Baby Bok Choy + Lemon + Fish = Heaven!

Fresh, Quality Ingredients Make for Better Meals

Yesterday, I received my second delivery of the season from The Produce Box, a local Community Supported Agriculture group that provides a box of farm-fresh, local fruits and vegetables right to my door. To find a CSA near you, check out LocalHarvest.org.

I was pretty excited to see baby bok choy and scallions inside!

Fish with Lemon, Mushroom, and Baby Bok Choy

• 2 bunches baby bok choy, trimmed, leaves separated
• 2 scallions or spring onions, halved lengthwise and cut into 4" sections
• 2 shiitake (or any other kind) mushrooms, halved if large
• 2 servings of fish - tonight, I'm using flounder
• coarse salt
• black pepper
• 4 thin lemon slices
• 1 TB extra-virgin olive oil
• parchment paper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Tear off 2 pieces of parchment paper, each just over a foot long. You'll need to fit half of the ingredients inside each... too big is better than too small!

On each piece, layer 1/2 the listed ingredients. Put the vegetables on the bottom, the fish (sprinkled with salt & pepper) in the middle, and the lemon on top. 

Drizzle 1/2 TB olive oil over each of the stacks of vegetables & fish. 

Folding:  Hold the long sides of one of the parchment paper pieces, and bring them together. Fold the ends together a few times to be sure no moisture can escape during the cooking process. Fold the short ends underneath the packet, and place the packet in a baking pan. Repeat process for the other parchment packet. 

Bake for about 12-15 minutes... Serve immediately. 

When you open each packet, the fish should be opaque (i.e. not transparent) throughout and flake easily. If it doesn't quite seem done, just fold the packet back together and give it a few more minutes in the oven. 

I served this dish by placing the packets directly on dinner plates, but you may find it's easier to just dump the contents out onto plates. 

 - - I'll add pictures soon!

MENU Wed 9/8 through Tue 9/14

Leftovers Week!
.... Three goals achieved: no waste, cleaner kitchen, and low grocery bill!

I was excited to receive this week's delivery from The Produce Box. Apples and peaches and all sorts of wonderful things. Even a jar of pickled squash... not sure what I'm going to do with that one just yet.  The Produce Box is Raleigh's local Community Supported Agriculture group that provides a box of farm-fresh, local fruits and vegetables right to my door. To find a CSA near you, check out LocalHarvest.org.

This week, I received:

• 5 Cucumbers (3 lb) 
• 2 Zucchini (1.75 lb)  
• 4 Field Tomatoes (1.75 lb) 
• 1 pint Okra (6 oz)  
• Apples (2.5 lb) 
• 5 Peaches (2.25 lb) 
• Pickled Squash (1 pint jar) 

Last week had a couple of menu changes - we did takeout on Friday night (yes, even I give in sometimes) and I was out of town Monday, so Dinah made his own dinner. Between those decisions and the general, inevitable buildup of ingredients, it's time to have a cleanup week!


Here's the Week's Menu: 

WED 9/8 - Nothing Says Summer Like...  Cheeseburgers, Sweet Potato Fries, Fresh Cucumber Salad, and Watermelon.

Lunches: I'm going to pre-cook some bacon tonight, to enable me to have BLTs for lunch the next few days.

THU 9/9 - Easy Dinner Night.  Enchiladas made from shredded chicken (previously frozen). Leftover (previously frozen) black beans on the side. These are the same ingredients that, along with some salsa, made Burritos earlier in the week. There's a lot of overlap between burritos and enchiladas - a different sauce, and different cooking & assembly, but same base ingredients.

Bagels: Attempt No. 2 ... and this time, I'm taking pictures. The process overall takes a long time, but it's mostly waiting time. There's not that much time spent actively working on the bagels. Keep your eyes out for a future post with details.

Blueberry-Banana Smoothie

FRI 9/10 - Fishy Friday is Back Again!  Cajun Blackened Catfish, Zucchini Fritters, Corn (frozen), and Watermelon. I'll use the rest of that zucchini to make baby food for Rosie.

SAT 9/11 - Cajun.  Shrimp and Okra Gumbo, using fresh Roma tomatoes from last week's Produce Box. 

Snack Idea: If you have yoghurt, fruit, honey, and ice, you can make smoothies! Smoothies work well with frozen berries - or even this week's peaches! I decided this would be a great use for the yoghurt I have hanging out in the fridge.

Saturday, Late Night:  After baby goes to bed, I'm making Gougeres - Cheesy Puffs of Goodness with Bleu Cheese and Rosemary. I think I'm going to serve these with chunks of blue cheese and lovely glasses of Port. I love Saturday nights! They're just made for staying up late (with a great snack like this, of course!).

SUN 9/12 - Fancy Dinner Night.  Cedar-Planked Salmon, wild rice mix, grilled vegetable skewers. Dessert: Apple Dumplings. I've made them before (picture here is of mine), but I can't find the recipe!

Weekly Muffins: Use a zucchini bread batter to make muffins instead of bread.

MON 9/13 - Good Food, Easy Recipes. Pan-Grilled Lamb Shoulder Chops, Rosemary Roasties, cucumber salad of some sort. 

TUE 9/14 - Italian Night.  Chicken Piccata Pasta Toss.

And, at some point, I'll be making apple pie. 


