CSA week 7

We got a nice little bonus this week in our CSA share.  Normally we get mainly veggies, but this week we got a cantaloupe as well as blackberries (notice how they had to be put up high?!  Someone COULD NOT stop themselves from eating them!).  We also scored some corn, red leaf lettuce, an onion, a yellow pepper, and two different kinds of tomatoes.  In our garden this year J planted lots of grape/cherry tomatoes but only 1 or 2 large tomato plants, so this will be a nice addition--anyone else out there luurrve a homegrown tomato and sharp cheddar cheese sandwich with a little mayo?  Yummmy!  I'm licking my chops as I type...definitely tomorrow for lunch :)

CSA Week 6

We had another full bounty from the CSA this week.  Included in our loot was:  kitchen greens, TONS of basil, an onion, some tomatoes,  some yellow squash, zucchini, and eggplants.  We also got yellow banana peppers, but J knows I always struggle with how to use these, so he dropped them on the barter table.  He picked up 2 additional eggplants in their place. 

 Now just a quick note about eggplant.  I personally don't mind them, but again am limited in how I use them (think ratatouille/moussaka).  J doesn't really care for them, so when I heard he brought home 3, I about fell over.  Then, after a quick discussion, I decided I'd try my hand at baba ganoush, the close relative to hummus--and let me tell ya, we eat a LOT of hummus in our family.  I'm hoping that the Noodle will overlook the eggplant factor and focus on the similarities-to-hummus factor and gobble it up.  It will be pureed, after all, thus erasing any eggplant/vegetable connection. 

As far as these pictures of the Noodle go, I think we're heavy into that "I'm-going-to-act-like-a-lunatic-in-every-photo" stage.  Lovely.

CSA Week 5

The latest hair accessory?  Ha ha--no, just a double serving of beets (from the swap table).  Can you tell that J and I love pickled beets?  The Noodle?  Not so much, sigh.

This week in our half share we got 4 apples, an onion, a zucchini, a yellow squash, cooking greens, garlic, green beans, cabbage, lettuce and beets.  J left our pickling cukes on the swap table and grabbed up the second bunch of beets.  Happy eating!!

CSA Week 4

Now that we're into July, the yield at the CSA has definitely improved.  This week we brought home:  2 heads of lettuce, an onion, a zucchini, a yellow squash, more pickling cucumbers, garlic, beets and a kohlrabi.  Since we didn't get to the zucchini from last week, the Noodle and I made zucchini bread today.  Yum--it will be nice and tasty tomorrow for breakfast (and a great way to sneak in some extra veggies!).

CSA--week 3

So here we have our CSA bounty for the week (plus a little chewed up, green pea-pod in the Noodle's mouth--lovely, right?!).  The Groucho Marx mask was thanks to the library...she was the FIRST person to finish the summer reading challenge!!!  Whoo-Hooo!  As an aside, each week they had to "read" 5 books (or have 5 books read to them or for older kids, read for 5 hrs./wk).  This last week, she actually did read 5 books.  Heh heh...you go girl!

Anyhooooo, on tap for this week was:  garlic, onion, bok choy, maple syrup, mint, pea-pods, yellow squash, zucchini and a couple of pickles.  Anyone know what to do with those, since there are only like 2 and I have NO interest in learning how to can or pickle?  Can you use them just like regular cucumbers?  Do tell!

Girls Get-Away

As much as J loathes the term "stay-cation" that is exactly what Lollie, the Noodle and I did...went for a quick trip up to Lollie and Papa's summer place.  We were only gone 2 days (1 night), but the Noodle thought it was so fun that it was "girls only". 

The great thing about their little get-away spot is that it really feels like a throwback in time.  Everything moves slower and easier.  We did a lot of strolling, biking, gazing, reading, laughing and eating.  Ice-cream one time/day...okay!

When we got home, it was time for the Noodle and J to have their weekly date to the vegetable man (cue song Que Onda Guero by Beck).  The pickings were slim tonight...unfortunately one of the downsides of signing on with a CSA.  You're in it for the long haul, whether the harvest is a bounty or a bust.  Here's hoping more ripens for next week!

Yes, it may look like an empty bag, but there was produce in there...promise!  The stash this week included:  mint, garlic scapes, 1 head of garlic, green onions, red lettuce, and red popcorn kernels.

CSA--week 2

Hi there!  Here's a little snapshot of the veggies/fruit/herbs we'll be eating this week...

Mint, garlic scapes, bok choy, romaine lettuce, strawberries,

maple syrup, green onions and radishes.

 

CSA--week 1

For those of you who are relatively new to the blog, each summer we join a local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) to get fresh veggies that are locally grown.  Yum!  It has been a great experience and certainly has expanded our repertoire in the veg department (never had eaten a kohlrabi, aka the UFO-looking vegetable), until last summer!  Our CSA is primarily veggies, but sometimes we'll get some fruit, honey, maple syrup, etc. thrown into the mix. We sign up for a 1/2 share which I find is plenty for our family of 3.  I still end up supplementing with some additional vegetables throughout the week, but overall, it is more than enough.

