Potatoes are the leading vegetable grown worldwide. Potatoes are native to the Andean Mountains of South America, and date back as far as 3000 B.C. They were discovered by the Spaniards and taken back to Europe, and eventually to North America in the 1700s. Because it is related to the deadly nightshade family, the Europeans were somewhat slow to accept it, but eventually it became a staple in their diet.

The average person in this country consumes 75 pounds of potatoes, mostly in the form of the high fat and high sodium form of French fries and potato chips. Alone, potatoes are a good source of complex carbohydrates and minerals, and a fairly good source of vegetable protein. Because they store well, they can be grown in the summer and stored through the winter months.

Onions are the most universal seasoning. They can be in the form of green onions (or scallions), shallots, leeks and bulb onions. The bulb onions are the most common form, and can be red, purple, white or yellow. The large sweet onions have become very popular, and although their storage life is shorter than the more pungent types, they have a milder, sweeter flavor that is very good when using raw onions on sandwiches or in salads. Besides adding flavor, the onion is believed to give various health and healing benefits. Bulb onions store best in a cool, dry ventilated area. Never store them in a plastic bag.

Potato crust quiche

3 medium potatoes to make 1-1/2 cup mashed

1/3 cup butter, softened

2 cups mixed, chopped, cooked vegetables

1 /2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 eggs

1 small can (5.3 oz.) evaporated milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 cup bread cubes, optional

Cook potatoes in boiling water until tender. Drain them, and mash, adding butter. Line bottom and sides of a 9 inch pie plate with potato mixture. Spread vegetables over potatoes, and top with cheese. Beat eggs, milk, salt and pepper in bowl, and pour over cheese. Top with bread cubes, if desired. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes. Makes eight servings.

Red onion marmalade for grilled fish or meat

3 tablespoon, butter

2 large red onions, sliced

2 tablespoon sugar

3 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Heat butter in skillet over medium heat. Stir in onions and sugar, and cook, stirring frequently until onions are carmelized, about 20 minutes. Deglaze the pan by adding vinegar, and stirring well to release any bits from bottom of pan. Cook about another seven minutes, until flavors come together. This is a delicious topping for grilled fish, chicken or meat.

Beer batter onion rings

1-1/2 cup flour

1-1/2 cup beer

4 to 5 large onions, sliced

4 cup vegetable oil

salt

Whisk flour and beer in bowl until smooth. Cover and let stand at room temperature three hours. Slice onions into 1/4 inch rings. Heat oil to 375 degrees. Dip rings in batter, a few at a time. Drop into hot oil and fry until golden, turning once. Drain on paper towels, and salt lightly. (Popcorn salt works well for this.)

Summer is now a thing of the past, and fall, along with the harvest season, is here. Most of the soybeans have been harvested, and already some of the corn has been combined. This is a beautiful time of the year, with the leaves changing to brilliant shades of red, yellow and orange. At this time, we have not had a hard frost here, and I am still harvesting a lot of tomatoes. Our cool weather earlier this summer delayed the ripening process. Where earlier I didn’t think I would have many tomatoes, now I am picking buckets and buckets of them. The overbearing raspberries are producing yet, and our apple orchard is unbelievable. We have never had so many apples, and the quality of them is excellent this year. Because of this, we will be having an open house cider making demonstration and apple tasting event here on Sunday, October 19th from 2:00 p.m. until dusk. We are 3-1/2 miles south of Twin Lakes on County Road 16 (which is also 720th Ave.). The address is 10516 720th Ave. (Phone 507-297-5546). We encourage young and old to come and see a local apple orchard and garden, and taste fresh apple cider. We will have some special games and fan things for kids to do. Call above number if you have any questions.

The Albert Lea Farmers Market is still very active, with lots of fall produce available. You will find lots of pumpkins, squash, decorative corn, broom corn, and gourds. There are also still a lot of the summer vegetables, such as zucchini, lettuce, cucumbers and radishes. A couple of our vendors who make baked goods have ended their season at the market, so the baked goods will be a little more limited, but we will still have lots of good produce, meats, eggs, jams and jellies, honey, and crafts. We will be having markets each Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. and Saturday at 9:00 a.m. through this month. With prices at the grocery store going up so much this past year, you will find the best buys and the best produce at your local farmers market! See you there.