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Shepherd’s Pie

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Loaded Potato Meatloaf Casserole topped with mashed potatoes, cheese and bacon

“One of my favorite post-holiday meals is Sheperd’s pie. It’s a comfort food that reminds me of being home for the holidays. The recipe is simple, delicious, and helps use up some holiday leftovers.” – Ariel Garland

Recipe shared by Hebron Valley Veal

Serves 6-8

Prep & cook time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

● 2 pounds ground veal*
● 1 large sweet onion*
● 1/4 cup ketchup
● 3 cups frozen sweet corn
● Leftover mashed potatoes

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown the ground veal with the diced onion. Once cooked through and the onions are translucent, add the ketchup. Put the mixture in the bottom of your desired baking dish.

Top that with the frozen corn (you can add more or use less, depending on your preference).

Spread that out evenly over the meat. Next, layer the mashed potatoes over the corn at least an inch thick. Put a few dabs of butter over the top. Bake until warmed through, about 30 minutes.

This Week’s Article:

Small Business Saturday and the Saratoga Farmers’ Market!

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by Jodie Fitz

In all reality, every Saturday is Small Business Saturday at the Saratoga Farmers’  Market! The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is comprised of locally grown goods by local growers and locally produced goods by small businesses right here in our area. You are supporting small businesses every time you visit the Saratoga Farmers’ Market to shop.

We have a wide variety of items on any given Saturday, from fresh vegetables, meats, eggs, and dairy, along with baked goods, honey, maple syrup, wineries, distilleries, crafts, snacks, and so much more.

This holiday season, consider not only visiting our amazing vendors but also purchasing gift cards for the Saratoga Farmers’ Market to share with loved ones. It’s a fantastic gift because the market itself is a shopping experience with weekly musicians and various activities throughout the year. Gift cards can be used on any and all item(s) at the market with no expiration date, including ready-made foods; it’s a win-win for everyone!

If you want to purchase a little something other than baked goods, produce, meats, and dairy to go along with your gift card, consider some of the following items:

● Artisan cheeses from Argyle Cheese Farmer and Nettle Meadow
● Candles from Reliquias
● Dried florals from Halfmoon Harvest and Lovin’ Mama Farm
● Christmas wreaths, garlands, and kissing balls from Scotch Ridge Berry and Tree Farm
● Coffee beans and ground coffee from Nally Coffee
● Gift packs from Muddy Trail, Saratoga Peanut Butter, and The Peanut Principle
● Gift items from Eat with Aliens
● Handcrafted cutting boards and decorative items from Megs Media
● Handmade soaps at Saratoga Suds n’ Stuff
● Honey from Ballston Lake Apiaries and Slate Valley Farms
● Immune boosters from Awakened Tonics
● Maple syrup from Slate Valley Farms
● Pickles from Puckers Gourmet
● Pup treats from Mugzy’s Bakery and The Peanut Principle
● Wine and spirits from Galway Vineyard & Winery, New Scotland Spirits, Yankee Distillers, and Slyboro Ciderhouse at Hicks Orchard

We are not only local, but we support local too. We will be hosting holiday pop-up fairs in addition to our regular market activities as follows:

Saturday, December 2: Local Crafters Fair
Saturday, December 9: Local Artist Fair
Saturday, December 16: Local Authors Fair

We look forward to seeing you at the upcoming markets. If you want to participate in one of the pop-up fairs, email sfma.manager@gmail.com. You can purchase gift certificates at the market information table weekly.

This Week’s Recipe:  Shepherd’s Pie

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market will be open on Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. from November through April at the Wilton Mall Food Court, accessible from the mall entrance across from BJs or the mall interior. Find us online at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org, where you can sign up for our weekly newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Holiday Stuffing

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Adapted from the recipe featured in the Cambridge Food Co-op 2016 newsletter 

No turkey is complete without stuffing. Inside or outside the bird, it is delicious. The basics for stuffing are bread cubes, onion, garlic, celery and broth. Add an apple, dried cranberries, chopped pecans, sausage, or mushrooms. Stuffing is adaptable. Make it your own.

Ingredients:

*Ingredients available at the farmers’ market

● One loaf of bread*, torn or cubed (15-20 cups)
● 1 large onion*, chopped*
● 2-4 celery stalks with leaves, chopped
● 2-4 cloves of garlic*, minced*
● 1 stick of unsalted butter or ½ cup ghee*
● 1 apple*, chopped
● 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme*
● 1 teaspoon of fresh sage*
● 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley*
● 1 cup of turkey stock/broth

Instructions:

1. Spread the bread on 2 large baking sheets and bake at 350 degrees, stirring occasionally until dry (about 20 minutes). Pour into a large bowl.
2. Cook onion, celery, and garlic in butter until the wilted and onion is transparent. Do not brown.
3. Add apple and herbs. Cook a few more minutes (about 3 minutes), stirring occasionally.
4. Remove from heat, add to bread and mix well, add salt and pepper to taste. Add broth to moisten slightly.
5. Place in a casserole/baking dish. Cook at 350 degrees, covered for at least 20 minutes, then remove the cover and cook for at least 15 minutes more until lightly browned on top.

This Week’s Featured Article: Dishin’ On the Sides

Dishin’ on the Sides!

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By Jodie Fitz

What’s the word on the street at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market regarding Thanksgiving side dishes? Most of us agree that they have equal status to the main course!

