CSA Year Two - Week 9

Week Nine! Halfway through the CSA Season. :( That means only 9 more weeks of lovely, organic fruits and veggies provided by local farmers. Looking at their website, I am seriously considering the winter share.



2 cucumbers
1 bunch beets
1 onion
3 tomatoes *they had a sign that said take as many as you want, but I have so many tomatoes already put up from the last couple of years I don't need to do many this year!*
1 bell pepper
1 head broccoli
2 zucchini
1 handful each: dill, basil, rosemary
4 small heads lettuce


So, plans for the week. It's nice to be back on and have plans *before* I use these things.

Cucumber: Well, there are always pickle options. I need to put up more Bread-n-Butter pickles and probably should do some Icicle pickles. So, if Dad brings more, then there will be pickles. If not, I am craving an Asian style cucumber salad with really sliced thin cucumber noodles.

Beets: A while ago when I had beets I said I was going to do Beet Tzatziki. But I didn't. So I am planning on doing that tomorrow. I am looking forward to eating it on pita chips.

Onion: If I end up making the aforementioned Bread-n-Butter pickles, then the onion will go in those. If not then I'll use it in other things throughout the week. Onion is one of those vegetables I am not a fan of, but am making peace with in my older age...

Tomatoes: Salads. Also possibly a summer vegetable pizza. I like that idea a lot. :)

Pepper: See above.

Broccoli: Another thing coming out my ears. Steamed.

Zucchini: I am definitely in for this summer vegetable pizza. Maybe with sausage.

Lettuce: Salads.

Herbs: Dill, Basil, Rosemary: General use. I really should start drying these if I don't use them in time. Hmmm.....



This picture totally reminds me of the whole "eat a rainbow" idea. I have my red, orange, yellow, green here...

1 muskmelon *fruit share item*
4 early apples: *Yes, I know there is only 3 pictured. One didn't survive the car ride home!*
10 red plums *fruit share item*
6 nectarines *fruit share item*
4 peaches

Muskmelon/Cantaloupe: Cut it up and bring it for lunch. Yum. I think I remember this being my favorite melon when I was little, but I could be wrong. I still really enjoy it.

Apples: Lunch

Red Plums: I am not sure on this one. They are not very sweet, so I shall consult some recipes. Maybe some sort of plum butter?

Nectarines: I have already eaten 2 since they were really ripe ones. Sprinkled with a little sugar and a little chocolate soy milk. Delicious.

Peaches: I am possibly feeling another tart. I am a fan of a good tart. Requires less fruit and crust than a pie. I am thinking of brandied peaches and walnuts. I will think on that some more. :)

For some reason, this didn't seem like as much as Week Eight, but I can't explain it. Probably due to the fact that it is almost 1AM and I have a very busy day ahead of me in the kitchen tomorrow....

CSA Year Two - Week 8

I don't know how I've gotten so behind in this. That's not entirely true...I participated in Bread and Water Theatre's Annual Art & Music Fair and the experience kind of exhausted me. And disappointed me. I got some wonderful feedback from kind customers - most notably the backhanded compliment that my photo cards are too lovely for mail. Maybe some prints I guess? I don't know, the public is fickle.

Anywho, Week 8 began the Fruit Share! For this purpose, I am not going to separate out in pictures, what is from what share, but will note with *fruit share item*.



handful of basil
handful of dill
pint of lovely, ripe, red raspberries
4 early apples
1 head broccoli
4 carrots
4 ears corn
1 bunch chard
just over a pint of green beans
4 small heads lettuce

And, since it was the start of the fruit share, I put most of the fruit together in another picture, with the exception of the early apples. I just couldn't resist the yellow apples against the green and brown of my photo prop. Yes, I am getting so much I am needing to elevate things to get them all in the picture!



Look at how lovely those reds, oranges and yellows look together! Yum!

a dozen plus apricots *fruit share item*
10 red plums
6 peaches *fruit share item*
4 wonderful smelling yellow plums *fruit share item*

So much GOOD FOOD! So much I am not sure where to start... I think I will get the fruit out of the way first...

Apricots: The minute I saw these, I thought tart. I am not sure why, but I was. So, I ended up making an apricot-plum tart over almond-honey marscapone cheese. With the leftovers, I am thinking about cooking them down and putting them over french toast.

Peaches: Peaches are probably one of my favorite summer fruits. Next to blackberries, you really can't go wrong with a bunch of either in a bowl with cream/milk. These are perfect for lunches. And desserts like I already stated. :)

Early Apples: Lunches!

Yellow Plums: These did not last long! They were like honey wrapped in a lovely, soft flesh!