Good apple pies are a considerable part of our domestic happiness. 
  - - Jane Austen

MENU Wed 9/1 to Tue 9/7

Local Apples Have Arrived!


This week, I received:

• McIntosh Apples (1.25 lb)
• Gala Apples (0.75 lb)
• Yellow Delicious Apples (1 lb)
• 4 Peaches (1.75 lb)
• 3 Field Tomatoes (1.25 lb)
• 1 Personal Watermelon
• 1 Sprite melon
• 5 Cucumbers (2 lb)

I'm excited about all the apples! I miss the orchard in my hometown... we'd buy "seconds" by the bushel. They were a bit bruised or just misshapen, so they were much cheaper. If you've never made apple butter, you should give it a try!

Apple Ideas:

• Put one inside a roasting chicken to add flavor
• Toss one in your purse or backpack - next time you're tempted for the drive-thru, it may save the day!
• Slice and add to salads... try with tossed salad or something like Chicken Waldorf Salad.
• Quick Snack: Microwave Baked Apple
• Apple Pie, of course!
• Apple Crisp
• Applesauce goes great with Pork Chops!
• Apple Bread Pudding
• Slice for packed lunches

Fancy meals can be easy! Last week's Chicken Marsala was fabulous. It's a great recipe - and really not difficult. Really. Sprinkle flour and some spices on the chicken, cook it in a little butter or oil in a frying pan, then take it out. Add garlic and lots of mushrooms, then once they're soft add about 1/2 cup of Marsala wine and a bit of lemon juice; simmer until the wine reduces down quite a bit. Then put the chicken back in, sprinkle it with some Parmesan, and you're done! See? Not so bad, eh? Serve it with some pasta and salad, and you have a very fancy meal for very little work.


Here's the Week's Menu: 

WED 9/1 - Trying Again for Shrimp!  Shrimp and Black Bean Salad is on the menu b/c I didn't get to make it over the weekend. Life happens... especially when there's a little baby around. Serve with fresh watermelon.

THU 9/2 - Easy Meal.  Salsa and Chips, and Shredded Pork Wraps made from the pork loin I cooked in the crock pot on Tuesday. We'll have Fresh Cucumber Salad (with sliced field tomatoes mixed in) on the side. All the leftover pork will go to the freezer for future wraps.

FRI 9/3 - Fishy Friday!  Baked Tilapia and Couscous with Sausage, cooked something like this recipe but with no olives and less sausage. I'll keep you posted!  For a veggie, I'll cook up some of the fabulous corn I froze, from The Produce Box. 

SAT 9/4 - Dinner on the Deck.  Grilled Chicken Breast drizzled with a Simple Balsamic Reduction, Grilled Apple Tossed Salad (I'm going to experiment with changing the dressing), and Rosemary Roasties.

Peach Freezer Jam - I have peaches, packaged pectin, sugar, lemon juice, and freezer containers. Here goes nothing! Here's a site with great step-by-step instructions.


Speaking of peaches, if you've never made Peach Sludge (great name, huh?) then you're missing out! Freeze chopped peaches, then mix them in the blender with milk. Use 1-2 cups of milk for each cup of peaches, depending on how thick you want the drink to be. Add a bit of sugar or sweetener if you'd like.

SUN 9/5 - Spaghetti Sunday.  Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, nothing fancy. But I'm also going to try to make little bowls out of melted Parmesan cheese. How cool is that?! (A disc of melted cheese is called a frico.) This should be fun!

The Continuing Saga of the Carrot Muffins. So, I made these really great carrot muffins at last... but I measured by weight rather than by volume. When I converted the recipe to volume, they came out terrible. So, the saga continues. I press on, though, because once I have a recipe we like, I'm done. ::phew:: So, it's one more round of carrot muffins this week!

MON 9/6 - Mexican Monday!  Burritos made from Cuban Black Beans (using leftovers in the freezer) and shredded chicken (also from the freezer). I'll also make a salad with lettuce, canned orange slices, and avocado.

Once a week, plan a meal that would freeze well. By cooking once, you'll have dinner that night and have a future super-easy meal (or two!). Those frozen meals are great for nights you just don't feel up to cooking much. It's easy to do take-out, too... but sometimes that's not so easy on your budget! So plan ahead a little, and you'll have a meal in the freezer ready to go.

TUE 9/7 - Grilling Again (please don't rain!)  Grilled Pork Chops and Fried Apples and Onions. 


Can I just tell you how excited I am that apples are coming in? Share your favorite apple recipes on JustRightMenus.com. 

Surely the apple is the nobles of fruits.  - - Henry David Thoreau

MENU Wed 8/25 to Tue 8/31

Summer Just Keeps on Coming 
.... A meal from the freezer, a meal heading to the freezer. Call it a trade.

I can't wait to see this week's delivery from The Produce Box! I'm particularly excited about the melons and the muscadine cider.

This week, I received:
 

• 2 Butternut Squash (2.75 lb)
• Watermelon
• 5 Peaches (1.75 lb)
• Grape Tomatoes were scheduled; I got big ones instead!
• Sprite Melon
• Local Muscadine Grape Cider
• Sweet Potatoes (3 lb)

Last Week's Successful Experiments

Making bagels was downright easy! The process took a long time, but most of that time I was just waiting for dough to rise. The actual work didn't take long at all.

