Linguine with Leeks, Radicchio, and Walnut Pesto

8 ounces linguine
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 cups thinly sliced leeks (including some dark green parts)
1/2 cup (packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus shaved Parmesan for garnish
1/4 cup walnut pieces (about 1 ounce) plus additional for garnish
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 cups thinly sliced radicchio

1. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add leeks; season with salt and pepper. Cover; cook until tender and beginning to brown, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.

3. Puree parsley, 1/4 cup Parmesan, 1/4 cup walnuts, lemon juice, and 3 tablespoons oil in mini processor until coarse puree forms. Season pesto with salt and pepper. 

4. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid. Add pasta, pesto, and radicchio to leeks; toss, adding cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls if dry. Garnish with walnuts and shaved Parmesan.

Source: Epicurious

Slow Cooker Chile Verde

4 pound chuck roast, or pork shoulder/butt
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 small onion, diced
1 (4 ounce) can diced chiles
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
10 tomatillos, diced (peel off the outer wrapper, if they have one)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons sage
1 Tablespoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more, to taste)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves

1. Trim any visible fat from the meat, and plop into your slow cooker stoneware. Add diced bell pepper and onion. If your tomatillos have the leafy-outer skin left on them, take the skin and stem off, and dice finely (use the pampered chef chopping thingy). 

2. Pour in the contents of the diced chile can and the tomato can. Add spices. Stir a bit to get the spices down the sides of the meat. Add chopped cilantro to the top.
3. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, high for 6, or until meat shreds easily with a fork.

Serve with rice, corn tortillas, shredded cheese, refried beans, and a dollop of sour cream.

Source: A Year of Slow Cooking

Try #1 - August 2013
We got tomatillos in our CSA box and I had never cooked with them... but found this recipe and it was delicious!  It made a ton, so we ate it with rice etc. one night and then used the leftovers for enchiladas a couple of nights later.  Yum!

Fresh Tomatillo Salsa

1/2 pound tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and quartered
2 serrano peppers or 1 jalapeño pepper, chopped*
1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup packed cilantro leaves
heaping 1/2 teaspoon salt
squeeze of fresh lime juice**

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse to combine and get juices flowing. Blend on low speed until a coarse puree is formed. Pour into a dish, taste and add more salt or lime if desired. Salsa can be thinned with a bit of water if desired.

Recipe Notes: *This amount of chiles produces a medium-spicy salsa; if you’d like it milder, use only one serrano or half a jalapeño. If you want an extremely mild salsa (no heat), remove seeds from peppers. **The lime juice is entirely optional as the tomatillos will lend their own tartness to the salsa. I like lime with cilantro, so I always use a bit.

Source: http://pinchmysalt.com/fresh-tomatillo-salsa/

Zucchini-Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini (1 medium)
1 cup quick oats
1 cup chopped nuts
1 2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Lightly grease baking sheets.

2. Combine flour, cinnamon and baking soda in small bowl. Beat butter, sugar in large mixer bowl until well combined. Add egg and vanilla extract, beat well. Add zucchini; gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in oats, nuts and morsels. Drop by rounded teaspoon 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets.

3. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until light golden brown around edges. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire rack to cool completely. Store in tightly covered container at room temperature.

Source: http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/145079/Zucchini-Oat-Dark-Chocolate-Chip-Cookies/detail.aspx