Let’s cook and dine this Idaho Preferred Month!

When I cook I like it to be about two things:

Seasonal, local food

EASY

Here’s three recipes that are my family's favorite and so easy.

I first headed into Cliffs Country Market in Caldwell to shop local Idaho products. I used the Idaho Preferred “Farm and Food Finder” to research local farms and retail establishments focused on supporting our local ag community.

These dishes have no exact measurements. The point is to add in the fresh locally produced ingredients you find around you and see what you create. 

Idaho Garden Midnight Pasta

Cook and drain one pound of pasta in well salted water. Spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccini works best. Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over medium heat and add two or three cloves of minced garlic and 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes. Add drained pasta to oil once garlic is just starting to brown. Stir Pasta to coat. 

Add veggies and a protein. I added fresh tomatoes, basil, and grilled chicken. Next I added sautéed zucchini, fresh mozzarella, more basil and parmesan. That’s it! Easy and so delicious! Use what is in season and this dish is constantly changing. You can switch this up with almost any seasonal produce. 

Apple Cider Salad

Next up is a salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette and Ballard Cheese. Mince 1 to 3 cloves garlic and a spoonful of Wagner Old Fashioned Mustard, spoonful of Idaho honey, and 1/3 cup or so of Apple Cider vinegar. This is all going to be based on your taste. So feel free to add more of anything. Add pepper, salt. Whisk in oil until desired consistency is reached. Slice up a Honey Crisp or Granny Smith Apple and red onion. Mix with Vinaigrette and place over fresh greens. Top with Ballard Cheddar cheese curds and your choice of nuts. I used Pine Nuts. Serve with fresh Rosehill Bakery sourdough bread. And I had some yummy Watermelon so I added that as well. Pairs wonderfully with a Huston Vineyards Chicken Dinner white wine. 

Simple Baked Peaches

Peaches are abundant in Idaho right now. Nothing is easier than baked cinnamon peaches with CloverLeaf Creamery Ice Cream. Split the peaches in half, and remove the pits. Mix softened butter with sugar and cinnamon. place a small dollop on peach half. Sprinkle with additional sugar and cinnamon. Bake the peaches at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes, or until they are so tender you can cut them with a spoon. The filling will bubble and caramelize. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. 

Check out the Idaho Preferred “Farm and Food Finder” to learn where you can access locally grown, raised, and crafted Idaho products during the peak of the season.

Not much of a cook?

You can use the Farm + Food Finder on the Idaho Preferred website, for a list of genuine Idaho farm to fork restaurants.

Autumn is actually an ideal time to dine at restaurants that support Idaho farmers, ranchers, and ag-artisans. This is the time that local chefs are incorporating all that locally grown food into their menus. Some of the very best of Idaho produce, meats and dairy will be showcased in Idaho restaurants this October. Not to mention Idaho beer and wine and cocktails with Idaho whisky, gin, herbal mixers and bitters.

Supporting Idaho agriculture can be as easy as making a reservation at an authentic farm to fork restaurant. Many restaurants claim to be farm-to-fork, but it's crucial to identify those with genuine relationships with Idaho producers. The Idaho Preferred definition of an Idaho farm to fork restaurant is, “an establishment that prioritizes locally sourced ingredients produced in Idaho by Idaho farmers, ranchers, and ag-artisans.”

Now. Get to shopping or make those reservations and let's Live, and Eat, Local.