Palos Park Farmer's Market
See our Farmer's Market Recipe File

Food sold in U.S. supermarkets averages some 1,500 miles from farm to plate--a 25% increase from 1980, according to Worldwatch Institute, a Washington nonprofit. Increasingly, even certified-organic produce is grown on vast monoculture spreads, many of them overseas, and shipped long distances. So consumers seeking to eat ethically and preserve farmland around their cities are embracing locally grown food as the eco-healthy choice. Farmers' markets are thriving, along with community-supported agriculture, through which people subscribe to a monthly produce basket.

Every Friday morning throughout the summer, in the parking lot of the Presbyterian Church, visitors to the Palos Park Farmer's Market get a wonderful seasonable variety of goodies.

The Farmers Market has been a tradition of the members of the Palos Park Woman's Club since the early 1900s. Today, the market opens at 8am and runs through 12:30pm, rain or shine. It begins in July and runs through October, taking advantage of two seasons of bounty.

Farmers from as far as Michigan come to sell their fresh fruits, vegetables, honey, flowers, plants and crafts to the lucky people who visit. The women of the Palos Park Woman's Club personally sell fresh picked mushrooms. 

Our local not-for-profit organizations get into the action as well. Each week a different local organization sponsors a table at the market. This allows their members a chance to sell home baked goods and crafts to raise funds for their group.

Over the years, the members of the Palos Park Woman's Club have raised money through the farmers market. These funds have been generously donated to creative and valuable projects for the community. Their continued hard work and efforts make the Farmers Market a wonderful success for residents and visitors alike.

If you would like more information about the Palos Park Woman's Club or the Palos Park Farmers Market, direct your questions to (708)448-5580.

Fresh Produce Recipes from The Palos Park Farmer's Market

Use the bounty of the Market to prepare these tempting dishes. If you would like to contribute your favorite Farmer's Market Recipes you may fax to 708-448-1842 or email here.

   Favorite Vegetable Recipes

CARROT CASSEROLE

Grease 2 qt. rectangular baking dish. In large saucepan, cook carrots in small amount of Boiling water, covered, for 7-10 min. or until tender. Drain. In med. saucepan, melt margarine. Stir in flour, salt, seasonings. Add milk. Cook over med. heat, stirring until thickened & bubbly. Remove from heat. Place half of carrots in prepared dish. Layer half of cheese slices over carrots. Repeat with remaining carrots & cheese slices. Pour sauce over all. Sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake in 350 oven for 20-25 min. Makes 10 servings.

CHEESE CHOWDER

Boil for 10 min. Make a white sauce with 1/4 C. margarine, 1/4 C.flour, 2 C. milk. Add 2 C. shredded Cheddar cheese & I C. cooked ham. Heat thoroughly, don't boil.

VEGGIE STEW

Slice zucchini & squash into 1/4 in. slices. Place vegetables in I qt. bowl. Add garlic powder & seasoned salt. Stir in 1/8 C. water. Mix. Cover with plastic wrap & microwave on HIGH for 5 min.

CHILI STUFFED PEPPERS

Slice tops off peppers. Remove inside & cook peppers gently in coiling water for 15 min. Drain. In saucepan combine chili & corn & heat until boiling. Fill peppers & garnish with tortilla chips.

GREEN BEAN & MUSHROOM BAKE

Cook beans in boiling water for 7 min. Drain. Heat oven to 400. Melt 3 Tbsp. margarine in skillet. Sauté onion & mushrooms until tender. Add basil, oregano, salt & soup. Cook & stir 1 min. Stir in beans & tomatoes. Pour into shallow 3 qt. baking dish. Wipe skillet & add remaining margarine. Sauté crumbs until golden. Add Parmesan cheese. Spread over top of casserole. Cover with foil. Bake for 20 min. until hot & bubbly. Bake 3-5 min longer uncovered until browned. Serves 6.

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SUNNY SPINACH SALAD

Combine ingredients. Good served with vinaigrette dressing.