Lesson Learned: Careful when Blending. I also made 3 varieties of the Dr. Pepper Barbecue Sauce - using Dr.P, A&W Root Beer, and Coke. Dinah and I liked the Dr.P and Coke best. However, I learned that you must be very, very careful when running a blender with hot liquids inside. I had no idea... so, the lid of the blender blew off, I spent quite a while cleaning the kitchen walls and counters, and I still have burn marks on my arm. Please check out this advice from my favorite cooking Q&A site before you attempt that recipe!

Decreasing Recipes Made Easy! I actually cut the Watermelon Dressing recipe down, making only 1/8 of the original. It was still plenty of dressing for two nights of salad. If you ever need help cutting a recipe down (say, figuring out what 1/8 of 2/3 cup is), I highly recommend downloading the simple program, EZConvert. You can find it (FREE!) at http://mcrackan.com/software.html ... just scroll down to the bottom of the page, and you'll see it. Here's how it works:

Just type in (or copy/paste) the original value, select multiply or divide from the drop-down, give what amount you're multiplying or dividing by, and it will provide an answer for you! So, instead of 2/3 cup of oil for the dressing recipe, I just used 1 TB plus 1 tsp, since I was dividing the whole by 8.

Even our bring-the-baby-to-a-restaurant experiment went well! Here's hoping for anther great week of meals.


Here's the Week's Menu: 

WED 8/25 - Visiting  We're meeting Dinah's parents for dinner, so I'm off the hook tonight!

THU 8/26 - Italian Night! Lasagna Rolls served alongside Italian sausage cooked w/ onions and peppers.

FRI 8/27 - Easy Friday  Go to farmer's market for peaches (destined for cobbler and jam) and grape tomatoes. I received two GIANT tomatoes from The Produce Box, so we'll have Stuffed Tomatoes for dinner, made with frozen stuffing from the last batch. Serve with Butternut Cheddar Shells. I am not sure that these recipes really go well together... but they're two things I really want to have, so oh well!

SAT 8/28 - Lazy Daze!  Cary, NC has a fabulous festival, Lazy Daze, every August. I can't wait to go; last year we didn't stay long due to rain.
Breakfast: Aussie omelette w/ shrimp
Lunch: Meatball subs for lunch if we eat here; pack sandwiches if we eat at the festival. 
Dinner: Grilled Porterhouse, sweet potatoes baked & whipped, veggie stir-fry of red pepper strips & asparagus.

SUN 8/29 - Hoping for Good Weather 
Lunch: I had planned on grape tomatoes from The Produce Box but will get them from the farmers' market instead... add to that, shrimp in the freezer, and leftover cilantro & celery in the fridge... sounds like Shrimp & Black Bean Salad to me!
Dinner: Barbecue Sauce Pizza for dinner. Trying again on the peach cobbler, since a certain baby didn't let me get to it last week.

Muffins? What muffins? My poor husband had to make do with packaged breafast granola bars... going to try to get to the muffins again this week. I might need to go back to freezing extras for just-in-case. They're just not as good once frozen, though. 

MON 8/30 - An Old Friend.  It's been a long time since we've had Chicken Marsala, so here we go! Served with Rosemary Roasties and Steamed Asparagus w/ Toasted Almond Slices.

TUE 8/31 - Making Extra for the Freezer  Half a pork loin (on sale for $1.99/lb, wahoo!) cooked in the crock pot with the leftover Soda Barbecue Sauce. Serve as pulled pork sandwiches with homemade BBQ Baked Beans (made with that same sauce), and corn. I'll freeze all the extra pork for future meals - it'll make great sandwiches and burritos. 


Not the most original week of recipes, but we're getting by. Will life get any easier as this little baby grows up?!  


It's bizarre that the produce manager is more important to my children's health than the pediatrician.  - - Meryl Streep

MENU Wed 8/18 to Tue 8/24

Experiments Galore!
Watermelon Dressing, Soda-Based Barbecue Sauce, and Carrot Muffins

I'm excited about all the fruit in this week's delivery from The Produce Box! As you may have seen in Raleigh's Sunday Paper, The Produce Box is a local Community Supported Agriculture group that provides a box of farm-fresh, local fruits and vegetables right to my door. Talk about convenient!! To find a CSA near you, check out LocalHarvest.org.

This week, I received:

• Roma Tomatoes (3 lb)
• 5 Peaches (2.5 lb)
• Scuppernong Grapes (1.5 lb)
• Red Potatoes (2 lb)
• Watermelon, seedless personal size
• Sprite Melon
• 2 Banana Sweet Peppers

Last week's Muscadine Grape Hull Pie turned out great! It reminds me of blackberry pie, probably due to the tart but sweet flavor. The recipe calls for 5 cups of grapes. Post-munching, I had about 3. So, I just used about half of the remaining pie filling ingredients, and it still worked well. Give it a try this week!

If you're looking for more recipes for produce currently in season, check out justrighmenus.com - there, you'll find all the recipes from this year's The Produce Box newsletter. 


Here's the Week's Menu: 

WED 8/18 -  Something New  Italian Breaded Pork Chops,  Tomato Pie, and salad topped with Watermelon Basil Vinaigrette. When I first came across the recipe, I was not yet willing to sacrifice any watermelon as dressing fodder. I think my craving has subsided enough to allow it at this point.

