Week #4

The Weekend

Brian's family was in town for one more weekend, and my parents came to visit, too.  Mari and Luis also stopped by on Sunday, and we cooked up ALL NIGHT.

What's in the box?

- Dill 

- Yellow and Green Zuchinni

- Swiss Chard

- Garlic

- Lemon Basil 

- Apricots 

- Pattypan Squash

- Green Onion

What to make... 

*Dinner: Grilled Salmon with a Cucumber/Dill Sauce

*Cucumber/Dill Sauce

- 2 cucumbers, diced

- Fresh dill, chopped

- Plain greek yogurt (~2 cups)

- Salt and pepper to taste 

Directions: Peel the skin off the cucumbers.  Slice the cucumbers in half, scoop out seeds.  Dice them up.  Add chopped dill, then add yogurt and stir.  Salt and pepper to taste.  And that's it - tastes just like Tzaziki sauce.

*Grilled Vegetables

- 2 Zuchinnis - 1 yellow, one green

- 1 Pattypan Squash

- Leftover beets

Directions: As with the cucumber, slice the zuchinnis in half (the long way) and scoop out seeds.  Cut into long pieces - about 2".  Cut the top off the pattypan squash; scoop out any seeds.  Slice into manageable pieces, too.  For the beets: just rinse and cut off the tops.  You can slice them or grill them whole, skin and all.  Put the vegetables directly onto the grill.

*Side of Roasted Red Potatoes (pictured above, to right of vegetables)

- 1 quart of red potatoes

- 2 garlic cloves

- 1/4 - 1/2 cup Olive Oil

- Rosemary, to taste

- Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions: Cut the potatoes into quarters.  Toss in olive oil, garlic, and rosemary.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Cook at 400 for about an hour.  Use a baking sheet to ensure that they're cooking evenly.

 Lessons Learned
1. For the first time in our salmon-eating lives, we threw the skin and the dark meat away right away.  This is the fishiest tasting and smelling part of the fish.  Because we tossed that part, I was able to eat leftover salmon on a spinach salad for two days in a row after this meal.

2. The Dill/Cucumber sauce also saved really well, and also made it onto a salad for two more days.  We didn't know what we would do with the dill when we first saw it - this sauce was really, really good.  Makes me want to cook something Greek.
3. Scooping the seeds out of vegetables like cucumber, squash, and zucchini makes the end-product less squishy.  Which is what we were going for...

Week #3

The Weekend

Having successfully packed my classroom into the trunk of my car, I went to New York this weekend to celebrate Sara's upcoming wedding.  Brian and I picked our vegetables up, and then he shipped me off to the Bachelorette party so he could enjoy some bro/X-box time for a couple of days.  His mom and Aunt Connie arrived (from California!) to begin a week-long visit to DC late Sunday night. 

What's in the box?

- Swiss Chard

- Bibb Lettuce

- Red Lettuce

- Dark Red Cherries

- Broccoli

- Lemon Basil

- Beets

- Green Onion

What to make...


*Para Beber... Brandied Cherries!

Ingredients: 

- Quart of Cherries

- 2 Lemons, for Peels

- Brandy

- Simple Syrup

- Cinnamon Sticks

- Cloves

- You will also need: a Cherry Pitter

Directions, courtesy of a friendly neighborhood bartender :)

Fill jar 1/2 to 3/4 way full with Brandy.  Fill some of the remaining space with cherries, pitted.  Top with simple syrup, but leave some room.  Add all other ingredients, to taste.  Let it sit in the fridge for a week, as pictured below.

*Dinner: Grilled Chicken with Beet Risotto

*Side: Beet Risotto

*This recipe can be found on epicurious.com at: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Roasted-Beet-Risotto-230999

*Breakfast: Healthy Egg White Omelette 

Ingredients (for 1 omelette)

- 5 egg whites

- Carmelized onion (just make the whole thing and use what you want)

- Swiss Chard

- Fat Free Feta Cheese

Directions: 

1. To carmelize an onion - chop the onion into thin slices.  Then, cook "low and slow" - i.e. at a very low heat, and for a long time, until the onion browns.  Add a pinch of sugar if you'd like a sweeter taste.

2. Sautee the swiss chard with a little olive oil.  Add a squeeze of lemon juice, if you would like to.  I usually do.

3. Separate your egg whites.  Put 'em in a pan.  Add onion and swiss chard to the egg as it cooks.  Then, add the Feta cheese right before you fold the omelette in half.

Lessons Learned
1. Who knew there were so many types of beets?  I still think they taste weird.  

2. Brian's mom took the lead on the Risotto - and it was pretty awesome, even though it "tastes like beets" :)
3. We used the Brandied Cherries in an Old Fashioned and a Manhattan.  They taste great with Bourbon, but in the future we will use less brandy/less cloves and more simple syrup.

Week #2

The Weekend
The last day of class was yesterday.  In case you didn't catch that: THE LAST DAY OF CLASS WAS YESTERDAY!!!!!  I have (almost...) officially made it through my first year of teaching.  It's surreal.  And it makes me want to sleep in/eat/drink.

Brian's friend Robbie is visiting this weekend.  This led us to several cool spots (with el Todd-o, too).  Friday: Meridian Pint, Taylor Deli, Black Jack at Pearl Dive, The Passenger.  Saturday: American Art Museum and Portrait Gallery, Ming's for Chinese in Chinatown, the Sculpture Garden (see also: make your own Tinto de Verano), and then the Willard Hotel for Mint Julips.

We were the first ones to arrive at the Farmer's Market stand to pick up our vegetables this morning.  We were there before they had even labeled the boxes.  Last week's mishaps = redeemed!


What's in the box?

