tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-249259762024-03-13T10:14:38.091-07:00Mad About FoodReviews, Recipes, Dining
by Madelaine JonesMadelainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05945052223213292557noreply@blogger.comBlogger333125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24925976.post-88619741528042883612013-08-20T12:51:00.001-07:002013-08-20T12:51:14.705-07:00Late Summer Sweets<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you'd asked me 10 or 15 years ago what my favorite season was, perhaps via an email survey with several other important questions, I would have undoubtedly, annoyingly answered "Indian summer." It was totally cheating, but ask me again now, and my answer will likely be the same. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Autumn is, technically, the winner: I love the back-to-school feeling it evokes, along with celebrations surrounding my wedding anniversary, birthday, and Halloween. However, even after days of relentless heat and humidity, I'm never quite ready to let go of summer. There's something completely magical about the weather that we get to squeeze in between pool days and those first colorful, falling leaves. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The sun may still be hot during Indian summer, but it's much gentler, allowing for transitional outfits like dresses with boots, and a vast range of cooking opportunities. Almost anything goes. Tomatoes are still available, greens return with a vengeance, and people who are impatient for fall start pushing flavors like cinnamon and pumpkin.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's slightly different at our house, however. We abide by seasonal produce, of course, but grill nearly year-round, and I never adjust my desserts for the time of year...they're all chocolate, all the time. The closest I've gotten to a traditional summer dessert in the past few months was homemade mint chocolate chip ice cream, and it was absolutely divine. I followed instructions for herb ice cream and substituted several (gifted) sprigs of mint in for basil to steep in the egg yolk and cream mixture, as shown below.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Making the chocolate chips was my favorite part of the process - so simple! I melted 4 oz. of semi-sweet chocolate, added a teaspoon of vegetable oil, and spread it into a thin layer on a Silpat-covered baking sheet. After a stint in the refrigerator, I broke the chocolate into small shards, and into the ice cream maker they went. Unfortunately I was too pleased with myself to remember to take a picture of the finished product, but it was well-received by everyone who tried it.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My consolation baked good for coming back from vacation was <a href="http://www.tablefortwoblog.com/2013/04/11/oatmeal-chocolate-cookie-bars/" target="_blank">this recipe</a> for fudgy oatmeal cookie bars, which was very popular on <a href="http://pinterest.com/madelainej/boards/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a> for awhile. I took a picture, but it was much less interesting than the others I've seen, but rest assured that the cookie bars are wonderful. The only thing I may change the next time I make them is the type of chocolate used for the filling - dark chocolate, instead of semi-sweet, seems like a logical next step.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As soon as I saw <a href="http://www.culinaryconcoctionsbypeabody.com/2013/07/31/nutella-kitkat-oreo-overloaded-brownies/" target="_blank">these brownies</a>, I knew I needed to try them as soon as humanly possible. Last Sunday was nice and rainy, and I seized the chance to combine brownies with Kit Kat bites, plus a topping of Nutella, chocolate chips, crushed oreos, and Rice Krispies.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Need I say more? I know my high school and college selves would approve, whatever the weather.</span>Madelainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05945052223213292557noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24925976.post-63222503469102121462013-08-19T13:53:00.004-07:002013-08-19T13:53:36.669-07:00Vacation Recipes<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's rare, but every once and awhile I find myself with some quiet time on a weekend afternoon. The house is clean, dinner is planned, and I have a chance to read a few chapters of an engaging novel, peruse the stack of magazines that have piled up next to the couch, or find something mindless to watch on TV.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Almost every moment of a week at the beach feels just that way, without any obligations aside from enjoying yourself and making delicious dinners to share with everyone in the house. Thankfully, Davy's family likes eating just as much as mine, and cooking is taken very seriously.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Aside from the traditional mid-week lobster night (always a treat), we enjoyed pasta with red sauce and sausage made by Davy's Aunt Jan in New Jersey, which was transported </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">to the Outer Banks </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and then carefully prepared by his Uncle Bruce. Dinner included garlic bread to die for, and a giant, crunchy salad.</span></span><br />
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</span></span> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Cary and Brian put together an extensive taco feast, complete with grilled chicken, pan-fried tilapia, corn and flour tortillas, homemade cole slaw, kale salad, and pico de gallo. The picture of my plate doesn't really do it justice - everything was exceptional.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Taco night was a tough act to follow, but my parents made a fabulous meal with a variety of fresh seafood, ciabatta, and roasted vegetables. Davy discovered a hidden talent for oyster shucking that night, and I found a small pearl in one of the beauties below. </span><br />
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</span> <span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When it was our turn to cook, we decided on a Greek-inspired spread, including chicken and pork souvlaki, Greek salad, tzatziki sauce, pita, and baked feta (an appetizer we'd ordered two days in a row from the same little restaurant in Oia). I've included a recipe for our version below. We made it again when we got back to Richmond to try to bring back some vacation magic during the work week. </span><br />
