Autumn Adventures

In early spring of this year, I took on a new venture. I joined a CSA (short for Community Supported Agriculture), a group of local farmers who use sustainable farming techniques to produce seasonal vegetables, chickens, eggs, and an assortment of other farm products that are free of antibiotics, hormones, or chemical sprays. The half-share I receive each week includes an assortment of vegetables that vary by the growing season.  

Undoubtedly each new box brings at least one veggie that I’ve never seen or heard of before. And since I’m frugal and hate to waste food (except for okra), I spend the remainder of the week researching and preparing new recipes. Yes, I’ve inadvertently become quite a chef. It’s not my ideal profession, but I do like challenges and am happy to reap and share the rewards. 

I spent a good portion of my waking hours this past weekend in the kitchen creating new food items that were unfamiliar to my family and me. With beets I made borscht soup and pickled beets. With two cheese pumpkins that I had no idea what to do with, I attempted to make my first pumpkin pie. I also made a yummy curried Long Island cheese pumpkin soup. Additionally, I prepared my family’s most favorite dish—potato casserole. But this time I substituted sweet potatoes for the Idahos which made it taste more like a dessert than a side dish.

God blesses us infinitely with his gifts, including an abundant amount of edible plants. It’s up to us to make those plants palatable. Between God and I, we make a pretty good team!

Please feel free to comment and to share some of your favorite fall recipes!

About the Author

Sharon Lape

Sharon Lape is both the permissions manager and the editorial assistant in the periodicals department at Franciscan Media. She also researches and provides content for the popular Minute Meditations feature. Sharon is a wife and a mother of four children.