CSA squash and basil.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
October: Pick-Up Day
If we thought last week's pick-up was a site for sore eyes, this week's is positively beautiful.
Sweet potatoes, peppers, bell peppers, eggplant, okra, zucchini, basil, yellow squash, saucer squash.
October: Pick-Up Day
This is our first real pick-up since July due to the drought in Texas. While it looks meager, we were very excited!
Onions, squash, bell peppers, banana peppers, okra.
September: Quesadillas & Cantaloupe
With the exception of onions, this cantaloupe is all we got for the entire month of September due to the horrible drought conditions in Texas.
August: Texas Drought & CSA Risk #5
August 26, 2011
Dear 2011 CSA Members,
The rain came so close to us, but we only got a sprinkle----at least it cooled off for a few hours which felt so good. Looks like the searing heat will continue right on into September with no rain in the forecast. The squash is finally dying as the week after week of this heat has stressed it so much that it can't survive any more. The good news is that we have the third crop just about ready to go into the field along with lots of cucumber seedlings and a second crop of cantaloupe seedlings. We just pray that surely the heat will diminish and this third crop of squash, cucumbers, and cantaloupe will produce a bountiful crop. The okra and sweet potatoes continue to flourish even in this heat--the okra should be producing soon.
I suppose that the heat must have caused the green bean seed to "rot" in the ground as they came up only very sporadically so we will replant soon--the seed was new seed so it should have been good seed. We know that green beans will not produce in temps much beyond 90 degrees, but I thought at least the seed would germinate. However, we got a good stand of purple hull peas. Just finished planting the cream peas last evening--14 two hundred and sixty foot rows.
We usually plant the fall turnip greens, mustard greens, radishes, and snow peas Sept. 1, but it looks like it will be much too hot this year--will have to wait until the temp moderates.
We will bring onions tomorrow. We will pick the last of the squash for Plano. We will bring the first of the cantaloupe for Plano and Coppell. Coppell will not receive any of this crop of squash, but will be the first to get the squash from the third crop. We have been eating the "runt" cantaloupe and the ones with bad places on them and they have been so sweet and flavorful. I just wish there were a lot more of them like last year--we filled the coolers with cantaloupe 2 weeks in a row last year, but they weren't sweet. Next week we will bring cantaloupe for East Dallas.
Again until the temp moderates and the fall crops begin to produce we won't use the coolers.
See y'all tomorrow,
Gene
The rain came so close to us, but we only got a sprinkle----at least it cooled off for a few hours which felt so good. Looks like the searing heat will continue right on into September with no rain in the forecast. The squash is finally dying as the week after week of this heat has stressed it so much that it can't survive any more. The good news is that we have the third crop just about ready to go into the field along with lots of cucumber seedlings and a second crop of cantaloupe seedlings. We just pray that surely the heat will diminish and this third crop of squash, cucumbers, and cantaloupe will produce a bountiful crop. The okra and sweet potatoes continue to flourish even in this heat--the okra should be producing soon.
I suppose that the heat must have caused the green bean seed to "rot" in the ground as they came up only very sporadically so we will replant soon--the seed was new seed so it should have been good seed. We know that green beans will not produce in temps much beyond 90 degrees, but I thought at least the seed would germinate. However, we got a good stand of purple hull peas. Just finished planting the cream peas last evening--14 two hundred and sixty foot rows.
We usually plant the fall turnip greens, mustard greens, radishes, and snow peas Sept. 1, but it looks like it will be much too hot this year--will have to wait until the temp moderates.
We will bring onions tomorrow. We will pick the last of the squash for Plano. We will bring the first of the cantaloupe for Plano and Coppell. Coppell will not receive any of this crop of squash, but will be the first to get the squash from the third crop. We have been eating the "runt" cantaloupe and the ones with bad places on them and they have been so sweet and flavorful. I just wish there were a lot more of them like last year--we filled the coolers with cantaloupe 2 weeks in a row last year, but they weren't sweet. Next week we will bring cantaloupe for East Dallas.
Again until the temp moderates and the fall crops begin to produce we won't use the coolers.
See y'all tomorrow,
Gene
August: Texas Drought & CSA Risk #4
August 19, 2011
Dear 2011 CSA Members,
As the searing heat and drought continue, many of the fall crops are struggling to stay alive. And the disheartening thing is that it looks like there is no end in sight through the end of August. We finished weeding all of the sweet potatoes and they are doing good. We just finished applying a second organic fertilizer to the sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, okra, and basil. We finished planting the fall green beans and purple hull peas in the field. We also weeded the eight 260 foot rows of okra and it looks good----should be producing by the first part of September. The cantaloupe are not producing nearly the number of melons that they should be because of the heat--we have been 108-110 for several days now. The watermelons have some smaller melons on them, but not sure if they can mature in this heat---we fertilized them with the organic powdered fertilizer last week.
The second crop of squash is just barely producing with the heat----we may have enough for one CSA. We will pick today and if there is enough for one CSA we will bring it in a large white cooler for the East Dallas CSA. Normally we pick squash 3 times each week and should have tons of squash as we have seven 260 foot rows of squash in the field.
So we will have onions this week----2 baskets of onions per person-----and squash for the East Dallas CSA if there is sufficient to bring.
We still have water in our ponds, but need rain soon because the water level drops every day and we are becoming very concerned that the water will run out if we don't get rain soon.
We are having to sell most of our cattle this Saturday--our son Joed will take them to the sale this Saturday as he is home on break between the summer and fall semesters of college. We can't afford to continue feeding them the outrageously expensive hay. Will keep 6-7 bred cows and the registered Black Angus bull.
The 2 acres of blueberry bushes are pretty much dead----we don't have sufficient water for them and all of the fall crops. The bushes were 4 years old and just beginning to produce a lot of berries. We will have to start over again once it begins to rain.
We continue planting, weeding, and irrigating in faith that the rain and cooler temps will come in time for a bountiful fall harvest.
Please feel free to come out and visit the farm and see all of the crops in the field (waiting for rain and cooler temps). We think if it important for you to actually see where your food is grown.