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</span> <span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For the salad and the souvlaki, we adapted parts of <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/08/chicken-souvlaki-with-tzatziki-sauce-and-greek-salad-recipe.html" target="_blank">this method</a>, which I love because the dressing and marinade are composed of the same ingredients.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> My tzatziki, which I learned how to make on a boat tour around Santorini, is slightly different from the Serious Eats recipe in the link above, so I've included instructions below. It pairs beautifully with many different types of foods and can be made in advance, allowing you to soak up even more of that precious, precious down time.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 medium cucumber, peeled and grated</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 cup yogurt (preferably full-fat Fage, but if you can't get full-fat, let the yogurt drain over paper towels in a colander)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">a few teaspoons red wine vinegar (to taste)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1-2 Tablespoons olive oil </span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 teaspoon salt for cucumbers, plus some to taste</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. Toss the cucumber with salt in a colander, and allow it to sit for 20-40 minutes.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2. Drain the cucumber - I rinse it, then squeeze out as much moisture as I can.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3. Combine the yogurt, garlic, and cucumber, then add vinegar and olive oil. At this point I just sort of play around with the olive oil, vinegar and salt until it tastes right to me. It also helps to let everything rest together for an hour or so, and then taste again. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4. Scoop that deliciousness up with some yummy pita, serve with grilled fish, dip veggies in it, or anything else you can think of!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Baked Feta</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 lb feta cheese, crumbled or chopped</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 medium tomato, diced</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">half of a big green pepper, diced</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 small yellow onion, diced</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 clove garlic, minced</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">chopped parsley</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2. Place the feta in an oven-proof dish.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3. H</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">eat the oil in a saute pan over medium heat, then add the onion and cook until it starts to soften and turn clear.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4. A</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">dd the green pepper and let it soften a bit, then add the tomato and garlic.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5. Saute until the tomato has broken down a fair amount, and add the vegetables to baking dish with the cheese.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;">7. Serve with chips, crackers, or pita.</span></span></div>
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Madelainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05945052223213292557noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24925976.post-28800822150796412332013-07-30T11:56:00.002-07:002013-07-30T19:08:40.781-07:00It's Been Awhile<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The end of July always feels strange to me. So much of the summer has already passed, and yet I have the sense of it just starting. June rushes by, Independence Day festivities seem to consume the whole month of July, but our annual Outer Banks trip doesn't happen until August. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On Saturday I'll leave for my eighth (!) beach week with Davy's family (it would be my ninth, but there was a one-year lapse to celebrate Cary and Brian's wedding in Chicago), which will also be the first Jones/McCulloch/Goldberg beach week. My parents are joining us from Monday-Saturday, and I'm excited for them to experience a tradition that's become a big part of my life. I have a feeling it's going to be a happy, indulgent vacation for everyone.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Just as a new component is being added to our annual beach trip, I experimented last night with a twist on the normal tomato and cucumber salads that I make nonstop in the summer. Instead of cucumber chunks, I combined a ripe peach with medium-sized red and yellow tomatoes, and added diced feta and ribbons of basil. For a dressing, I reduced the amounts of the ingredients in <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/313344/minted-peach-and-tomato-salad" target="_blank">this recipe</a> and added a teaspoon or so of minced shallot.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCEInPZRkl0QEXzjJimcEuhIm7k5gbnTyQCjtn1sYiI58_4pPNpUSw-hXUpcFrHaHKkrlTY5beij38GP2nI7moIMrUJ6Mk_b5LP9dL9n8A_Ux-Sn6na5BYkt_Tn3YnyUhDxZW-Cw/s1600/tomato+peach.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCEInPZRkl0QEXzjJimcEuhIm7k5gbnTyQCjtn1sYiI58_4pPNpUSw-hXUpcFrHaHKkrlTY5beij38GP2nI7moIMrUJ6Mk_b5LP9dL9n8A_Ux-Sn6na5BYkt_Tn3YnyUhDxZW-Cw/s320/tomato+peach.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Even though peaches and tomatoes are both sweet, the bite of vinegar and lemon juice kept them under control, and allowed for the underlying flavors to come out. The salty feta and fragrant basil balanced everything together, and the salad still tasted fresh today when I ate it for my mid-morning snack.</span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As a side note, all of the tomatoes we've gotten from Amy and the few that started coming from our own garden have all been fantastic this year. Apparently I can't get enough - on Sunday I had the privilege of eating Proper Pie's tomato pie. My mouth is watering just looking at the picture of it.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm going to do my best to get a few Greece posts up here soon, and hopefully capture some of our beach week dinners, which are always delicious and eventful. Happy almost August!</span></span></span>Madelainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05945052223213292557noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24925976.post-35881059104995726912013-05-22T12:39:00.003-07:002013-05-22T12:44:50.564-07:00Is Anybody There?<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well. Here we are at the end of May! I have no idea how time disappeared so quickly, but I'm grateful to anyone who's still checking the blog to see if I've written. </span><br />
