From a menu planning standpoint, last week was a disaster. The menu plan was good, but our schedule was all wonky, and we ended up abandoning the entire plan by Tuesday night. We still ate well and at this point in the season, many of the vegetables in our box from Mariquita have good staying power, so we can just use the leftovers this week.

Thursday was our last box from Mariquita for the season (sign up now for next year!) Our box contained a Winter Luxury Pumpkin (already roasted for pie), Parsley Root, Celery, Gala Apples, Red Potatoes, Gold Chard, Yellow Chantenay Carrots and Pan di Zucchero (Italian vegetable resembling endive or chicory, but huge).

Here is my dinner plan for the week of November 20:

Sunday: (leftover from last Thursday) Pork Chops, Lime-Cilantro Sweet Potatoes, seared kohlrabi (see recipe here), watermelon radishes with ranch dressing

Monday: Israeli couscous salad with Apple, Fennel and Parsley Root, sauteed chard, hummus, carrot and celery sticks, pita bread

Tuesday: Vegetarian chili (from the freezer), corn bread, carrot and celery sticks

Wednesday: Annual crab feed, I hope the crab fisherman reach a decision

Thursday: Thanksgiving (we bring pies, appetizers and cocktails)

Friday: Leftovers

What is on your menu plan this week? Share your favorite Thanksgiving recipe!

P.S. Don’t forget about the King Arthur Giveaway! All you need to do is comment to be eligible to win. Big prizes!

Last year, when Mariquita Farms included fresh peanuts in our box, Louise and I made peanut brittle. Not really a disaster, per se, but not super successful. The candy was rock hard and I might have chipped a tooth. This year, I am looking for a different way to prepare the peanuts and fortunately Chef Jonathan has provided a recipe for boiled peanuts that looks pretty easy. Or maybe this recipe for chocolate-peanut spread from Smitten Kitchen!

Last week’s menu was successful – the vegetarian chili on Monday was a great beginning to a successful Halloween evening, and there was enough left over for hot lunch the next day. Butternut squash risotto in the pressure cooker is insanely easy; everything goes in at the same time, up to pressure for 4 minutes of cooking, and when you open the lid, the squash is soft enough to mix right into the rice. Went very well with pork chops from Linda’s Tasty Pork, and I even found a container of left over caramelized onions and apples to serve along side the chops.

The only fail was cooking the spigariello. I guess I just don’t have that technique down, might need to ask Julia for assistance.

In addition to peanuts, we also found Heirloom Tomatoes, Delicata Squash, Purple Cauliflower, Tarragon, Celery, Lettuce, and Gala Apples.

Menu plan for the week of November 6:

Cookie of the Week: Sparkling Ginger Chip Cookies from 101 Cookbooks

Sunday: Fred’s marinated steak, sliced tomatoes, roasted cauliflower, salad with celery, thin apples and tarragon, bread, chocolate mousse

(Meatless) Monday: Chunky Celery Soup, open-faced toasted cheese and tomato sandwiches, apple galette

Tuesday: Roast chicken (from Early Bird Ranch), roasted Delicata squash rings, mashed potatoes, salad

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: Trashy TV and Takeout

Friday: Happy Veterans Day!

What is on your menu plan this week?

From our Mariquita Farms and Happy Child CSA boxes, we have a lot of apples around our house these days, and since I am newly endowed with braces, I am not eating them out of hand as before. Besides sliced in lunches, I found a few other recipes last week that were quite tasty:

• Apple Walnut Salsa from In Good Taste
• Whole Wheat Apple Muffins from Smitten Kitchen
• Caramelized Onion-Apple Bites from Sunset Magazine, October 2011

Do you have any other apple recipes to recommend? Since the season is just getting started, I am still in collection mode.

(I realize the picture above is a bit of a non sequitur, since it has pears and not apples, but it was the picture I took this week and the one I am sharing. The pears all came from Happy Child CSA and include Warren, Bosc and Seckle pears. Now is the time to renew/begin a subscription for weekly fruit from Happy Child, visit their CSA page for more details.)

Last week’s menu was successful – since DH was out of town, I focused on basic foods that I know the kids like, such as soup and grilled cheese, tacos and pasta with pesto. Then I livened it up for my palate with different flavors and seasonings. The spicy chicken tacos were very good, with chicken thighs in the slow cooker which kept the moisture in nicely. And as predicted, the baked pesto chicken was easy and well received, especially with a side of whole grain pasta.