The local scene.

Each week they have different musical entertainment.

Our pick-up date is Wednesdays evenings, on our local library's front porch.  I usually teach my Centergy class on that night, but tonight was able to go for the first one.  Yeah :)  Even with all the rain that we had this spring (it seriously put a hurt on the farmers and their ability to plant), we still got a decent share:  lettuce, garlic scapes, green onions, 5lbs wheat flour, soup beans, apple butter, fresh oregano, and drum-roll please....strawberries!!

One sweaty little miss!

After a much needed bath (Mother Nature seemed to miss the memo about spring and after dumping a gazillion gallons of water, did a 180 degree switch and turned up the heat to 96), Daddy made a tried and true summer time treat--strawberry shortcakes!  What a great way to end the day :)

CSA week 1 Sept.

The load was a little lighter this week at the CSA, but we still got some goodies.  When J and the Noodle go to pick up, her "job" is to put the produce into the bag.  Em*ril's "BAM" come to mind--everything gets thrown in with high velocity speeds.  That's fine when it is something substantial like an onion or sweet potatoes...not so much when it is something more fragile like tomatoes or peaches.  We just eat around the bruised spots.  Ha ha!

CSA last week in Aug.

J and the Noodle went to pick up our veggies this week.  In our "single" share, we got:  a honeydew melon, beets, a yellow/green pepper, 2 Hungarian peppers, lettuce, eggplant, sweet potatoes, and basil.  In my post last week I was feeling at a lost as to what to do w/the okra that we received, so I called Nana.  Her suggestion was to saute onion, garlic, and the okra together and then add some tomatoes, corn and rice.  I had some fresh corn that I cooked and cut off the cob and threw that in as well as some yellow tomatoes from our garden.  I rounded it out with brown rice, a can of diced tomatoes (more for the juice than anything else) and a generous sprinkling of oregano and S and P.  Threw it all together in a casserole dish and topped with Panko breadcrumbs.  Cooked it for about 35 min. at 350 until nice and bubbly.  J and I thought it was good.  The Noodle turned her nose up at it--even the lure of rice didn't entice her.  Too bad...she went hungry since she only ate a few bites.  That's how we roll here--if you don't eat what you've been served (or at least attempt/try it) you'll probably starve be hungry until the next meal. 

So...if you're looking to try something new, give the okra (or ogre as my uncle affectionately called it) a chance.  You might be surprised!

CSA this week

Look at all those gorgeous colors.  Hasn't that been a big push from the USDA lately?  To eat your colors?  During this time of the summer, it is easy!  Yum :)  Our loot consisted of:  peaches, apples, tomatoes, 2 red peppers, red leaf lettuce, Chinese eggplant, okra (hmm--have to check with Nana on the preparation of this), a red chili pepper and some Hungarian peppers.  It is heating up again outside, so for dinner tonight, I think we're going to have a wild rice and barley salad and tomato/basil/mozzarella on french bread with a generous drizzle of evoo.  Peaches and ice-cream for dessert.  Vegetarian and energy conscious.  Uncle, you should be smiling!

 ***Now serving up a little summertime delish!

CSA Week ???

So we've missed a few weeks from our CSA--at least we've missed some photos.  Oh well.  That's summer for ya.  J and The Noodle cut through the haze last night (the heat and humidity are HORRIBLE!!) to pick up our share.  This week, we got:  a watermellon, peaches, apples, corn on the cob, garlic, cilantro, a green pepper, a yellow pepper, an onion, potatoes and banana peppers.  Stay cool everyone!

CSA Week 5

J and the Noodle went to pick up the veggies yesterday and were thrilled with the goods. J has been commenting quite a bit lately how he has been hankerin' for some sweet corn. He LOVES fresh corn on the cob, so you can imagine how he felt when he saw what was in store. In our share, along with corn, also included: bib lettuce, tomatoes, beets, a red onion, a yellow pepper, garlic and green beans. The summer produce is in full swing!

CSA Week 4

J and the Noodle were getting creative--can you see that they made a veggie person's face? You have to really click on the image to see a bigger picture, but J's old glasses help "pull it all together". I guess that what accessories are suppose to do! The heat continues (I've heard it is all across the North and the NE) so we're doing as little cooking as possible. I finally made zucchini bread the other afternoon and the A.C. couldn't keep up! 2 of the kohlrabi got used up in a veggie curry we took to Lollie and Papa's (we still have 2 more lurking in the crisper drawer), but it didn't go over so well with the rest of the fam--I was the only one who liked it :(

This week we got: green beans, an eggplant, a cabbage, romaine lettuce, a yellow squash, another zucchini, one large white onion, beets, new potatoes, fresh basil and dill. With all the hot nights, our own veggie plants are growing like crazy. Our basil has taken off too, so making pesto is definitely on my to-do list. You use to be able to buy pine nuts at C*stco, but I haven't been able to find them lately. They were a good deal when I got them in bulk. Anyone priced pine nuts lately--exorbitant! I think I saw online that you can use walnuts, but I need to research this a bit further. If you have a good pesto recipe for me to use, I'd love to have it!

