A Simple and Delicious Dinner
I’m always on the lookout for simple dinners that are full of protein and veggies. This is a great one from Food Network Magazine.
Skillet Rosemary Chicken
Ingredients
- 3/4 pound small red-skinned potatoes, halved, or quartered if large
- Kosher salt
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, plus 1 tablespoon leaves
- 1 clove garlic, smashed
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- Juice of 2 lemons (squeezed halves reserved)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts (6 to 8 ounces each)
- 10 ounces cremini mushrooms, halved
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450. Cover the potatoes with cold water in a saucepan and salt the water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until tender, about 8 minutes; drain and set aside.
Pile the rosemary leaves, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt and the red pepper flakes on a cutting board, then mince and mash into a paste using a large knife. Transfer the paste to a bowl. Stir in the juice of 1 lemon and the olive oil. Add the chicken and turn to coat.
Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, skin-side down, cover and cook until the skin browns, about 5 minutes. Turn the chicken; add the mushrooms and potatoes to the skillet and drizzle with the juice of the remaining lemon.
Add the rosemary sprigs and the squeezed lemon halves to the skillet; transfer to the oven and roast, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is crisp, 20 to 25 minutes.
A Whole New Product Line!
It’s true, we do love basil. But, we also love our customers and they were asking for something more. Our big bunch living basil will still continue to be in stores across the Kansas City area but now customers have some exciting new options.
We’re really proud to introduce a new line of products that include basil, and 10 other living herbs. You can now find the following great new choices at select Hen Houses:
- Sweet Basil
- Baby Dill
- Chives
- Marjoram
- Mint
- Oregano
- Rosemary
- Sage
- Savory
- Tarragon
- Thyme
All of these products (except for basil) are to be stored in your refrigerator in their plastic container. Just like the larger living basil, this kind cannot be refrigerated. However, it can stay in the plastic container on your counter.
Check the new line of products out in the refrigerated produce section at the following Hen Houses :
- 15000 W 87th St. Lenexa, KS 66215
- 6950 Mission R. Prairie Village, KS 66208
- 4050 W. 83rd Prairie Village, KS 66208
The following two stores will be coming soon!
- 6238 Chatham Ave KC MO 64151
- 11721 Roe Ave. Leawood, KS 66211
We’re really excited about these new products and would love to hear what you think about them!
Seeking Basil Lovers!
We love basil and we’re looking for fellow basil lovers to join our team!
Cal-Ann Farms is a small, locally owned produce company that supplies basil and other varieties of herbs to grocery stores within the metro area. We’re looking for a part-time employee with the capability of flexible hours. Potential hours will range from 10-25 hours a week with full time employment being a possibility in the future. Responsibilities will vary. Applicants should be comfortable with anything from working in the greenhouse to occasional delivering or in store demos of product. Schedule will vary between 3 & 5 days a week and reliable transportation to Basehor is essential. If you’re creative, fun and like working in a casual environment, we want to meet you! Check out our website for more info about our company.
Download the employment application here : www.calannfarms.com/Cal-Ann_Employment_Application.doc
Completed applications should be e-mailed to: info@calannfarms.com
Seasonal Herbs for the Holidays!
Cal-Ann Farms is testing out some new products, especially for the holidays!
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We’re super excited to offer living varieties of mint, dill, thyme, oregano and sage in several Hen House markets. These new herbs are grown just like our living basil and are to be used a little at a time, or all at once. We think these products will be fabulous for your upcoming holiday meals and we hope to hear your feedback, since these are currently test products.
For those of you that have purchased some of these tasty ‘limited thyme herbs’ (snazzy play on words, eh?) here are some additional care instructions. Keep in mind, these are just suggestions, you may find a great way to care for your living herbs that is a little different. We’ve tried lots and lots of ways and we think these are some of your best options…
CARE INSTRUCTIONS
Oregano, Mint, Sage & Thyme
- Place in a cup (in or out of sleeve) on you counter and add about 1/2 inch of water.
- When the root cube begins to lighten (the water in the cup will be gone) add more water.
- Keep away from direct sunlight. You can put Dill on the counter (don’t let it dry out) but for longer shelf life see below.
Dill & Watercress
(Also, Sage, Thyme and Mint do well this way)
- Place in cup with 1/2 inch of water and refrigerate (we put it in the door so it doesn’t get too cold!)
- For Dill and Watercress add water before the cup goes dry. For the others, there’s no need to add additional water unless the plant seems dry.
- Dill also does well in a Debbie Meyer “green bag” with a damp root cube (no cup) and sealed. We’ve done it this way and it’s lasted over two weeks!
- Watercress loves to be in water the whole time!
As always, never refrigerate your living basil, no matter what the variety.
A big THANK YOU for trying these new products and sharing them with your friends and loved ones. We’d love to hear your feedback. You can vote for some or all of the products below!
Happy Thanksgiving!
KC Star Magazine Feature
Pam Meyer of Cal-Ann Farms
Spring Time Recipes
At an event earlier this week we shared some new recipes. As promised, here are those recipes for you to try at home!
