Ginger snaps and bolognese

I did end up trying out Alton Brown's ginger snap recipe last week. They were very tasty, though I cooked them for about half the time indicated and they got a bit dark on the bottom. I also left out the candied ginger since I was making them for work and wanted them to have wider, less spicy appeal. Next time I will try making them smaller, and turning the heat lower in hopes they will get crisp without burning.

I also made old stand-bys pepperoncini chicken and white bean and pasta soup last week, and last night took my first stab at bolognese, to great effect. I used this simple Giada recipe, and the only change I made was omitting the celery. This one will be added to the rotation for sure, perhaps trying it with ground turkey next time...

Back in the saddle

It's been so long since I posted!

The last 3 weeks of cooking included:

-brussels sprouts and cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving

-pepperoni pizza

-chocolate chip cookies

-potato leek soup

-spinach and feta pizza

My cranberry sauce recipe is: wash cranberries, microwave lightly covered on high for 5-8 minutes with a half cup of sugar. Stir, cool, enjoy. So easy.

I had a lot of spinach leftover from the pizza, and a leek leftover from the soup, and the internet delivered the perfect solution: Creamy Leek and Spinach Pasta. The only ingredient I didn't have was the herbed soft cheese, and then lo and behold, 3/4 of a wheel of Boursin was leftover from a late afternoon meeting I was tasked with cleaning up. I wilted the spinach a bit in the pan, and loved how it turned out. I will be adding this recipe to the rotation, as I am currently enjoying the leftovers.

I have the urge to make ginger snaps... Perhaps tomorrow. I have also rediscovered the joy of putting egg nog in my coffee. Can't believe it's December, but it does have it's perks.

Noodles and Cake

Last night I got a craving for noodles, so I went for this Korean Steak Noodles recipe I've used before as a base. Yeah, it's from a Disney site about getting your kids to eat vegetables... but it's tasty. Shockingly, I made several small changes: japanese wheat noodles, no carrot, no sugar, added ginger, red pepper flakes. So tasty. The most important change is taking the steak out before the onions, etc. are done to keep it from getting too tough.

I also finally got around to making this Chai-Spiced Apple Cake that I've been planning to make for weeks now. The golden delicious apples were starting to get soft, and cake seemed the best solution. It came out well, though I ended making about half the glaze it said to, and needed a higher concentration of powdered sugar to get the consistency right. I also added some brown sugar to it so the confectioners sugar taste wasn't as prominent. When I make it again I will add more of the spices.

Soup Season continues

I made one of my favorite soup recipes over the weekend. (I think I say that several soup recipes are my favorite...) It's an Emeril recipe for potato leek soup, and it's the first thing I made with my immersion blender when I got it last year. I also feel very fancy making the bouquet garni, despite the fact that 1) the rest of the recipe is quite simple, and 2) I think it would be just as delicious if you put the spices directly into the soup, rather than wrapped in leek and twine.

Back to the grocery store

It is a little strange to be on my own, vegetable-wise. Last week I went to one of my old stand-byes, and one of S.'s favorites: a chicken and pasta bake.

I use this Giada recipe, with a few small changes: mini farfalle pasta, Italian seasoned tomatoes, a bit more chicken. I love this meal so much that I will probably make it again in the next few weeks.

Sunday night I made a spinach and feta pizza, which is a good quick option since it basically only involves assembling. I do saute a few minced garlic cloves in a bit of olive oil, but that's the only real prep necessary. Here's the "recipe":

Spinach and Feta Pizza

pizza dough (I use store bought)

tomato sauce (again, in a jar, though I prefer pasta sauce to pizza sauce. I am partial to Newman's Own)

cornmeal

flour

baby spinach

shredded mozzarella (I actually used a mozzarella/provolone mix this time.)

crumbled feta

2 cloves garlic, minced

olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 and sprinkle a cookie sheet with cornmeal.

Flour your hands, and stretch dough to the shape of the cookie sheet. Spread sauce evenly over the dough.

Saute garlic in a bit of olive oil, then spread over the sauce. Top with more spinach than you think necessary, as it shrinks a lot. Top with shredded cheese, then more spinach, and then feta.

Cook for about 20 minutes, until the crust looks very lightly brown.

I still had two pumpkins left, so this weekend I cubed a froze the older one, and roasted the pumpkin seeds. Simmering them in salt water first is a really good trick. I used the cookie sheet I had used for the pizza, which still had a bit of oil on it, so I didn't need to add any to the pumpkin seeds.

Last night I made colcannon using a recipe I'd been eyeing on Gojee. This is the ultimate cozy dinner: basically mashed potatoes with kale and ham. I didn't bring it for lunch today, but I wish I had because I am craving it! Here's the recipe:

Colcannon

(adapted http://catesworldkitchen.com/2010/05/colcannon/, which was adapted from The Country Cooking of Ireland by Colman Andrews)

4 potatoes (quartered)

2 tbsp butter

1 bunch kale (leaves only, ripped or chopped)

1 1/3 cups whole milk (or 1% and a bit of heavy cream, as I did)

4-8 scallions, chopped

salt and pepper

2 thick sliced of ham, chopped

Put the potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 20-30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Pour out the water but keep the potatoes in the pan.

Melt the butter in a large skillet and add the kale. Stir to coat with the butter, and cook covered until wilted, about 5 minutes.

Bring the milk and scallions to a simmer in a saucepan and add a few pinches of salt and pepper. Stir in the kale, turn off the heat.

Warm the chopped ham in the kale pan.

Add the milk and kale to the potatoes, and mash until nearly smooth, seasoning with additional salt and pepper to taste. Add ham.

Week 20: delicata

The veggies are really dwindling... I'm going to actually have to buy vegetables soon! All I have left is the tatsoi, pumpkins, and apples.

Last night I made Pepperoncini Chicken, a recipe from a friend of mine (to whom I often turn for cooking advice). I have never actually made it with pepperoncinis I realized, just cherry peppers, but it is easy and fast and delicious.

Pepperoncini Chicken:

Ingredients (dinner for two)

2 chicken breasts

1/8 t salt

1/8 t pepper

2 T flour

1 T oil

1 T butter

¼ cup sliced pepperoncini

2 T pepperoncini juice (the liquid from the jar)

½ cup white wine

¼ cup chicken stock

¼ t roux

Take two boneless, skinless chicken breasts and pound them out under a sheet of plastic wrap. Cut into two or three pieces each. Season with salt and pepper, and lightly flour.

Heat your pan, then add 1 tablespoon each of olive oil and butter. Brown the chicken well on the first side. Toss in the sliced pepperoncini peppers when you flip the chicken to the second side.

