2013 - CSA Season - Week 6

I headed to the farmers market alone this weekend; company was in town, so Brad and the boys visited while I made the very quiet, solo drive to the park.

This week we brought home:
1/2 dozen eggs
2 summer squash (1.25lb)
2 zucchini (1.5lb)
4 English cucumbers (1lb, 6oz)
1 bunch small red onions (.5lb)
2 bulbs garlic (6oz)
6 ears corn (3lb)
1 bag salad mix (.5lb)

We are always grateful for our farmers, but especially the last few weeks.  I'm assuming those fields aren't air conditioned.

I've been listening to Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us by Michael Moss, and it makes me even more grateful that we are able to serve our children the quality of foods grown at Simmons Farm.  

What have we been using our veggies for?  Well, Brad made a pesto with the kale from last week.  He topped a chicken pizza with the pesto and some scapes.  We had some of the scapes grilled with burgers one night.  We also enjoyed our first corn of the season; that was steamed on the grill, too.  The boys have been learning to enjoy sauteed squash with some of their dinners.  They'll usually eat it fresh from the pan, but aren't huge fans when it's warmed up an served as leftovers.  I also added a couple of zucchini to a venison lasagna I made for our neighbor.  He brings us fish and venison every now and then, and earlier in the year I used some of the ground meat to make a lasagna as a thank you.  He is headed out on a fishing boat for a few days and asked if I would make another pan to share with his fishing buddies, as he had really enjoyed the first pan but his wife won't cook with venison.  Of course I said I'd do it.  We're promised some fresh fish upon his return - eager to see what they catch.


Have a great week!

2013 - CSA Season - Week 5

What a great day for the farmers market!  Not too hot, not too sunny, no rain, no puddles from earlier rain.  But alas, heading there on my own with both boys, we were all business.  First stop, Seven Stars for a loaf of bread.  Next, we headed to the Simmons Farm booth to pick up our CSA share for the week.  Michael was charged with carrying the bag that held both bunches of kale.  Much to my delight and surprise, he kept taking pieces of the kale and happily munching on it.  Now I've just got to get him to eat it when I include it in a dinner dish.  After picking up our veggies it was over to the Daniele Foods table to pick up one of the meats we're planning to feature on a ploughman's platter for dinner tomorrow night.  Finally, we headed to a food booth set up by India restaurant.  As I mentioned, I was on my own with the boys today and that included both lunch and dinner, so I decided to give myself a break and get them a prepared lunch.  I ordered the chicken tikka masala, a vegetable samosa, and a piece of garlic naan.  We headed home, washed up, and sat down to a lovely and exciting lunch!  Both boys eagerly tried their delicious lunches, but slowed down when they realized, after a few bites, that there was a bit of a spicy finish at the end of each bite.  I have to applaud their efforts; I think they really did like the flavor, but the pepper at the end was just too much for them.  (Rest assured, I chose items I figured would not be spicy.  Additionally, before I served the boys, I took a few bites myself.  The spicy-ness was so mild that I wasn't entirely sure they'd even notice.  I did not intentionally serve them dinner that was too spicy for babies to eat.)  They eventually gave up and switched to fruit then headed, not quite so eagerly in for naps.

And now here's our list - better late than never:

5 English cucumbers (1.5 pounds)

2 pickling cucumbers (.5 pounds)

3 zucchini (1 pound)

3 summer squash (1 pound)

2 bunches of scallions (1 pound)

2 bunches of kale (1 pound)

1 bag salad greens (6 ounces)

1/2 dozen eggs

Just a little FYI to clear up any confusion, I have been working on writing this post all week.  So when I talk about the good weather, I'm talking about Saturday, July 13.  When I say "tomorrow night" I mean Sunday the 14th.  Hopefully I'll see you tomorrow to share our bounty for week 6 and let you know what we ended up doing with our share this week.  

2013 - CSA Season - Week 4

Week 4 already!  Where does the time go?

This week's take-home:

1/2 dozen eggs
2 squash (12 oz)
1 head green leaf lettuce (4 oz)
2 small heads read leaf lettuce (5 oz)
scapes (6 oz)
2 bunches scallions (12 oz)
snap peas (12 oz)
1 bunch kale (8 oz)

While we were at the farmer's market, we also picked up a pint of cherries, a loaf of sourdough, and a package of salame milano.  Additionally, the boys shared a coconut orange creamsicle from PVD Pops.  Such a refreshing treat on this oppressively disgusting day.

On a related note, I took the boys to Stop & Shop yesterday to buy some popsicles and was dismayed to discover that not a single variety was available that did not have high fructose corn syrup or corn syrup.  Not that I could find anyway.  I told the boys we'd have to make our own when we got home and picked up some strawberries and bananas to puree and pour into the molds Nana gave them.  When we got home, M emphatically exclaimed to Brad, "We didn't get popsicles 'cause they only had corn syrup!"  That's my boy!

Have a good week!