This summer, I bought a Cuisinart 12Qt stainless pasta/steamer set and once I figured out how to store this immense pot, have been using it regularly for pasta and large soups. Last week, I used the steamer basket on top of the boiling pasta to steam our cauliflower at the same time. Once it was al dente, I took it off the pot and tossed it in a hot pan with a little olive oil and salt until crispy. Very tasty.

Our box from Mariquita Farms had a large basket of Tomatoes, as well as Acorn Squash, Strawberries, Mixed Sweet Peppers, Escarole, Purple Cauliflower, Potatoes and Dill.

Annie was asking about what to do with Escarole, and besides fresh in salad or braised lightly, Foodily has good recipes for escarole. I am intrigued by the Escarole with Cannellini Beans, and Escarole and Orzo Soup with Meatballs. Do you have any escarole recipes you especially enjoy?

Menu Plan for the week of October 23:

Cookie of the week: Classic Chocolate Chip from back of Ghirardhelli Semi-Sweet Chips bag

Sunday: Peperonata with Potatoes from Frog Commissary Cookbook, grilled sausages, apple and escarole salad

(Meatless) Monday: Crepes with leftover stuffings (peperonata is particularly good, especially with a little cheese), cherry tomatoes

Tuesday: Meatballs (made a double batch last time, froze the extra) in marinara with pasta, carrots and ranch

Wednesday: Chicken Lemon and Dill with Orzo (cheese served on the side), salad with fennel

Thursday: Pork chops, roasted acorn squash (probably brushed with honey or maple syrup), spaetzle, escarole salad

Friday: TGIF with TTVATO (Trashy TV and Take Out)

What is on your menu plan this week? 

Cathy asked me recently about CSAs and I thought it would be useful to share what I know. Here are the farms we work with regularly:

• Mariquita Farms - vegetables from March – November. This was our first CSA and will always have a special place in our hearts.
• Frog Hollow Farms / Happy Child CSA - fruit year-round (most well known for stone fruits, but I actually prefer the Warren pears in the fall and citrus and avocados in the winter)
• Marin Sun Farms - a meat CSA, with monthly deliveries. You can also find this meat at Sigonas. And we ordered our turkey here last year, delicious.
• Early Bird Ranch - chickens, which are delivered twice a month to the parking lot behind Flea Street Cafe. This year, we ordered our turkey from EBF.
• Sierra Farms Lamb - have ordered about 3 lambs total from Mel, over about 18 months. For our family, this is the best meat to order, as many of it comes in a format that is particularly suited to our meat cooking style, namely grilling.
• Linda’s Tasty Pork – I have not yet ordered from Linda, but she comes highly recommended by Julia at Mariquita. They occasionally send out information about ordering, let me know if you would like me to forward when I receive. I ordered my 1/2 pig last year from TLC and had it butchered by Loren Ozeki, the Rib King. Shortly after that, TLC decided to retire from active farming and take time for family. Rebecca now writes at Honest Meats, a blog focussed on food politics and education. Pork is another favorite in our house, especially since a couple of us really enjoy ribs and pulled pork.

The above picture was my brunch this morning after a 30 mile ride with Peggy. Eggs from the girls, plus a spectacular avocado from our Frog Hollow Farms CSA, and a wonderfully ripe tomato from our Mariquita Farms CSA. A little salt, the newspaper and I was on my way to recovery.

Do you have a surplus of tomatoes from recent boxes (Annie, I am looking at you!)? Check out these recipes from Foodily on how to use tomatoes, including soups, roasted tomatoes, and my favorite, fresh Bloody Marys.

The highlight of last week’s menu was the Baked Lebanese Kibbe on Wednesday. I also made a fresh hummus, and on Thursday we had leftovers along with homemade pita on the BBQ. The family gave this dinner a double-thumbs up.

In addition to Heirloom Tomatoes, our box from Mariquita Farms contained Pippin Apples, San Marzano Tomatoes, Walla Walla Onions, Turnip Greens, Broccoli Romanesco, Basil, and Lettuce.