...and Bagels, too! After the baby's in bed, I'll start work on bagels. I've never made them before... I'll keep you posted. Please comment with any bagel-making advice you have!

Moroccan Chicken and Lentils

THU 8/19 - Super-Quick Meal  All in one hour: feed the baby, make dinner, eat dinner, and get ready to leave for the evening. Ready, Set, GO! Fortunately, we have leftover Moroccan Chicken and Lentils from Monday. I also froze some leftovers, so you'll see it on the menu one more time. It turned out fairly bland, though topping it with Tzatsiki Sauce helped. I'll dice up the sweet pepper from this week's box and mix it in to the leftovers, too.
 
More Quick Meal Ideas:

• Fajitas (Delicious use of sweet bell peppers!)
• Polynesian Chicken
• Sauteed Chicken Breast with Cucumber Salad
• Poached Fish with Tomato and Basil (works well with fresh tomatoes)
• Eleven More Ideas! 

Summertime Pasta Salad

FRI 8/20 - Fishy Friday  Crunchy Oven-Fried Fish, Summertime Pasta Salad, and Steamed Corn. 

SAT 8/21 - Soda Barbecue Experiment  Using the Simply Recipes Dr. Pepper Barbecue Sauce recipe, I'm going to make one batch with Coke, one with root beer, and one with (of course) Dr. Pepper. We're having baby back ribs (I've begged a friend for their fabulous recipe) slathered with said barbecue sauce, Skillet Corn Bread Pudding, and salad with more of the Watermelon Dressing.

Tasty Tomatoes: If you're looking for how to use big, ripe tomatoes, check out Spiced Lamb Stuffed Tomatoes. Also, Broiled Parmesan Tomatoes would make a great side-dish to any meal. or you could check out this great dish, which also uses fresh new potatoes. Make it a vegetarian meal, or add some chicken.

SUN 8/22 - Trade-off: Shrimp and Peaches  Grilled Shrimp and Veggie Kabobs, Corn Pudding - made with fresh corn, and Peach Cobbler. My sweet husband doesn't really like peaches, so I have held off making it, not wanting to do something special when it's just for me. But I can no longer take the temptation. It's August, and there are peaches everywhere! I give in. I shall appease him with shrimp. 

Don't forget the weekly muffins! Corn pudding only partly uses a can of evaporated milk, so I'll use the rest in this week's muffins. The great carrot muffin experiment continues! Last week's muffins were too nutmeg-heavy and too cake-like for me. Once I have a winning recipe, I'll share it with you.   

MON 8/23 - More Grilling!  Honey-Teriyaki Chicken (using store-bought Honey-Teriyaki Marinade, then grilled), Roasted Red Potatoes using garlic instead of rosemary, and sauteed broccoli.

TUE 8/24 - Baby Experiment  We're going to try to take Rosie out to a restaurant. Plan B: Pasta w/ meatballs from the freezer and canned sauce.

A Couple Fresh, Fun Summer Meal Ideas: 

• I highly recommend the salad trio we had last week: Balinese Cucumber Salad, Cool Shrimp Salad, and Easy Fresh Corn Salad. 
• Shrimp and Black Bean Salad is another of our summertime favorites. I can't even mention that one if I'm not planning to make it - my husband loves it that much.

Salad Trio: Cucumber, Shrimp, and Corn Salads

Share your successful experiments on justrightmenus.com or as a comments here - I'd love to try them! 

You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces - 
just good food from fresh ingredients. 
- - Julia Child

Giant, Beautiful Tomatoes

I received two large tomatoes in my produce box this week. What better use could there be than stuffed tomatoes?

If you're cooking for just a couple people, I advise you to go ahead and make the full quantity of the stuffing. Stuff the tomatoes you're cooking today (or refrigerating to cook tomorrow) and freeze the remainder of the stuffing. Next time, they'll be super-easy to make: just defrost, stuff, and bake!

If you make a little extra each time you cook a freezer-friendly recipe, you'll quickly build up meals to defrost & cook for those nights when take-out looks awfully tempting. Don't ruin your budget; just plan ahead a bit. 



Spiced Lamb Stuffed Tomatoes

• 2 large, ripe tomatoes, each about the size of your fist - - don't worry if they're not super-ripe. I think this recipe works best if they're still a bit firm. 
• 4 more tomatoes if you're not freezing extra stuffing for later
• 2 TB butter
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 pound ground lamb
• 1/2 c. dry red wine
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh mint
• 2 TB chopped fresh parsley
• Additional chopped parsley for garnish (1-2 tsp per tomato) 
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 c. cooked rice (I used brown) - - just put some stir-fry on your menu a couple days before, cook extra rice with it, and you'll be ready to go when it's time to make these!
• 2 tsp dry, plain breadcrumbs (1 tsp per tomato)
• 2 TB grated Parmesan cheese (1 TB per tomato)

Slice the top 1/3 off each tomato. Chop this slice after removing the core.

Scoop out the inside of the big tomato piece.

When done, you'll have something that looks like this --->   

On the bottom right in the photo, you can see the innards I scooped out of each tomato. If you're making the recipe using 6 tomatoes (and stuffing all of them), you'll dice all the tops but save the innards for a different use (or discard). But if you're making the recipe using only 2 tomatoes, make up for the missing slices (like I did) by using both the tops and the innards as ingredients in the stuffing. 

Melt the butter in a large, heavy skillet (cast iron works great).