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</span> <span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yesterday kicked off the second week of my 2013 CSA, and I'm thrilled to be getting strawberries and vegetables from <a href="http://www.amysorganicgarden.com/" target="_blank">Amy</a>. I'm also attempting to grow my own vegetables again, in brand new raised beds, and will keep you informed of their progress.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For today though, I'd like to share a grain salad recipe, which has endless possibilities for substitutions and additions. It's really more of a method, based loosely on a recipe from the <i><a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/book/" target="_blank">The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook</a></i>. </span><br />
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</span> <span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I discovered Trader Joe's <a href="http://traderjoes.com/fearless-flyer/article.asp?article_id=928" target="_blank">10 Minute grains</a> a few months, ago, and haven't looked back since. They taste just as good (to me) as the long-cooking versions, and come in small pouches that are ideal for a two-person household. I keep the farro and barley around at all times in case I need a quick and healthy base for a meal.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The version below is from early spring, but I made a salad just yesterday with roasted spring onions, summer squash, and oregano. The possibilities really are endless, as the dressing is fairly neutral, and feta tastes good with just about everything. </span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Speaking of feta, I'm leaving for a big trip to Greece in two days! I can't wait to eat my weight in cheese and baklava. Thank you so much for reading, and I'm looking forward to posting more when I return (in June!!!).</span><br />
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Farro Salad</span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">adapted from <i>The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1 cup farro</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">olive oil</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1/2 pound carrots </span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">seasoning salt</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">fresh thyme</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">2 cloves minced garlic</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">kale - a few handfuls, chopped</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">dressing:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">5 Tablespoons olive oil</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1/2 teaspoon hot sauce/chili sauce (or more to taste)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1 teaspoon agave nectar</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">2 Tablespoons lemon juice</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">pinch of cumin</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">salt</span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">black pepper</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1/2 cup crumbled feta, more or less</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1. Cut the carrots into bit-sized sticks, toss with olive oil, seasoning (I used Texas Heat, but you could use any kind of seasoning salt) and fresh thyme; roast at 425 to desired doneness. I checked them after 10 minutes, stirred them, and had them in for another 10.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">2. Boil water for the farro and cook for 10 minutes or until it's got a slight bite but isn't too soft. Drain and set aside.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">3. Whisk the dressing ingredients in the bowl you're going to use for the salad, and adjust flavors to taste.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">4. Cook the kale: heat olive oil over medium heat, add the garlic and cook for a couple of minutes, then add kale and cook until it's slightly wilted and chewable.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">5. Add carrots, farro, and kale to the bowl and stir to coat everything with the dressing. Top with feta and ground black pepper. </span></div>
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Madelainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05945052223213292557noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24925976.post-86105390173337808272013-01-01T11:19:00.002-08:002013-01-01T11:19:15.168-08:00A New Year<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've kept a journal for years. There's something so satisfying to me about capturing snapshots of my life, the highs and the lows, in handwritten word. There's also nothing more embarrassing than going back through old journals and getting a glimpse of my past self, including my unnecessarily melodramatic interpretations of high school and college life. A wise friend, upon being asked how she put up with me back then, claimed that we were all annoying. I certainly hope so, and since we're still close, I think I believe her.</span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyway, it's been awfully quiet on my blog for the past few weeks, and that's only because I've been completely immersed in holiday parties and indulgences. I mentioned <a href="http://madaboutfood.blogspot.com/2012/11/thanksgiving-thoughts.html" target="_blank">before</a> that I spent my first Thanksgiving in Richmond, and cooked my first turkey, without any hint of aroma other than the lemon and rosemary that we stuffed into the bird (phew!). Davy and I also managed to stay in Richmond for Christmas and New Year's, and celebrated with family and dear friends. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A funny thing happens when you don't have travel time to reflect on the holidays. Or maybe it's just me and all of the yoga I've been doing, but </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I felt that I was more aware of each moment as it was happening. Rather than rushed packing, powering through a few days' worth of concentrated family time and battling traffic only to come back to the daily grind, I found that I was able to truly enjoy our company and value the activities we shared.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Of course, many of those activities revolved around eating. In the past five weeks, I've been to <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Proper-Pie-Co/174462302630066" target="_blank">Proper Pie Company</a> three times, twice with out of town guests, and it's fantastic on each occasion. It's a small, cozy shop run by friends of a friend, and the love that goes into those pies is evident as soon as you near the door and smell the pastry dough. My personal favorite so far is the lentil curry, with either the regular and vegan (potato) crust, and I haven't even delved into the sweet selection much yet. If you're able to, you really should go soon. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When I wasn't dining at Proper Pie, I was collaborating with loved ones on meals for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the days before and after. There were bay scallops, oysters,</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> a memorable green bean casserole,</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the best ham and bacon ever, CSA vegetables from Chicago and Norfolk, pappardelle, simple and wonderful corn dip, Billy Bread, braised grouper, and gorgeous produce from Tomten Farm. On top of that, my sister- and brother-in-law gave me an ice cream maker for Christmas, and my dad and I christened it with a batch of cinnamon ice cream. Homemade ice cream with my new machine is way too easy to make, and way too good.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Last night a group of friends, new and old, ushered 2013 in at our house with ham biscuits, <a href="http://www.sproutedkitchen.com/home/2012/6/3/ratatouille-barley-salad.html" target="_blank">barley salad</a>, Nutella cookies (Carrie, we need that recipe!), <a href="http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/gourmetlive/2012/120512/turkish-spiced-meatballs-with-pomegranate-yogurt-sauce-recipe" target="_blank">Turkish spiced turkey patties</a>, <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2012/08/leek-chard-and-corn-flatbread/" target="_blank">kale and leek flatbread</a>, and plenty of sparkling beverages. I promise there are pictures to come when I can get my act together. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The food was phenomenal, if I do say so myself, but having a group of some of my favorite people around for hours, including a pre-party bonus visit from a friend who no longer lives here, is really hard to beat. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">New Year's Eve, and the holiday season in general,</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> was so memorable, in fact, that I felt the need to document it in writing. I'm certain I won't be embarrassed in the least to relive these memories in years to come.</span></span>Madelainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05945052223213292557noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24925976.post-20043483174935946272012-11-21T13:59:00.001-08:002012-11-21T14:00:13.061-08:00Thanksgiving Thoughts<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This will be my first ever Thanksgiving in Richmond, not to mention the first ever Thanksgiving meal made in my own kitchen. And don't get me wrong, I'm comfortable in my own kitchen, but Thanksgiving is such a food-centric holiday that it's been hard not to stress out about it.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span> <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do you know how many ways there are to cook a turkey? There are many, and almost as many ways to prepare the turkey before it even goes into the oven (or fryer, or grill...). It's completely overwhelming, especially if you've never done it before, and that's just the turkey.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span> <span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">I've made my cranberry sauce, and have managed to check off everything on my list up to this point. It seemed as though everything was going fine until this morning. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span> <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I acquired my 20-pounder from Tomten Farm, and it's big and beautiful. Since it's a heritage bird, and they can sometimes be lean, I opted to <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/roasted-thanksgiving-turkey-recipe/index.html" target="_blank">brine</a> it.</span></span><br />
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</span> <span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">This morning I flipped the bird over, which was not an easy feat, and managed to permeate the indestructible surface of the brining bag. There was salty liquid all over the bottom shelf of the fridge, and the floor, and it was too early for me to do anything except clean it up and shove the entire thing in a Febreze-scented trash bag. Here's hoping we don't have a Febreze-scented Thanksgiving.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span> <span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">If any of you are interested in a nontraditional Thanksgiving meal, this recipe for <a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/asian-beef-with-basil" target="_blank">Asian Beef</a> (courtesy of Lyndsey) gave me something to look forward to earlier this week. The flavors are exotic and mouthwatering. I'd post pictures, but have run out of space in the blog, and am hoping to do a recap later this weekend when I figure everything out. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span> <span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">And finally, here's a healthy reminder of what this holiday is all about, from an <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/chefsexperts/interviews/sam-sifton" target="_blank">interview</a> with the wise Sam Sifton:</span></span><br />
