Food Bank of Contra Costa and SolanoFood Bank of Contra Costa and Solano

  • English
  • Español
  • Partner Agency Login
  • Volunteer
  • Give
feeding-america
    • English
    • Español
    • Home
    • Get Food
      • Find Food in My City
      • CalFresh
        • CalFresh for Seniors
        • ABAWD
          • ABAWD Assessment
          • Request An ABAWD Training
        • CalFresh Inquiry
      • Pantries & Soup Kitchens
      • Summer Food for Kids
      • Nutrition & Recipes
      • Share Your Story
    • How to Help
      • COVID-19 Response
      • Donate
        • Donate Food
        • Nourish 365
        • Company Matching Gifts
        • Virtual Food Drive
        • Planned Giving
        • Give Stock or Other Securities
      • Volunteer
      • Food Drives
      • Advocate
        • Speaker Series
    • News & Events
      • Events & Promotions
      • Ongoing Promotions
      • Blog
      • Media Center
        • In the News
        • Press Releases
        • Newsletter Archive
        • Food Bank Logos
      • Host a Food Bank Event/Promotion
        • Guidelines for Hosting a Food Bank Event/Promotion
    • About
      • History
      • What We Do
      • Who We Serve
        • Children
        • Seniors
        • Individuals
        • Hunger Study 2018
      • Who We Are
        • Staff
        • Board of Directors
      • Our Programs
      • Financials
      • Education & Resources
        • Request a Food Bank Speaker
      • For Partner Agencies
        • Become a Partner Agency
      • Careers
      • Holiday Sponsors
    • Contact
    • Partner Agency Login
    • Volunteer
    • Give

    Meal Type: Side-dish

    Oven-Fried Latkes

    Recipe by Anna Meyer (Gorman) – Children’s Program and Extra Helpings Administrator

    Latkes, probably the most well-known food served for the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, are what hash browns wish they could be. These crispy-on-the outside and fluffy-on-the-inside morsels of potato goodness can be enjoyed any time of year! They’re traditionally fried on the stovetop (a daunting task for many of us), but this version is easier, safer and uses less oil.

    Ingredients:

    3 russet potatoes
    1 yellow onion (peeled)
    2 eggs
    2 tsp salt
    2 tsp baking powder
    1/4 cup all purpose flour
    1 cup vegetable oil
    Salt to taste

    Instructions: 

    Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

    Peel potatoes. Grate the onion and potatoes on a box grater or in a food processor.

    Place the potato and onion in the center of a large dish towel (preferably one you don’t mind staining). Over the sink, twist the dish towel to wring out the excess moisture from the onion and potato. You may have to do this in two batches.

    Transfer the potato-onion mixture to a bowl and mix in the eggs, flour, baking powder, and salt.

    Fill 2 NON-STICK rimmed baking sheets with 1/2 cup of oil each. Place the two baking sheets in the oven for 10 minutes to preheat the oil.

    Carefully remove the sheet pans using oven mitts. Using a 1/4 measuring cup, drop the latke mixture onto the sheet pan about 2 inches apart. Using the bottom of the measuring cup or a spatula, flatten the latke mixture slightly.

    Bake for 15-20 minutes until the bottoms are crisp and golden. Carefully remove the pans again and flip the latkes using tongs (you can use a spatula if you want, but there may be more oil splatter). Return to the oven for about 10 minutes more, or until crisp and a deep golden brown. 

    Remove from oven and transfer to a platter lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt while still hot.

    Serve immediately.

    Notes:

    It’s very important that you use non-stick pans, otherwise the latkes will stick and you won’t be able to flip them. Using non-stick also ensures easy cleanup. 

    Make sure you wring out as much moisture as possible using your dish towel – this is the key to getting the latkes crispy.

    Half the Russet potatoes can be replaced with another root vegetable (sweet potato, parsnip, yam, etc.), but keep it at 50:50 because the Russets provide the best crispy-on-the-outside and fluffy-on-the-inside results. Taking them out entirely might impair the texture.

    Serving plain with sour cream and applesauce is traditional if you’re eating these latkes for Hanukkah. Add fresh or dried herbs to the initial potato-onion mixture (such as rosemary, thyme, or sage) for a delicious side dish to any holiday dinner.