CSA Week 3

Time for honesty here--we're really falling behind on our veggies! We still have 2 zucchinis left over from the previous weeks as well as the kohlrabi. Aghh! We've been eating our veg like crazy, but still... Time for some zucchini bread and we're taking a kohlrabi/cauliflower dish over to Lolly and Papa's for the 4th--hee hee share the wealth I say :)

This week, we got: more kohlrabi, another zucchini, baby red potatoes, onions, a garlic head, 2 green tomatoes, red/green leaf lettuce, cilantro and REAL maple syrup. Yum! We've never gotten this before so I was excited to see that it was part of the "single" or half share. Usually the "family" or whole share gets the really good stuff. I can already taste the blueberry pancakes covered with real maple syrup that J will make us on Sat. Mmmmmm.

CSA Week 2

This week was more like what I had expected with the CSA. Still a good bounty though. In our stash we got: pea pods, onions, garlic scamps, kohlrabi, kale, cabbage, red leaf lettuce, zucchini and oregano. We still have kohlrabi left over from last week...and J's the only one who generally eats it. Hmmmm--I'd better buck up and start learning to like it!

Marveling at the size of the pea pod...


before she took a chomp!


**Can you tell we're trying to grow out some bangs...ugh!

***Check back tomorrow, because I have a GREAT deal for those in the adoption community :)

CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)

Once the calendar page flipped over to June, I knew that the CSA would be starting soon. Yesterday was it was. We weren't sure what to expect so early in the season, since where we live they are still harvesting "cool" weather vegetables (think greens), but we weren't disappointed! Lettuce, spinach, beets, kale, thyme, garlic scamps, kohlrabi, onions and the jackpot--strawberries. Obviously the Noodle couldn't let those plump, juicy berries sit there without sampling one or two. No doubt about it--'local' trumps 'trucked in' berries any day. Delicious!

We're suppose to be heading into a heat-wave tomorrow, but if it is not too hot, the Noodle and I are going to try and pick some of our own strawberries. Yum :)

***On a different note, we had the Noodle's 1 year appointment with the Cleft Clinic team this morning and everything looks great. We don't have to go back for another year (although we ARE going to go back in 6 months to touch base, but just with Speech) because her ears look great, the hearing test came back normal and PTL it looks as though the fistula has closed on it's own. This is a major blessing because while it wasn't causing any problems, it was still a small opening/weak spot in the roof of her mouth. Her surgeon initially had indicated that it was unlikely that it would close on its own but today he said that he couldn't really even see it! Thanks to the Great Healer!!

Last week for the CSA

This is the last week that we will be participating in the CSA. We've certainly enjoyed it, especially the anticipation of what veggies we are going to get each week (and how we're going to use them!). If you have the opportunity to participate in one, I'd highly recommend it. There is no doubt that the smaller, local farmers can use all the help they can get. This is just another example of how you can do your part and become a little "greener".

In the stash this week we got: beets, kale, spinach, a cuke, a red pepper, an acorn squash, a baby eggplant, a red onion, 2 jalapeno peppers, and 3 HUGE apples.

Yes, this apple is just about as big as my head!

CSA Week 12

We only have a few more weeks with the CSA, so we're making the most of it. This week we received: red apples, turnips, kale, broccoli, sweet potatoes, a red and yellow tomato, a red pepper, an acorn squash, bib lettuce and 2 jalapeno peppers. Earlier in the week I made a delicious vegetarian recipe--Moroccan-style stuffed acron squash. You can find it here. The Noodle enjoyed the stuffing, but wasn't so crazy about the squash. We'll have to keep trying.

On a different note, I've taken on a new "job". I'm now responsible for our weekly church newsletter that goes into the bulletin. I've never really done any desk-top publishing before, so this is another new adventure. We'll see how it goes.......

CSA Week 11

One of the things that the Noodle loves to do is help put away groceries. Usually that is helpful...sometimes, not so much (think eggs). This week with the CSA we got: a cabbage, a kohlarabi, 2 yams, an onion, a cayanne pepper, an acorn squash, 5 Gala apples, a yellow pepper, 2 pobalano peppers, 2 tomatoes, bok choy and a cucumber.



Typically, in the morning, while one of us is in the shower, the other one is downstairs reading to the Chinese Noodle. Sometimes the books come upstairs and she camps out in the hallway, right in the middle of everything. This photo was taken yesterday morning. I think she's looking rather "zen", don't you? Ha ha.