.
Ingredients;

• 1 leek
• Wild Groves olive oil
• 2 tbsSierra Nevada plain yogurt
• 8-12 hard boiled eggs
• 2 tbs mayonaise
• 1 tbs Wild Groves mustard
• Dash of garlic salt, pepper, sweet paprika

Instructions;

• Slice the root end and the green end off of the leek. Slice the leek. Heat up the olive oil over medium heat and sauté the leek until caramelized.
• Peel and chop the eggs and place in bowl. Mix in the yogurt, mayo, mustard and spices with the eggs. Add in the leeks.
• Spread the egg salad onto bread, scoop into a lettuce cup or enjoy with crackers.

The other day I was thinking I wanted to do a chickpea recipe. Then our wonderful customer Maggie Brown told me she had perfected her chestnut hummus recipe and asked if I would like to share. To me it was meant to be.
Here is the note shared from Maggie 
Ok so this is a fun twist on hummus that’s particularly good for the winter months. You can find roasted chestnuts anywhere from a specialty market to Amazon.
​I am really excited to try this!
Ingredients
10oz roasted chestnuts
1/4 cup tahini
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup water
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cardamom
1/4 cup EVOO
1/2 tsp salt

Instructions
Add all ingredients to a food processor and mix on high until smooth.
Serve warm or cold with naan or pita.

Sweet or savory crepes are always delicious. I bought myself an electric crepe maker, then threw it out. I had no luck with it. What I find works the best is a medium sized skillet and patience. If you do not have a non stick skillet I recommend using cooking spray in addition to butter. After the crepes are finished cooking fill them with anything you like. For savory I really enjoy some greens sautéed with garlic and onions and topped with poached eggs. For sweet there is nothing better than strawberries and nutella but sometimes something as simple as lemon and powdered sugar helps that sweet tooth.
Ingredients;

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• pinch of salt
• 1 tbs sugar
• 3 tbs melted butter
• 4 farm fresh eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups of milk

Instructions

• In a large bowl sift together the flour and salt. In a separate bowl whisk together the remaining ingredients. Make a well in the middle of the flour then add in the wet ingredients. Whisk together until smooth and everything is blended together well.
• Over medium heat melt a little bit of butter in a medium skillet. Ladle in the crepe batter until it forms a thin layer over the pan. Allow the batter to cook for a couple minutes. You can watch as the outer layer starts to cook and then it slowly moves inside. When done carefully allow it to slide out of the pan onto a plate. Repeat with remaining batter.
• To fill the crepes place your chosen ingredients down the middle of the crepe. Fold one side over the ingredients then roll over. ​

I love beets. It has not always been that way though. Growing up I always thought the only ways to eat beets were pickled from a sale bar. Yes, I knew they were grown but I had no idea how versatile they were. Turns out that my dad hated beets and thats why we never ate them. Happy to say, after making a beet dish my dad now likes them. The main reason I hear from people not liking beets is that they tend to have a "dirt" taste. They are one of the most nutritious vegetables though so I really wanted to find a way to incorporate them into my kids diet. I made the hummus to last as a snack for a few days and it was gone within an hour. Maggie loves the color and word fuchsia, so she gobbled these biscuits down when I told her they were fuchsia biscuits.
A few tips on these recipes, make sure the roasted beets are pureed completely. I find the food processor works the best but a blender or handheld mixer may work as well.

​

Ingredients
*3-4 beets
*1 head of garlic
*Olive oil
*1 cup cooked chickpeas
*Lemon juice
​*Salt
**I do not use tahini in this recipe but you can add 2 tbs tahini if you prefer**
**I also prefer to make my own chickpeas over can bought**
Instructions
*Slice ends off of beets and place on foil. Drizzle with olive oil and wrap in foil. Slice off the top of the head of garlic, place on foil, drizzle olive oil over the top of garlic and wrap in foil. Place both in oven and roast for 35 minutes at 425 degrees.
*When the beets and garlic are done roasting allow them to cool. When cool slice the skin off of the beets and cut into chunks and peel the garlic. Add the beets, half the garlic, chickpeas, lemon juice and salt into the food processor and puree until smooth. You may need to scrape the sides several times.
*When it is smooth transfer to a bowl and serve with pita chips, carrot sticks or use as a spread on toast or sandwiches.