FRUIT & SPINACH SALAD

Combine above ingredients & toss with a fruited fat-free vinaigrette dressing. 8 servings

ROLLED CHICKEN & ASPARAGUS

Cut chicken breasts into 8 or 10 strips, each about 1x5 in. long. Wrap each strip in corkscrew fashion around 2 or 3 asparagus spears. Fasten with toothpicks. Place in covered baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle with lemon juice and onions. Cover & bake at 350 for 30 min. Remove toothpicks. Serve hot or refrigerate until chilled & serve cold. 4 servings. Good hot OR cold!

ITALIAN STYLE BROCCOLI

Steam broccoli in large skillet for 5 min. until crisp tender. Remove broccoli & drain. Pour oil into skillet & add garlic. Cook over med. heat stirring constantly until garlic is lightly browned. Add broccoli & lemon juice. Toss gently. Cover & cook for an additional minute or two.

SNOW PEA SALAD

Blanch snow peas & drain, rinsing under cold water. Pat dry & refrigerate for an hour. When ready to serve, place snow peas in circle on individual plates. Arrange red pepper strips between snow peas & sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Drizzle salad dressing over top of each salad. 4 servings.

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LEMON ASPARAGUS & BABY CARROTS

Drain asparagus & carrots. In casserole, combine carrots & asparagus. Cover & refrigerate. When ready to serve, sprinkle with lemon pepper & lemon juice. Serve cold.

VEGETABLE CASSEROLE

In Dutch oven bring water & salt to boil. Add potatoes & cook, covered about 6 min. Add cauliflower, carrots & green beans. Return to boiling. Cover & cook 10-12 min. until vegetables are tender. Drain. Place cooked vegetables into 2 qt. casserole. Combine soup & milk, pour over. Bake, covered at 350 for 25 min. Uncover & sprinkle with cheese. Bake 3-4 min. longer until cheese melts. Makes 6-8 servings.

VEGETABLE BEEF CASSEROLE

In 3 qt. casserole, layer 1/2 of potatoes, carrots, celery, green beans & onion. Crumble 1/2 of uncooked beef over vegetables. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. each of thyme & pepper. Repeat layers. Top with tomatoes. Cover & bake at 400 for 15 min. Reduce heat to 350. Bake about 1 hr. longer or until vegetables are tender & meat is done. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover & let stand until cheese is melted. 8 servings.

STUFFED BAKED SWEET POTATOES

Bake potatoes for 1 hr. at 375. Cut a 1 inch lengthwise wedge from top of each potato. Carefully scoop pulp from shells. Mix potato pulp, margarine & pineapple. Beat until fluffy. Stuff back into potato shell & sprinkle with pecans. Bake for 12 min. at 375 degrees.

SKILLET SQUASH

Cut squash crosswise into 1/2 in. slices & discard seeds. Arrange in large skillet. In small bowl, combine juice, sugar & cinnamon. Pour over squash rings. Brine, to a boil & reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 25 min. or until squash is tender. Arrange squash on platter & pour remaining sauce over squash. 4 servings.

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SHEEPHERDER POTATOES

Fry bacon until not quite crisp. Add onion & sauté until limp. Pour off all but 2 tsp. of drippings. Center potatoes on tin foil placed in large casserole dish. Pour bacon mixture over potatoes and season with salt & pepper. Seal foil with small space between potatoes & foil. Bake 1 1/2 hrs. at 300. Serves 4-6.

ITALIAN EGGPLANT

Spray nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Remove peel of eggplant & slice into circles. Dip circle in egg Beater then into bread crumbs. Place each round in skillet & brown on both sides. Place in ovenproof casserole, putting generous tablespoon of spaghetti sauce on each eggplant round. Stack if necessary. Bake covered at 350 for 30 min. Serves 4.

GREEN BEAN & BABY CORN SALAD

Blanch beans for 5-6 min. in salted water until crisp tender. Drain, rinse & cool. Combine with baby corn & onions. Juice from corn acts as dressing. Toss & chill. 6 servings.