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</span> <span style="background-color: white; color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;">"It is this one meal a year when the nation stops, gathers together in groups of family and friends, and pauses to say thanks, to give thanks—not necessarily to God or country or the farm or whatever, but always to one another, to the fact of the family, or the gathering."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span> <span style="background-color: white; color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;">Enjoy it, even if your turkey doesn't give off the aroma you're used to smelling on Thanksgiving.</span>Madelainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05945052223213292557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24925976.post-49432207195781832012-11-20T13:43:00.002-08:002012-11-20T13:48:08.863-08:00Finishing October<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It seems incredibly long ago now, but the second half of October was just as sweet as the <a href="http://madaboutfood.blogspot.com/2012/10/october.html" target="_blank">first</a>. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, and not just because of the copious amounts of candy. I love the spirit of imagination and spookiness associated with October 31st, and try to celebrate it as much as I can every year.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpqrch3eDOB0_fzn7g6VT63g0ZaxOfV_m3Ywa0zZKUvKJlB_urm5VibNM6dU8D5_7J_VvPf4MWFGlUMKdwgzuPz4O7Ymzbi644ItAj9ud_ZFN_KmmLRWSzbMTevcrfQXoZIB9sFA/s1600/jack+o+lantern.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpqrch3eDOB0_fzn7g6VT63g0ZaxOfV_m3Ywa0zZKUvKJlB_urm5VibNM6dU8D5_7J_VvPf4MWFGlUMKdwgzuPz4O7Ymzbi644ItAj9ud_ZFN_KmmLRWSzbMTevcrfQXoZIB9sFA/s320/jack+o+lantern.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was originally going to make <a href="http://lululuathome.com/2012/10/halloween-owl-cupcake-2.html" target="_blank">these owl cupcakes</a> for book club (we read <i>The Perks of Being a Wallflower</i>), but the hurricane interfered, so they stood doubled as Halloween cupcakes. The chocolate cake recipe is definitely a keeper, and spreading Nutella over the cupcakes in lieu of frosting is a delicious substitute. My owls had Reeses Pieces eyes and beaks.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Halloween is also meaningful to me because it's my parents' anniversary, and this year we celebrated their milestone with a brandy whipped cream-filled cake made by </span><a href="http://www.sophiasonmarket.com/" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Sophia</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">. It was just as heavenly as it looks.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSAOO-RrZZTLH2wTAeazlWAhRlWbALBvwBlHNNqabHPMi8d3XN1UqSz-P-QC5HivaOoDCVq8qIs023KBeLXeACAnjd8iLaMki7WoW2yCmhcdDd5Suz5uIs7SRqaegkSkimx5H2TQ/s1600/sophia+cake.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSAOO-RrZZTLH2wTAeazlWAhRlWbALBvwBlHNNqabHPMi8d3XN1UqSz-P-QC5HivaOoDCVq8qIs023KBeLXeACAnjd8iLaMki7WoW2yCmhcdDd5Suz5uIs7SRqaegkSkimx5H2TQ/s320/sophia+cake.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For an extra treat, Evan and I took Joe and Gayle to the new <a href="https://www.facebook.com/charsrestaurant?fref=ts" target="_blank">Char's</a>, which I can't recommend highly enough. Every single detail was exquisite.</span></span></span></span></div>
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</span> <span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I hope October was just as enjoyable for all of you!</span></span></span>Madelainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05945052223213292557noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24925976.post-5518030174161778532012-10-18T13:54:00.002-07:002012-10-18T13:56:54.472-07:00Salads and Giant Turnips<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I know Tomten Farm is doing something right, because I'm not a big salad eater, but have been eating them nonstop for the past few weeks. Our fall CSA has been very enjoyable so far, and this week's share seemed extra plentiful because of the GIANT turnips we received. Or maybe not the turnips as much as their green tops. They're longer than our dishwasher! Check them out:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tonight I'm going to utilize the turnip greens (or some of them) in Smitten Kitchen's <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2012/10/pancetta-white-bean-and-swiss-chard-pot-pies/" target="_blank">pancetta, white bean and chard pot pies</a>. Yum.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But back to the salads... </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I wrote about the <a href="http://crepesofwrath.net/2012/10/01/radish-salad/" target="_blank">radish salad</a> in my <a href="http://madaboutfood.blogspot.com/2012/10/october.html" target="_blank">last post</a>, and have since made it again with mizuna and salad turnips instead of arugula and radishes. I love how simple and adaptable it is.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The October issue of <i>Bon Appetit</i> is one of my favorites in awhile, and I marked several recipes in it. I've already managed one - <a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/quick-recipes/2012/10/roasted-pepper-and-onion-salad-with-blue-cheese" target="_blank">Roasted Pepper and Onion Salad with Blue Cheese</a> - and it's definitely a keeper for autumn and winter. We ate it with feta instead of blue cheese, because neither of us are too fond of blue cheese and I had feta, and I thought it worked nicely. It would be great for an easy lunch or light dinner with a good loaf of bread.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For the first time in awhile, I made homemade dressing that wasn't just olive oil and lemon juice or vinegar. In fact, this dressing didn't even have olive oil in it, and it's a new favorite. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Of course, after I put it together on Sunday to bring to Shannon and John's for dinner, I left it at home. We ate the salad itself (<a href="http://www.sproutedkitchen.com/home/2012/10/9/butter-lettuce-salad-with-tahini-honey-dressing.html" target="_blank">butter lettuce salad with tahini-agave dressing</a> from Sprouted Kitchen) with the dressings Shannon had, and it was still tasty. Avocado makes everything better. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I used agave instead of honey and parsley instead of chives in the dressing, omitted the sprouts, and finished off our head of butter lettuce and used frisee to fulfill the needed quantity of leafy greens. The dressing is garlicky, slightly sweet with a sour edge from the lemon, and nutty from the tahini, and none of the flavors overwhelm each other. I made the amount suggested in the recipe, which is twice what you need (or just a substantial jar full to have on hand if you forget it in your fridge), and have been enjoying it all week.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Normally I associated salads with spring and summer, but they're totally having their moment at our house this fall. Hopefully the above recipes will inspire you to join in on the fun!</span></div>
Madelainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05945052223213292557noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24925976.post-29482909898985807132012-10-11T13:58:00.002-07:002012-10-11T13:58:45.796-07:00October<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Growing up, my mom always made my brother and me feel extra special around our birthdays. Partly because all of her family members were late getting us cards and gifts, and partly because it made the celebration that much more fun, we had a "birthday month" surrounding the actual day. This involved the aforementioned delayed gifts and cards, special dinners, and treats scattered throughout the month. I made a point of carrying that tradition through college and into my life with Davy, and happily acknowledge all of my friends' birthday months as well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;">Now that my wedding anniversary falls six days before my birthday, there's another reason to love October, and this year in particular, it's been especially wonderful. Below are pictures of some of the many highlights I've already experienced so far this month, and I can't wait to see what's in store for the rest of it.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Baby Paige, my 11-month-old soulmate, who loves dinnertime as much as her mom and I do</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.veramar.com/" target="_blank">Veramar Vineyard</a>, a winery Davy and I visited during a weekend trip to Berryville, VA in honor of our anniversary</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fantastic anniversary dinner prepared by my husband: grilled halibut, grilled potatoes, and this delicious <a href="http://crepesofwrath.net/2012/10/01/radish-salad/" target="_blank">arugula and radish salad</a> that I can't wait to make again</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">anniversary gift label (by Davy)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Costco cake to end one of my most favorite meals ever - a surprise birthday dinner at <a href="http://www.lvaccanto.com/" target="_blank">Accanto</a></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4r4_ibPoZQQf7FNlODRtQF_y6KGM9PH2HrYbudaeflEEUPk9CwlFYwNW2IE8kXyEnBMKxQmCMgG-1Si7aUh5w5OlTkgLv36lfjYARofzKHB3-uAt1aBY6MKteyh1BrmGF4kES2w/s1600/bday+dinner.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #073763;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4r4_ibPoZQQf7FNlODRtQF_y6KGM9PH2HrYbudaeflEEUPk9CwlFYwNW2IE8kXyEnBMKxQmCMgG-1Si7aUh5w5OlTkgLv36lfjYARofzKHB3-uAt1aBY6MKteyh1BrmGF4kES2w/s1600/bday+dinner.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">birthday dinner at home: fresh fettuccine with local spicy Italian sausage, ricotta, and CSA broccoli raab</span></td></tr>
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Madelainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05945052223213292557noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24925976.post-36092204507538085122012-09-28T13:30:00.000-07:002012-10-15T05:49:54.403-07:00Finally<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We all know I am not a <a href="http://madaboutfood.blogspot.com/2011/10/fall-csa-weeks-2-and-3.html" target="_blank">fan</a> of <a href="http://madaboutfood.blogspot.com/2011/09/fall-csa-week-1.html" target="_blank">eggplant</a>. What we didn't know was that chopping into small pieces, drying it out with salt, browning it in olive oil, and baking it with other vegetables and orzo would make it tolerable, and maybe even (gasp) <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2012/09/baked-orzo-with-eggplant-and-mozzarella/" target="_blank">desirable</a>. </span><br />
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</span><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Making Smitten Kitchen's baked orzo recipe may have marked a turning point in my kitchen. The eggplant in this dish enhances the texture of the cheese and pasta, adds a pretty shade to the color palette, and hardly tastes anything like itself. I followed the recipe almost exactly, and loved the results. The only alterations I made were laying sliced tomatoes on top instead of dicing them and mixing them in, and substituting whole wheat orzo. Now I won't have to give away every single CSA eggplant we receive. Just most of them.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJIPhvBWx-ucKO1a-U_4qWKlIQ_GDRkQHKBEx05ACg91tXi5RLAYjaplFkNFzF0bx50SARcf1JvyJMRMuYrTE_S0oc0e2ntF5LFahgJnxnFCKx5f6xsLDMndfllkhjr-mVGqJ7mA/s1600/chopped+car,+on,+cel.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJIPhvBWx-ucKO1a-U_4qWKlIQ_GDRkQHKBEx05ACg91tXi5RLAYjaplFkNFzF0bx50SARcf1JvyJMRMuYrTE_S0oc0e2ntF5LFahgJnxnFCKx5f6xsLDMndfllkhjr-mVGqJ7mA/s320/chopped+car,+on,+cel.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Chopped onion, garlic, carrot, and celery</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7cp4SWzG85roCZKKlq95TK8hucikWlml1vklanaD9pUmQSDhhOoquYY-2reTJRy9fl5zkmwkRmDufJwx38XkqwMzJbm97YKqbHZe1Sf7GO2XSHtJbc346ZnuBTv3OJrwrf05ieg/s1600/orzo+mixture.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7cp4SWzG85roCZKKlq95TK8hucikWlml1vklanaD9pUmQSDhhOoquYY-2reTJRy9fl5zkmwkRmDufJwx38XkqwMzJbm97YKqbHZe1Sf7GO2XSHtJbc346ZnuBTv3OJrwrf05ieg/s320/orzo+mixture.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pre-baked mixture</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs-t0DOx0fSFfR65XgDA16wSD0yjgQ2Wuszs6o1AcGPpW5D59360Utm61q9yz6DRl_GpgkjdYxSjI63K7oPRJCizBNqj9DUAT3HCrguYbO2b1CMhWFl2cW_yn0zVLfbhY89D1iVg/s1600/baked+orzo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs-t0DOx0fSFfR65XgDA16wSD0yjgQ2Wuszs6o1AcGPpW5D59360Utm61q9yz6DRl_GpgkjdYxSjI63K7oPRJCizBNqj9DUAT3HCrguYbO2b1CMhWFl2cW_yn0zVLfbhY89D1iVg/s320/baked+orzo.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Finished product (two days later, just out of the fridge)</span></td></tr>
