GO TEXAN presents "Let's Eat, Texas!" Spring Edition

SPRING EDITION

Let’s Eat, Texas!

A GO TEXAN Recipe book featuring the very best Texas has to offer.

Produce Availability Chart

Product

Zucchini April-November

Watermelons May-November

Turnips Year Round

Greenhouse Tomatoes Year Round

Tomatoes May-November

Sweet Potatoes August-May

Squash April-November

Spinach November-April

Potatoes April-September

Hot Peppers May-December

Sweet Peppers May-June, August-December

Peaches April-August

Field Peas April-December

Oranges September-April

Sweet Onions March-May

Onions March-August

Kohlrabi November-April

Kale November-April

Mushrooms Year Round

Lettuce April-October

Honeydew May-July; October-November

Herbs Year Round

Greens October-April

Green Onions May-October

Grapefruit October-May

Dandelion November-April

Pickling Cucumbers April-December

Fresh Cucumbers April-December

Celery December-April

Cauliflower November-April

Carrots Year Round

Savoy Cabbage January-April

Red Cabbage January-May

Green Cabbage Year Round

Chinese Cabbage January-April

Broccoli December-March

Blueberries May-July

Blackberries April-June

Beets October-April

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Recipes Grilled Texas Onion Dip

3

Peach Mushroom Crostini

5

Chilled Strawberry Cream Soup

7

Strawberry Spinach Salad with Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing

9

Chicken Marsala

11

Classic Corned Beef with Cabbage and Potatoes

13

Poteet Strawberry Pie

15

Almond and Olive Oil Crinkle Cookies

17

1

Grilled Texas Onion Dip 2 tablespoons Texas olive oil Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 2 large Texas Sweet Onions 1 1/2 cup sour cream 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Peel and slice one onion into 1/2 -inch thick slices; set slices onto a plate; and drizzle with olive oil, kosher salt and black pepper.

The second onion is used as a bowl for the dip, and will be prepared later.

Prepare gas or charcoal grill for medium heat, then grill onions until tender – about 10 minutes on each side. Set aside to cool, then coarsely chop onions. In a mixing bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic powder, chives and 1/2 teaspooon kosher salt. Stir in the chopped onions; cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, to allow flavors to blend. When ready to serve, trim and peel the second onion.

Using a melon baller or a sharp-edged spoon, carefully remove the center of the onion – leaving only the outer layers as a shell. Use the center of the onion as a serving dish. Spoon the prepared dip into the ‘onion bowl’ and serve with fresh veggies.

Recipe courtesy of GO TEXAN 3

Peach Mushroom Crostini 2 Kitchen Pride portabella mushrooms, sliced into small cubes 1 medium Texas onion, finely chopped 2 ripe Texas peaches 2 cups ricotta cheese 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts 1 tablespoon Texas olive oil 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1 1/2 tablespoons Texas honey 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar Eight 1/2 ” slices of toasted French bread, sliced diagonally

In a medium bowl, mix together ricotta cheese, walnuts, salt, pepper, lemon juice and honey – set aside.

Chop up portabella mushrooms and onions into cubes. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onions and mushrooms with balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Sauté until onions turn translucent.

Spoon a nice sized heap of ricotta cheese mixture onto each slice of bread; next add the balsamic mushroom and onion mixture.

Top off with a sliced fresh peach.

Recipe courtesy of Kitchen Pride Mushrooms 5

Chilled Strawberry Cream Soup 4 cups fresh Texas strawberries, hulled and halved 1 cup grape juice 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (adjust according to sweetness of strawberries) 1 cup low-fat vanilla or strawberry flavored yogurt 1 cup heavy cream 1 tablespoon Texas honey

In a blender or food processor, puree the strawberries with the grape juice and sugar.

Transfer mixture to a large bowl and add all remaining ingredients; whisk until well blended.

Cover and chill well, overnight if possible, for best flavor. Serve the soup in a chilled bowl. Garnish with thin slices of fresh strawberry fanned over the top.

Garnish: Fresh strawberries

Recipe courtesy of Southwest Dairy Farmers 7

Strawberry Spinach Salad with Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing Salad 1 pound thin sliced chicken breast 1 tablespoon Texas olive oil 1 teaspoon Mrs. DashÂŽ Salt Free Garlic & Herb Seasoning Blend 1 1/2 cups Texas strawberries, quartered 5 cups baby spinach 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion 1/2 cup walnuts, rough chopped

Salad Preheat grill to medium high flame.

Season chicken with oil and Mrs. DashÂŽ Seasoning. Grill chicken for 3 to 4 minutes per side until cooked through. Remove and set aside.

Combine strawberries, spinach, red onions and walnuts together in a bowl and mix well.

Add chicken to bowl with spinach mixture.

Dressing Combine dressing ingredients and mix well.

Toss over salad. Serve immediately while chicken is still warm.