Remove the chicken to a warmed serving plate, leaving the peppers in the pan. Add the white wine, THEN the pepper juice and chicken stock. When it returns to a simmer, whisk in the roux. Allow the sauce to thicken, and serve!

I also roasted the delicata squash last night. I used this recipe as a reference, and was very happily surprised at how delicious it was! Who knew you could eat the skin of a winter squash?

Week 20: more soup!

I've said it before and I'll say it again: soup is my favorite thing to cook. So easy. Last night I made a variation on this minestrone recipe. I left out the onion, zucchini, celery, and kale, and used turnips, more carrots, more leeks, and mizuna instead. I also added some basil, but left out the rest of the pesto. Why complicate things? I used to not be a fan of minestrone as a child, but I think that was largely due to my dislike of cooked celery and I very much enjoyed this one. S. wasn't a huge fan of the turnip flavor, so when I make this again I will leave those out. I have a feeling there will be fewer turnips in my life now that the CSA is over for the year...

I still haven't cooked the two pumpkins I have, but they made excellent Halloween decorations and I plan to use them this week.

Week 20: pickup and soup

Well, this was the final batch of veggies this year, and I am sad to see them end. This week we received:

carrots

japanese turnips

mizuna

baby leeks

tatsoi (at least I think that's what it is...)

sugar pumpkin

apples

Last night I made one of my standby soup recipes, even though it only used half of one vegetable (turnip greens). It's a pasta and white bean soup which used to be on the Food Network site, but is no longer, so I will try to recreate it here:

White Bean and Pasta Soup

Ingredients:

4 cups chicken stock

1 can cannelini beans

1 can italian seasoned diced tomatoes

1.5 cups small pasta shells

rosemary

red pepper flakes

4 cloves garlic, minced

hot or sweet italian sausage (2-4 links)

chopped greens (fresh or frozen spinach, kale, turnip greens, etc.)

olive oil

salt, pepper

Prepare sausage: if using raw, cook then slice into small piece. If using fully cooked, just slice.

Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot, then add garlic. Before garlic browns, add sausage pieces, rosemary, and red pepperflakes.

When sausage begins to brown, add chicken stock and bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, drain and rinse the beans, and mash half of them. Add beans and tomatoes to soup, and bring to simmer.

Add pasta shells, and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes.

Add chopped greens, and stir until wilted. Season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Week 19: chicken pot pie and unconventional hummus

On Monday night I attempted a sort of chicken pot pie/chicken biscuit pie from this recipe. I say attempted because I added carrots and turnips without reducing the other ingredients (also used the potatoes from the share), and so ended up with a VERY full baking dish of chickeny stew with some tasty biscuits perched on top. This was a hearty meal, but made enough to feed an army... I'll be eating the leftovers for many days to come. In other news, the pastry blender I bought a few weeks ago was a really good decision, especially when it comes to biscuit-making.

Last night I made butternut squash hummus for a pot luck. I finally bought some tahini! Just like the recipe said this was surprisingly hummus-y for not including any chick peas, and I will definitely be making this again. I cooked the garlic in the olive oil for a bit before adding it because I often find raw garlic to be overpowering.

Like much of what I'm cooking these days, these recipes were found on gojee.com

Week 19: pickup and chicken soup

Last week's pickup includes:

carrots

turnips

potatoes

cranberry beans

golden delicious apples

delicata squash

butternut squash

On Friday I made pumpkin bread with the remaining pumpkin from a few weeks ago, which I had cubed and frozen. I defrosted it and roasted it in the oven, then pureed it with my immersion blender. I used this EatingWell recipe. If I make this one again, I will probably double the spices I used. The bread was decent, but not spiced enough for my taste.

I also was a bit under the weather, so made some chicken soup using half the carrots, the cranberry beans, and the rest of the leeks I bought last week. Here is the basic recipe I use for chicken soup:

Chicken Soup

1-2 chicken breasts

4 cups chicken broth

Carrots, chopped

1 onion, chopped (or leeks)

Egg noodles

Poulty seasoning

Salt, pepper

Optional:

Cranberry beans

Celery, chopped

-place chicken breasts in a baking dish , drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, roast at 350 until cook through, (about 20-30 min)

-when the chicken is cooked, cut into small pieces and set aside

-in a large pot, sauté the onion in a bit of olive oil until soft, then add broth, carrots, other veggies, and spices. Cover and simmer for about 20-25 min until the veggies are soft

-cook egg noodles

-stir chicken and egg noodles into soup

Last night, because we have so many apples, I made yet another apple crisp. I'm really getting the hang of this one! I tried to make something different, but I didn't have all the ingredients for, say, and apple cake in the house. I am planning to make something else appley soon, though.

The next pickup will be the final one, and I will definitely miss it. I suppose it will be freeing to be able to cook whatever I want, and perhaps a bit less often since I won't have to worry about things spoiling, but it's a bit daunting to think about planning meals from thin air again instead of beginning with existing ingredients. What did I do before??

Week 18: potato turnip soup... with carrots!

Last night I made a version of the potato turnip soup from a few week's ago but with a few important differences: I added carrots and used leeks instead of onions. I also ran out of chicken broth, so ended up adding a bit of water. The carrots added a nice sweetness which went well with the turnip flavor.

Week 18: pasta with acorn squash

I think the last time I made acorn squash I must not have cooked it for long enough. I say this because I don't remember it being very good, and so I wasn't very excited about idea's for this week's acorn squash. However, I ended up making a variation of this pasta recipe (found by googling which led me here) and loved the acorn squash. I mostly stuck to the recipe, but used sopresatta instead of pancetta due to grocery store selection (and because that was much less expensive than the closer choice: prosciutto). I also added some broccoli and chopped turnip greens.

Since the one I made last week simply wasn't enough, I made a huge apple crisp last night as well. Basically the same recipe but I added some rolled oats to the topping. I think I might eat some right now for a mid-morning snack...

Week 18: apple pancakes

On Saturday morning I made my old standby pancake recipe. I love this one because it includes freshly grated nutmeg. The twist this weekend was adding about half a chopped mutsu apple, and also some cinnamon. Delicious, fall-y bliss!

Week18: pickup and mac & cheese

Last night's pickup included:

red kale

a sugar pumpkin

acorn squash

carrots

turnips

broccoli

mutsu apples

First of all, the apples are the biggest apples I have ever seen. Some of them are easily 5 inches wide. I plan to make another apple crisp this weekend because last week's just wasn't enough!

Last night I made true comfort food in response to the dreary, rainy weather: macaroni and cheese. I worked from this recipe, but used the kale instead of spinach. A definite win. I also omitted the goat cheese, and used 1% milk.