Menu Plan for the week of October 16:

Cookie of the week: Peanut Butter and Honey Granola Bars from Simply Recipes

Sunday: Grilled meat, mashed potatoes, sauteed turnip greens, sliced tomatoes, salad

(Meatless) Monday: Roasted tomato soup, grilled cheese (with Wagon Wheel from Cowgirl Creamery), carrots and celery with ranch

Tuesday: Slow-cooker chili chicken tacos, tortillas, cheese and salsa

Wednesday: Baked pesto chicken, pasta, steamed or roasted broccoli romanesco

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Take-out and Trashy TV

What is on your menu plan this week? Leave a comment!

Mixed results with last week’s menu – we had some sort of freakish, unseasonably hot weather, which does not put me in the mood for baked dishes like stuffed collard greens. Fortunately the kids came up with a great idea for Monday dinner – crepes stuffed with whatever we found in the fridge. I put leftover pepperonata and potatoes in mine, with a little grated cheese. One kid had salami and cheese, the other sausage and caramelized onion. Everyone was happy.

In our box from Mariquita Farms, we found a bag of Gala Apples, Early Girl Tomatoes, Genovese Basil, Walla Walla Onions, Escarole, Poblano Peppers, Winter Luxury Cooking Pumpkin and Purple Cauliflower.

Here is my menu plan for the week of September 26:

Cookie of the Week: Chocolate Decadence from Chewy, Gooey, Crispy, Crunchy Cookies (CGCCC for short)

Sunday: Roast chicken (from Early Bird Ranch), radicchio risotto, tomatoes with mozarella

(Meatless) Monday: Hungarian cauliflower soup with dumplings, bread, escarole salad

Tuesday: Stuffed poblano chilis, tortillas, salsa, possibly margaritas (here is another stuffed poblano recipe I am considering, no cheese)

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: Fresh tomato sauce with pasta and turkey meatballs, salad

Friday: Take out and trashy TV, our new Friday tradition

What is on your menu plan this week?

O'Henry and Cal Red peaches from Frog Hollow Farms

In our box this week from Frog Hollow Farms, we found two kinds of peaches, O’Henry and Cal Red, as well as Summer Fire Nectarines. Apparently, according to the newsletter, there is a bit of family rivalry at the farm about the best peach. Our family decided to take the challenge and we found that we preferred the Cal Red 4-to-1 over the O’Henry (we grabbed a play date friend and a school friend for additional votes). This is not to say that both peaches aren’t great; they are. The O’Henry has a very mild, light, peach taste, and you get a little bit of the fuzz factor in each bite. The Cal Red is a big, in your face, solid tasting peach with really nice sugar content that we all enjoyed.

Fortunately, we have a pound of each left so we can continue the experimenting!

What is your favorite peach? 

Do you want to have your own peach taste-test? Consider ordering a box from Frog Hollow Farms or subscribing to their Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.

Our box this week from Mariquita Farms contained kohlrabi, a vegetable I had seen before at the farmer’s market, but had not tried myself. I was curious to give it a go, and Julia recommended peeling and eating it raw, like you would carrots or jicama. We tried it last night for dinner and both kids gave it a thumbs up, although only one reached for seconds. Both still preferred the carrots!

Our box also contained Strawberries, English Peas, Leeks, Spigarello (a green, reminds be of broccoli rabe), Chantenay Carrots, Lettuce and Garlic Chives. Here is my menu plan for the week of May 1:

Sunday: Grilled lamb chops, fresh English peas, sauteed spigarello, salad or slaw with kohlrabi

Meatless Monday: Agretti spaghetti or Soba with Agretti and Edamame (haven’t decided which yet), carrots and kohlrabi

Tuesday: Pulled pork sandwiches (crock pot recipe), salad, chopped vegetables

Wednesday: Date night – leftovers for the kids

Thursday: Cinco De Mayo – Black bean pot, tortillas, brown rice, salsa, grilled chicken, perhaps.

Friday: TGIF and first mini-block party of the year!

What is on your menu plan this week?

After 3 years of writing this blog, I feel as though I am circling back to many of the topics I have already covered. Agretti is a great example. I wrote about it in 2009, in a Menu Plan Monday post. Again in Agretti Spaghetti Two Ways, and again in 2010 in another Menu Plan Monday. I think I have covered the topic. You know I like agretti, I look forward to it every year and this is the season. Guess what we got in our box from Mariquita Farms this week? My joy knows no bounds.