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Madelainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05945052223213292557noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24925976.post-61850469187322226612012-09-21T14:08:00.001-07:002012-09-21T14:08:12.411-07:002 for 1<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I love a good sale as much as anyone, especially when it's a BOGO (an acronym I learned from my dear friend Shannon). And while I promise to never sell you anything from my blog, I would like to feature two separate culinary experiences to make up for last week's neglect.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The first, which actually happened second, involves late summer tomatoes from my parents' garden, CSA sweet and hot peppers, half an onion, the oven, and one of my favorite kitchen tools. I tossed the vegetables in olive oil, salt, and pepper, then roasted them at 450 for about twenty five minutes. When they were sufficiently browned and sizzling, they got a very quick immersion blend treatment, and I added fresh avocado and cilantro. </span><br />
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</span> <span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There aren't any pictures because it's not pretty to look at, but the resulting salsa-type mixture is a compelling combination of summer and autumn that can be eaten in or on just about anything, including a spoon.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Earlier in the week, we tried <a href="http://www.525rva.com/" target="_blank">525 At the Berry Burk</a> with a couple friends, and we were all very pleased with our meal. I started with the Four Mushroom Spinach Salad, which had a sufficient amount of mushrooms, fresh spinach and a lemon vinaigrette. The vinaigrette, while effectively tart, was somewhat creamier than I expected, but still satisfying.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Davy and I shared three small plates, and were thrilled with all of them. The seared scallops with sweet pea and lobster risotto may have been my favorite dish of the evening, though the ceviche and duck confit spring rolls were also beautifully prepared.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Our server was both attentive and well-versed in the history of the building and development of the restaurant, which set a very nice tone for the evening. </span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My one concern with 525 at The Berry Burk is that it wasn't very crowded, so go see the newly renovated space for yourself sometime soon!</span><br />
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</span>Madelainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05945052223213292557noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24925976.post-80366115514607919412012-09-07T14:27:00.000-07:002012-09-07T14:36:30.606-07:00Dessert for Breakfast<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My standard, eaten-at-my-desk, weekday breakfast is one of two combinations: whole wheat toast with peanut butter, or yogurt with cereal or granola and (often) Craisins. Or it was, until I discovered this <a href="http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/06/26/peach-breakfast-bake/" target="_blank">Peach Breakfast Bake</a> via Pinterest yesterday.</span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It looked easy enough to prepare, healthy enough to pass as the most important meal of the day, and I happened to have a ripe peach at home. Voila! A special Friday breakfast, made ahead of time, and reheated in the office kitchen.<br />
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<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg66onkUpq1vLN8pgVu4cPGltslrRBF2Ur30irRFYvIbbjFKLv3hDFUipAOICszAAd4CQxh4TqG8ssjUkyrVxiwmtBsYrELgZgJesiaXXTFIofflI0Nfj74QY0DuDvcj_PSi9G_Ng/s1600/peaches.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg66onkUpq1vLN8pgVu4cPGltslrRBF2Ur30irRFYvIbbjFKLv3hDFUipAOICszAAd4CQxh4TqG8ssjUkyrVxiwmtBsYrELgZgJesiaXXTFIofflI0Nfj74QY0DuDvcj_PSi9G_Ng/s320/peaches.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh5A-cT_C2-L4aiOaoQCXiei7CahJ4S4yCMsYb8Zacy_nNYKkcnqi4Ev-jNZeBZIVWY8LyGHae-K7n1jsbPpRyKdIQwrCtjE_IDWJhFbQkpD1KL-9pl9Q3LLqHr60RbxufLzIKnA/s1600/peach+breakfast.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh5A-cT_C2-L4aiOaoQCXiei7CahJ4S4yCMsYb8Zacy_nNYKkcnqi4Ev-jNZeBZIVWY8LyGHae-K7n1jsbPpRyKdIQwrCtjE_IDWJhFbQkpD1KL-9pl9Q3LLqHr60RbxufLzIKnA/s320/peach+breakfast.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This really does taste enough like luscious fruit cobbler to satisfy an early morning dessert craving (don't judge - it's not chocolate). Peaches may not be in season for much longer, but I'm certain that this would work well with apples or various other types of fruit.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I consumed about a third of the portion shown above, and am already anticipating next Monday at 9 AM to have another round. Well, anticipating may be a strong word, but my new favorite breakfast will certainly take the edge off of any work day morning.</span><br />
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<h2>
<strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Peach Breakfast Bake </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">(adapted from <a href="http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/" target="_blank">Chocolate-Covered Katie</a>)</span></span></strong></h2>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">(Serves 2-3)</span></div>
<ul style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.983333587646484px; list-style: square; margin: 0px 0px 1.538em 1.538em; padding: 0px;">
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1 1/4 cups sliced peaches</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1/4 tbsp lemon juice</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1/4 tbsp cornstarch</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1/4 tsp cinnamon</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">3/8 cup shredded wheat, crushed (I used the Trader Joe's version)</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1 tbsp plus 1 tsp brown sugar</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1 tbsp applesauce (For a more buttery taste, replace this with an extra tbsp of the margarine)</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">small amount of vegetable oil, if desired</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1/8 tsp salt </span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">yogurt for serving</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.983333587646484px; margin-bottom: 1.538em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Preheat oven to 350F. Mix the peaches, lemon, cornstarch, cinnamon, 1/2 the salt, and 1/2 the sugar in small oven-proof serving dish. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let the mixture rest for ten minutes. </span></span><br />