MASHED POTATOES A CARROTS

In boiling water, add potatoes & carrots & cook for 25 min. or until tender. Drain. Return to pot & mash. Stir in milk & dill. Season to taste. 6 servings.

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SPANISH FISH

Line shallow pan with foil leaving ample amount hanging over edges. Pour 1/3 of tomatoes onto foil. Place fish over tomatoes. Sprinkle bell pepper & onion over fish. Pour remaining tomatoes over fish & loosely close up foil. Bake at 350 for 20 min. per pound or until fish is flaky.

GINGERED SWEET POTATOES

Arrange potatoes in a steaming rack. Place over boiling water; cover & steam until tender. Remove & place in serving dish. Combine remaining ingredients, blend well. Toss with the hot sweet potatoes. 4 servings.

SWEET POTATO & APPLE BAKE

Grease casserole with part of margarine. Layer potatoes, dot with margarine & sprinkle with brown sugar, layer with apple slices. Repeat, ending with potatoes, margarine & brown sugar. Bake 30-45 min. at 350, or until potatoes are tender & browned. Serves 8-10.

TOMATO SALSA (Salt Free)

Mix all together. Enjoy with tortilla chips.

YELLOW PEPPER SOUP

Heat oil & butter in Dutch oven OR soup kettle. Sauté peppers, onion, potato & garlic until onion is tender, about 5 min. Add broth, bay leaf, salt & pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover & simmer for 20 min. or until vegetables are tender. Discard bay leaf. Cool slightly. Puree in batches in a blender. Return to pan. Stir in buttermilk. Heat through. Serve hot or cold. Garnish with sour cream & chives if desired. Yield 12 servings (3 quarts).

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ITALIAN POTATOES

Spread butter on potato halves. Sprinkle salad dressing & cheese over potatoes. Bake on greased baking sheet, cut side down, for 45 min. at 400.

MARVELOUS MUSHROOMS

Heat oil in frying pan & add garlic. Cook garlic over med. low heat 4-6 min. Do not let garlic burn. Add mushrooms & cook 2-3 min. Add soy sauce; toss & serve immediately.

CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP

Heat oil in large saucepan over med. heat. Add onion & bay leaf. COOK 5 min., until softened. Add tomatoes, bring to a simmer. Lower heat, cover, cook 20 min. Remove bay leaf. Puree tomatoes in blender or processor. Pour back into saucepan. Mix cornstarch & milk in bowl. Stir into soup. Cook, stirring, over med. heat until thickened, about 6 min. Add pepper & thyme.

ROASTED GARLIC VINAIGRETTE

Squeeze pulp from garlic bulb into blender. Add salt, pepper, vinegar, Dijon mustard. Process until smooth, stopping once to scrape down sides. Turn blender on high. Add oil in a slow, steady stream. Yields 1 cup.
Roasted Garlic Bulb: Cut off pointed ends of garlic bulbs, & place on piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil & bake at 400 for 1 hour. Once cooled, the roasted bulbs can be frozen up to 3 months.

You can spread plain roasted garlic pulp on toasted French bread for an easy hors d'oeuvre. Add a few cloves to mashed potatoes, soups, stews, or pasta sauces. Or serve with roasted or grilled meats.

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HOW TO COOK PUMPKIN

Select full-colored, mature pumpkin, remove top, discard pulp & seeds. Cut into 3 or 4 in. pieces. Simmer covered in boiling water 15-20 min. until tender OR bake in preheated 350 oven skin side up in baking pan with Vi C. water, covered 45-50 min. OR steam covered 20-25 min. Cool completely. Trim off skin & mash OR puree in a processor.
NOTE: Recipes calling for pumpkin puree may also be made with canned pumpkin. One 16 ounce can contains 2 Cups puree.