Saute the chopped onion until tender and golden.

Add the lamb and cook until browned. You also can use leftover leg of lamb; if doing so, just cook it with the onion long enough to warm it up.

While the onion and lamb are cooking is a great time to gather the rest of your ingredients.

Once the lamb is browned, add the tomatoes, wine, mint, parsley, cinnamon, and salt.

Reduce heat and simmer until the mixture thickens. This only takes a few minutes.

Stir in the cooked rice. The resulting mixture isn't the prettiest thing I've ever seen, but it tastes great! 

Spoon the mixture into your tomatoes. Sprinkle each tomato with about a teaspoon of breadcrumbs and a tablespoon of Parmesan cheese.


Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes, until heated through. Before serving, sprinkle with a bit more chopped parsley.

You can make these ahead, too. Once the tomatoes are stuffed, cover and refrigerate. When you're ready to bake them, you'll just need to add about 10 minutes to the cooking time.

If you're only stuffing a couple of tomatoes now, you can freeze the leftover stuffing for 2-3 months or refrigerate for 3-4 days. If you're not sure how long leftovers are safe, check out stilltasty.com!

I can't wait until I receive more large tomatoes from The Produce Box; I have stuffing in my freezer, just waiting for them.

MENU Wed 8/11 to Tue 8/17

Into the Heat of Summer: Easy Cooking ....
Leftovers, Salads, Grilling, and Slow Cooker

As you may have seen on Monday's post, I build my menu by taking stock of what's on hand and build my menu from those ingredients. I also have now received this week's veggies from The Produce Box, a local Community Supported Agriculture group that provides a box of farm-fresh, local fruits and vegetables right to my door. To find a CSA near you, check out LocalHarvest.org.


This week, I received:

• Muscadine Grapes (1.5 lb)
• Large Field tomatoes (1.5 lb)
• Bell Peppers (qty 2)
• Corn  (4 ears)
• Red Potatoes (1.5 lb)
• Spicy Sweet Dill Pickles, 1 pint

Last week's chicken-salad-with-squash lunch plan never came to fruition, as I had sufficient dinner leftovers for lunch that I didn't need to make anything new. Fortunately, Rosie is starting to eat baby food, so she will be getting some of that squash. If you'd like to learn how to make and freeze baby food, check out this helpful site. 


Here's the Week's Menu: 

WED 8/11 - Leftovers! We have some corn chowder leftover from Sunday night and some Pibil in the freezer; I'll saute the last of the summer squash as the veggie. I made extra brown rice the other night, too, so we'll add that to the mix. I have a nasty cold, so I need an easy meal night.

THU 8/12 - Exploring Muscadine Grapes. Sauteed Chicken Breasts with Grape Sauce - recipe in the making, though it will be something like this one. Serve with arborio rice and steamed corn.

If the baby lets me, I'll also try out Muscadine Grape Hull Pie.

Need Muscadine Grape recipes? I found the mother lode! The NC Dept of Commerce site has a recipe for all things Muscadine:  Juice, Jelly, Grape Butter, Grape Ice, Ice Cream, Pie, Dump Cake, Sherbet Floats, Cider, Fondue, and Sweet & Sour Glaze.

FRI 8/13 - Salad, salad, salad! Cool Shrimp Salad, Balinese Cucumber Salad, my new favorite Corn Salad, and instant brown rice. The salads don't take long to make, and can all be made ahead of time.

Tonight, after the baby's in bed, I'm going to put together Tomatoes Stuffed with Spiced Lamb so they're ready to pop in the oven to bake for lunch tomorrow. Why don't you try putting them together the night before, too, so they're ready for dinner the next night?

SAT 8/14 - Optional Menu. We may or may not be eating at home tonight, so I'll plan for Easy Shepherd's Pie. I know, I know, that's lamb for lunch and lamb for dinner. Hey, I'm not expecting to be home for dinner anyway. This is a just-in-case plan. The ingredients will all keep for future use if not used this night. If I do make it, I'll use some of the red potatoes I received in my produce box this week.

SUN 8/15 - Dinner on the Deck. Bison burgers, German Potato Salad, and Grilled Corn.

Muffins! I'll also make Oatmeal Carrot Muffins for the week's breakfasts - supercook.com helped me find the recipe, using up the yoghurt and carrots I have hanging out in the fridge. I'll let you know how it goes!

MON 8/16 - Slow Cooker Day. Moroccan Chicken and Lentils, served over white rice, Tzatsiki Sauce spooned over all.

TUE 8/17 - Italian Night!
Italian Sausage, prepared with fresh tomatoes, bell peppers, and onions. Served alongside lasagna noodles, rolled up with ricotta, mozzarella, and parsley, sauce spooned over the top and then baked. I'll post the recipe once I make them. EDIT: Here's the Lasagna Rolls recipe!

How are you beating the heat? What's your favorite easy, summertime dinner? 

Great torpid grapes, all fattened through
With moon and sunshine, shade and dew
- - James Whitcomb Riley

MENU Wed 8/4 to Tue 8/10

What a week! Between the store not having any okra (I wasn't up to another trip to the Farmers' Market with the baby), baby Rosie having a hard time, and my computer having a virus, it was a rough week... life did not go as planned, and that's okay. No ingredients went bad, as I made sure to still use the ones that would be in danger.