    Sweet and Spicy Roasted Squash w/ Lemon Garlic Sauce

    Move over butternut–delicata squash is your best squash friend this Thanksgiving. Its small size and cylindrical shape mean it is incredibly easy to cut and prep, and here’s the best part: NO PEELING. When roasted, the skin softens enough that you won’t even notice it’s there, we promise.

    Ingredients:

    1 medium delicata squash
    2 tbsp olive oil
    2 tsp salt
    2 tbsp chili powder
    2 tbsp maple syrup or honey
    1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
    Juice from 1/2 a lemon
    1 clove garlic, minced
    Pumpkin seeds, chopped walnuts, or chopped pecans (optional)

    Directions:

    Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

    Cut the delicata squash in half and scrape out the seeds. Cut each half crosswise into 1/4-inch crescents.

    Place squash on a non-stick sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and chili powder. Using your hands or a spatula, toss to coat.

    Roast the squash for 25-30 min, until deeply browned around the edges.

    While the squash is roasting, make the lemon garlic sauce. Measure the yogurt into a small bowl and add the lemon and garlic. Stir to combine. Make sure it’s thin enough that it falls off the spoon in a drizzle – you might have to thin it out with more lemon juice or a bit of water. Set aside.

    Remove the squash from the oven. While it’s still warm, drizzle the maple syrup or honey over the squash. Using a spatula, toss to coat.

    If you’re using honey, heat it up in a saucepan for a few minutes before using, otherwise it will be too thick to drizzle.

    Arrange the squash crescents on a serving plate. Drizzle the lemon garlic sauce over it, and (optionally) sprinkle with pumpkin seeds or other chopped nuts.

    Quick Cheesy Onion Bread

    Recipe provided by: Anna Meyer (Gorman) – Children’s Program and Extra Helpings Administrator

    ​Makes 1 small loaf (loaf should serve 4, but maybe make 2 loaves if you have big eaters in your house)
    Active time: 30 minutes
    Inactive time: 30-35 minutes
    Total time: about 1 hour

    ​For when you realize you would really like to have bread with dinner but it’s already 6pm. This quick bread gets its leavening from baking powder and baking soda instead of yeast, and goes from start to finish in an hour flat.

    1 tsp olive oil
    2 tsp brown sugar
    1 tsp balsamic vinegar (optional but recommended)
    1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
    1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
    2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
    1/2 tsp baking powder
    1/4 tsp baking soda
    1/2 tsp salt
    1 tsp Italian seasoning (you can also use a mixture of individual dried herbs such as thyme, oregano, basil, or parsley)
    2 tbsp chilled butter, cut into cubes
    1/2 cup sour cream
    1 beaten egg

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
    • Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and allow to cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the brown sugar and the balsamic and allow to cook until deeply browned, another 10 minutes. Set aside.
    • In a medium bowl, combine flour, cheese, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and Italian seasoning/herbs.
    • Add the chilled butter to the dry mixture. Combine the butter and flour by rubbing the butter between your thumb and fingers until it disappears into the flour. After this step, the mixture should have a uniform, coarse, mealy texture – you shouldn’t be able to see large chunks of butter.
    • Measure the sour cream into a small bowl and thin it out with 2 tbsp of water. Add the caramelized onions and stir until the mixture is uniform in color.
    • Add the sour cream mixture to the dry ingredients. Using your hands or a rubber spatula, combine until you get a rough dough.
    • Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and lightly knead for about 1 minute. Shape the dough into a round loaf. Using a sharp knife, cut a 1/2-inch deep cross on the top of the bread. Brush with the beaten egg
    • Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown. Cut along the cross into 4 servings. Best served warm.

    TIPS:

    • If you don’t want to use your hands, you can also use 2 forks or a pastry cutter to incorporate the butter into the dry ingredients.
    • If you don’t have sour cream, you can also use plain whole-milk yogurt or creme fraiche.
    • Feel free to use a red onion instead of a yellow onion if that’s what you have on hand. However, if you do use a red onion, reduce the brown sugar to 1 tsp, as red onions have more natural sugar than yellow onions.