See Y'all Tomorrow,
Gene
Dear 2011 CSA Members,
As the searing heat and drought continue, many of the fall crops are struggling to stay alive. And the disheartening thing is that it looks like there is no end in sight through the end of August. We finished weeding all of the sweet potatoes and they are doing good. We just finished applying a second organic fertilizer to the sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, okra, and basil. We finished planting the fall green beans and purple hull peas in the field. We also weeded the eight 260 foot rows of okra and it looks good----should be producing by the first part of September. The cantaloupe are not producing nearly the number of melons that they should be because of the heat--we have been 108-110 for several days now. The watermelons have some smaller melons on them, but not sure if they can mature in this heat---we fertilized them with the organic powdered fertilizer last week.
The second crop of squash is just barely producing with the heat----we may have enough for one CSA. We will pick today and if there is enough for one CSA we will bring it in a large white cooler for the East Dallas CSA. Normally we pick squash 3 times each week and should have tons of squash as we have seven 260 foot rows of squash in the field.
So we will have onions this week----2 baskets of onions per person-----and squash for the East Dallas CSA if there is sufficient to bring.
We still have water in our ponds, but need rain soon because the water level drops every day and we are becoming very concerned that the water will run out if we don't get rain soon.
We are having to sell most of our cattle this Saturday--our son Joed will take them to the sale this Saturday as he is home on break between the summer and fall semesters of college. We can't afford to continue feeding them the outrageously expensive hay. Will keep 6-7 bred cows and the registered Black Angus bull.
The 2 acres of blueberry bushes are pretty much dead----we don't have sufficient water for them and all of the fall crops. The bushes were 4 years old and just beginning to produce a lot of berries. We will have to start over again once it begins to rain.
We continue planting, weeding, and irrigating in faith that the rain and cooler temps will come in time for a bountiful fall harvest.
Please feel free to come out and visit the farm and see all of the crops in the field (waiting for rain and cooler temps). We think if it important for you to actually see where your food is grown.
See Y'all Tomorrow,
Gene
August: Texas Drought & CSA Risk #3
August 11, 2011
Dear 2011 CSA Members,
We will not have a delivery this Saturday, August 13. The intense triple digit heat and drought continues with no end in sight according to the weather forecast. The crops cannot produce anything with this heat--it is physiologically impossible. We continue irrigating trusting that soon the heat and drought will break and the crops can start producing.
We continue weeding the sweet potatoes-----should finish all 35 rows today. The crop looks good. As long as we can irrigate them with the blessing of the Lord they should produce a bountiful harvest of potatoes in mid-October. We will apply a second organic foliar spray to the sweet potatoes tomorrow as well as to the okra and squash.
We will not have a delivery this Saturday, August 13. The intense triple digit heat and drought continues with no end in sight according to the weather forecast. The crops cannot produce anything with this heat--it is physiologically impossible. We continue irrigating trusting that soon the heat and drought will break and the crops can start producing.
We continue weeding the sweet potatoes-----should finish all 35 rows today. The crop looks good. As long as we can irrigate them with the blessing of the Lord they should produce a bountiful harvest of potatoes in mid-October. We will apply a second organic foliar spray to the sweet potatoes tomorrow as well as to the okra and squash.
We are doing everything that we can do to encourage crop production.
Next Saturday we will for sure bring 2 baskets of onions----but if the heat continues there won't be any vegetables for the coolers.
Best Regards,
Gene
August: Texas Drought & CSA Risk #2
August 4, 2011
Dear 2011 CSA Members,
Well the scorching heat continues with no end in sight. Our ponds are getting low, but we haven't run out of irrigation water yet. This searing heat has destroyed 1/2 of the fall tomato seedlings. They just can't survive the 110 degree heat day after day even with the irrigation every day. The heat has killed 8 of the laying hens and we have been misting them every day with cool water--now 2 times a day. The squash seedlings we planted 2 weeks ago are surviving, but are not really growing much because of the heat and drought. The eggplant has pretty much stopped producing, but will produce again if we could just get daytime temps in the 90's and night time temps in the 70's. The poor pepper plants are surviving, but not producing any peppers that are worth harvesting. The scorching sun just sears the peppers so we pull them and leave them in the rows. One exception is the Jalapenos---they have continued to produce some peppers.
The sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, watermelons, and okra are doing pretty well. They are growing and the cantaloupe have lots of small to medium cantaloupes on the vines. I burned 2 more fields in spite of the strict burn ban (they have an exception for burning for agricultural purposes), but we have been very careful. A neighbor brings his huge water tank equipped with a 5 horsepower pump and a 2 inch hose for putting out any fires that might get started. A fire started on a fence line yesterday, and I saw it just in time to kill our tractor and propane burner and run to the truck and pull the tank within reach of the fire and extinguish it. I quit burning after that--it was scary to say the least.
We are busy also weeding the good sweet potato crop. There is a gourd that grows among the vines and literally smothers the sweet potato vines. We have tons more rows to weed and are working daily to try to save the crop. If anyone would like to volunteer to help weed them we would welcome your help--we know everyone is busy with their own schedules though. We will weed as many rows as we can with the help we have.
This Saturday I will bring onions and potatoes. We have a little garlic left and I will bring it. If this triple digit weather continues into next week I don't think the squash or peppers will be ready to harvest--we'll just have to see how they progress this week and next. We have fertilized all the cantaloupe, squash, peppers, and okra plants by hand with the organic fertilizer that we mix, and have also applied an organic foliar fertilizer to all the crops, but the crops have not responded very well due to the extreme heat and drought.
We will continue working diligently as long as we have irrigation water all the time praying for rain and a break in this scorching heat. My wife finished planting the 5,000 squash seedlings last week and they are up and growing for the fall crop. There are several varieties---yellow crooked neck, yellow straight neck, zucchini, acorn, butternut, sunbeam, etc. It is still too hot to plant the cucumbers as they wouldn't survive the heat. Hopefully the weather will break soon and we can get them planted. I finished burning the weeds off a field where we will plant the cream peas and purple hull peas. Still need to disc and plow the field, make the rows and then plant the seeds.
