Join Cricket each week as she heads out to the Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market. Cricket shops the farmer's stalls for the freshest produce, cheese, fish, and other local products. Get tips each week on what is in season now, and suggestions on how to prepare it. You may have heard the term 'locavore', which simply means eating food that is grown and raised locally. Luckily, it's pretty easy to be a locavore in Sonoma County!

The Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmer's Market is open year-round, each Wednesday and Saturday from 8:30am to noon in the east end of the Santa Rosa Veterans Memorial parking lot.

Every week I will choose a different Froggy Listener to receive a $5 Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market gift certificate. If you would like to be entered into this weekly drawing, send me an email with your name and phone number!

Stumped for dinner ideas tonight? Click here for past What's For Lunch recipes.

August 20th
Tomatoes RULE! If you are like me and wait all year to indulge in yummy, ripe, flavorful tomatoes, you need to stop whatever you are doing and go right to the Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market. This Saturday, August 23rd is the annual FREE Tomato Tasting. So many varieties to try, awesome chef demos, live entertainment, and you can even bring in your own homegrown tomatoes for judging. The top winners will get free Market Bucks to spend at the market.





Try an easy but delicious recipe, perfect for this time of year. I often eat it more than once a day when the tomatoes are plentiful. For the authentic version, use red colored tomatoes to mimic the colors of the Italian flag. As long as the tomatoes are flavorful, I say use any kind you want.



Caprese Salad
2 large heirloom tomatoes
2 or 3 large balls of FRESH mozzarella
about 3 tablespoons high quality olive oil
lots of fresh basil
salt and pepper

Slice the tomatoes and cheese and arrange in a pattern overlapping each other on a plate. Sprinkle torn basil leaves over the top of the tomatoes and then drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

August 13th
I found a kickin' jalapeno hot sauce at the Triple T Ranch and Farms stand this week at the Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market. I am trying it in a chicken sandwich. It's kinda spicy, but not painfully hot, so adjust the hot sauce amounts to your taste.



Hot Sauce Chicken Sandwich
1/2 pound chicken breast meat (boneless and skinless), pounded flat
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1-2 tablespoons Hop'n Jalapeno Sauce from Triple T
small amount of oil for cooking chicken
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
juice of 1/2 lime
dash of Hop'n Jalapeno sauce
freshly ground pepper
sprigs of fresh cilantro
3 thinly sliced radishes
4 small slices of tomato
2 green onions, chopped into 2 inch lengths
2 demi baguettes, slided lengthwise for sandwiches

Combine the yogurt and 1 to 2 tablespoons of Hop'n Jalapeno together, and add to a plastic bag with the chicken. Smoosh the marinade around a little to cover the chicken, then put it in the fridge while you get the other ingredients ready. Mix mayo, chopped cilantro, lime juice, a dash of Hop'n Jalapeno and some fresh pepper together in a bowl. It will be a little runny, but that's ok. Set aside. In a pan over medium heat, add a bit of cooking oil. Remove chicken from marinade (scraping off excess) and cook in pan until no longer pink inside. (If you pound the breast flat before cooking, it will cook faster and more evenly throughout). After chicken has rested for a minute or two, slice it into strips. On each baguette, spread half of the mayo mixture, half the radishes, half the green onions, half the tomatoes, and half of the cilantro sprigs. Add half of the chicken and top with bread. Squish the sandwich down a bit to make sure it sticks together.

Serves two hungry people, or 4 people who just ate but still want a little something.

August 6th
I'm back from vacation and so happy to be in Sonoma County. While I was in Seattle, I had to check out their market, and it only reaffirms why I LOVE the Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market. We've got better, bigger produce, which tastes better too! It's not crowded, and everything is outdoors, under the beautiful sunshine! We rock.

SEATTLE:

Boring! Where are the flying fish?!


Even Mr. Cricket is not impressed.


How can their produce ripen in this kind of weather?!

SANTA ROSA:

Yes, we rock. Be sure to come to the FREE Tomato Tasting on Saturday, August 23rd at the Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market.