Stuffing

The stuffing flavor has a lot to do with the bread you choose, and that’s just it…you can choose something different! We have a wide variety of bread available with everything you can imagine to help you start with the primary ingredient, but don’t forget that these breads are also great as part of your dinner and leftover sandwiches:

The Bread Butler offers whole wheat, Italian, and sourdough and claims that even croissants make delicious stuffing.
Katie Bakes Gluten Free sells gluten-free baguettes, multi-seed artisan loaves, and dinner rolls.
Night Work Bread, an all sourdough-based bakery, has a wide variety, including seedless country, sandwich bread, country olive bread, seeded bread varieties, focaccia, and even date cardamom, which would add a world of flavor.

There are so many ways to make stuffing uniquely flavorful. If you make sausage stuffing, consider visiting Grazin’ Acres Farm, Hebron Valley Meats, and Jireh Organic Farm & Livestock of NY to explore your sausage options.

What about adding mushrooms? Yes! Grab some at The Mushroom Shop to sauté in homemade, clarified ghee from Daily Fresh with some onions, shallots, or scallions from one of our vegetable vendors.

Don’t forget the fresh herbs for your holiday side dishes and turkey roasting needs! We have an assortment of vendors that still have them available, like Shushan Valley Hydro Farm.  Muddy Trail Jerky Company has dried seasonings, including a turkey brine combo.

Veggies, potatoes and more…

We have many vendors that are well stocked with fresh vegetables, squash, and potatoes that have cool storage and/or are grown in greenhouses year-round: Gomez Veggie Ville, Lovin’ Mama Farm, Owl Wood Farm, Shushan Valley Hydro Farm, and Squash Villa Farm.

Remember to pick up your fresh apple cider for the table from Saratoga Apple and desserts from one of our vendors, including gluten-free pies at Katie Bakes Gluten Free.

However you slice, dice, and roast it… it will be a delicious Thanksgiving meal with fresh ingredients as part of the mix.

This Week’s Recipe: Holiday Stuffing

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market will be open on Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. from November through April at the Wilton Mall Food Court, accessible from the mall entrance across from BJs or the mall interior. Find us online at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org, where you can sign up for our weekly newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Accidental Turkey

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Adapted from the recipe by Ina Garten
Prep time: 1 hr 50 min
Cook: 30 min and based on weight

Ingredients

*Ingredients currently available at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market

● Kosher salt
● 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves*, minced
● Grated zest of one lemon
● 1 fresh turkey* (12-14 pounds)
● 1 large yellow onion*, unpeeled and cut into eighths
● 1 lemon, quartered
● 10 sprigs thyme*
● ½ stick unsalted butter, melted
● Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Two or three days before you plan to roast the turkey, combine salt, rosemary, and lemon zest.
2. Wash turkey inside and out. Drain well and pat dry.
3. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the salt mixture into the turkey’s cavity and rub the rest on the skin, including under the wings and legs.
4. Place turkey in a shallow dish to catch drips and wrap the whole dish tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate.
5. The day before you plan to roast the turkey, remove plastic wrap and leave the turkey in the fridge uncovered so the skin can dry out.
6. On the day of roasting, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
7. Place onions, lemon, and thyme in the cavity. Using kitchen string, tie together legs and tie wings close to the body. Brush the turkey with butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
8. Roast turkey for 30 minutes after placing in the oven, legs first.
9. Brush turkey with fat. After doing so, return the turkey to pan.
10. Then, lower temperature to 325 degrees F and continue to roast for another 1-2 hours or more until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F in the breast area and 180 degrees F in the thigh area.
11. Remove from oven, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 20-30 minutes.
12. Carve and serve with pan juices.

This week’s featured article:  Who’s Ready to Talk Turkey?

Who’s Ready to Talk Turkey?

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by Jodie Fitz

It’s hard to believe, and maybe I’m a bit in denial, that the big day is only a couple of weeks away! So…it’s time to grab that shopping/planning list and get to work organizing your dinner plans.

Whether you’re cooking the entire dinner, in charge of the side dishes, or on the list to bring dessert, the Saratoga Farmer’s Market has a lot of options to consider and offer. Vendors at the market even have you covered if you’re going vegetarian for the holiday; farmers at the market are well-stocked with a plentiful array of fresh vegetables. However, it’s the typical main attraction that we are really ready to talk about: the turkey! Yes, the Saratoga Farmers’ Market can even help you with farm-fresh turkeys that have been locally raised.

Who sells locally grown turkeys at the market? When you visit the market this week, stop by one of these vendors to find out more about how to order, pick up, and  store one of their farm-fresh turkeys for Thanksgiving;

● Grazin’ Acres Farm
● Hepitica Farm, LLC
● Jireh Organic Farm & Livestock of New York State

Is it too early to pick up a turkey? Not if you’re planning to pop it in the freezer. If you pick up your turkey from the farmers’ market the weekend before Thanksgiving, the vendor(s) can guide you on what to do with your turkey.

How many days does it take to thaw a turkey? Plan on placing your wrapped turkey on a baking sheet, breast side up, in the refrigerator, and plan for approximately one day for every four to five pounds.

How big of a turkey should I buy? Plan on 1 1/2 pounds of uncooked turkey per person when planning your turkey purchase.

How long does it take to cook a turkey? Cooking directions should be located on the packaging. The length of cooking time depends on the size of the bird and whether you are stuffing it or not. However, you should plan on baking your turkey at 325 degrees, and the meat thermometer should read 165 degrees in the center for it to be fully cooked.

Did someone say stuffing? Look for next week’s article to learn a little more about our thoughts on this yummy side dish.

This week’s Recipe:  Accidental Turkey

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market will be open on Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. from November through April at the Wilton Mall Food Court, accessible from the mall entrance across from BJs or the mall interior. Find us online at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org, where you can sign up for our weekly newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.