Try to keep cool and I will see you Saturday,
Gene
Dear 2011 CSA Members,
Well the scorching heat continues with no end in sight. Our ponds are getting low, but we haven't run out of irrigation water yet. This searing heat has destroyed 1/2 of the fall tomato seedlings. They just can't survive the 110 degree heat day after day even with the irrigation every day. The heat has killed 8 of the laying hens and we have been misting them every day with cool water--now 2 times a day. The squash seedlings we planted 2 weeks ago are surviving, but are not really growing much because of the heat and drought. The eggplant has pretty much stopped producing, but will produce again if we could just get daytime temps in the 90's and night time temps in the 70's. The poor pepper plants are surviving, but not producing any peppers that are worth harvesting. The scorching sun just sears the peppers so we pull them and leave them in the rows. One exception is the Jalapenos---they have continued to produce some peppers.
The sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, watermelons, and okra are doing pretty well. They are growing and the cantaloupe have lots of small to medium cantaloupes on the vines. I burned 2 more fields in spite of the strict burn ban (they have an exception for burning for agricultural purposes), but we have been very careful. A neighbor brings his huge water tank equipped with a 5 horsepower pump and a 2 inch hose for putting out any fires that might get started. A fire started on a fence line yesterday, and I saw it just in time to kill our tractor and propane burner and run to the truck and pull the tank within reach of the fire and extinguish it. I quit burning after that--it was scary to say the least.
We are busy also weeding the good sweet potato crop. There is a gourd that grows among the vines and literally smothers the sweet potato vines. We have tons more rows to weed and are working daily to try to save the crop. If anyone would like to volunteer to help weed them we would welcome your help--we know everyone is busy with their own schedules though. We will weed as many rows as we can with the help we have.
This Saturday I will bring onions and potatoes. We have a little garlic left and I will bring it. If this triple digit weather continues into next week I don't think the squash or peppers will be ready to harvest--we'll just have to see how they progress this week and next. We have fertilized all the cantaloupe, squash, peppers, and okra plants by hand with the organic fertilizer that we mix, and have also applied an organic foliar fertilizer to all the crops, but the crops have not responded very well due to the extreme heat and drought.
We will continue working diligently as long as we have irrigation water all the time praying for rain and a break in this scorching heat. My wife finished planting the 5,000 squash seedlings last week and they are up and growing for the fall crop. There are several varieties---yellow crooked neck, yellow straight neck, zucchini, acorn, butternut, sunbeam, etc. It is still too hot to plant the cucumbers as they wouldn't survive the heat. Hopefully the weather will break soon and we can get them planted. I finished burning the weeds off a field where we will plant the cream peas and purple hull peas. Still need to disc and plow the field, make the rows and then plant the seeds.
Try to keep cool and I will see you Saturday,
Gene
July: Texas Drought & CSA Risk #1
July 30, 2011
Dear 2011 CSA Members,
We are going to suspend this Saturday's delivery (July 30). We picked tomatoes yesterday and there are very few tomatoes------since the nights have been so warm (staying in the 80's for the last 2 weeks) the blooms have not set fruit so therefore very few tomatoes. The eggplant has also diminished in production with the heat and warm nights. So we would have only basil and a few eggplant in the cooler. So I think it would be better to wait until the next crops begin to produce instead of you having to spend your time to come and pick up a small amount of vegetables.
We have potatoes for 2 more Saturdays and onions for about 8 more Saturdays so we will bring a double portion of eggs for the egg share holders and your potatoes and onions next Saturday August 6. We will have potatoes and onions for the August 13 delivery and hopefully the squash and peppers will be ready also. The summer crop of tomatoes are probably finished as the heat stress has "taken its toll on them". However, we will have to see how they respond if we get the rain from the tropical storm. The fall crop of tomatoes are struggling but we should have a fair crop. We received 1.25 inches of rain Monday for which we are very thankful. It was so refreshing to see the pouring rain coming down for about 30 minutes. The rain came from the East which is very unusual and of course the weather forecast gave us no chance of rain at all----we know this came from the Lord.
We have almost finished weeding the peppers and have started weeding the beautiful crop of sweet potatoes. We are also busy planting the 3rd crop of squash and cucumbers. Since we had the rain on Monday, I began burning (with our propane burner) the grass and weeds off of a field where we will plant the green beans and peas. I still have to be extremely careful as the neighbors land is still very dry and we surely don't want a spark to ignite a fire on their land.
We are praying for rain-----we pray we get the soaking rains, but not the floods from the tropical storm.
See y'all Saturday August 6,
Gene
Dear 2011 CSA Members,
We are going to suspend this Saturday's delivery (July 30). We picked tomatoes yesterday and there are very few tomatoes------since the nights have been so warm (staying in the 80's for the last 2 weeks) the blooms have not set fruit so therefore very few tomatoes. The eggplant has also diminished in production with the heat and warm nights. So we would have only basil and a few eggplant in the cooler. So I think it would be better to wait until the next crops begin to produce instead of you having to spend your time to come and pick up a small amount of vegetables.
We have potatoes for 2 more Saturdays and onions for about 8 more Saturdays so we will bring a double portion of eggs for the egg share holders and your potatoes and onions next Saturday August 6. We will have potatoes and onions for the August 13 delivery and hopefully the squash and peppers will be ready also. The summer crop of tomatoes are probably finished as the heat stress has "taken its toll on them". However, we will have to see how they respond if we get the rain from the tropical storm. The fall crop of tomatoes are struggling but we should have a fair crop. We received 1.25 inches of rain Monday for which we are very thankful. It was so refreshing to see the pouring rain coming down for about 30 minutes. The rain came from the East which is very unusual and of course the weather forecast gave us no chance of rain at all----we know this came from the Lord.
We have almost finished weeding the peppers and have started weeding the beautiful crop of sweet potatoes. We are also busy planting the 3rd crop of squash and cucumbers. Since we had the rain on Monday, I began burning (with our propane burner) the grass and weeds off of a field where we will plant the green beans and peas. I still have to be extremely careful as the neighbors land is still very dry and we surely don't want a spark to ignite a fire on their land.