July 30th
While I am on vacation in Seattle, you should head to the Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market and pick up some peppers. Crescent Moon Farms have lots of different varieties of peppers. This week I suggest the Shishito peppers. They are about 3 inches in length, with a thin, shiny crinkly skin. In taste, they are similar to green bell peppers, but with perhaps a little more heat. They are not as hot as chile peppers, so you can feel safe trying them out. Jill at Crescent Moon suggested the following recipe.


Shishito peppers, the green ones on the left.

Simple Grilled Pepper Appetizer
4 or 5 Shishito Peppers per person
olive oil
salt

In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add peppers and cook until browned on all sides. Remove from heat and season with salt. Serve immediately. You can serve these on their own, or pair with some crusty french bread, mild cheeses, and olives. The peppers have a delicate flavor, so don't overpower them with other big flavors.

July 23rd
TOMATOES! Oh boy oh boy oh boy! The first tomatoes of the season are a perfect reason to have a little freak out. :) This morning I ate a tomato for breakfast, straight from the Triple T Farms stand. In fact, I was still standing there at the stand when I ate it. YUM!



Panzanella (Bread Salad)
2 cups bread cubes (1-inch size)
olive oil
salt
1 basket cherry tomatoes (cut in half)
1 cucumber, chopped into chunks
1 bell pepper, chopped into chunks
1/4 cup slivered red onion

Vinaigrette
1 clove minced garlic
2 tblsp red wine vinegar
a small squirt of dijon mustard
1/3 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Cook bread cubes in olive oil over medium heat until browned. Toss bread cubes with salt. Add bread to veggies in a large bowl. Toss salad with vinaigrette. For a decadent version, add cubes of fresh mozzarella. Mmmm!

July 16th
Romano beans are like green beans that have been run over by a cement truck. Kidding. But they are a flatter version of green beans. You do not need to string them, and they can be prepared as you would prepare green beans. This recipe uses a simple cooking technique, which is often best with farm fresh produce. I am using grapefruit in this recipe because my neighbor Lisa has a huge tree in her backyard and gave me a bunch of 'em. Lemon juice would work in this recipe as well.



Steamed Romano Beans with Grapefruit Vinaigrette
1 pound Romano beans
Juice of 1/2 grapefruit
pinch of salt
freshly ground pepper
pinch of sugar
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
2 drops toasted sesame oil
about 1/3 cup olive oil

Place Romano beans in a steamer basket over boiling salted water and steam for about 5 minutes, until beans are tender and bright green. Meanwhile, combine grapefruit juice, salt, pepper, sugar, ginger and sesame oil in a bowl. Whisk in olive oil. Remove beans from heat and toss with vinaigrette.

Note: if you can find the Stonehouse Olive Oil vendor at the Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market, get some of their Sesame Ginger Olive Oil. Use it instead of the ginger and sesame. I love this oil, it is really good and works in all kinds of dishes.

July 9th
Flowers, flowers everywhere! The Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market is a great source for gorgeous flowers. Look for iris, sunflowers, zinnias, roses, cornflowers, snapdragons, and even squash blossoms (you can eat those!). The flowers at the farmers market are fresh and very affordable.





July 2nd
Things start to get exciting at the Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market once peaches and other stone fruit come in season. Suddenly, it's SUMMER! There are mountains of beautiful, perfectly ripe peaches, nectarines, apricots, and other delicious stone fruits. Many farmers will allow you to try the fruit before you buy it. Please take them up on the offer, since looks do not always indicate how a fruit will taste. It's easy enough to eat the fruit right out of hand, but why not try a fun recipe for peach salsa? I've also included Armenian Cucumbers (which are available at the Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market) in this salsa, for a crispy crunch.