​
 

Ingredients
*1 large roasted beet pureed
*1 1/2 tbs baking powder
*1/2 tsp salt
*1 tsp sugar
*1/2 cup butter cold
*1/2 cup cold buttermilk or 1/2 cup milk with 1/2 tbs vinegar added

Instructions
*Set oven to 425 degrees
*In a large bowl mix together the dry ingredients
*Cut the cold butter into little cubes. With a handheld mixer mix the butter into the dry ingredients until it is crumbly and the butter is mixed in.
*In a small bowl whisk together the buttermilk with the beet puree until completely smooth.
*Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and combine. Place the mixture onto a lightly floured cutting board and mix together by hand until the color is mixed throughout. Be very careful not to overwork the dough as this will give you flat biscuits.
*Flatten out the dough until it is about 1 1/2" thick and cut out your biscuits with a biscuit cutter or I find a mason jar works perfect.
*Bake for 15-18 minutes.

When we talk about summer produce the first place our mind goes to is tomatoes. It is one of the first items harvested and has a very long season. There are so many different varieties of tomatoes and when they come in they come in a huge abundance. A perfect way to not waste the tomatoes is to make marinara sauce. If you spend a little more time and roast them the flavor really shines. Any extra marinara can be canned or frozen and used throughout the year. In the middle of winter when you are craving a hearty meal like lasagna you can still enjoy marinara with quality ingredients. We use grated carrot instead of sugar. This will balance the marinara out and add a sweetness with the bitterness of the tomatoes. 

Ingredients;

• Tomatoes (we prefer an heirloom)
• Garlic
• Carrots
• Basil
• Olive oil

Instructions;

• Preheat oven to 450 and line a baking sheet with foil.
• Place tomatoes with the bottom facing up and slice an x on each one. Peel garlic and place whole cloves on the sheet as well. Drizzle olive oil over tomatoes and garlic and roast for 45 minutes.
• Allow the tomatoes to cool. Remove skin. Slicing the x on the bottom will make this much easier.
• Grate a small carrot and chop the basil.
• Add the tomatoes and garlic to a food processor and puree.
• Transfer the pureed tomatoes and garlic to a pot and heat over low. Add the basil and carrot. 
• Let simmer for at least 15 minutes then serve or save for later.

Fritters are wonderful because they are so versatile with the ingredients that can be used. In the summer zucchini and squash can be the main ingredient and in the winter root vegetables provide just as much flavor.I like fritters with a sauce and my go to for easy sauces plain Greek yogurt. Mix sriracha or your favorite herbs with some lemon juice and put a dollop on top of the fritter. We are headed into summer in about a month so this recipe shows spring veggies but they can be replaced with whatever is currently in season. With all of the grating I recommend using a food processor to save a lot of time.
Ingredients;

• 1 medium turnip peeled and grated
• 2 small carrots peeled and grated
• minced red onion or finely dice green onions
• 1 kohlrabi peeled and grated
• minced garlic
• choice of fresh or dry herbs
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup flour
• salt & pepper
• olive oil

Instructions;

• Combine turnips, carrots, kohlrabi and onion. Place on a dishcloth and squeeze out all moisture. This is an important step otherwise the fritters will not cook correctly.
• Mix the vegetables, garlic, flour, herbs, egg, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
• Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. (I always use our cast iron for frying.) Drop a large spoonful of the fritter mixture in the skillet and flatten with a spatula. Cook several fritters together but make sure there is plenty of space between them.Cook for a couple minutes or until they start to turn brown and crispy and do the same for the other side. 
• Transfer to paper towels and add a little salt then serve on their own or with the yogurt sauce.