We are praying for rain-----we pray we get the soaking rains, but not the floods from the tropical storm.
See y'all Saturday August 6,
Gene
July: Pick-Up Day
Drought worsens, CSA risk increases. Eggplant, basil, onions, garlic, tomatoes, potatoes.
July: Pick-Up Day
Potatoes, onion, garlic, tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, eggplants (two varieties), basil, grape tomatoes, blueberries.
July: Pick-Up Day
Eggplant (two varieties), cucumber, butternut squash, tomatoes, grape tomatoes, basil, onion, garlic, blueberries.
June: Chocolate Cake with Blueberries
My absolute favorite dessert. French-style chocolate cake with fresh CSA blueberries.
June: Slow Roasted Tomato Bruschetta
Yet another meal of bruschetta. This time the tomatoes were slow roasted for several hours, making this possibly the best bruschetta ever. That's a weird pic of a Q'uorn Chic patty too.
CSA tomato, garlic, onion, basil.
June: Pick-Up Day
Red potatoes, tomatoes, onion, squash, garlic, 2 varieties eggplant, zucchini, blueberries.
June: Pick-Up Day
Blueberries, grape tomatoes, basil, tomatoes, red potatoes, saucer squash, summer squash, zucchini, garlic, onion.
June: Fresh Tomato Pasta, Green Beans & Kale
May: Bruschetta with Fresh Mozzarella
CSA tomatoes, garlic, onion and basil.
Just can't get tired of this meal!
Monday, July 11, 2011
Week 7: Mardi Gras Stir Fry
The best and worst thing about visiting Louisiana is, well, all the fried food. From hush puppies to po-boys to seafood platters, deep fried glory is calling out to you from the radio, the TV, street signs, newspaper ads, and once they've got you where they want you, the restaurant menu. In Louisiana, I'll eat things I won't eat anywhere else: fried shrimp, stuffed crab, butter-soaked crab claws, catfish po-boys. Rationally, the clean eater in me is horrified by all of this, but the power of smell and marketing is just too much in Louisiana, and reason tends to take a back seat to passion. In fact, on this journey, passion completely sabotaged reason, and I accidentally left all of Week 7's broccoli at my sister's house in Mississippi. She was thrilled because it gave her the chance to make a beautiful stir fry (photo attached) and I was over the moon because it meant I got to eat another po-boy.
But by Day 3, I was actually craving food that wasn't lathered in oil and batter, so I decided to follow my sister's lead and make a stir fry. As luck would have it, we had red cabbage, summer squash and Swiss chard in this week's delivery, so I sauteed it all with garlic, onion and homemade peanut sauce. The cabbage turned purple while cooking and to everyone's excitement, our meal took on the colors of Mardi Gras - purple, gold and green. Even the kids, in disbelief that I was offering them purple food, outdid themselves by taking multiple bites. They stopped short of making happy plates though, no doubt coming to the realization that what they were eating was wholesome and natural rather than artificial and fun. But so be it - I was just relieved they weren't begging for king cake for dessert.
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Mardi Gras stir fry with tofu, red cabbage, summer squash and Swiss chard.
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Staci's beautiful broccoli stir fry.
But by Day 3, I was actually craving food that wasn't lathered in oil and batter, so I decided to follow my sister's lead and make a stir fry. As luck would have it, we had red cabbage, summer squash and Swiss chard in this week's delivery, so I sauteed it all with garlic, onion and homemade peanut sauce. The cabbage turned purple while cooking and to everyone's excitement, our meal took on the colors of Mardi Gras - purple, gold and green. Even the kids, in disbelief that I was offering them purple food, outdid themselves by taking multiple bites. They stopped short of making happy plates though, no doubt coming to the realization that what they were eating was wholesome and natural rather than artificial and fun. But so be it - I was just relieved they weren't begging for king cake for dessert.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Week 7: Ants on a Log
So this post is only partly about ants on a log, the super fun name grown-ups created to coerce little children into eating peanut butter, celery and raisins. It's a great idea in theory but children are just so much smarter than we give them credit for. By any name, a celery stick is still green, fibrous and raw. And in the case of Week 7's celery, tough as nails. The celery was petite and just ripening for springtime, so Farmer Gene gave us the disclaimer that it would need to be soaked for an hour or so to soften before eating. I shrugged off this warning, of course, and merrily made my children ants on a log and presented them on adorable plates as the most exciting snack ever. Not so much. My son used his as teething toys and my daughter licked the peanut butter and craisins right off the top of hers, leaving the lonely celery stalks on her plate. I understood when I tasted them - they were completely tough and inedible, just as Farmer Gene promised. No doubt, my children thought me a trickster and a fraud once again (case in point: kale chips).
The saving grace of this story is that we had the celery as a side dish to possibly the best sandwich in the history of mankind. I understand those are fighting words, but taste this via the world wide web if you can: freshly baked and buttered rustic bread, the softest brie cheese and thinly sliced, crisp apples all melted together panini style. Paired with cold white wine, this will be my last supper if I have any say in the situation. I will, however, be leaving the ants on a log for the kids.
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Ants on a log with brie and apple paninis.
The saving grace of this story is that we had the celery as a side dish to possibly the best sandwich in the history of mankind. I understand those are fighting words, but taste this via the world wide web if you can: freshly baked and buttered rustic bread, the softest brie cheese and thinly sliced, crisp apples all melted together panini style. Paired with cold white wine, this will be my last supper if I have any say in the situation. I will, however, be leaving the ants on a log for the kids.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Week 7: Kale Pesto
Just when I thought I knew all there was to know about kale, my culinary adventures led me to kale pesto. While I had learned that: 1) steamed kale with nutritional yeast and soy sauce is the next best combination to chocolate and peanut butter; 2) sauteed kale takes way too long to cook to wind up tasting so very mediocre; and 3) the entire kale chip movement is a fraud; I had no idea that kale would make such a divine pesto sauce. And lest you think I'm exaggerating, let it be known that I made this pesto for my mother, who was raised on pretty much every green except those of the kale variety (too hippie for Mississippi perhaps?) and she gave it an enormous thumbs up. Even with all the garlic - another faux pas in the deep South due to its unfortunate ramifications on one's breath - she ate it like she meant it. Either that or she was afraid not to since I was scrutinizing every bite she took like a woman possessed. But she cleaned her plate and polished off the leftovers for lunch the next day, which left me glowing. I mean, it's not every day that a girl can open her mother's universe up to a new vegetable, especially one that has grown so near and dear to said girl's heart. There is just something about kale that reminds me of all that is pure and good, so to find a new way to enjoy it and get to share it with the woman who introduced me to all the major food groups? Well, in my tiny world, it just doesn't get much better than that. Find the recipe here.