Red Plums: I was expecting sweet plums, but these are a little more sour than I expected. I used these by eating them in lunches and in the above mentioned yummy tart.

Red Raspberries: I ate them. In one handful.

And now, onto the vegetables and herbs....

Basil & Dill: I've been keeping the cut herbs in water by the window. The basil keeps much better than the dill and is an easy quick addition to almost anything!

Broccoli: Stir-fry, salads and steamed. The 3-S's of Summer Eating!

Carrots: I enjoy carrots, just not like I used to. I can't eat them raw like I used to before this crown. :-\ What doesn't get used early will be cooked and used for stock. I have some summer squash I should cook down too.

Corn: Cooked, grilled, eaten. I am thinking about cornbread too if it doesn't get eaten right off the bat.

Chard: I am officially tired of chard. Anyone ever use it in vegetable stock?

Green Beans: Stir-fry and steamed. I steam mine with a little olive oil, rosemary and garlic salt, yum.

Lettuce: Always salads. Summer Sumptuous Salads! :)

Wow. That was a lot. And, onto Week 9!

CSA Year Two - Week 7

Going on a vacation sure throws off being all caught up on things. So, in order to get caught up before Week 8 is here (and there will be an additional fruit share added starting Week 8!), let's discuss Week 7....



3 zucchini
2 cucumbers
1 pint heirloom tomatoes
1 small head broccoli
1 bunch scallions
1 small bunch dragon kale
1 adorable head cabbage
3 small heads lettuce
1 handful cut dill
1 handful cut basil
4 peaches

Zucchini: Will be ground up in the meat grinder and frozen somehow and stored for future projects. May save one or two of these for slicing thin for a salad/pasta type side dish. My Dad dropped off a bag of zucchini/summer squash so I need to store it somehow.

Cucumbers: Went in the pickles I discussed in Week Six. Dill Sandwich Slices. Yum.

Tomatoes & Lettuce: Salad...

Broccoli & Cabbage: Looking at these two, I am totally feeling another stir-fry. I really enjoy homemade stir-fry, if you can't already tell.

Scallions: The scallions from Week 4 are still going strong in a vase with water. These will join them. I've been slowly adding them to things when I think of it.

Kale: Since this is the dragon variety, it doesn't make kale chips well. So, I will be sauteing it and doing greens-n-beans to serve with hamburgers en croute later this week. I think I may document that process, so if it goes well I can share it with you all. I have high expectations since I couldn't really find the recipe I wanted online at all.

Dill & Basil: Are currently sitting in a glass trying to perk up. That is one of the downsides of cut herbs, they dry out quick. I'll use them throughout this week and see how they hold up.

Peaches: They will just get packed in lunches. Peaches are one of my favorite fruits (I say that about *a lot* of fruit!

Phew! All caught up. Now to work on my project for WIP Wednesday in a couple of days....

CSA Year 2 - Week 6

Before I get started, you are probably wondering whether or not I can count. Yes, yes, I can. There is a reason that I missed Week 5....



I was in Texas. The above is a picture I took at Mission San Jose. The rest of my pictures, including many of some elusive peacocks can be seen in my Flickr set. Texas was HOT - 103-105 every day! But, it was fairly dry and it was *very* nice to get away for a bit before the school year starts.

So, Week 5 was picked up and consumed by my dear friends Val and Brian, who belong to the same CSA.

Anyway, onto Week 6.....



2 cucumbers
1 pint apricots
4 small heads lettuce
1 pint blueberries
1 stalk dill
6 ears corn
2 green peppers
2 zucchini
1 pint tomatoes

And, since I am late in posting, I will just let you know what I ended up doing with all these yummy veggies!

Cucumbers & Dill: My Dad had already dropped off a bag full of cucumbers, so I knew what I was going to do with them - make some dill sandwich slices. And I did. Mind you, I almost needed stitches as well. There is a reason my middle name is not Grace - that is for sure! *Tip for using your mandoline*: Use the holder thing and cut the ends off your cucumbers before slicing them, it works so much better that way!

Apricots: I still have the apricots, and I am still thinking a tart of some sort. Val and Brian saved our cherries from Week 5, so I am thinking an apricot cherry tart. What do you think?

Lettuce, Peppers & Cucumbers: Continuing the salad train....

Blueberries & Zucchini: I ended up making Zucchini Bread with Blueberries and Mini Chocolate Chips. It was delicious! There was a handful of berries left and they went in smoothies.

Corn: Most of the ears were eaten grilled with some Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and served with some grilled shrimp. There are two left for later consumption.