week 20 & 21: playing catch-up before the break

i know, i know... it's almost like i've already taken the break here.  so, going to consolidate some things here and post as much as i can before next week's fall break.


maybe i should blame the start of football season....  


week 20 brought box "a" and it was fruit loaded.  this was definitely chopsticks' week to highlight her talents.  that is, unless she happens to eat all the fruit before making something.  she has been loving the peaches.

clockwise from top left: cucumbers, sprite melon, tomatoes, peaches, personal watermelon, apples (gala & macintosh)

then there was labor day weekend.  not sure what it is about holiday weekends and forgetting to order our box on time.  so, default box "a" this week.  

clockwise from top left: cucumbers, raw shelled peanuts, personal watermelon, zucchini, scuppernong grapes, tomatoes

a rat, a dog and a fish...

ratatouille.  


chopsticks looks up, "we've already seen that movie."  


ojp stops, "a friend for me, dad?!" 


no, not the movie.  and, no, ojp, we're not getting a rat for a friend.  i am going to play with the concept of ratatouille, however.   plus, chopsticks is craving fish.   let the experiment begin.


the menu (08july10):

• paprika dusted fish (pan sauted)
• ratatouille croquette
• avocado puree
• siracha oil drizzle
• potato chips (sliced red potatoes, home fried)

the croquette didn't stay together as well as i had hoped (add an egg next time, spoon), but the taste was spot on.  

week 10: summer bounty and a sprite melon

the heat is definitely here this week and we've been warned to get the boxes inside (or provide a cooler).  no wonder after having seen the amount of produce in this week's box.


went back to box "c" this week (marked as the "hot pepper" box).  we still can't get over the amount of produce in this one.  beyond that, the sprite melon is the most intriguing this week.  

clockwise from top left: corn, chef bobby's espresso rub (sample), peaches, blueberries, mix of peppers, tomatoes, squash, cherry tomatoes, sprite melon, zucchini

the perfect storm

i'm hungry.  chopsticks is cranky.  it's like the perfect storm.


thankfully, it's saturday morning which allows us to get out to the the western wake farmers market.  produce, cheery local vendors and samples.  inspiration and food cures crankiness and hunger.  perfect storm averted by a great local event


had the opportunity to meet paige from great harvest bread company.  after sampling (cinnamon roll for chopsticks, spelt bread for me), we ended up with a loaf of the spelt bread (had never heard of it or had it before, but, wow, is it good... i can't stop eating it).


only drawback was not brining the camera to show off some of the sites, including the massive zucchini (chopsticks mind wanders "imagine the amount of fries we could make with that thing")


update (14jun10, 11:02am):  i strongly suggest trying the spelt bread with a bit of the lilly's maple butter if you get a chance.  great combo.  i've also added a link to wikipedia for more detail on spelt

i feel like i'm eating something bad

there's certainly no debate about corn in our house.  as soon as it showed up in the box, we knew we were grilling it.  it's a rite of summer.

ah, but the ever flowing supply of zucchini and squash... begging for something different.   summer....  grill....  burgers and fries!   

chopsticks approved with a "i really feel like i'm eating something fried.  think these are keepers." 

the menu (10june10):

• mexican turkey & black bean burgers (can thank the braxtons for the original base recipe), served with tomato and guacamole
• zucchini fries with cholula lime dipping sauce
• grilled corn on the cob

grilled corn (nice action shot, chopsticks)

zucchini and squash fries, straight from the oven

dinner (think it was mandatory to eat this outside) 

week 8: chopsticks starts singing... american idol next?

"movin' to the country gonna eat a lot of peaches
i'm movin' to the country i'm gonna eat me a lot of peaches..."


think we have our next star... comedian, photographer, singer


standard box "a" this week.  but it was well worth it with quite a few good surprises and the first sight of corn.  no doubt one of the best parts of summer.

clockwise from top left: peaches, kirby cucumbers, squash (different varieties), corn, zucchini, ginny o's cheese straws (sample), blueberries, red skinned potatoes, tomatoes

a "promise" update

promises, promises... they're made to be broken, right?!  

• blueberries:  most are still frozen for later use.  chopsticks enjoyed a few in a smoothie, however
• spring onions:  used some for the herbed summer squash and potato torte, but not all of them.  really need to come up with some other uses for these things if they continue to come in our boxes
• strawberry cider:  this keeps.  so we're keeping it
• zucchini:  first attempt at some zucchini fries.  we'll definitely be revisiting these in some fashion.  lots of potential
• squash:  see spring onions
• cucumbers:  still waiting to be used
• tomato:  chopsticks has grabbed the cavender's and devoured another tomato
• potatoes:  more "chips" for chopsticks.  these were a big hit with the neighbors
• beans:  poor beans.  i really thought i was going to saute these up in a bit of butter and just keep them simple to make sure i ate them.  they are still lounging in the fridge and not sure i'm going to get to them this week.  you've beat me again, mr. bean.

week 7: attempting not to let a thing die this week

wait... it's monday already?!!  long weekend threw us off so we forgot to put in our weekly box order.  the saving grace was the auto-order feature the produce box has in place that automatically sends the weekly "box a" box if you forget.  while it marks the end of a surprise box run, at least we know exactly what we are getting this week.


and a promise... so the first few weeks have been a little hit and miss as we've attempted to use everything in the box and come up with some new ideas along the way.  in the process, we (chopsticks is yelling "we?!") have not used a few things and watched a few more die.  this week, we're (yes, chopsticks, we) committed to using everything in the box.

clockwise from top left: pole beans, blueberries, tomato, spring onion, cottle farms strawberry cider, zucchini, summer squash, cucumbers, red skinned potatoes

week 6: excited about beets

first sign of beets in this week's box and i'm excited.  chopsticks on the other hand?  not so much.  however, she can relish in her new job as household photographer.

another surprise box, you say?  well, i'll be, it is.

clockwise from top left: beets, texas "sweet" onion, zucchini, summer squash, tomato, cucumber, red skinned potatoes, blueberries, snow peas

kiss

as in "keep it simple, stupid."  ojp looks up, "dad, did you just call me stupid?"  no, ojp, but you could get out from under my feet in the kitchen!

nothing special here tonight.  nice day, time to grill.

the menu (13may10):

• bbq chicken -- sorry, no real recipe here.  season and brown the chicken (set aside).  throw a ton of stuff (tomato paste, beer, onion, garlic, seasonings, jar of  bbq sauce) and simmer in the le creuset.  put the chicken back in for 20 minutes, remove and put it on the grill for another few minutes.

• zucchini & squash  -- same here.  garlic, zucchini, squash, salt & pepper.  grill.

week 4: holy giant sweet potato, chopsticks

chopsticks calls...  she's got the box....  what's in the box?!!  "it's definitely chocolate butter... and a sweet potato as big as your head,"

she's spot on for the potato.  i mean, look a the thing!  i'll have to give her a pass on the chocolate butter since she did her official "taste test" with a sinus infection.  was actually maple butter  (i'm thinking pancakes).

why ruin a good thing.  another surprise box this week with an addition of some cheese

clockwise from top left:  collard greens, spring onion, cucumber, the bread shop three seed bread (sample), red potatoes, nancy foss' maple butter (sample), strawberries, zucchini, tomatoes, squash, chapel hill creamery raw milk cheese (add-on), sweet potato