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Kale pesto, tilapia and roasted beets.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Week 7: Pick-Up Day
By the time we left the Korean Church parking lot with our Week 7 veggies, the kids and I were experiencing a fever pitch level of excitement. We couldn't wait to see what was in store because we were about to take our veggies on a little road trip. Yep, our local Texas veggies were going to make their all-star debut to friends and family across the deeply southern states of Louisiana and Mississippi. And let me tell you, if anyone in America knows the value of a good vegetable, it's the southerners. Many families eat produce grown in their own gardens, but those who don't usually have friends or family who are happy to share their crops. With this in mind, I was meal planning for our trip in a major way.
Since the hubby was staying behind for the first leg of the trip, I made him an offer I thought he couldn't refuse: he could keep any veggies he wanted to cook during the week and the kids and I would take the rest. Though I know he's a red-blooded male and all, I was shocked when he literally laughed out loud at my kind gesture. He couldn't wait to be off of vegetable duty for a week and had grand plans of scarfing down burgers for every meal. Fair enough, really, since he doesn't eat nearly his preferred quota of animal matter at home. But it meant that I had to haul the veggies across three states to avoid them going bad, which brings me to a slight issue with community supported agriculture. You should know up front that your weekly lot of veggies depend on you for everything––like children, you have to be there on time to pick them up; they need to be preened, washed and toweled dry before storing; and for heaven's sake, you must engage with them or they will shrivel up and die. I'm not complaining, only stating that there are no weeks off to eat junk food without some serious guilt induced by wasting food that is literally grown from a labor of love. Unless, of course, you're the hubby and laugh out loud at the idea of cooking a vegetable meal for one.
Week 7 pick-up: broccoli, yellow squash, celery, beets, red cabbage, green cabbage, Swiss chard, white onions, green kale and purple kale.
Since the hubby was staying behind for the first leg of the trip, I made him an offer I thought he couldn't refuse: he could keep any veggies he wanted to cook during the week and the kids and I would take the rest. Though I know he's a red-blooded male and all, I was shocked when he literally laughed out loud at my kind gesture. He couldn't wait to be off of vegetable duty for a week and had grand plans of scarfing down burgers for every meal. Fair enough, really, since he doesn't eat nearly his preferred quota of animal matter at home. But it meant that I had to haul the veggies across three states to avoid them going bad, which brings me to a slight issue with community supported agriculture. You should know up front that your weekly lot of veggies depend on you for everything––like children, you have to be there on time to pick them up; they need to be preened, washed and toweled dry before storing; and for heaven's sake, you must engage with them or they will shrivel up and die. I'm not complaining, only stating that there are no weeks off to eat junk food without some serious guilt induced by wasting food that is literally grown from a labor of love. Unless, of course, you're the hubby and laugh out loud at the idea of cooking a vegetable meal for one.
Week 7 pick-up: broccoli, yellow squash, celery, beets, red cabbage, green cabbage, Swiss chard, white onions, green kale and purple kale.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Week 6: Broccoli Cheese Spoon Bread
Like many food-obsessed people, I often read cookbooks cover to cover like a novel. I check them out of the library, not to find recipes, but to feel inspired by the idea of finding the recipe that will one day become "the one" that my friends and family remember me for. Surely it's in my genes––my great-grandmother passed down her homemade chocolate pie; my grandmother is known for her biscuits and tomato gravy; my mother practically invented peanut butter balls and veggie casserole. It's become like a drug, this momentary burst of inspiration that comes from finding a simple recipe with a beautiful photo that I am convinced will be toted to pot luck dinners for years to come. Indeed, this heady feeling has kept me coming back to one particular cookbook for more than a decade. Each time I turn to the now-worn page I wonder, could the Broccoli Cheese Spoon Bread be "it?" Easily one of the prettiest dishes in the book, I have pulled this crisp-on-the-outside-soft-in-the-middle bread out of the oven a thousand times in my mind's eye. In my vision, I watch as my family gobbles it up and looks at me appreciatively with rosy cheeks and sparkling eyes. So, as though fulfilling a prophecy, I chopped this week's gigantic head of broccoli and followed the instructions. I popped the bread into the oven and was elated to find that 40 minutes later it was as beautiful as the book promised. With sheer exuberance, I gathered my family around the table...
I'm not sure if the decade long build-up of this recipe meant it was doomed to fail or if it was just plain bland, but my excitement turned to disappointment with the first bite. I could've added a pound of salt and this dish would still have been missing something vital. I can't tell you what and since I have already written "do not make again" in the margins of the page, I have no intention of experimenting to find out. But it wasn't a complete bust––the kids ate the bits with the cheese and the hubby and I finished the rest out of guilt and a sense of duty to our CSA broccoli. In the end, the spoon bread did technically nourish us, but its beauty (like so many beautiful things) lacked the substance and character needed to carry on a lifelong love affair. And like so many others who have been disappointed by beauty, I am left to continue my search for "the one."
I'm not sure if the decade long build-up of this recipe meant it was doomed to fail or if it was just plain bland, but my excitement turned to disappointment with the first bite. I could've added a pound of salt and this dish would still have been missing something vital. I can't tell you what and since I have already written "do not make again" in the margins of the page, I have no intention of experimenting to find out. But it wasn't a complete bust––the kids ate the bits with the cheese and the hubby and I finished the rest out of guilt and a sense of duty to our CSA broccoli. In the end, the spoon bread did technically nourish us, but its beauty (like so many beautiful things) lacked the substance and character needed to carry on a lifelong love affair. And like so many others who have been disappointed by beauty, I am left to continue my search for "the one."
