Week #5, 2026

• Sugar snap peas (first of the season)

• New potatoes

• Garlic scapes (garlic flowers best if sauteed or grilled)

• Carrots or radishes

• Lettuce

• Kohlrabi

It is with deep sadness that we share the news that my mother died in her sleep this past Tuesday. The hole in our lives is immeasurable and grief comes in waves. Right now it feels 10 feet tall.

We are together as a family sharing memories and photos of our many many Sunday dinners together. Off to harvest.

Recipes to enjoy:

“Spanakopita” Pasta Bake

Great comfort food—a kind of spanakopita meets mac and cheese.  I didn’t have the mozzarella and it was plenty cheesy without.  I might add chopped kalamata olives and maybe toasted walnuts next time

Yield:4 servings

Salt and black pepper

4 cups chopped spinach, Swiss chard or other mild greens (tough stems removed)

4 cups chopped arugula, watercress or other peppery greens (mustard)

1 cup chopped fresh dill or parsley leaves and tender stems, or a combination

6 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced, whites and dark green parts separated

1 pound tubular or curvy pasta, like rigatoni or fusilli

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

8 ounces cream cheese (1 cup), cut into ½-inch cubes

4 ounces mozzarella, grated (1 cup)

4 ounces crumbled feta (1 cup)

1. Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Heat the oven to 450 degrees.

2. Step 2

In a 3-quart/9-by-13-inch baking dish, toss the chopped spinach, arugula, herbs and scallion greens with 2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Squeeze the mixture with your hands to wilt, then set aside.

3. Step 3

Cook the pasta in the boiling water until 2 minutes shy of al dente; reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain pasta and set aside. Return the pot to the stove.

4. Step 4

Melt the butter in the pot over medium heat. Add the scallion whites, garlic and a pinch of salt, and cook until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the cream cheese and pasta water and stir until smooth. Stir in the wilted greens, half the mozzarella and half the feta until combined. Stir in the pasta until combined. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

5. Step 5

Transfer the pasta to the baking dish, then top with remaining mozzarella and feta. Bake until the sauce has thickened and turned bubbly, and the top has browned in spots, 10 to 15 minutes. If you like a crisper top, broil for a few minutes.

Garlic Scapes

Yum!  Enjoy these fleeting beauties!  My favorite way is to brush lightly with EVOO, sprinkle salt and grill!  Like a cross between asparagus and scallions,  and so fun to eat!

Garlic Scape Pesto

Yield:About 1 cup

·                  1cup garlic scapes, sliced crosswise (about 10 to 12 scapes)

·                  ¼ cup raw sunflower seeds

·                  ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

·                  ¼ cup Parmesan cheese

·                  ½ cup basil leaves

·                  Juice of one lemon

Step 1

Place the garlic scapes in a food processor and pulse for 30 seconds.

Step 2

Add the sunflower seeds and pulse for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Step 3

Add the olive oil and process on high for 15 seconds.

Step 4

Add the Parmesan cheese and pulse until the ingredients are combined.

Step 5

Add the basil and lemon juice, and process until reaching the desired consistency.

Step 6

Add salt to taste and serve immediately.

Cold noodles with crunchy vegetables and peanut sauce

4 cups chopped fresh crunchy raw vegetables: snow peas, bell peppers, cucumbers, scallions, radish, baby turnip, kohlrabi

12 ounces fresh Chinese egg noodles or long pasta like linguine

2 tablespoons dark sesame oil

½ cup tahini, peanut butter or a combination

2 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons soy sauce, or to taste

1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger (optional)

1 tablespoon rice or white wine or other vinegar

Hot sesame oil or Tabasco sauce to taste

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste

·        Step 1

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Prepare the vegetables: trim, seed, peel as necessary and cut into bite-size pieces. Reserve in a container until ready to use.

·        Step 2

Cook the noodles in the boiling water until tender but not mushy. When they’re done, rinse in cold water, then toss with a little sesame oil. Store in one or more containers.

·        Step 3

Whisk together the sesame oil and tahini, sugar, soy, ginger, vinegar, hot oil and pepper in a large bowl. Thin the sauce with hot water until it’s about the consistency of heavy cream; you will need ¼ to ½ cup per serving; store as desired.

·        Step 4

When you’re ready to eat, toss a portion of the noodles and a portion of the vegetables; top with sauce and stir to coat.

Gnocchi with Peas, Mint and Feta

Yield:4 servings

• 2 cups/10 ounces thawed frozen peas (or fresh), divided 

• 1 (7- to 8-ounce) block brined feta, drained and roughly crumbled 

• 1 (packed) cup mint leaves, divided 

• 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 lemon)

• 1 garlic clove, chopped 

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling

• Salt and pepper 

• 2 (16- to 18-ounce) packages shelf-stable potato gnocchi (see Tip)

• 1 pound sugar snap peas, trimmed

• Step 1

Make the whipped pea feta: Place 1 cup of the peas, the feta, ¾ of the mint, the lemon juice, garlic and 1 tablespoon of olive oil into a small blender or food processor and purée until smooth. (If the blender needs more liquid to get going, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water.) Taste and season with salt (if needed) and black pepper.

• Step 2

Heat a large skillet on medium-high for 1 to 2 minutes until it is hot. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, half of the gnocchi, season with salt and pepper and cook, tossing often, until crispy and golden, 4 to 5 minutes; transfer the seared gnocchi to a bowl. Add another 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and cook the remaining gnocchi. When cooked, transfer to the bowl with the seared gnocchi. Return the skillet to medium-high heat. 

• Step 3

Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil into the skillet, add the sugar snap peas and season with ½ teaspoon of salt and a generous pinch of pepper. Toss until the sugar snap peas are bright green and crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. When the snap peas are almost ready, add the remaining peas and toss until warmed through, 30 to 60 seconds. Remove from the heat. 

• Step 4

To serve, divide the whipped pea feta among four shallow bowls or plates, smearing it across the surface. Top each with gnocchi and the pea mixture. Drizzle with a little olive oil, scatter over the remaining mint leaves and serve immediately.