     

    Mom’s Tomato Soup

    Thanks to Anna Gorman, Child Programs and Extra Helpings Administrator for the recipe and photo

    Ingredients:

    • 4 tbsp butter OR neutral oil
    • 1 cup chopped onion
    • 1 cup chopped celery
    • 1/2 cup chopped carrot
    • 1/3 cup flour
    • 2-28 oz cans whole tomatoes, drained and chopped OR 2-28 oz cans diced tomatoes, drained OR equal amount of fresh tomatoes, peeled.
    • 2 tsp sugar
    • 1 tsp dried basil
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
    • 2 cups whole milk
    • Salt and pepper to taste
    • OPTIONAL SPICES: 1/2 tsp curry powder, 1/2 tsp paprika

    Instructions

    • Heat the butter or oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the celery, onion, and carrot and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
    • Stir in flour. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
    • Add tomatoes, sugar, basil, bay leaf, and chicken stock. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Discard bay leaf after 30 minutes.
    • Puree 1/3 of the soup at a time in a blender until smooth (if you have an immersion blender, you can do this directly in the pot).
    • Add milk and any optional spices. Stir to blend.

    Tips

    • Make a double batch of this soup and put half of it in the freezer before you add the milk. When you want to have a super quick dinner, defrost the remaining soup and add 1 cup of milk.
    • My mom’s original recipe for this soup called for cream; you’ll see here it’s been slimmed it down to whole milk. Feel free to go even leaner if you want, but using a low-fat or non-dairy milk will definitely make this soup thinner and not as creamy.
    • Toppings for this soup include, but are not limited to: crushed Saltine or Ritz crackers, feta or goat cheese, a dollop of sour cream or yogurt, croutons, a sprinkle of Parmesan, a drizzle of pesto, or chopped herbs like rosemary, basil, or thyme.

    Peach Salsa Recipe

    Late summer is prime time for the year’s best peaches, but don’t pigeonhole them as a dessert-only ingredient!

    While they may be perfect in pies or over ice cream, a ripe peach can also seriously elevate your main course.

    Spoon this salsa on your chicken, fish, steak, or tacos for a summery twist on a classic.

    Ingredients:

    • 1 peach, diced (about 1 cup)
    • 1/2 small red onion*, diced (about 1/4 cup)
    • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (about 1 tbsp)
    • 1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
    • Juice of 1 lime (about 3 tbsp)
    • 1 jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed and finely chopped (OPTIONAL)
    • Salt and pepper to taste

    Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and serve!

    *Our produce distributor verified the red onions we give out are not affected by the recall in July/August 2020.

    Chimichurri (Salsa Verde)

    Recipe by Anna Gorman

    This St. Patrick’s Day, make all your dishes green with this vibrant chimichurri! It’s only four ingredients, comes together in minutes, and it improves nearly every dish it touches. Put it on meat, eggs, cooked vegetables, beans, potatoes…the possibilities are endless! As an added bonus, it’s a great way to use the rest of that bunch of cilantro or parsley that’s slowly wilting in the back of the fridge.

    • ½ cup cilantro or parsley
    • 2-3 cloves garlic (more or less, depending on how much you like raw garlic)
    • Juice of ½ a lemon
    • 1/3 cup olive oil
    • OPTIONAL: red pepper flakes

    INSTRUCTIONS

    • Finely chop the cilantro or parsley (including the stems), and the garlic
    • In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients.
    • This sauce is best used the same day it’s made, but will keep for about 3 days in the refrigerator

    Other recipes you might like

    1. Minestrone Soup
    2. Hard-to-mess-up Shredded Brussels Sprouts

    Put Groceries on the Table

    Help us provide nutritious ingredients

    When you give, $0.96 out of every dollar goes to providing healthy food.

    Stock up on healthy food

    • To get help with healthy ingredients to stretch your food budget, find a Food Bank distribution near you.
    • You may also qualify for free groceries with CalFresh. See if I am eligible.

    Hard-to-mess-up shredded Brussels sprouts

    We can’t explain it, but in the last few years, Brussels sprouts seemingly went from being the most mocked vegetable to a trendy and flavorful cruciferous powerhouse.

    Here’s a delicious way to prepare Brussels sprouts for any skeptics still out there. It’s one of those hard-to-mess-up recipes that easily allows modifications and substitutions as you see fit. The goal is to make the Brussels sprouts melt in your mouth!