I also had been dying to make this brownie recipe since I found it last week. Brownies with whiskey and stout? Yes please. They turned out well except that the chocolate chips sort of sunk to the bottom so when I served the first one, the chips stayed behind leaving a rather swiss cheese-shaped brownie bottom. Still delicious though!

Week 17: summer salad and fall bounty

This has perhaps never happened: I have used all the vegetables and it's only Tuesday...

I even bought some brussels sprouts at the grocery store because I couldn't resist. I'm planning to make them for dinner tomorrow night.

To be fair, I still have at least half a pumpkin cubed and in a container in my freezer, but that will certainly get used sooner rather than later I think. Especially now that the fall weather has returned. It was an interesting weekend of cooking because I had all this lovely fall produce and it felt like summer outside.

Sunday for dinner I made a corn and black bean salad with shrimp, followed by an apple crisp. The salad was your basic chop-everything-and-stir meal. The ingredients were:

black beans (1 can, drained and rinsed)

corn (4 ears cut from the cob)

jalapeno (about 3, diced)

cilantro (chopped)

scallions (chopped)

green tomatoes (chopped)

cherry tomatoes (halved)

avocado (chopped)

shrimp (thawed in a pan with a bit of cajun seasoning)

cumin

chili powder

salt, pepper

lime juice

I used 6 apples in the apple crisp, which left only one apple! S. and I ate several for snacks before that... If we don't receive more in the farm share I will be purchasing some. I made the apple crisp from this Food Network recipe, and it turned out nicely. I think when I make it again I will add some oats to the topping to make it a bit more crisp, but overall it was delicious and easy.

Last night I made pumpkin chili using this recipe (found on Gojee) as a base. Aside from substituting pumpkin for butternut squash, I stuck to the recipe with the addition of turnips and carrots to the veggies. I used up the jalapenos, and the cilantro as well. This was delicious. S. was a huge fan, and I can't wait to eat the leftovers. I might even end up freezing some, because it made a lot.

Week 17: pickup and meat pies

Last night's pick up included:

corn

cherry tomatoes

green tomatoes

turnips

carrots

cilantro

apples

and a pumpkin!

I am the most excited about the apples and pumpkin, since they are delicious, novel, and fall-y.

Last night I got together with my sister and a friend and we made sort of meat pies using this recipe as inspiration. We used the carrots and turnips from last week's share. The verdict: you really can't go wrong with starch and sausage.

Week 16: pasta with corn, pea tendrils, and cherry tomatoes

As you can see from the title, last night I made use of my favorite meal technique: pasta with a lot of things in it. I sliced the corn from the cobs, halved the cherry tomatoes, chopped up the pea tendrils, and tossed in some bacon for good measure. (Who doesn't love bacon? When I asked my sister yesterday why bacon was so delicious, she replied that it must be because of "wonder." I can't help but agree.)

So here's the "recipe":

Pasta with Bacon, Corn, and Pea Tendrils

Ingredients:

Pasta (I used orecchiette)

Corn (3 cobs)

Pea tendrils (1 bunch)

Bacon (4 slices)

Cherry tomatoes

Olive oil

Parmesan

Salt and pepper

garlic (1 clove)

Prep:

Chop bacon

Slice corn from cob

Wash and chop pea tendrils

Mince garlic

Wash and halve tomatoes

Directions:

1.Boil water for pasta, cook until al dente, drain

2.In a large pan, sauté the chopped bacon until most of the fat is rendered and it has just barely started to brown

3.Add a bit olive oil and garlic, saute a min or 2 but don't let the garlic brown.

4.Add corn, and pea tendrils, and sauté until pea greens are wilted. Covering for a few min might speed the process.

5.Add tomatoes and cook a min longer

6.Stir corn mixture into pasta, season with salt and pepper to taste, and top with parmesan

Week 16: pickup and tomato soup

The veggies this week are:

-cherry tomatoes

-tomatoes

-carrots

-corn

-mizuna

-pea tendrils

-turnips

-red russian kale

I had a very busy weekend, so didn't really get to cook anything until last night. I made this recipe for tomato soup and sun-dried tomato scones that I found on gojee.com. The only big thing I did differently was add the chopped bunch of mizuna during the last 14 min of cooking. I also used a bit less water. I was definitely a fan of this soup (and, as usual, of using my immersion blender), and the scones were easy to make as well.

Week 15: corn chowder and biscuits

I finally got to make the corn chowder recipe I've been eyeing! I quite enjoyed it, and it followed what I was talking about last week regarding one of the reasons I love making soup: so easy! Just chop and throw in the pot at the right time. As usual, I made a few adjustments: chicken broth instead of vegetable (just what I had on hand), and I added several chopped and seeded jalapenos and my remaining green tomato.

To accompany, I made some rosemary and cheese biscuits from this recipe. I had never made biscuits before, but had a craving thanks to a story my coworker told about cheesy biscuits. I loathe cutting in butter, so I finally invested the $11 to buy a dough blender, and boy was it worth it. For herbs I used a little basil, some chives, and some rosemary. I will surely be making these again.

Week 15: caprese

I made somewhat of a dent in my tomato supply yesterday by making myself a sort of caprese salad for dinner. I had intended to buy some fresh mozzarella at the farmers market near my office, but by the time I had a chance to get there after work they had sold out. There's always next week! So I settled for grocery store mozzarella which, though not made fresh yesterday morning, was still delicious. I dressed a bed of mixed greens with a little drizzle of olive oil, then topped with cubed mozzarella, two chopped tomatoes, some nice balsamic vinegar, and some of the basil that comes in a squeezey tube. Delicious! I might perhaps bring this to work for lunch tomorrow, as I still have many tomatoes left.

Week 15: roasted roots galore

Yesterday my coworker asked for my brussels sprouts recipe (not really mine, it's this one, and it's amazing) and I wished I had brussels sprouts instead of many roots. Carrots and parsnips, while delicious, are not my favorite, and while I am 100% happy with my farm share, it is very different to not purchase whatever I'm in the mood for. However! I managed to make a tasty meal indeed: roasted chicken and vegetables.

I used this recipe, which I tried out just before the farm share kicked in, as a base, though I deviated a bit, as usual. First, I used skinless chicken breasts, and added a few whole peeled garlic cloves, and some poultry seasoning, and used just a bit of lemon juice instead of a whole one (S. isn't fond of heavy lemon flavor in savory foods). The veggies I included were the turnips, last week's yellow carrots, this week's carrots, and the parsnips. I also still have the greens from the fennel and thew in some of those as well, and added some scallions. Pretty tasty! I should have added the vegetables a bit earlier in the cooking time, because by the end, the chicken was a bit dry, and the veggies (especially the parsnips) could have used a bit more time. But overall, a healthy and delicious dinner!