Peach Cucumber Salsa
2 large yellow peaches, ripe and juicy
1/2 cup Armenian Cucumber, chopped into 1/2 inch dice
1/4 cup onion, diced small
1 or 2 teaspoons minced jalapeno
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced mint
2 tablespoons minced cilantro
juice of one lime
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Let salsa sit for 30 minutes to let flavors blend. This is delish with chips, but also goes well with grilled fish and pork.

June 25th
There are tons of great berries at the Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market. It's hard to pick just one! I chose raspberries for my recipe this week. They are perfect to eat as they are, but I thought a syrup would be fun.



Raspberry Syrup
1 pint raspberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water

Combine sugar and water in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat until sugar has completely dissolved. Add about 4 oz of berries to pan. Stir and carefully crush raspberries against the side of the pan with the back of a spoon. Heat for about 5 minutes, while gently stirring. Remove syrup from heat and cool for 5 minutes. Strain through a seive into a bottle or other container. Will keep in the refrigerator for about a week.

I used the leftover berries to make raspberry ice cubes. Put one or two berries in each ice cube slot, then cover with water and freeze.

Add 1/2 to 1 oz raspberry syrup to your favorite lemonade. I made a version with sparkling lemonade, and 1 oz of a lemon-flavored liqueur called Limoncello.

This is also great on frozen yogurt or ice cream, or drizzled over angelfood cake. Serve with whipped cream and fresh raspberries.

June 18th
Walla Walla Sweet Onions originated in Washington State. They have a low sulfur content and are 90% water, so they are sweet and have a short shelf life. My dad likes these onions so much he will actually eat them raw. They are very good in salads, so be sure to get some for the picnic table. For dinner, why not try a veggie tempura recipe? Make sure the beer you choose is a light one, and look for rice flour if you can find it. It will make your batter crispy and light.



Veggie Tempura
3/4 cup rice flour
3/4 cup light beer
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 Walla Walla Sweet Onion, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
1 small sweet potato, peeled, and cut into 1/4 inch thick disks
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch thick sticks
6 medium sized asparagus spears (trimmed)

Dipping Sauce
1/3 cup soy sauce
Juice of one lime
1 tablespoon sugar

Whisk beer into flour, then stir in salt. Prepare veggies. In a deep saucepan, heat 2 inches of oil to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Working in small batches, dip veggies in batter, then fry for about 3 minutes until golden. Drain on paper bags and season with salt. Combine dipping sauce ingredients together and serve with tempura veggies. Serves 4 as a side, and 2 as a meal.

June 11th
I bought some bok choy at the Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market this week and I am using it in a quick and easy stir fry. Try pounding the chicken flat into what is called a paillard. It will cook faster and the pounding tenderizes the meat as well.



Quick Chicken and Bok Choy Stir Fry
1 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 chicken breast, pounded flat between two layers of plastic wrap, then cut into 1/2 inch thick strips
1 large head bok choy cut into 1-inch slices
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon mirin (Japanese cooking wine)
dash toasted sesame oil

Heat oil in nonstick pan over medium high heat. Cook garlic for about 5 seconds, then add chicken. Cook chicken until golden brown. Add bok choy and let wilt for about 1 minute. Add soy sauce, mirin, and sesame oil. Cook for another 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Serve with cooked white rice.


June 4th
When I lived in Germany during high school, my host mother made this awesome thing called Apfel Pfannekuchen, aka German Apple Pancakes. They were eggy and rich and filled with carmelized apple. When I saw cherries at the Santa Rosa Orginal Certified Farmers Market, I thought it would be fun to modify the recipe and include cherries. My recipe includes a splash of amaretto liquor, but the alcohol cooks off. If you want to substitute almond extract, that's fine. The French also make a similar dish called clafoutis (claw-foo-tee).