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Week 6: Roasted Cauliflower & Salmon
Well, it finally happened. The thing I've dreaded the most since beginning to blog about our forays into community supported agriculture––a repeat meal. That's right; we had roasted cauliflower and salmon in Week 4 and here we are eating the same exact meal––bite for bite––in Week 6. Do I feel dull? Yes. But surely no one can expect me to go to work every day, haul children to and fro and then come home and cook something new and exciting every night, right? Well, actually that would be awesome, but the bionic woman I am not. In fact, the hubby can vouch for me when I say that I often get tired and grumpy. But you know what I don't get? Bored. You simply cannot get bored with 48 quarts of fresh, beautiful produce sitting in your refrigerator week after week after week. And if we've learned one thing in the last six weeks, it's that you can steam or roast pretty much anything and it tastes amazing. So on hectic week nights––nights that my former, non-CSA food-rut self would have made a frozen pizza or taken the family to Taco Bueno––I now quickly chop up a vegetable, drizzle it with olive oil and pop it in the oven. Combined with Costco's flash frozen, wild-caught, non-endangered, pre-marinated salmon fillets and, well, bam!, we have a healthy, guilt free, delicious meal on our hands. So, yes, it may be a CSA repeat meal, but I'll take that over a food rut any day of the week.
The perk of a repeat meal? A repeat photo to replace yours that "accidentally" got erased from your camera.
The perk of a repeat meal? A repeat photo to replace yours that "accidentally" got erased from your camera.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Week 6: Spinach Bruschetta Pasta
While I've always liked bruschetta, I've been positively obsessed with it since my last birthday when the hubby took me for an intimate dinner at a small and rather amazing Italian restaurant. I don't know if it was the martinis or the sheer decadence of a two-hour dinner sans children, but the bruschetta appetizer altered my DNA. I've made it more times than I can count and each time, I am amazed. It's fast, fresh, basic and best of all, when I make it, I am calm. I chop, mince, toast and drizzle my way to culinary euphoria no matter what day of the week it is. Which is good since this week's grand meal plan, that originally included spinach calzones, had fallen apart by Tuesday. I understand that technically Tuesday is too early in the week for things to fall apart, but since I'd forgotten a few items on Sunday's grocery trip, there was simply no repairing the damage. While the grocery store may only be a mile away physically, it is light years away on a weekday. I cannot explain this phenomenon, but I know that the working mothers among us know exactly what I'm talking about. But still, all was not lost. In fact, the forgetting may have been serendipitous, because now I had to do something with the spinach.
My new plan was to sauté the spinach, tomatoes, garlic, basil and onion down into a pasta sauce, but once everything was chopped, it was just too beautiful to cook. And so the lovely spinach bruschetta pasta was born. I put all the veggies in a bowl, stirred in balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper and poured it over warm penne pasta. Topped with parmesan cheese, it was fantastic. No doubt there are a thousand recipes out there for this same dish, but coming to it so unexpectedly on a borderline dismal Tuesday added the bright, fresh jolt I needed to turn the week around. Now that's what I call serendipity.
PS - Sorry I can't show you a pic, but I will be making this dish again and won't let the hubby anywhere near the camera until I have saved my photos.
My new plan was to sauté the spinach, tomatoes, garlic, basil and onion down into a pasta sauce, but once everything was chopped, it was just too beautiful to cook. And so the lovely spinach bruschetta pasta was born. I put all the veggies in a bowl, stirred in balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper and poured it over warm penne pasta. Topped with parmesan cheese, it was fantastic. No doubt there are a thousand recipes out there for this same dish, but coming to it so unexpectedly on a borderline dismal Tuesday added the bright, fresh jolt I needed to turn the week around. Now that's what I call serendipity.
PS - Sorry I can't show you a pic, but I will be making this dish again and won't let the hubby anywhere near the camera until I have saved my photos.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Week 6: Portobello Cheesesteaks & Kale
I am not too proud to admit that once upon a time in my life I was obsessed with Philly Cheesesteak sandwiches. Yep, the kind with real steak from actual cows. The affair lasted only a summer but I still remember it with a fond intoxication. Probably because each time I scarfed one down, I was precisely that. But now I'm a grown-up with little people's health solely determined by my choices –– little people who will have to find Philly Cheesesteaks on their own time. Nowadays, I get most of my thrills from plant-based food sources, so when I found this recipe for Portobello Cheesesteak sandwiches, my heart fluttered with excitement. With the summer of 1994 in mind, I chuckled over how far I'd come. Not only was I making the Philly out of mushrooms and pita bread, I was actually going to serve it with steamed kale. Ahhh, life's little ironies.
Unlike it's artery-clogging counterpart, this sandwich was very beautiful. Besides richly dark portobello mushrooms, the recipe called for yellow bell peppers, sliced onions and mozzarella cheese. I went ahead and added cilantro since I had it on hand, which gave it a crisp, springtime boost. The steamed kale was superb, but admittedly took this meal into its "Extreme Makeover" phase, which many would scoff at. But to all you naysayers out there, lighten up –– I have yet to give myself over to Tofutti Cream Cheese.
PS - Since the hubby erased my photo of this fabulous sandwich, I've added the one from the cookbook so you can see how pretty it is.
Unlike it's artery-clogging counterpart, this sandwich was very beautiful. Besides richly dark portobello mushrooms, the recipe called for yellow bell peppers, sliced onions and mozzarella cheese. I went ahead and added cilantro since I had it on hand, which gave it a crisp, springtime boost. The steamed kale was superb, but admittedly took this meal into its "Extreme Makeover" phase, which many would scoff at. But to all you naysayers out there, lighten up –– I have yet to give myself over to Tofutti Cream Cheese.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Week 6: Pick-Up Day & Favorite Simple Salad
Unfortunately, I have numerous casualties to report. The first, the one I feel I should hang my head in shame about, is the cauliflower. Yes, the robust, incredible cauliflower. The only excuse I have is the strange dental-related infection that oppressed me for most of Week 5. Even though I had a slight comeback on Thursday, Friday night we really needed Chinese food. You understand. It was Friday and we could no longer think, cook, or clean up after the hurricane-like force that is our children. Why, oh why, didn't I think to freeze the cauliflower? I blame the dentist.