Week 15: pickup and pasta

Last night's pickup included:

cherry tomatoes

carrots

parsnips

japanese turnips

celery root

corn

tomatoes

potatoes

I am eyeing another corn chowder recipe, but S. appropriately pointed out that yesterday was a bit hot for soup so I will make it later in the week. Instead I made a version of an old stand-by pasta recipe:

Orecchiette with Pancetta and Turnip Greens

Orecchiette

Turnip greens (washed and chopped into strips)

Fennel greens (washed and chopped)

Garlic (minced)

Jalapeno (washed, seeded, and diced)

Pine nuts

Pancetta (sliced into strips)

Extra virgin olive oil

Red pepper flakes

Salt, pepper

parmesan

1. Boil water for pasta, cook orecchiette to taste, drain

2. In the mean time, toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over low heat

3. Crisp the pancetta in a pan over medium heat until most of it has begun to brown, then transfer into the pot with the drained pasta

4. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, then the garlic, jalapeno, red pepper flakes and fennel greens

5. Before the garlic begins to brown, add the turnip greens. Stir and then cover for a few minutes to wilt the greens.

6. Stir the turnip green mixture into the pasta, season with salt and pepper, and top generously with grated parmesan.

Week 14: turnip potato soup, and veggies galore!

I have really been falling down on the posting job!

On Monday my sister came over and we were quite busy with some other tasks so I wanted to make something quick. The solution: soup! I love the fall and love that it's now soup season. Soup is one of my favorite things to cook because it's so easy. I used this recipe as a base, but ended up with this:
Potato and Turnip Soup

Ingredients
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 sliced of bacon, chopped
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 bunches turnips, peeled and thinly sliced
2 pounds of potatoes
Salt, pepper
5ish cups of chicken stock
Poultry seasoning, white pepper, thyme
Dried chives, for garnish
1. In a large pot over medium heat, cook the bacon until it just begins to brown, then melt the butter. When the bacon is cooked but not crispy, add the onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the sliced turnips, potatoes and about 2 teaspoons of salt, stir to coat with the butter.

3. Add the chicken stock and seasonings and bring to a simmer. Cook over medium-low heat until the turnips and potatoes are very tender, about 25 minutes.

4. Smooth using an immersion blender (or in batches in a regular blender). Garnish with chives, and enjoy!

I had hoped to use leeks instead of an onion, but none were to be found at my grocery store. It seems the theme of today's post is finding recipes and then largely changing them... This was definitely the case last night. I wanted to use up as many of last week's share as possible to make room for tonight's pickup, so I ended up making some collards and a tomato-butter bean concoction which was surprisingly tasty.

The collards inspiration was this recipe, but here is what I actually did:

Steamed Collards

Ingredients:

1 bunch collard greens, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
lemon juice
fennel greens, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
cajun seasoning

Directions:
Fill bottom of a pot with two inches or so of water. Bring to a boil, and placer steamer basket in the pot. Fill with collards, cover and steam 5 min.

In a small pan, saute the garlic in the olive oil until just beginning to brown. Toss the garlic and oil with the steamed collards, adding fennel, dash of lemon juice, and a dash of cajun seasoning.


The second dish really was a smorgasbord... I had no idea what to do with green tomatoes, and so did a lot of googling. I also turned to my new favorite recipe resource, gojee.com (you tell it what ingredients you have, and it tells you tasty recipes) and found this recipe from a site called "Sassy Radish." I basically followed the recipe, with the following changes: canned butter beans instead of dried (drained and rinsed), added chopped baby fennel bulbs, added 3 jalapenos (seeded and diced), minced the garlic instead of smashing and didn't discard, and substituted 1 red tomato, 1 zebra tomato and 1 green tomato for the specified tomatoes. This was so unexpectedly delicious! I can't wait to eat the leftovers, and am definitely now a green tomato fan.

Here is the finished product on my plate:



And, since I just remembered, here is a photo of last week's Afghani Eggplant prior to going to in the oven:

Week 14: jalapenos!

This week's pickup included:

-collards

-purple top turnips

-golden carrots

-baby fennel (very exciting)

-potatoes

-green tomatoes

-tomatoes

and the most exciting of all...

-jalapenos!

Last week I made an Afghani Eggplant from this recipe using last week's eggplant and tomatoes. I brought it to a pot luck and had excellent feedback :)

I haven't made anything with this week's veggies yet, but I'm very excited.

Week 13: stir-fry

On Monday night I made a stir-fry using pretty much the same recipe as last week, only this time I used broccoli, bok choy, and turnip greens, and some strips of steak. I added the steak with the oil half the garlic, ginger, and sriracha. Once the steak was done, I removed it from the pan and set it aside and cooked the veggies covered for a few minutes. Pretty tasty! And easy, which might be the best part...

Week 13: pickup and enchiladas

Last night's pickup included:
-turnips
-carrots
-bok choy
-broccoli
-potatoes
-eggplant
-poblanos
-tomatoes

I peeled the carrots to bring to work for a snack, and made chicken enchiladas using the poblanos and tomatoes. I combined two recipes: this one for the sauce, and this one for the filling. It was very tasty, though much more time-consuming that I was expecting... It probably took about two hours. A few small changes: immersion blender instead of food processor, and no vinegar in the sauce.

Week 12: veggie stir-fry

I did try out that crazy recipe I was imagining last night, which used the turnips, turnips greens, last week's radishes (the greens were too wilted by now, but I would have used them too), bok choy, and green beans. Here it is:

Bok Choy, Turnips, Green Beans, and Radishes with Ginger and Soy

Ingredients:
Bok choy
Radishes
Radish greens
Turnips
Turnip greens
Green beans

Sesame oil (1 tablespoon)
Canola oil (3ish tablespoons)
Garlic (3-5 cloves, minced)
Soy sauce (3ish tablespoons)
Sriracha (to taste, I think I used about half a tablespoon)
Ginger (1 tablespoon grated)
Sesame seeds
salt

Prep:
-wash and slice bok choy (1inch thick)
-wash and slice turnips (peeled, halved, thin sliced), greens
-wash and slice radishes (thin sliced), greens
-wash, trim, slice green beans
-grate ginger
-mince garlic

Directions:
-toast sesame seeds
-Heat a large wok over medium until very hot. Add the canola oil and heat until just smoking.
-Add the garlic, ginger and sriracha and stir-fry until lightly browned, about 30 seconds.
-Add turnips and radishes, sauté to soften slightly, about 3 minutes.
-Add the bok choy, radish greens, green beans and turnip greens and a pinch of salt and stir-fry until crisp-tender/wilted, 1-5 minutes.
-Add the sesame oil, and soy sauce and reduce heat to low. Simmer until turnips are just tender, about 3 minutes
-Garnish with sesame seeds.