Meal planning is meant to help you, not create a burden. I believe in having a dinner plan, but also in the ability to be flexible. If you need to do a different dinner than what you planned, go for it! Just be sure to use up ingredients that would otherwise go bad. Don't give in to take-out when you've had a bad day! Just make something super-easy (like quesadillas) and move on.

Example: Last night, I had chicken defrosted in preparation for Tarragon chicken. I typically have shredded cheese and flatbread around b/c flatbread seems to keep forever and makes nice sandwiches. So we had Super-Easy Quesadillas instead. Ta-daaa! Dinner.

Here's hoping this week goes better!

I chose the "Surprise" box from The Produce Box this week. I received:

 

• Yellow Summer Squash (1.75 lb) - - used in four recipes this week!
• Peaches (1.75 lb)
• 4 ears Corn
• 1 Cantaloupe (at least I think that's what it is)
• 1 Sprite melon
• Salsa (16 oz jar)
• Honey (8 oz jar)

Lunches - I'm going to experiment in making chicken salad with grated summer squash in it. I'll keep you posted on that. Dinah's not a big peach fan, so I'll mostly be enjoying those w/ my lunches.

WED 8/4 - Previously, I froze leftover Cuban Ground Beef Creole and Cuban Black Beans, knowing they would make for great burritos. Tonight, I'll be enacting that plan. I have a few grape tomatoes and a little bit of mint hanging out in the fridge, so I'll also make Roasted Tomatoes with Mint. Give it a try!

THU 8/5 - Off to the Farmers' Market for okra! We'll have Okra with Shrimp, served over rice. Really, I'm making it this time. I'll toss some summer squash in the recipe, too. I'm thinking it will be like a simpler version of Gumbo. Cucumber Salad on the side.

FRI 8/6 - Roasted Chicken Quarters, Fresh Corn Salad, Rosemary Roasties. I'll be working on a new recipe for Fresh Corn Salad, so keep your eyes out for it on justrightmenus.com.

SAT 8/7 -
Lunch: Easy Meatball Subs - frozen meatballs, a couple of rolls, canned sauce, and deli cheese. Done!
Dinner: Pork Stir Fry, using onion, green pepper, carrots, and summer squash as the veggies. Served over brown rice.

SUN 8/8 - 
Breakfast: Chorizo and Eggs, from Simply Recipes.  I picked up some chorizo at the Farmers' Market, and I've been dying to try it!

Dinner: I'm cooking a birthday dinner for my father-in-law. He loves Stuffed Mushrooms, so I'll make them as an appetizer (using the same proportions as this recipe, cut down for 4 people). We'll also have Corn Chowder (my sister owes me the recipe!) and sauteed chicken and summer squash over pasta... One-Ingredient Ice Cream for dessert.

MON 8/9 - I'm going to try Thai-Style Chicken Legs from Smitten Kitchen. Yes, I'm going to use Fish Sauce. No, I've never used it before. Here goes nothing! Served with brown rice and steamed corn.

TUE 8/10 - Chicken Tetrazzini - just defrost and bake! Serve with salad and bread. I'm a big fan of making a big batch of something & freezing the rest for later. It's not much extra work, and it will save you a lot of time for future meals.

What do you do with summer squash? Please share your recipes!

One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.  
- - Luciano Pavarotti and William Wright, Pavarotti, My Own Story

MENU Thu 7/29 - Tue 8/3

Loving the Summer Produce!

Only another day or so of my sister and her boyfriend being in town, then it's back to regularly scheduled life. I will miss them!! They are, however, leaving me with a fabulous recipe for corn chowder (I'll share it in a future post).

In this week's delivery from The Produce Box, I received:

• 6 peaches
• 4 large tomatoes
• Personal watermelon
• 5 ears of corn
• 24oz bottle Muscadine grape cider

The newsletter that comes with The Produce Box contains great recipes, using (of course!) produce that's in season. All those recipes can be found on Just Right Menus, updated weekly. This week's new recipes will be posted by tomorrow morning... I got my box and newsletter late today, so I'm a bit behind!

Please share any peach tea recipes you have - I'm experimenting!




Here's the Week's Menu:

THU 7/29 - Appetizer: Fresh Melon Salsa. Puerco Pibil, boiled red potatoes (sliced thinly to serve). 

FRI 7/30 - Okra and Shrimp, which is made with fresh tomatoes, too; serve with hot, steaming white rice and cucumber-tomato salad on the side. I'll be making lots of extra rice, because stir-fried rice is best made with leftover rice. 

SAT 7/31 -
Lunch: Shrimp Salsa Salad. 
Dinner: We're trying out ready-made ribs from Harris Teeter (grocery store); they come with a high recommendation. I think the rotisserie chicken available from most grocery stores is a good option for a low-cost takeout meal, too. With the ribs, we'll have Skillet Corn Bread Pudding, and leftover cucumber-tomato salad (which I think is better on the second day anyway). I can't resist it - I'm also making Tomato Pie. 

SUN 8/1 - Polynesian Chicken served with fried rice (made using leftover rice from Friday). 

MON 8/2 - Salmon with Caper Relish, wild rice mix (to which I'll add some nuts and canned oranges), Steamed Corn. 

TUE 8/3 - Tarragon-Crusted Chicken (TOH 2/Spring08/7), macaroni salad, and Zucchini Carpaccio. 


