I’m not sure our Linwood Community Daycare kids know how great they have it!  Below are some photos of the little ones harvesting potatoes…taters!  Red taters, purple taters and regular old normal taters!  Once again, we won the battle against those awful Colorado Potato Beetles.  Mechanical beetle control is something I was never fond of after getting splashed in the face with guts one too many times.  It’s not a fun job, but someone has to do it.  So, back to potatoes…the kid really loved the ones with color better than the conventional everyday (dare I say boring???) ones.  They’ll cook with potatoes for the next several weeks since they keep so well.  First on the list is a pot of veggie soup with tomatoes, carrots and green beans.  They tend to be more likely to try and enjoy veggies that they grew themselves, from planting to plant care to harvest.  As a bonus, they are also learning some practical and useful life skills.

We do realize it’s summer, but Snowshoe is frequently cold no matter the season, so soup makes perfect sense.  Here’s a recipe from Alton Brown that sounds delicious:

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped leeks, white part only (from approximately
3 medium leeks)
2 tablespoons finely minced garlic
Kosher salt
2 cups carrots, peeled and chopped into rounds
(approximately 2 medium)
2 cups peeled and diced potatoes (preferably of an interesting variety!)
2 cups fresh green beans, broken or cut into 3/4-inch
pieces
2 quarts chicken or vegetable broth
4 cups peeled, seeded, and chopped tomatoes
2 ears corn, kernels removed
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup packed, chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 to 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in large, heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the leeks,
garlic, and a pinch of salt and sweat until they begin to soften, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Add the
carrots, potatoes, and green beans and continue to cook for 4 to 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the stock, increase the heat to high, and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, add the tomatoes, corn
kernels, and pepper. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the vegetables are fork tender,
approximately 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and add the parsley and lemon juice. Season, to taste,
with kosher salt. Serve immediately.

Enjoy,

Kelley