I brought it to a pot luck and everyone seems to enjoy it :)

Week 12: pickup, corn chowder, bbq

Week 12's vegetables are as follows:
-eggplant
-cousa squash
-green peppers
-bok choy
-turnips
-carrots
-green beans
-tomatoes

On Friday night I made a corn chowder with last week's tomatoes and poblanos. I mostly used this recipe, but with the following modifications: no bacon (normally I would use bacon, but we had a guest who was vegetarian, so I used butter instead of bacon grease), 4 poblanos instead of 1 (and omitted jalapeno), no celery, no sugar, half & half instead of cream, and frozen corn instead of fresh. I really liked how this turned out, and will definitely be making it again. It was surprisingly refreshing for chowder, and the only real prep needed was the chopping.

On Sunday some friends had a barbecue and I brought the eggplant and cousa to grill. I also brought the green peppers and carrots to work today for lunch.

Tonight I am going to pot luck, and am planning to make a sort of stir-fry with the bok choy, green beans, turnips, turnip greens, and possibly the radishes and radish greens. I've been making a lot of greens in a sauce of different variations of soy sauce, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, and sriracha. We'll see....

Week 11: pickup and pasta

This week's veggies are:
radishes
cherry tomatoes
tomatoes
broccoli
eggplant
cousa squash
poblanos

Over the weekend I made one of my favorite easy pasta dishes which I got from a friend with this week's broccoli:

Penne
Broccoli florets
Pine nuts, toasted
Olive oil
Minced garlic
Crushed pepper flakes
Grated/shredded Parmesan

Boil the water for pasta. Add pasta.

When the pasta is about 3 minutes to completion, add the broccoli to the water to cook the broccoli and pasta in one pot.

When it's all done, drain, then throw back in the pot.

Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts (in a pan or in the oven)

Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a pan, add the garlic to cook for a few minutes, add the red pepper flakes, then eventually the toasted pine nuts.

Scoop the oil/pepper/garlic/pine nut mixture into the broccoli/pasta mixture, stir add a bit of olive oil if needed, and stir in a handful of Parmesan.

Week 10: zucchini and potatoes

Sunday I finally got around to making these zucchini crisps, and they were all I'd hoped. I added a bit of shredded cheese to the top.

Tuesday night I had my sister over for dinner, and made some dijon dill marinated chicken in my grill pan along with more zucchini crisps (minus the extra cheese) and potato wedges with parsley and parmesan. This used up all of last week's and this week's potatoes, as well as the parsley. I rarely make three different parts to a meal, so I felt very accomplished. I ended up finishing the potatoes in the oven rather than the grill pan.

I also made a loaf of zucchini bread with the last of the zucchini.

Week 10: pickup, etc.

This week's pickup included:
-beets
-tatsoi
-parsley
-green peppers
-eggplant
-zucchini
-potatoes
-yellow tomatoes

I made the tatsoi Thursday night and ate it along side some leftover cheese pizza. I briefly boiled it and then dressed with ginger, soy sauce, sriracha, and rice vinegar using this recipe, (I left out the sugar) and it was refreshing and delicious. I will definitely try this again, and perhaps with different greens as well. I had never heard of tatsoi prior to this, and am very much a fan now.

On Friday for lunch I was eating with a friend and we finished up the rest of last week's cherry tomatoes, eating them halves with some fresh mozzarella, basil, and balsamic. On Friday night we ate some of the yellow tomatoes as a snack with a bit of salt. They are the perfect level of ripeness, and have an amazing gardeny flavor. We also enjoyed many pickles for snacks.

Saturday night I had a few folks for over for dinner and made a slightly less fried version of eggplant parmesan. I used some store-bought pasta sauce, and ended up leaving out the basil since I didn't have any on hand. I didn't need nearly as many breadcrumbs as Mario seemed to think I would because they weren't sticking very well. It still turned out delicious, though, and I will be making this again. I also used some of the parsley in a mushroom and parsley salad. It was very fresh and summery.

Today for lunch I brought the remaining tomatoes and green peppers, and the rest of the mushroom salad.

Week 9: grilling

As I mentioned at the end of my last post, I brought lots of veggies when I visited my family this weekend. We made kale chips, ate roasted beets with goat cheese and balsamic, and grilled the eggplant, summer squash, and cousa all to delicious effect. I also made several batched of pickles with the cucumbers, though we didn't have ideal jars and ended up using sugar jars - the kind with the little hole in the top to pour the sugar. I sliced up the last of the green peppers as an appetizer with ranch dip.

Yesterday I ate many of the cherry tomatoes as part of my lunch at work. There is nothing like a garden tomato.

Week 9: chili relleno

Our pick up this week included:
-beets
-kale
-potatoes
-cousa squash
-cucumbers
-eggplant
-poblano peppers
-cherry tomatoes

I was inspired by the poblanos and made chili relleno for dinner last night, and man was it good. Most recipes include frying, but this Rachel Ray one is a bit healthier and less messy. I need to get better at remembering to wear gloves when I'm handling hot peppers: under my thumb nails is still burning.

This weekend I am visiting family and planning to bring the beets and kale, and also the cousa, eggplant, and the last summer squash from last week for grilling.

Week 8: usual pesto

Last night I used the basil to make a more traditional pesto than I typically concoct. In addition to the basil, I added olive oil, walnuts, garlic, parmesan, salt, and pepper and blended it all in my mini food processor. I had some farfalle and small shells which each weren't really enough for a full meal, so I combined them. The result: an extremely fast and tasty dinner.

Week 8: spring onions and potatoes

I didn't even realize it until this morning, but I had a cooking triumph last night: I made an entire dinner without any recipe at all. Granted it was quite simple, but I still find it very exciting when I'm able to just cook without references.

I made roasted potatoes with herbs de provence finishing up last week's yukon gold potatoes, and using a few of this week's purple potatoes. This can hardly be called a recipe, but my method is to cut them into eights or so, depending on size, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and whatever spices I'm in the mood for. Last night was herbs de provence, but I often use cajun seasoning. I roast them at 425 for about 45-60 min. They always take longer than I anticipate...