Cherry Clafoutis
2 eggs
2/3 cup half and half
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup flour
1 tblsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tblsp butter
1/2 pound pitted halved cherries
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
splash of amaretto

Preheat oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix first three ingredients in a small bowl. Mix next three ingredients in a large bowl. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix well. Over medium-high heat in an ovenproof 10-inch skillet, melt butter. Add cherries, sugar, cinnamon and amaretto. Cook for about 5 minutes, until cherries soften. Remove skillet from heat, pour in dough mixture around outside of cherries and over the top of the fruit. Immediately transfer to oven, then turn oven down to 425 degrees. Cook for 18 minutes or so, until golden and puffy. Serve either directly from skillet, or carefully turn out onto platter and serve. Tastes great with a bit of powdered sugar and whipped cream!

May 28th
Garlic Scapes are crazy looking plants that Willy Wonka might have invented. They are curly, green shoots that come up out of young garlic bulbs. Not all garlic bulbs grow scapes, only hardneck varieties. The scapes are available at the Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market for a short time. Get to the market now!



Garlic Scape Pesto
10 or so garlic scapes, chopped into 2-inch pieces
1/2 cup olive oil
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Juice of one lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Pulse scapes in a food processor, and slowly add olive oil. Remove from food processor, and then add parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. 

Use the garlic scape pesto as you would basil pesto. I tried mixing it into hot pasta, spread it on baked potatoes, and used it as a base for a garlicky salad dressing. Super good!

May 21st
As I’ve mentioned before, I can be toxic when it comes to keeping green things alive. That’s why I normally rely on the awesome farmers at the Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmer’s Market to do the growing for me. But I can’t resist a tomato plant. Just one! Last year I tried a cherry tomato plant, thinking if the tomatoes were smaller I would have better luck. This year, I am taking a chance on a Purple Cherokee. They are one of my favorite heirloom tomatoes, and you can get tomato plants in all kinds of varieties now at the farmers market. Stop by Cliff and Joy Silva’s stand, also known as Ma & Pa’s Garden for heirlooms like Super Steak, Whopper, Ace, Goliath, Hillbilly, Black Plum, Brandywine, Fourth of July, and Big Zebras. You can also get tomato plants from Triple T and other farmers. If you have a black thumb like I do, ask for advice from the farmers. Afterall, they are the experts. Or just hope that your husband will remember to water them, like Mr. Cricket does for me.

May 14th
Baby artichokes are actually not babies at all, but the smaller artichokes that grow closer to the ground. They are less labor intensive to prepare than large artichokes, and can be very tender.



Grilled Baby Artichokes with Lemon Vinaigrette
8 baby artichokes
Lemon Juice

Vinaigrette
Lemon zest from one lemon
Lemon juice from one lemon
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 cup olive oil

Make vinaigrette by combining ingredients in a bowl. Whisk in olive oil to incorporate.

Fill a large bowl with water and some lemon juice. After preparing each artichoke, toss it into the lemon water to prevent browning. Prepare baby artichokes by removing the outer leaves until you come to the inner yellow-green core. Trim the top 1/2 inch of the artichokes, and then cut each artichoke in half. When all baby artichokes have been prepared, place in a microwave safe bowl with a small amount of water in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and cook in the microwave for about 6 minutes until cooked most of the way through. Finish artichokes by tossing them on a hot barbeque grill, cut side down, for about 5 minutes. Toss hot artichokes with lemon vinaigrette. Serves 4.

Serve these baby artichokes alongside grilled meats as a side dish, or on top of hot pasta, or as part of an antipasto platter. Mmm!


May 7th
I could not believe the size of the garlic bulbs I found at the Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market this week. They're HUGE! A tasty, easy way to prepare garlic is to roast the entire bulb. This will work on any size garlic bulb, but adjust the timing for the size of your garlic.




I put a quarter next to the bulbs for perspective. HUGE!

Roasted Garlic Bulbs
Aluminum Foil
Garlic Bulb(s)
Olive Oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Trim the tops of the bulb to expose the tips of each clove. Place the bulb in the middle of a sheet of aluminum foil. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Wrap the foil around the bulb tightly, then roast in the oven for about 2 hours, or until the cloves are soft.

Use roasted garlic in a variety of ways. I have blended it into polenta, spread it with butter on bread, mixed it into pasta sauce, all kinds of great things!