- Mint leaves 

- Beets

- Romaine Lettuce

- Red Lettuce

- Chives

- Garlic Scapes

- Scallions

- Swiss Chard

What to make...

*Dinner for 4 - Grilled Steak with...

Appetizer: Apple/Bacon Salad

- 2 types of lettuce, chopped

- 1 pink lady apple, chopped

- 4 slices bacon, chopped

- Black pepper, to taste

Homemade Salad Dressing

A first attempt...

*Note: I only did this because I said I would last week.

- 1/2 cup olive oil

- 1/2 cup balsamic

- several shakes of Penzey's Ranch dressing spice (~2 tablespoons)

- 1/4 cup feta cheese

Directions: Make the dressing first.  Toss the lettuce(s) in the dressing.  Top with apple and bacon and black pepper to taste. 

Side: Mashed Baked Potato

- 3 large potatoes

- 1/4 cup milk

- 2 tablespoons Garlic Scape/Scallion Compound Butter (see: Week 1)

- 1/2 to 1 cup(s) fresh Cheddar cheese, grated

- Chives, to taste

Directions: Peel potatoes.  Slice into quarters.  Bring potato to a boil, then simmer until they're soft (this takes about 20-25 minutes).  Drain the water.  Add: milk, compound butter, cheese, and chives to taste.  

Side: Swiss Chard

- 1 bunch Swiss Chard

- 3 garlic cloves, minced

- Splash of olive oil

- 1/4 lemon (for the juice)

- Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Making Swiss Chard is just like making Spinach.  Throw the olive oil in a pan - throw the garlic in once that's heated.  Add the Swiss Chard, then lemon juice.  Salt and pepper to taste. 

Side: Grilled Scallions

- As many scallions as you want/have

- Nothing else... assuming you have a grill up and burning 

Directions: just throw them on the grill.  They come out kind of sweet - not too overwhelming at all.

Lessons Learned
1. Put the vegetables in the fridge when you get home from the market - even if you plan to make them that day.  I accidentally left a window open, and there was some wilting again this week, despite our early bird arrival to the market. 
2. Ever tried Kraken rum?  It's from Indiana (like Robbie).
3.  Grilled Green Onion.  It's okay to eat the bulb.  Actually, it's pretty good.  DO IT - I DARE YOU! 
4. Penzey's Spices.  They're the best, and there are shops all around.  Site: http://www.penzeys.com/
5. "I could just eat this Compound Butter on its own" -- Robbie.  "Brian, did you put Compound Butter on your steak?!  You can do that!?" -- Todd. 
6. Swiss Chard cooks like spinach, but it doesn't taste like spinach.  It tastes like Swiss Chard.  Do not be fooled.  The End.

Week #1

The Weekend

We spent Friday night in Baltimore, knowing we had to return to DC on the earlier side to pick up our first box of fresh, farm grown fruits, vegetables, and herbs.  The first pick-up was a little hectic.  Bloody Mary's in Baltimore were cancelled.  Fortunately, the people who work with the farm said they could drop our box off at our place.  Some of the produce was wilted - it had likely been out in the sun/heat for most of the day.  But, it all worked out.




What's in the box?

- Swiss Chard
- Arugula
- Boston Lettuce
- Strawberries
- Garlic Scapes
- Scallions
- Thyme



What to make...

*Lunch: Garden Vegetable Chicken Soup
- 8 cups chicken broth (we use Better than Bouillon)
- 1/4 to 1/2 cups olive oil
- 1 small, white onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/2 cup scallions, sliced
- 4 stalks of celery
- 4 parsnips, chopped
- 4 carrots, chopped
- 1.5 cups egg noodles
- 1 cup chicken, cubed
- 2 tablespoons thyme, chopped
- Cayenne pepper, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste

Directions: You will only need one medium-large dutch over pot.  First, Simmer the onion and garlic in the olive oil until the onion is translucent.  Then, add the broth.  There is really no rhyme or reason from here - soup is very easy.  Add the following ingredients in no particular order: scallions, celery, parsnips, carrots, chicken, thyme.  Let the soup simmer for about 10 minutes, then add the egg noodles. Let the soup simmer for another 5-10 minutes.  Add the Cayenne and Black peppers, to taste.

*Appetizer: Baguette with Garlic Scape/Scallion Compound Butter
- Baguette
- 2 sticks butter, salted and room temp
- 1 scallions, chopped
- 2 garlic scapes, chopped

Directions: Make sure the butter you are using is very soft.  Chop the scallions and garlic scapes, and add them to the butter.  Use a hand mixer to blend them together.  Then, roll the butter on a sheet of wax paper (think: how you would roll sushi).  It should look like a tube.  Tie off the ends.  Store in the fridge until you are ready to use it.  We had some on a baguette tonight.  Later this week, we'll likely use the butter to season a whole, roasted chicken.

*Dinner: Strawberry and Pear Salad
- Arugula
- Boston Lettuce
- 2 cups strawberries, chopped
- 1 pear, chopped
- 1/2 cup crushed walnutes
- Balsamic vinegarette
- Parmesan cheese

Directions: Chop and combine the lettuces.  Chop the strawberries, add them to the salad.  Chop the pear, add it to the salad.  Sprinkle crushed walnuts over top.  Add parmesan cheese and dressing, to taste.

Lessons Learned
1. Be early to pick up your vegetables - the longer you wait, the longer they're outside, wilting in the sun.
2. If you can't be on time for vegetables, there is no way you should have a child or a dog.
3. There are a lot of cool recipes that include Swiss Chard.
4. Unfortunately, there is no saving Swiss Chard once it has wilted.
5. Keeping herbs simple in a soup is really tasty.  We let the thyme dominate the flavor, and it was awesome.
6. Eating salad makes you feel good about yourself.  Next time, I'll make the dressing from scratch.