I wanted something to go with the potatoes, but didn't feel like going to the store for chicken or similar and I remembered two hot italian chicken sausages in the freezer, so I ended up sauteing those along with the red spring onions. Once the sausages were cooked enough to hold up, I sliced them into disks. This was a tasty meal indeed. S. let out a disappointed sigh when he went to get seconds and found there weren't any to be had.

Week 8: pick up and hoisin eggplant

I forgot to post last week after our pick up! We received:

-red spring onions
-celery
-basil
-cucumbers
-summer squash
-japanese eggplant
-green peppers
-purple potatoes

Over the weekend I made still more pickles, this time cutting the cukes into quarters instead of eighths to make for a bulkier pickle. Still using the same brine, though I think this third time will be the final one before I refresh it.

Last night I made grilled japanese eggplant and summer squash with hoisin sauce from this recipe, and served it with baked marinated tofu and brown rice. The eggplant and summer squash was topped with some sliced spring onion greens. This was one of my favorite meals of the summer thus far. It was very easy, though the draining and marinating of the tofu took some time. I also got to use my new grill pan, which was excellent. I was worried it would be difficult to clean, but it was a piece of cake: non-stick is the way to go. I have a little of the hoisin left over, and I think I might grill up the second summer squash, the red spring onions, and the other two green peppers with it later this week.

I am also happy to have added rice to the list of things I can cook. I often feel like I skipped basic cooking skills, but I have now made delicious brown rice two tries in a row, and feel quite accomplished.

I am eating last week's carrots and this week's celery and some of the green peppers with ranch dip as part of my lunches this week.

Week 7: the trouble with purple cabbage

The trouble with purple cabbage is... that it is purple. And everything that one cooks in with it will also eventually be purple. This is not a huge problem, as it is still delicious, but we had quite a purple dinner last night. Since I love the other pasta and cabbage recipe so much, I decided to try out this one from Rachel Ray which also uses potatoes. It seemed a little wintery because of the potatoes, but delicious and I am excited for the leftovers for lunch.

Week 7: turnips and zucchini bread

Last night I had another go at the pureed turnip recipe I made a few weeks ago. Instead of shallots, I used my red spring onions. I also sauteed the turnip greens with this week's beet greens and some cajun seasoning (I would eat this on everything), and made some chicken in barbecue sauce. This all made for a well rounded dinner, and I can't wait to eat the leftovers for lunch today.

I also made zucchini bread last night since this week's share included two zucchinis the size of baseball bats. (I am giving one to my sister.) I used almost a whole zucchini, and boy is it tasty. My sister gave me some whole nutmeg for Christmas, and I feel like it really makes a different in recipes like this. I am enjoying a slice as I type.

I hit another baking milestone yesterday: I bought the plastic tub of sugar since I've been going through the boxes so quickly. I think the next step will be a flour tin.

Week 7: more pickles and beets

Well, I can now state with certainty that the pickles were extremely tasty using the brine for the second time!

I also brought a salad using this week's beets to a barbecue on Saturday. It was well received, and I was glad to have some other people enjoy the beets. I had a few, but one person can only eat so many beets...

On Sunday I roasted some of last week's potatoes with cajun seasoning. Potatoes always take so much longer than I feel like they ought to. These could have stood to stay in the oven a bit longer than the 40 or so minutes I gave them, but I was really hungry.

Week 7: pick up

This week's pick up included:

-chioggia beets
-Asian turnips
-carrots
-red cabbage
-yukon gold potatoes
-cucumbers
-zucchini
-red spring onions

The greens on the beets and the turnips look especially amazing, so I'm very excited for those. I'm also excited for more cucumbers that I can pickle! I polished off one of the jars I made and am reusing the brine to make more with the last cucumber from last week. I also brought some to a BBQ last night. I am interested to see how the second batch in the same brine turns out...

Week 6: friends, roma beans, countrymen

Last night some dear friends from out of town came over for dinner. For an appetizer we had the carrots with some ranch dip, and tomatoes with mozzarella from the farmers market.

Our main course was haddock with roma beans from this recipe, and it was delicious - the bacon added a nice flavor. We also sauteed some sliced summer squash. I always intend to take photos of the meals, but I'm always so excited to eat them that I forget to.

Week 6: cooking date with spring onions

Last night a friend of mine came over for a cooking date, which is something we try to do frequently. Since I had an abundance of spring onions (two white left over from last week, and the red ones from this week), I found this recipe for braised spring onions and fennel. We substituted turnip greens for chard and just used some lemon juice in lieu of the zest and juice of a meyer lemon, and it turned out pretty darn tasty. The fennel flavor pervaded, but it was nice and light. We ate it with a fried egg and sourdough toast. The meal was capped off perfectly by some Brigham's chocolate ice cream which S. procured following the meal.

And! The best part: on the advice of the friend from whom I received the pickle recipe, I tried the pickles last night, and they were EXCELLENT. This is probably my favorite thing I've made so far this summer, and I am very excited about making more. And so easy! Seriously, if there are pickle fans out there (among the 2 of you who read this), this recipe is well worth it.

Week 6: pickles and turnips

Possibly the most exciting this I did this weekend was attempt to make my own pickles using this recipe. I say "attempt" because they won't be ready to eat until tomorrow night so I don't know how they turned out, but I will have to take a photo of them because they look so authentically pickley in their jars. I used two of the three cucumbers we received this week, which were massive, and my friend gave me some dill from her garden. I looove pickles, so I am very exited.

For dinner I made kale chips with last week's red russian kale (so weird how it has little leaves growing off of its leaves...), some baked chicken with barbecue sauce, and roasted turnips. I vaguely remember having turnips for the first time at someone's house in college and thinking they were delicious, but for some reason it has taken me until now to figure this out on my own. I love turnips. I just washed them, cut them up, drizzled olive oil and sprinkles a little sale, and cooked them at 425 for about 30 min or so and they were spectacular.

Another exciting thing about dinner last night is that I used zero recipes. The chicken was just chicken tenders in a baking dish with Sweet Baby Ray's Sweet 'n Spicy barbecue sauce cooked in the oven (delicious sauce, by the way). I've made the kale chips so many times that I haven't looked at the recipe in months, and roasting the turnips only required my previous knowledge of how to roast root vegetables. It is very satisfying to see tangible progress like this in my cooking education.

Now, how else will I distract myself until the pickles are ready to eat...

Week 6: Pick-up and beet cake

This week's pick up included:

-turnips (hooray!)
-carrots
-cucumbers
-chioggia beets
-summer squash
-potatoes
-roma beans
-red spring onions

Some friends of ours have a monthly pot luck, which was held last night, and I decided to take the unconventional approach: a chocolate cake made out of last week's beets (recipe here). S. was very wary of the beet cake, but he did have a piece, and the general consensus seemed to be positive. It made for a very moist, if a bit earthly, chocolate cake.