TOASTED SEEDS
Don't discard seeds removed from pumpkin or winter squash like acorn or butternut. Separate & discard any fiber clinging to seeds. Cover bottom of round pie or cake pan with cooking oil. Spread seeds on bottom of pan. Place under broiler, 2-3  in. from flame. Stir frequently so both sides of seeds are exposed to flame. Remove from broiler when light brown. Drain on paper towel if still very oily. Salt to taste.

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Fresh Fruit Recipes

PUMPKIN APPLE STREUSEL MUFFINS

In large bowl combine flour, sugar, spice, baking soda & salt, set aside. In med. bowl combine eggs, pumpkin & oil. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients. Stir just until moistened. Stir in apples. Spoon batter into greased or paper-lined muffin cups, filling 3/4 full" Sprinkle streusel Topping over batter. Bake at 350 for 35-40 min.
STREUSEL TOPPING:
In small bowl combine 2 Tbsp. flour, 1/4 C. sugar, '/2 tsp. cinnamon. Cut in 4 tsp. butter until mixture is crumbly. Yields 12 regular OR 6 giant muffins. (For giant muffins increase baking time to 40-45 min.).

PUMPKIN ICE CREAM PIE FILLING

Beat pumpkin pie mix & ice cream together. Spoon into prepared graham cracker crust. Freeze 1 hour. In saucepan heat brown sugar & margarine to boiling. Remove from heat & drizzle over pie. Freeze until firm. Let pie stand at room temperature 15 min. before serving. 8 servings.

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PUMPKIN BREAD

Mix margarine, sugar & eggs until blended. Add pumpkin & water. Add flour, nutmeg, cinnamon & baking soda. Mix. Pour into 3 greased loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 45 min. to 1 hr. (Can also add chopped nuts, if desired).

PUMPKIN PIE

Preheat oven to 425. In large bowl, combine all ingredients (except pie crust) & mix well. Pour into unbaked pie crust. Bake 15 min. Reduce oven temperature to 350. Bake 35-40 min. longer or until knife inserted I in. from edge comes out clean. Cool. Refrigerate any leftover pie.

PUMPKIN PANCAKES

Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg & ginger in large bowl. Mix together milk, pumpkin, oil & egg in small bowl. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened; batter may be lumpy. Heat griddle OR skillet over med. heat. Brush lightly with oil. Pour 1/4 C. batter onto griddle for each pancake; flatten slightly with back of spoon to 4-5 in. diameter. Cook until bubbles form on surface and begin to burst, 1-2 min. Flip over. Continue cooking 1-2 min or until golden brown. Repeat with remaining batter. Top with maple syrup & chopped nuts if desired.

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STRAWBERRY BAVARIAN
Mix one large package strawberry jello according to directions. Let set in refrigerator until partially jelled. With mixer, beat in one 8 oz. Cool Whip and fold in I pt. or more of sliced fresh strawberries.  Return to refrigerator to finish setting up.

NUTTY RHUBARB MUFFINS

In small mixing bowl combine brown sugar, buttermilk, oil, egg & vanilla. Mix well. Set aside. In med. mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda & salt. Add egg mixture & diced rhubarb; stir until just combined. Spoon batter into paper-lined muffin tin. Mix topping & sprinkle over. Press down. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes. Makes 18.

BLUEBERRY CRUMB MUFFIN

Wash blueberries. Mix flour, sugar & baking powder. Cut in margarine. Put aside 1 C. crumb mixture. Drizzle melted butter over crumb mixture & toss with fork. In large bowl add eggs, milk & vanilla. Beat until smooth. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin tin, greased OR paper-lined, then top with 2 Tbsp. crumb mix. Bake at 350 for 20-30 min. Makes 24.

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RASPBERRY CRISP

In bowl, gently toss raspberries with sugar & 3 Tbsp. flour. Transfer to greased 9 in. square baking dish. In bowl combine oats, brown sugar & 1/3 C. flour. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over berries. Bake at 350 for 30 min. or until golden brown. 6 servings.

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