Black Bean and Corn Salsa with Basil-Lime vinaigrette
SALSA:
- 2 ears fresh corn or 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 mango, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
VINAIGRETTE
- 2 limes, zested and juiced
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the salsa: Preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Peel back the corn husks. Remove the silks and replace the husks. Soak the corn in cold water for 30 minutes. Drain and place on the grill for 10 to 15 minutes. Cool completely and remove the husks. Using a sharp knife, remove the corn kernels. In a medium bowl, mix together the grilled corn, black beans, garbanzo beans, bell pepper, and mango.
For the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, combine the lime zest, lime juice, balsamic vinegar, basil, and cumin. Slowly add the oil, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss well. Refrigerate for 1 hour, and toss again, before serving.
Basil Lemonade
- 1/2 cup rinsed, lightly packed fresh basil leaves
- 3 Tablespoons sugar
- 4 cups water
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
In a 1 1/2 to 2-quart measure or bowl, combine 1/2 cup rinsed, lightly packed fresh basil leaves and 3 T. sugar. With a wooden spoon, crush leaves with sugar until thoroughly bruised. Add 4 cups water and 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice. Stir until sugar is dissolved, l to 2 minutes. Taste and add more sugar if desired. Pour through fine strainer into ice-filled glasses. Garnish with springs of fresh basil.
You can make the lemonade up to a day ahead; cover and chill. Makes: 4 1/2 cups, about 4 servings.
Lemon Basil Cake
- 1 Package Vanilla Cake Mix (and necessary ingredients indicated on box : eggs, oil, etc)
- Zest of 2 lemons, about 2 Tbsp (use a lemon zester to make it easy)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together cake batter as directed. When the batter is smooth, stir in lemon zest and basil. Spread batter in oiled pan. Bake as indicated on box cake mix or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool and remove from pan. When serving slices, top with blueberries or whipped cream.
Let us know what you think of the recipes, we hope you enjoy them!
The Tradition of May Day
A long time tradition, May Day Baskets are an expression of the joy of gift giving.
The history of the holiday dates back to pre-Christian Europe as a tribute to Flora, the Roman goddess of flowers. Often popular among children, the first day of May has slowly evolved into a celebration of giving, once referred to as “bringing in the May.”
The tradition of May Day begins with a basket or container brimming with flowers and small gifts. The May Day basket is quietly and secretly placed on the doorstep of a neighbor or loved one, demonstrating the gift of giving without receiving. Children and adults alike can participate in the joy of the holiday by making a special basket for a friend. Instead of giving cut flowers, why not gift a living basil plant that your loved one can enjoy for several weeks? Fill a decorative container with a package of basil and some colorful tissue. As a thoughtful addition, include some recipes that you know your friend or loved one would enjoy.
Some New Options To Try!
We do love basil, but we also love the idea of expanding our products to provide more opportunities to our customers. For about a year now, we’ve been stocking several stores with a few different varieties of basil that come one sweet, one specialty to a package. You’ll find Osmin, Amethyst, Thai and Lemon Basil. We hope this is a good opportunity for folks to try something new.
Beyond basil, we’ve been experimenting with some new products in our greenhouses. Since these products are in the test phase, we have them in limited quantities and only in a few stores. Right now you’ll find living varieties of watercress, baby dill and arugula. Look for packages with a test product sticker and hand written name. You can find these new products in the following two Hen House stores.
Leawood Hen House
11721 Roe Ave
Leawood, KS 66212
Phone: (913) 338-0600
Corinth Hen House Market
4050 West 83rd Street
Prairie Village, KS 66208
Phone: (913) 648-1441
We’d love your feedback on these new products! Log onto our website to drop us an e-mail about how you like them. If you have ideas for any other new products you’d like to see us test out, we’d love to hear those too!
Baby Dill, Arugula & Watercress
Luck of the… Basil?
The phrase just isn’t quite the same without the word Irish at the end but it turns out that basil has some pretty lucky roots. It has been considered a good luck charm in some folklore, reportedly being used in exorcisms, for protection and to attract wealth. Exorcisms? That’s a little weird and I’m guessing that many folks don’t have that kind of a need. But the good news is, there are some more reasonable uses of basil to bring folks good fortune. The herb has traditionally been given as a good-luck present to new homeowners. It’s possible that this is why a modern custom has developed which maintains that basil will attract customers to a place of business if a sprig of the herb is placed in the cash register.
Lucky or not, it’s green and it’s tasty and that’s enough of a reason to enjoy it on St. Patrick’s day this year. Having a party or just a few friends over to enjoy some green beer and celebrate? Why not serve an easy appetizer of Basil Pesto Bread. Here’s the recipe…
Basil Pesto Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves
- 1 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano
- 1/2 cup pine nuts , toasted
- 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 baguette
Directions
For the pesto, combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Puree until the mixture forms a smooth, thick paste. Slice the baguette lengthwise horizontally. Spread the pesto over the cut sides of the baguette and toast in the oven until crispy and golden.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Hello world!
Welcome to the brand new Cal-Ann Farms blog!
You’ll soon find information about new products that we’re working on, tips and tricks for caring for your plants, information about basil, new recipes and info about the folks at our farm. Stay tuned for our first post!