After the pot luck I ended up sending this week's chioggia beets with a friend. I really do like beets, but after eating them every week thus far, I am ready for a little break.

Week 5: cabbage pasta take 2

Last night I made the same Jamie Oliver cabbage pasta recipe as a few weeks ago, though with red cabbage this time and it was just as excellent as ever.

I may try to make a chocolate cake tonight with the beets...

Week 5: broccoli and potatoes

I needed a quiet night in last night, complete with vegging: both the television-watching variety and the vegetable variety. (Terrible pun, I know.)

I began my well-rounded dinner with popcorn using my favorite new trick of microwaving the kernels in a paper lunch bag: 1/4 cup kernals, single staple to close the bag, listen/smell when it's done, top to taste - I used butter spray and seasoned salt.

This was followed later in the evening by roasted potatoes and broccoli. I cut the potatoes into quarters or eighths, depending on their size, drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with salt and pepper, and roasted at 400 degrees for about an hour before adding the broccoli. I cooked it at 425 for another 15 minutes or so with the broccoli, and then topped with some grated parmesan. A tasty dish indeed!

Week 5: ginger tip

I forgot to mention this in my post this morning, but I wanted to share a tip for fresh ginger. I used to get annoyed because it would always go bad before I could use it all, and then I heard from a friend that he keeps it in the freezer! This has been a delightful discovery not only because it lasts much longer, but it is also easier to peel and grate.

Week 5: tofu, kale, and cousa

This week we received:
-potatoes
-chioggia beets
-green beans
-red cabbage
-cousa squash
-red Russian kale
-broccoli
-spring onions

Friday night for dinner I made some marinated tofu, kale chips (last week’s kale), and the greens from the kohlrabi I bought at the farmers market. Here is the recipe for the tofu marinade:
extra firm tofu, drained cut into six slices
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 minced garlic cloves
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger

I pressed the tofu for about 20 minutes between dish towels to get some more of the moisture out, as suggested here. I marinated it, turning over occasionally, for about 30-45 minutes. First I tried baking it on a cookie sheet at 375 , but that became rather smoky in the kitchen so I turned the temp down. It turned out really tasty, though I need to invest in some low sodium soy sauce because it was too salty.

For the kohlrabi greens I boiled them for a few minutes and then tossed them with some soy sauce and sesame oil.

And I finally used the parsley! S. and I needed to bring a picnic lunch to an outing on Saturday, so I made an orzo salad from a friend's recipe (orzo, tomatoes, feta, parsley, olives, garlic, olive oil, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper). I intended to also add broccoli, but I forgot.

Last night for dinner I made stuffed cousa squash, modified a bit from this recipe. I used brown rice, and changed up the spices (coriander, garlic powder, chili powder)and used parsley instead of mint, and one of the spring onions instead of shallots. It turned out well, especially given that neither Steve or I are huge summer squash fans... And also it made enough to feed an army. I had a LOT of filling left, and will be having that for lunch this week. I also sauteed/pan steamed the green beans with some olive oil, salt, and pepper.

And though it wasn't with farm share ingredients, I will also share the recipe I used last night to make lemon ricotta cookies for a coworkers birthday.

In the last couple weeks I have started to plan meals further in advance, rather than the usual deciding what to make for dinner that night while I'm at work. I live quite close to a grocery store, so I just pick up whatever I need on my way home. But planning for formally has been nice since it also gives me an idea of what I can bring for lunch for the week, and helps me make sure I have a game plan for the veggies.

Week 4: creative pesto

So technically, dinner last night didn't consist of veggies from the farm share. However, I had some cilantro (from the grocery store) left over from the beet salad, and some mustard greens I couldn't resist from the farmers market I visit. During the day yesterday I was struck by the thought to combine the two into pesto to eat with pasta for dinner, and I was so excited I couldn't wait to get home. The pesto (made in small batches in my mini food processor) consisted of the mustard greens, cilantro, olive oil, parmesan, salt, and pepper, and turned out quite nicely. The mustard greens overpowered the cilantro, but it had a nicely earthy, green flavor.

I also made a slaw out of the purple cabbage, carrots, and a kohlrabi bulb (also from the farmers market). I had hoped to use fennel instead of kohlrabi, but it was nowhere to be found. The slaw (some of which I'm currently enjoying for lunch) also includes mayonnaise, white wine vinegar, salt, pepper, and chives. This was my first crack at anything resembling cole slaw, and I am pleased with the outcome: very fresh and crunchy. The only potential downside was the tedious chopping, but I solved that by doing it in front of the television...

I intended to have kale chips last night as well, but didn't get around to it. Perhaps this evening, although a new batch of veggies needs to be picked up today as well. Now, what to do with the parsley...

Week 4: beet salad

It turns out that it hasn't been as difficult to use all the vegetables as I thought it might be. Except for the parsley... Perhaps I'll use some of it in a slaw I'm planning to make tonight using the red cabbage.

Yesterday as part of my lunch I ate the sugar snap peas with some hummus. I think sugar snap peas are my favorite thing to eat with hummus.

Last night I prepared a beet salad which I brought to work today for lunch. I am excited to have something to do with beets besides roasting them to put on salads (which is delicious, but was getting too repetitive with beets every week). I've been wearing gloves to handle the beets the last few weeks after having beet-stained fingernails for a week last year, but decided to forgo the gloves last night, and it was fine! No beet stains for me.

For dinner last night I made a stir-fry with the same Szechuan sauce as last week's stir-fry using the baby bok choy with some scallions and chicken. Also like last week, we ate it served over quinoa.

Week 4: cooking date

Last night was the first time my coworker and I were able to pick up the veggies together, and goodness was it easier to have two sets of hands! My half of the pickup included:

beets
carrots
kale
baby bok choy
parsley
red cabbage
sugar snap peas
green beans

My friends came over and after a quick run to the grocery and liquor stores, we got down to cooking Szechuan Tofu & Green Bean Stir-Fry. I will definitely be making this one again. We also added a red bell pepper and my scallions from last week. The green beans were so fresh and crisp. It was an easy recipe, and would be tasty with a variety of vegetable and protein substitutions.

We also enjoyed one of my favorite cocktails as we cooked: champagne (I opt for cheap since it'll be mixed... Andre), St. Germain, and grapefruit juice. So summery and delicious. The cashier at the liquor store got a kick out of the two ends of the spectrum my two purchases represented.