The next loss, it should be noted, actually caused me physical pain. The not-so-magnificent hubby, in his haste to free up camera space for what he called "adorable" kid footage, erased all the photos on our digital camera. That's right, I lost the pics of my beloved produce for Week 6. The salt in this wound? I also lost the photos of the meals I so lovingly toiled over in Week 6. For all my horror and disbelief, the hubby never showed quite enough remorse to suit my tastes. But, having been married to me for six years, he knew exactly how to make good on his mistake. Stay tuned –– my lips are sealed until Week 8.
But back to Pick-Up Day, where we were excited to see broccoli and cauliflower, purple kale, green kale, cilantro, yellow onions, purple-top turnips and green romaine. Since we were hosting friends Saturday night, I was thrilled to see the romaine. It wouldn't be a social occasion at our house without my Favorite Simple Salad. Filled with cranberries, candied pecans and blue cheese, I am overjoyed to eat my body weight in this salad every chance I get. Which is a good thing since the hubby and friends feasted on four different types of grilled venison. We also had smooth red wine, haloumi kabobs and homemade chocolate pie for dessert, making this one of my favorite meals of the year. What's that, you say? Oh yes, too bad I can't show you the photo.
The next loss, it should be noted, actually caused me physical pain. The not-so-magnificent hubby, in his haste to free up camera space for what he called "adorable" kid footage, erased all the photos on our digital camera. That's right, I lost the pics of my beloved produce for Week 6. The salt in this wound? I also lost the photos of the meals I so lovingly toiled over in Week 6. For all my horror and disbelief, the hubby never showed quite enough remorse to suit my tastes. But, having been married to me for six years, he knew exactly how to make good on his mistake. Stay tuned –– my lips are sealed until Week 8.
But back to Pick-Up Day, where we were excited to see broccoli and cauliflower, purple kale, green kale, cilantro, yellow onions, purple-top turnips and green romaine. Since we were hosting friends Saturday night, I was thrilled to see the romaine. It wouldn't be a social occasion at our house without my Favorite Simple Salad. Filled with cranberries, candied pecans and blue cheese, I am overjoyed to eat my body weight in this salad every chance I get. Which is a good thing since the hubby and friends feasted on four different types of grilled venison. We also had smooth red wine, haloumi kabobs and homemade chocolate pie for dessert, making this one of my favorite meals of the year. What's that, you say? Oh yes, too bad I can't show you the photo.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Week 5: Broccoli Seitan Barbecue
In case we haven't met, you should know that any medical procedure I undergo – no matter how routine – will inevitably lead to a bizarre complication. Yep, the kidney stone I had in 5th grade was misdiagnosed as the flu for three weeks while it grew to epic proportions; back surgery the summer before 11th grade should have taken a month to heal, yet I was home-schooled for most of my junior year of high school; and most unfortunately, I was forced into an unprepared and quite hysterical natural childbirth due to unforeseen circumstances with the epidural. So of course, having dental work on Monday left me with an unusual, dangerous infection in my cheek by Wednesday. I was so haggard that I had no enthusiasm for my veggies––need I say more? Luckily, a mighty round of antibiotics had me back in the saddle by Thursday afternoon and experimenting with seitan once again.
Hardcore Texans find it unacceptable that I have lived in the state for six years and have yet to darken the door of a barbecue joint, but why should I when I can make Broccoli Seitan BBQ at home? Served over a bed of rice, this easy dish is festive, fun and filled with flavor; at least if the second helpings of my true Texan hubby and skeptical children are any indication. I would never go to such lavish lengths on an ordinary Thursday, but my return to the land of the living mandated celebration. Since I'd been hiding from my family for two days, I decided to surprise my brood with dessert. Prior to Monday's dental debacle, I had enthusiastically bought two large plantains to grill that were now nearing the end of their bright yellow lives. One quick search of dessert plantains later and voilá––they were baked and served hot over vanilla ice cream in no time. While I could drone endlessly on about my obsession with plantains, I will do us all a favor and just include the recipe here. Suffice it to say, this meal was a true celebration, a fete to the very essence of life itself; For Mama was back in the kitchen and yet another medical crisis had been narrowly averted.
Hardcore Texans find it unacceptable that I have lived in the state for six years and have yet to darken the door of a barbecue joint, but why should I when I can make Broccoli Seitan BBQ at home? Served over a bed of rice, this easy dish is festive, fun and filled with flavor; at least if the second helpings of my true Texan hubby and skeptical children are any indication. I would never go to such lavish lengths on an ordinary Thursday, but my return to the land of the living mandated celebration. Since I'd been hiding from my family for two days, I decided to surprise my brood with dessert. Prior to Monday's dental debacle, I had enthusiastically bought two large plantains to grill that were now nearing the end of their bright yellow lives. One quick search of dessert plantains later and voilá––they were baked and served hot over vanilla ice cream in no time. While I could drone endlessly on about my obsession with plantains, I will do us all a favor and just include the recipe here. Suffice it to say, this meal was a true celebration, a fete to the very essence of life itself; For Mama was back in the kitchen and yet another medical crisis had been narrowly averted.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Week 5: Turnip & Chard Frittata
Two things should be duly noted about Tuesday night's meal: 1.) I had a grisly dental day on Monday that involved a crown and four fillings; and 2.) Eggs and I have a tumultuous past. But since my mouth was in no shape to chew food on Tuesday, what could be better than the incredible, edible egg? Because eggs can only be improved with diced veggies and cheese, I did an online search of the two potentially softest items in this week's delivery: turnips and chard. Obviously there is nothing too random for the world wide web, so I wasn't surprised to find a recipe for a turnip and chard frittata. Having all the ingredients at home made this meal a no-brainer, but I should repeat: I have major beef with eggs. Besides the obvious fact that they come from a chicken's arse, they are potential baby chicks and have a strange aftertaste that can only be described as "yangy." I went for years without eating eggs, but pregnancy made me crave them like most women crave pickles. And while they still make me gag a little, it is for reasons beyond my comprehension that I routinely work them into our meal plan.