    Ingredients:

    • 2 lbs fresh Brussels sprouts, shredded (you can shred them yourself or purchase them pre-shredded at places like Trader Joe’s)
    • 1/4 cup salted butter
    • 2 TBSP olive oil
    • large shallot (both halves), finely chopped
    • 2 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
    • 1/4 cup fried onions or bread crumbs
    • 1 TBSP brown sugar
    • 1-2 TBSP water
    • Salt and pepper to taste
    • Cooked bacon, crumbled (optional)
    • Parmesan cheese, shredded (optional)

    Directions:

    • Saute shallots and garlic in butter and olive oil
    • Add shredded Brussels sprouts and saute until bright green
    • Add brown sugar and water and thoroughly stir
    • Cover and steam for 3-5 minutes
    • Stir in fried onions or bread crumbs
    • Add salt and pepper to taste
    • Top with bacon and or Parmesan cheese (optional-taste great without too)

     

    Oven Baked Zucchini Chips

    We’ve seen a lot of zucchini come in and out of the warehouse this summer (in fact, over 220K lbs of squash has come through in the past year). Here’s one of our favorite ways to eat zucchini. Think of it like fried zucchini’s healthier cousin, offering lots of flavor and less guilt. Bonus: it’s a hit with kids too!

    INGREDIENTS

    • ¼ cup dry breadcrumbs
    • ¼ cup parmesan cheese
    • ¼ teaspoon seasoned salt
    • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
    • 2 tablespoons milk
    • 2-1/2 cups sliced zucchini –cut 1/4 inch thick (about two small zucchinis)
    • Cooking spray

    DIRECTIONS

    • Preheat oven to 425 degrees
    • Apply cooking spray to wire rack
    • Place greased wire rack on rimmed cookie sheet
    • Combine the first five dry ingredients
    • Place bowl in shallow bowl
    • Dip zucchini slices in milk and dredge through dry mix
    • Bake at 425 for 30 minutes, or until browned and crisp

    Serve immediately (with optional ranch dressing), yields approximately 4 servings.

    OTHER RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE

    1. Blissful Brie Bites
    2. No-Bake Energy Bites

    PUT GROCERIES ON THE TABLE

    Help us provide nutritious ingredients

    When you give, $0.96 out of every dollar goes to providing healthy food.

    Stock up on healthy food

    • To get help with healthy ingredients to stretch your food budget, find a Food Bank distribution near you.
    • You may also qualify for free groceries with CalFresh. See if I am eligible.

    Garlic Aioli

    You can EASILY add personality and flavor to boring ol’ mayonnaise by transforming it into garlic aioli (pronounced “a-o-lee”)! There’s a good chance you already have the needed ingredients on hand to turn a GOOD meal into a GREAT one. Believe us, your taste buds will think it’s well worth the two or three minutes it takes for this mayo makeover.

    INGREDIENTS

    • 3/4 cup of mayonnaise
    • 3 cloves of finely minced fresh garlic
    • 2-1/2 TBSP of fresh lemon juice (bonus points for using Meyer lemons)
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp pepper

    DIRECTIONS

    • Combine all ingredients and ideally chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before using. Yep, that’s all there is to it!
    • Store in refrigerator

    AND HOW DO I USE IT?

    • Use as a spread for sandwiches, wraps and burgers
    • Use as a dip for eating artichokes or fish sticks
    • Use as a replacement for mayonnaise in casseroles and other dishes

     

    DIY Sauerkraut

    Why make sauerkraut instead of buying it?

    A) It’s tastes better than store-bought
    B) It’s easy
    C) It’s inexpensive
    D) Google all the reported health benefits of consuming sauerkraut, the list is long!

    Ready to get started?

    INGREDIENTS:

    • 1 head of cabbage, cored and finely shredded
    • 1 tablespoon sea salt (kosher can work too)
    • 1 teaspoon caraway or fennel seeds
    • 1-3 tablespoons of distilled water

    INSTRUCTIONS:

    1. Place shredded cabbage into non-reactive bowl (avoid copper, cast-iron, or aluminum)
    2. Add salt and seeds
    3. Break cabbage down with a potato masher or meat tenderizer until it starts to soften
    4. FIRMLY pack into a 1-quart jar using the blunt end of a wooden spoon
    5. Add just enough water to the jar to cover the cabbage and secure with lid.
    6. Check on it every day or two to make sure the water level is above the cabbage-the fermentation processes happens UNDER water. Release any gasses that collect in the jar. Scrape off any bloom that starts to develop. Add fresh distilled water if necessary. Let it sit and ferment for a month or so. 
    7. You can transfer to the refrigerator once it has fermented enough for your liking.