End of Week 3

Last night I made the pureed turnip with crispy shallots recipe, and it was amazing. I will definitely be making this one again. I didn't use as much oil as Ina suggests, probably about half a cup. At first I didn't have the heat high enough and my shallots weren't turning brown, but after turning it up a bit and with a little patience the shallots came out delicious. I had white turnips rather than yellow, so I was a bit worried about how it would turn out, but it was a really nice flavor. I used an immersion blender (best present ever), less butter at the end than the recipe suggests (3 tablespoons, rather than 6), only used a bit of milk (1%, not whole) and I tasted it before adding the salt and pepper and decided not to at all: the flavor was nice and clean and S. agreed that salt and pepper would have detracted. He literally licked his plate... Plate-licking good turnips: who knew.

In addition to the turnips I made some steaks. Meat is not my strong point. I had too much going on and overdid it a bit. Edible, certainly, but I need to remember that it keeps cooking after I deem it "done." I also cooked the turnip greens in a little bit of the leftover shallot oil and a little bit of cajun seasoning, and I liked that a lot too. I enjoyed the turnip greens better than the beet greens from a few weeks ago: much less bitter. Lunch today is last night's leftovers.

I have one item remaining from Week 3: scallions. Perhaps I will find a use for them tonight. I have two friends coming over for a cooking date, but we haven't decided what to make yet since it will depend what is in today's pickup.

Week 3: cabbage

Last night for dinner I made the cabbage and pasta recipe linked in my last post, and it was delicious. I ended up buying fresh mozzarella and fresh pasta at the farmers marker. I can't wait to eat the leftovers for lunch today.

I plan to make the turnips tonight, and to use the scallions as well. That will leave me ready for a new pickup tomorrow!

I also thought I'd post the kale chip recipe I use with a few small changes: I rip the kale into pieces instead of cut, I use regular salt instead of seasoned, and usually only need to cook for about 7 or 8 min.

Week 3: Taking the veggies on the road

We are heading to a friend's cabin for the holiday weekend, and in addition to the carrots, and snap peas, I am also planning to bring the rest of the romaine and the beets I roasted last night for a salad, and the kale to make into chips.

I also have two recipes I can't wait to try with the cabbage and turnips next week.

My sister told me about this pasta and cabbage recipe. There is a farmers' market nearby that sells amazing fresh mozzarella, so that will definitely be dinner Tuesday night.

I think Wednesday night I will try out this turnip recipe using the rest of the shallots I bought for the pea pasta. Might have it with a steak...

Week 3: Pickup

This was my first time picking up the veggies myself, and goodness was it a lot of veggies. We received (clockwise, from left):

kale

turnips
scallions
romaine

cabbage

sugar snap peas
golden beets
yellow carrots

When I got home from work I made last week's chard into chips for a snack.

I am currently roasting both last week's beets and this week's golden beets to use in salads. I also washed the romaine to use in a salad for lunch tomorrow. I will be bringing the snap peas, the rest of last week's carrots, and this week's carrots to eat this weekend as a snack with hummus.

This leaves cabbage, kale, turnips, and scallions to use.

Week 2

I was away for most of week 2 of our farm share, but we received the following:

romaine
cabbage
fava tendrils
collard greens
parsley
chard
carrots
chioggia beets

S. made a salad with the cabbage, romaine, and some of the carrots while I was away.

I returned home yesterday, and for dinner I made a quicker collard greens recipe. It came out pretty tasty, but S. is not a fan of sweet-savory combinations so next time I will leave out the maple syrup. I was pleased to find a collards recipe that a) didn't take two hours, and b) didn't require a hamhock. Where does one purchase a hamhock?

For a main course I made some pasta using the fava tendrils. I modified this recipe, leaving out the peas, and with basil instead of mint. It was delicious, though didn't really pair all that well with the collards, and S. and I each brought the leftovers to work for lunch today.

I still have the rest of the carrots, beets, chard, and parsley, and there is another pick up tonight... But we'll figure it out!

Week One: Wednesday

I plan to use up this week's veggies tonight, but won't have time to post about it later, so here is what I plan to do:

The romaine and red leaf lettuces as well as the beets were used up this morning on day three of lunch salads.

This evening I plan to make nachos using the cilantro and a jalapeno, and to balance out the relative unhealthiness of tortilla chips and cheese, to have two leafy green side: kohlrabi greens cooked and tossed with sesame oil and soy sauce, and chard chips.

I am traveling for a week beginning tomorrow, so S. will be on his own vegetable-wise this week. I wonder how that will turn out...

Week One: Pickup

This week we received:

red russian kale
romaine lettuce
red leaf lettuce
swiss chard
beets
broccoli
kohlrabi
cilantro

I was away for our first pickup, but my coworker retrieved all the vegetables and later made the hand-off to my boyfriend, S. When I came a few days later, I was greeted by a fridge full of greenery.

Sunday night I used the kale to make kale chips. I was introduced to kale chips about a year ago at a pot luck, and they instantly became one of my favorite foods. I plan to try to "chip" other greens, including the chard later this week. We enjoyed the kale chips with some garlic and rosemary chicken (my sister's specialty) and store-bought naan.

Since January, in an effort to be healthier and save money, S and I have been bringing breakfast and lunch to work rather than purchasing every day. Breakfast is usually yogurt, and a muffin or two made from an Eating Well recipe, and lunch has been sandwiches and baby carrots. This week, lunches are a salad made of the romaine and red leaf lettuces, topped with the rest of the chicken from Sunday. I bought some salad dressing (Newman's Own Light Caesar) to keep at work, since I figure I will be bringing many a salad in the coming months.

Last night I had quite the evening of cooking. It began with making the kohlrabi into quick pickles, using rice vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Pretty tasty! Still not sure what to do with the kohlrabi leaves... I also tried some kohlrabi raw with salt and that was delicious too - very fresh tasting. Today I learned that kohlrabi is in the cabbage family: who knew?

Next came dinner: pork chops with cumin first pan seared, and then finished off in the oven. For a side, I sauteed the broccoli and beet greens in some cajun seasoning. Up until now, I have almost exclusively sauteed any greens in garlic, but I wanted to branch out since I figure I'll be doing a lot of greens sauteing. This came out decently, though I was more fond of the broccoli than the beet greens, which were still a bit bitter.

In the mean time, I was roasting the beets themselves to use in lunch salads. I learned from last time I roasted beets to wear gloves to peel them, and in this way have successfully avoided pink fingers for the rest of the week!

After dinner, I made some "healthy muffins" (lemon blueberry, adapted from this recipe) and, because the mood struck me, some chocolate chip cookies. Need to balance out all these leafy greens somehow!