We also found Fennel, Winter Density Lettuce, Baby Carrots, Radishes, Cabbage, Leeks, Parsley Root, Chantenay Carrots and Swiss Chard.

Here is my menu plan for the week of April 11:

Sunday: Spaghetti and meatballs, with garden fresh tomato sauce, sauteed chard

Meatless Monday: Make it-yourself pizza (mine will have agretti and chevre), salad with avocado from Happy Child CSA, carrots and ranch dressing

Tuesday: Leftovers

Wednesday: Roast chicken, mashed potatoes, salad plate with ranch dressing

Thursday: Happy Birthday Dinner – Chili, cornbread, salad, vanilla cake with fluffy chocolate frosting

Friday: TGIF!

It is likely I won’t get around to using the Parsley Root this week, and if that happens, I will most likely throw it into my stock bag in the freezer. Also, how come no one questions my excessive use of ranch dressing as a condiment?

What is on your menu plan this week?

Easter is way late this year, the end of April. And while we are the egg-hunt-and-champagne-brunch-type of celebrants, we look forward to Easter all the same. Mostly because it is one of the first big opportunities to bust out a first-of-spring feast.

BTW, I think the hypen is way underused in today’s writing. I am going to fix that with this post. In the first paragraph.

Anywho, as I think about Easter and dinner, I realize I will have a good opportunity to test drive a menu this weekend. On Friday, I am planning to pick up a whole lamb we ordered from Sierra Farms Lamb, and I think Saturday night would be an excellent time to delve into my stash. I think I will start with a Leg of Lamb. And I think I will grill it. Even in the rain, if necessary.

I am not sure what will make it to the Farmer’s Market this week, but I would love to find Asparagus. Fresh, spring Asparagus is the best. I like them nice and thick, so I can roast or grill them, or steam with a Dijon vinaigrette.

Usually, with a roast lamb, I like to have a baked potato dish of some sort, like a potato gallette or an au gratin potato. My favorite these days is a Potato Gratin with Parsnips from The Best Slow & Easy Recipes, an America’s Test Kitchen cookbook.

I will probably also make a quick salad with a light vinaigrette, nothing too fancy. It would be nice if I could throw some flower petals in, I will have to research which are safe to eat.

For dessert, I always gravitate towards lemon for a spring dinner. Not sure why, since most lemons in my neighborhood seem to be ripe in the winter. Lemon is so refreshing and I love a good lemon curd dessert – maybe a mousse or a tart. We will have to see.

In case you are trying to keep up with this menu, I put together My Family’s Easter Menu on Foodily (remember, I am working for them as an Ambassador? Means I get to introduce my friends to their site and show you all the cool stuff I have found). Turns out 3 of the recipes are from Simply Recipes, and the Lemon Mousse is an Ina Garten recipe I have made several times before. Looks like I am all set for this weekend!

What are your plans for Easter? Any special menus going on?

Photo courtesy of Benimoto on Flickr.

Right after the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, local friends got to work planning the Bakesale for Japan, a same-day, multi-location event to raise money to support Peace Winds Japan disaster relief efforts. I have signed on to participate in the San Jose event and while I am not sure what I will bring, it will be yummy. And baked. Or canned. Or pickled. Anything goes. I also have it on very good authority that a most excellent local baker, Susan from Toute Sweet Pastry, is planning on bringing one of her creations.

To say nothing of the mini Shaker Lemon and Chocolate Cream pies Valerie is planning on baking.

Or how about the fantastic selection from Paige at Canning with Kids, who is organizing the San Jose bake sale?

It will all be awesome. And you can participate:

1. Bake something and drop it by my house by Friday, April 1. I will make sure it gets to the bake sale on Saturday.

2. Stop by the bake sale on Saturday and buy something. Did I tell you that there will be Ukelele playing? Yeah, it will be epic.

3. Make a donation to Peace Winds Japan, or the charity of your choice, to support our friends in Japan. They need our friendship and help right now.

Any questions, do let me know!

When: Saturday, April 2nd from 10am-2pm

Where: Roy’s Station (197 Jackson St. in San Jose)

Who: Professional and amateur bakers, cooks, artists, artisans, and musicians coming together around food to make something BIG happen