When one has tasted watermelon, he knows what the angels eat.
  - - Mark Twain

MENU Wed 7/21 through Wed 7/28

Another Week, Another Box of Produce!

This week's delivery from The Produce Box looks great, as always. If you're looking for an organization like The Produce Box in your area (i.e. Community Supported Agrliculture, or CSA), check out www.localharvest.org/csa.

This week, I received:

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• New potatoes (1.75 pounds)
• 1 spaghetti squash (2 pounds)
• 2 cucumbers
• Field peas (in pods, 1.25 pounds)
• Personal watermelon
• Sprite melon
• 2 Korean Stripe melons

Not bad for $22, eh? I also opted for a quart of okra (.75 lb).
If you're looking for more recipes, check out www.justrightmenus.com; all the recipes from this year's The Produce Box newsletter are in their own category. 

Here's the Week's Menu:

WED 7/21 - Chicken and Black Bean Burritos (using leftover Cuban Black Beans) and yellow rice mix. I'm trying out this recipe for the chicken. I'll slice up some of the cherry tomatoes and some cilantro to go in them as well - and if I can get cheap avocados, we'll have guacamole, too. For an appetizer, I'm definitely making Fresh Melon Salsa to serve with tortilla chips.


THU 7/22 - Caribbean-Style Tilapia with Fresh Lime (I've tweaked the recipe a bit), leftover Cuban Black Beans, Corn, and Fried Plantains.


FRI 7/23 - Venetian Chicken served with Spaghetti Squash Ratatouille over Potatoes Boulangere (doesn't that sound fancy?). I typically make Rosemary Roasties out of red potatoes, but I'd like to try something new. Then, I'll make chicken salad for Saturday lunches, using the leftover chicken.


SAT 7/24 - One of my beautiful sisters and her boyfriend are in town! I'm really looking forward to cooking with Amy (as a companion, not as an ingredient).
Baked Brie (with Basil Pesto, pine nuts, and olive oil; served with fresh bread) as an appetizer; Baby Back Ribs with Kansas City Rib Sauce, Grilled Corn, Fried Okra with Remoulade, and field peas (aka black-eyed peas). Key Lime Pie is scheduled for dessert.
This New England girl has never made black-eyed peas before; I'm trying out this recipe.

SUN 7/25 - Headed to the Lake! Grilled Hamburgers and Hot Dogs, Watergate Salad, Mixed Bean Casserole, and LOTS of fresh, sweet melon.

MON 7/26 - Amy and Dan will be at the beach, so it's back to cooking for two. They may be going out to Lucky 32 for dinner. If you're ever in the Raleigh area, Lucky's makes a nice treat for dinner. They have a continually changing, seasonal menu. Dinah and I will have Chicken Piccata Pasta Toss with tossed salad on the side.

TUE 7/27 - Amy and Dan are choosing dinner tonight!

WED 7/28 - Last night of cooking with Amy and Dan.  We'll make it a finger-food dinner! Baked Buffalo Wings (served with celery sticks and blue cheese & ranch dressing, of course), Frank's Red Hot Chicken Dip, and french fries ... OR ... we'll make Puerco Pibil served over rice. Amy & Dan can pick.

By the way, the Greek Picnic Pie we had this past week was delightful!

Even if you don't much care for the admittedly strong flavor eggplant usually has, this is quite good. You may want to peel the eggplant, though.




"If he is thin, I will probably dine poorly. If he is both thin and sad, the only hope is in flight."  
- - Fernand Point (considered the father of modern French cuisine), on the chef as the critical indicator when sizing up an unfamiliar restaurant.

Why Buy Local Produce?

Every week, I get local produce delivered to my doorstep by The Produce Box. The convenience of home delivery is clearly an advantage for someone like me, with a new baby at home - trips to the State Farmers' Market in 100 degree heat are pretty difficult for baby Rosie.

But what about everyone who has to go to a farmers' market, stop at a farm stand, or choose a different grocery store to get local produce? Why should they bother?

I believe the local foods movement is motivated by (in no particular order) a desire for a higher-quality product, consideration for the environment, and price. 


Food Quality - local is the clear choice

The strawberries are what first won me over. When I sliced into the first one and saw that deep, deep red color, I was a believer in local produce. I have not seen a berry that red in a grocery store, not ever.

Have you ever bought peaches from the grocery store and brought them home, hoping they'd ripen soon, only to discover they never really do? Peaches shipped in from across the country are picked rock-hard and green, and ripened by a gas in the truck. They can't taste the same as a local peach!

A clear advantage of local produce is that it may be picked ripe. The produce I received Wednesday was still in the ground, growing, on Monday - maybe even on Tuesday! If it had to be trucked across the country first, it could not have been picked ripe, or it would have rotted by the time it arrived.


Environmental Impact - more complicated than I thought!

Food Miles: the distance food travels from the farm to your table. Purchasing local produce means your food didn't have to be shipped across the country (or the world!) to make it to your table.

Initially, I thought the concept of food miles was the entirety of the discussion. I live in North Carolina, so if my tomatoes come from NC instead of California, they have a smaller carbon footprint, right? Not necessarily.

Eating local is not about getting the local version of every food item you want. If it's not meant to be grown locally, there will be a greater environmental impact. To lessen the environmental impact of the food you put on your table, buy local, but be smart about it. Think about what grows naturally in your area.