     

    OTHER RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE

    1. Rainbow Coleslaw
    2. Tomato Salsa

    PUT GROCERIES ON THE TABLE

    Help us provide nutritious ingredients

    When you give, $0.96 out of every dollar goes to providing healthy food.

    Stock up on healthy food

    • To get help with healthy ingredients to stretch your food budget, find a Food Bank distribution near you.
    • You may also qualify for free groceries with CalFresh. See if I am eligible.

    Asparagus with Balsamic Butter Sauce

    Here is an easy and delicious recipe for you to enjoy during the peak of the asparagus season. The simple sauce is a crowd pleaser and if you have more than 3-4 mouths to feed, it’s easy to double the amount.

    INGREDIENTS:
    1 bunch of fresh washed asparagus
    Cooking spray or oil of your choice (olive oil, avocado oil, etc.)
    Pepper 
    2 TBSP salted butter
    1 TBSP balsamic vinegar
    1 TSP soy sauce

    INSTRUCTIONS:
    Preheat oven to 400 degrees
    Trim asparagus (remove bottom 1/4 to 1/3 of each spear)
    Use cookie sheet and lightly coat asparagus with oil/spray
    Season with pepper to taste (add salt if using unsalted butter)
    Bake asparagus for approximately 12 minutes (thin spears could take less)
    On stovetop or in microwave, melt butter and stir in soy sauce and balsamic vinegar
    Pour sauce over cooked asparagus and serve

    Best Carrot Soup by Haley Lindberg

    Best Carrot Soup by Haley Lindberg was created as part of her Girl Scout Gold Project.

    Ingredients:
    12 large carrots, peeled, chopped
    1 yellow or white onion, chopped
    4 C. water or chicken broth
    1 Tbsp. olive oil or butter
    1 Tbsp. minced garlic
    1 C. orange juice
    1 Tbsp. ginger powder
    Salt and Pepper

    Directions:

    • Melt butter/oil in saucepan; add onions and sauté until translucent (about 5 minutes).
    • Place chopped carrots, sautéed onions, garlic and water (or broth) in large pot. Bring to boil, then simmer until carrots are tender (about 30 minutes).
    • Add orange juice and stir off heat.
    • Blend in a blender in batches. If needed, add additional water/broth.
    • Add ginger powder, salt and pepper seasoning to taste.
    • 1
    • 2
    • 3
    • 4
    • Next Page »

    Get Food

    • Find Food in My City
    • CalFresh
    • Pantries & Soup Kitchens
    • Summer Food for Kids
    • Nutrition & Recipes
    • Share Your Story
    • Blog home page

    Three Main Buttons

    • give-icon Give
    • volunteer-icon Volunteer
    • apple-white-2 Get Help

    Stay Connected

    FacebookTwitterPinterestInstagramYoutube

    Recent Posts

    • 5 ways to a happier 2021
    • A New Year’s Message from our CEO
    • The impact of your kindness
    • What’s best: Traditional or Virtual Food Drives?
    • Volunteers are Essential

    Topics

    • Advocacy
    • COVID-19
    • Donations
    • Education
    • Events
    • Featured
    • HungerChallenge
    • News
    • Programs and Services
    • Recipes
    • Take Action
    • Uncategorized
    • Volunteer
    fbccs-white-logo

    [email protected]

    Concord Location
    P: 925-676-7543
    F: 925-671-7933

    Fairfield Location
    P: 707-421-9777
    F: 707-421-0205

    DONATE FOOD
    Concord Warehouse
    4010 Nelson Ave., Concord, CA 94520
    Monday - Thursday: 7:00 am - 7:00 pm
    Friday: 8:00 am - 3:00 pm
    Saturday - Sunday:  8:00 am - 3:30 pm

    Fairfield Warehouse
    2339 Courage Dr, Ste F, Fairfield, CA 94533
    Monday through Friday: 7:00 am - 3:30 pm
    Saturdays by appointment

    Stay Connected

    FacebookTwitterPinterestInstagramYoutube

    Join our E-News list

    Careers | Site Map | Privacy Policy

    © Copyright 2021 Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano. All Rights Reserved.
    Federal Tax ID# 94-2418054
    Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.

    Website design and development by MIGHTYminnow