Dressing 1/2 cup non-fat Greek yogurt 1 tablespoon maple syrup 1 1/2 teaspoon black poppy seeds 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Recipe courtesy of H-E-B 9

Chicken Marsala 4 (4 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast 1 1/2 cups sliced fresh Texas mushrooms 2 tablespoons sliced green onion 2 tablespoons water 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup dry Marsala 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Place each chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap and lightly pound with a meat mallet or rolling pin to approximately 1/4 inch thickness.

Coat a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Cook chicken over medium heat for 4-6 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink, turning once to brown evenly. Transfer chicken to platter and keep warm.

In the same skillet, add mushrooms, green onions, water and salt. Cook over medium heat until mushrooms are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated. Add Marsala and heat through. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve. Serve this dish with whole grain pasta and a side salad for a complete meal.

Recipe courtesy of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension – Dinner Tonight 11

Classic Corned Beef with Cabbage and Potatoes 1 boneless Corned Beef Brisket (2 1/2 – 3 1/2 pounds) 5 cups water, divided 1 medium head cabbage (about 2 pounds), cut into wedges 8 ounces Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 8 wedges 8 ounces carrots cut into 1-inch pieces 2 tablespoons butter, melted 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place Corned Beef Brisket and 3 cups water in large stockpot, fat-side up. Bring to a simmer, but do not boil. Cover tightly and cook in 350°F oven 2-1/2 to 3 hours or until fork-tender.

Transfer brisket to cutting board, reserving any liquid in stockpot; cover brisket with aluminum foil. Let stand 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, add 2 cups remaining water to same stock pot with reserved liquid. Place steamer basket in stock pot. (Liquid should not touch bottom of basket). Place cabbage, potatoes and carrots in basket. Bring to a boil. Cover tightly; reduce heat and steam vegetables 20 to 25 minutes or until forktender.

Remove fat from brisket, if desired. Carve brisket into thin slices across the grain.

Combine butter, salt and pepper in small bowl. Drizzle over vegetables. Serve brisket with vegetables.

Recipe courtesy of BeefLovingTexans.com 13

Poteet Strawberry Pie 1 1/4 cups sugar 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1 1/4 cups water 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 package (3 ounces) strawberry gelatin 1 quart fresh Texas strawberries, cleaned, hulled and sliced 1 prebaked 9-inch deep-dish or 10-inch regular pie shell Whipped cream for serving

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Add water and lemon juice.

Over high heat, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cook and stir until slightly thickened and clear, 4–5 minutes. Add gelatin and stir until dissolved. Cool to room temperature.

Stir strawberries into gelatin mixture. Pour into prebaked and cooled pie shell. Chill 4–6 hours or until set. Serve topped with whipped cream, if desired.

Recipe courtesy of GO TEXAN 15

Almond and Olive Oil Crinkle Cookies 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup almond flour 1 cup granulated sugar 2 eggs 2 organic lemons 1/3 cup Lemon infused Texas olive oil 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon almond extract Granulated sugar and powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 375°F. Grate the lemons, mix the rinds with the sugar and olive oil and let rest for 10 minutes.

Beat in the eggs, almond extract and two tablespoons of lemon juice. Add the flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt, mix well. The dough needs to be thick enough to roll it in your hands, if it remains too sticky, just add a little almond flour.

Shape about 30 little balls of dough, roll each ball in granulated sugar and then in powdered sugar. Arrange them on a baking sheet lined with baking paper leaving about 2 inches in between the cookies. Bake in preheated 375°F oven for 10 minutes. Let cool on a rack.

Recipe courtesy of Texas Association of Olive Oil 17

Go Local. Go Texan. It’s not just a catchy saying, but rather, a way

of life. One of the best ways that you can experience that way of life is by serving some of the very best the Lone Star State has to offer.

Texas grows more than 60 commercial fruit and vegetable crops from apples to zucchini and everything in between. Here are some helpful tips to make sure that you and your family can fully enjoy the bounty of Texas.

Produce Tips: • Strawberries: Store in the refrigerator. Strawberries don’t ripen after being picked. Wash just before using. Water increases the likelihood they’ll start to mold.

• Peaches: Choose peaches with a consistent yellow-orange color that doesn’t have blemishes or soft spots.

• Ripen peaches at room temperature, then store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to five days.

• Spinach: Do not wash before refrigeration. Excess moisture will cause the spinach to wilt prematurely.

• Mushrooms: Store mushrooms in a paper bag, not plastic. Plastic traps moisture and causes mildew. Select mushrooms that are firm with a fresh, smooth appearance.

• Cabbage: Heads should be large and compact. When selecting cabbage, check the bottom to ensure that the leaves aren’t beginning to separate from the stem.

• Don’t store fruits and vegetables together. Fruits that give off high levels of ethylene (a ripening agent) can prematurely ripen and spoil surrounding vegetables.

TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE COMMISSIONER SID MILLER

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