An important consideration is whether the product naturally grows well in your area. Oranges grown in North Carolina would have a more negative environmental impact than oranges shipped in from Florida.

Consider the example I found in this wiki article on local food. "... lamb raised on New Zealand's clover-choked pastures and shipped 11,000 miles by boat to Britain produced 1,520 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions per ton while British lamb produced 6,280 pounds of carbon dioxide per ton, in part because poorer British pastures force farmers to use feed. In other words, it is four times more energy-efficient for Londoners to buy lamb imported from the other side of the world than to buy it from a producer in their backyard."

Really, to determine the environmental impact of your food, you must account for the full range of resources. Fertilizer, fuel, the heating of greenhouses, building materials, heating, cooling, and packaging equipment... they all contribute to the carbon footprint of your food.



Local Farming is Sustainable Farming

The consumption of local produce creates a higher demand for variety from local farmers. Growing a variety of crops is a sustainable farming practice that will help keep the land healthy, reduce the need for pesticides, and lower the need for commercial fertilizers. 

Examples of these practices are multiple cropping,  where several crops in the same space during a growing season; crop rotation, growing very different crops sequentially in the same plot of land; and winter intercropping, where a farmer plants leguminous crops - think beans and peas - during the winter.


Cost to the Consumer

This week, I decided to price my produce box contents against two local grocery stores, Kroger and Lowe's Foods.

I spent $22 for my box of fresh, local produce from The Produce Box.
In one case, I'd have spent more at the grocery store; in the other, I'd have spent the same. Keep in mind, though, that this was delivered right to my door. I believe my time is worth something... and they saved me time, for sure! 

If there are roadside stands near you, check them out! As noted in an article by GetRichSlowly.org, they can be the cheapest of all! GetRichSlowly.org has a more current article (May 2010) about how to get the most out of a farmers' market.

In the end...

Buy in-season local produce, and you will

• receive a better, riper product
• support sustainable agriculture
• encourage your local economy
• get more for your money

I also think it makes a fun family trip to go to the farmers market - the one near us always has samples, too! I see something new every time I go. Receiving my weekly box of local produce has opened my family up to all sorts of new foods: kale, okra, eggplant, new melons.. the list goes on.

What about you? What are your thoughts on local produce?

MENU Wed 7/14 through Tue 7/20

Let's Hear it for Fresh, Local Produce!

I just received this week's delivery from The Produce Box, full of fresh, local produce. The Produce Box is a Community-Supported-Agriculture (CSA) organization in the Raleigh, NC area. Look for a farm co-op in your area on www.localharvest.org.

This week, I received...

• 1 medium white eggplant (3/4 pound) - - I've never had this kind before!
• 3 small purple eggplants (3/4 pound)
• 2 medium butternut squash
• 3 pickling cucumbers
• 2 green bell peppers
• 1 pint of blueberries
• 11 roma tomatoes (2 3/4 pounds)
• 7 peaches (2 1/2 pounds)
• 1 personal watermelon.

I also received two extra green bell peppers and 3 roma tomatoes from my coordinator, as an apology for having forgotten last week's newsletter. Wow!!

This week's box included a sample of Yah's Best: Herbal Delight seasoning mix. I bought a packet of this at the State Farmers' Market a couple of weeks ago. It's WONDERFUL!! My neighbor saw my packet and exclaimed over it; she also bought a packet at the Farmers' Market. Use to season dips, sprinkle on pizza, mix w/ olive oil for a grilling baste (on meats or veggies), in dipping oil for bread... I make a similar mix myself, and we use it a lot!

Looking for more recipes using fresh, local produce? Check out all the recipes from The Produce Box newsletters, on JustRightMenus.


Here's the Week's Menu:

Can you tell I've been flipping through my Mediterranean cookbook?

WED 7/13 - Shrimp and Okra Gumbo will make good use of my remaining okra! Serve over white rice.

THU 7/14 - Lamb Pitas with Mint Yogurt Dressing, served with Greek Boats (using my white eggplant), and Fresh Cucumber Salad on the side. I'll add some fresh, sliced tomatoes to the cucumber salad, too.


FRI 7/15 - Baked Cod in the Style of Spetses, Tomato and Basil Tart, Wild Rice Mix.


SAT 7/16 - For lunch, I'll make New Potato, Rosemary, and Garlic Pizza. We'll also have dip with veggies (definitely including some of the tasty bell peppers from The Produce Box). For dinner, we'll have Grilled Porterhouse, leftover Pizza from lunch, and leftover Tomato and Basil Tart from the night before. As dessert, we'll enjoy Wine-Soaked Peaches with Ice Cream.


SUN 7/17 - Marinated Pork Kebabs with Tzatsiki Sauce, Butternut Squash.


MON 7/18 - Cuban Black Beans (I'm trying out this recipe ) and Cuban Ground Beef Creole over rice. Between the two recipes, you'll need 4 bell peppers and 4 onions, so be sure you're stocked up!


TUE 7/19 - Grilled Barbecue Chicken Thighs, Greek Picnic Pie (using my purple eggplants).



This weekend, we'll have more blueberry pancakes! I'll make some blueberry muffins for the week, too. I'm continuing to experiment with different muffin recipes. You'll be hearing from me soon on those.

"This is my invariable advice to people: Learn how to cook- try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all have fun!" - - Julia Child, My Life in France