So I made the frittata. The recipe came from the owner of a fancy French cooking school and naturally I didn't understand how to "ribbon peel" the turnips and the chard never "settled in" to the eggs per the instructions. But the finished product was shockingly tasty and perfectly soft for the battlefield that was my mouth. Indeed, the frittata was so light and sophisticated that I felt like the egg queen herself –– Ms. Julia Child. Don't get me wrong, my internal egg dispute rages on, but I will wave the white flag of surrender for this fancy frittata forevermore.
So I made the frittata. The recipe came from the owner of a fancy French cooking school and naturally I didn't understand how to "ribbon peel" the turnips and the chard never "settled in" to the eggs per the instructions. But the finished product was shockingly tasty and perfectly soft for the battlefield that was my mouth. Indeed, the frittata was so light and sophisticated that I felt like the egg queen herself –– Ms. Julia Child. Don't get me wrong, my internal egg dispute rages on, but I will wave the white flag of surrender for this fancy frittata forevermore.
Week 5: Pick-Up Day & Chopped Kale & Beet Salad
As often happens after a night of sheer culinary debauchery, we awoke at 6:30 Saturday morning to revved-up children and bloated digestive tracks. Horrified by the pizza-infused passion that had come over us the night before, we were ready to take a vow of food purity for the upcoming week. Thanks to Farmer Gene, this vow was much more of a pleasure than a pain. Along with the magnificent sight of kale, turnips, cauliflower, broccoli, romaine and cilantro in this week's delivery, we were thrilled by the debut of dark green chard and enchanting red beets.
With purity in mind, I spent an hour researching new kale recipes and found one for chopped kale salad that got 64 rave reviews on Epicurious. I didn't know there were 64 people in the world who had dared to taste kale, so I figured I'd found a winner. To add a twist, we decided to top the salad with roasted beets. I'll admit that I couldn't imagine why raw kale salad should taste good, but I trusted my source and was intrigued by the fact that the recipe called for ricotta salata –– a hard version of ricotta cheese. So with all of the ingredients piled high, we dove into dinner. Initially, I thought that the 64 zealous reviewers had been paid for their support, but with each bite, the salad seemed to taste better. While I've been a believer in the magic of the beet since reading Tom Robbins' Jitterbug Perfume, this salad bewitched even me. The beets, kale and ricotta proved such a killer combination that before we knew it, our digestive drama was but a distant memory. Next time you need to purify your palate, you can find the recipe here. But remember, the beets may beguile you.
With purity in mind, I spent an hour researching new kale recipes and found one for chopped kale salad that got 64 rave reviews on Epicurious. I didn't know there were 64 people in the world who had dared to taste kale, so I figured I'd found a winner. To add a twist, we decided to top the salad with roasted beets. I'll admit that I couldn't imagine why raw kale salad should taste good, but I trusted my source and was intrigued by the fact that the recipe called for ricotta salata –– a hard version of ricotta cheese. So with all of the ingredients piled high, we dove into dinner. Initially, I thought that the 64 zealous reviewers had been paid for their support, but with each bite, the salad seemed to taste better. While I've been a believer in the magic of the beet since reading Tom Robbins' Jitterbug Perfume, this salad bewitched even me. The beets, kale and ricotta proved such a killer combination that before we knew it, our digestive drama was but a distant memory. Next time you need to purify your palate, you can find the recipe here. But remember, the beets may beguile you.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Week 4: Turnips, Greens & Radishes
I was thrilled to come home and cook Thursday night's dinner because it would mark the successful completion of this week's veggie delivery. And eating all of our veggies by Thursday meant we could have a gloriously gluttonous Friday night of pizza and mojitos. So I was feeling in very high spirits when I opened the fridge and reached for the turnips, turnip greens and radishes that, along with tilapia, would be our dinner. Let me back up a bit to say that a fellow CSA member highly recommended reusable produce bags from Whole Foods and swore that they would revolutionize my storing process. In her defense, because these bags are made of tight netting that allows the produce to breathe, they did relieve me from having to hand-dry a million leaves of lettuce. However, as I inspected the items for Thursday night's dinner, I was devastated to see that the produce did not hold up well at all in the reusable bags. The turnips and radishes had gone soft and the greens were droopy. I skeptically trudged on, hoping that new life could be breathed into them through sautéing, roasting and presenting them on a pretty white plate. I was tragically wrong. Everything was bitter. The turnips and radishes –– even though they'd been well oiled and roasted –– had to be choked down, and the greens were simply inedible. I really couldn't believe it. Though the wind was gone from our sails, we thoroughly enjoyed Costco's finest tilapia.
Now let's move on to Friday. I don't even remember what we fed the kids for dinner. We were so focused on getting them to bed so Mama and Daddy could mix drinks, order pizza and start the weekend. This time, we were right on the money. The gourmet pies from our favorite brick oven restaurant did not disappoint and the Food Network mojito recipe was exactly what the doctor ordered. I must admit, I ate an entire 12" quattro formaggio with wild mushrooms on it... All by myself. When I told my girlfriend that I had no idea why I couldn't stop eating it, her simple, yet adequate response was, "Hm. Maybe you're rebelling against all the kale?"
Now let's move on to Friday. I don't even remember what we fed the kids for dinner. We were so focused on getting them to bed so Mama and Daddy could mix drinks, order pizza and start the weekend. This time, we were right on the money. The gourmet pies from our favorite brick oven restaurant did not disappoint and the Food Network mojito recipe was exactly what the doctor ordered. I must admit, I ate an entire 12" quattro formaggio with wild mushrooms on it... All by myself. When I told my girlfriend that I had no idea why I couldn't stop eating it, her simple, yet adequate response was, "Hm. Maybe you're rebelling against all the kale?"
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