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</span> <span style="background-color: white; color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, stir the crushed cereal, remaining sugar, remaining salt, and applesauce in a bowl until well-blended. If it seems to be dry, pour in a small amount of vegetable oil. Top the peaches with the cereal mixture, and bake for 20-30 minutes.</span></span></div>
</span></span></span></span></span>Madelainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05945052223213292557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24925976.post-18516515517643239982012-08-31T11:57:00.001-07:002012-08-31T11:57:50.031-07:00CSA Meals - The Times They Are A-Changin'<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As I mentioned <a href="http://madaboutfood.blogspot.com/2012/08/csa-takeaway-week-17.html" target="_blank">yesterday</a>, the last few weeks of August have been overwhelming in the best way. Simultaneously, work is getting busier, and I've been thinking about ways to improve my blog. I'm interested in making a change and streamlining the content so I'm not just dumping a week's worth of meals into one post.</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Excitement is not always the first thing I feel about my writing my weekly CSA summaries, but </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">last week Davy and I joined forces to make a truly dynamite dinner. Aside from feeling satisfied because it was healthy, uncomplicated and composed of mostly local ingredients, I couldn't wait to share it. This led me to the idea of reporting on a "meal of the week," be it one I've made, a restaurant visit, or any memorable experience involving food. </span></span><br />
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</span></span> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;">As our summer share comes to a close, I thought I'd start the transition with the dinner that inspired me. </span></span><br />
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</span></span> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;">Our air conditioning was finally fixed last week, and I didn't waste any time firing up the oven (<a href="http://sweetpeaskitchen.com/2012/08/15/nutella-creme-pies/" target="_blank">these</a> were the first on my list). Once I got some baking out of my system, I made use of our cool kitchen to make sherry cherry tomatoes, a favorite in our house that's been neglected this year. I've written about them before, and am happy to share the recipe if any of you are interested.</span></span><br />
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</span></span> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;">It helps to start with homegrown or CSA cherry tomatoes, and the different colors made the end result even more attractive.<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsbgNEVrs_odJbgYjenjLgmeMqJq3ZKZu4cnLNY-PpK0Agc1XBaKClkLHNEfm4jmB1zXNiwJO6vwz2xIA5EKLqzhJisBn3jW710S4ZN-Ec5L9GoozpvYGk1V3UXPj6CbqvUQvoFQ/s1600/cherry+tomatoes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #660000;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsbgNEVrs_odJbgYjenjLgmeMqJq3ZKZu4cnLNY-PpK0Agc1XBaKClkLHNEfm4jmB1zXNiwJO6vwz2xIA5EKLqzhJisBn3jW710S4ZN-Ec5L9GoozpvYGk1V3UXPj6CbqvUQvoFQ/s320/cherry+tomatoes.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9EBhujsxu-iIJriHyQ0o-AEy_6xbnQUmEftrxHO3ArlleaqSpjnePkgG5j5RGq6JOcKz9e_kPioOEuaKpgVjKWNMjcQNkLuPlCSJLYZVZYGj3n6fCw1RrVacEuSbhAU4KFgPkTg/s1600/sherry+cherry+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #660000;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9EBhujsxu-iIJriHyQ0o-AEy_6xbnQUmEftrxHO3ArlleaqSpjnePkgG5j5RGq6JOcKz9e_kPioOEuaKpgVjKWNMjcQNkLuPlCSJLYZVZYGj3n6fCw1RrVacEuSbhAU4KFgPkTg/s320/sherry+cherry+(1).JPG" width="320" /></span></a></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy8Wv6buibGCqwtaQn1es3tm0rwWTUvdxtf_BvT5rlUtWtZN2mpiCI1o-hU0KhSgt1isRKUw8BWarol3pQKorlumFLe-dsz8nmIzXVFMg02Lu5K_UOuQHvda4q-8mi8SnRRNcCAA/s1600/sherry+cherry+tomatoes+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #660000;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy8Wv6buibGCqwtaQn1es3tm0rwWTUvdxtf_BvT5rlUtWtZN2mpiCI1o-hU0KhSgt1isRKUw8BWarol3pQKorlumFLe-dsz8nmIzXVFMg02Lu5K_UOuQHvda4q-8mi8SnRRNcCAA/s320/sherry+cherry+tomatoes+(2).JPG" width="320" /></span></a></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;">I love this recipe because it's extremely versatile, and could be eaten as a main course, snack, or side dish, served over pasta, smushed on top of crusty bread, mixed into a salad, or scooped up with a fork under a layer of broiled cheese. On this particular night, we chose to grill thick slices of Billy Bread in order to more efficiently shovel the tomatoes in.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGpfcMLC39inRVko6CGv_iGvOZPjRL2HoUb1swz-jzxp4zCmdqVUcutE2y8WVRMPtM2Bh6SDHzBG1X9P0mqACeJY2LxXwyH_JfQjPg4GwwHp1_b9kEysoaEurG72qckkXhQetZ_w/s1600/billy's+bakery+bag.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #660000;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGpfcMLC39inRVko6CGv_iGvOZPjRL2HoUb1swz-jzxp4zCmdqVUcutE2y8WVRMPtM2Bh6SDHzBG1X9P0mqACeJY2LxXwyH_JfQjPg4GwwHp1_b9kEysoaEurG72qckkXhQetZ_w/s320/billy's+bakery+bag.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While both of us probably could have subsisted on sherry cherry tomatoes alone, I'd also gotten a beautiful piece of rockfish from Yellow Umbrella (they also supplied the bread). Before Davy took it out to the grill, </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I adorned it with olive oil, sprigs of thyme, a spritz of lemon juice, and minced Thai chili peppers. It was extremely tender and the flavors added just enough without overpowering the fish. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The before and after are below.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMwYaevRBH1uUAkmC-H70myjP7FdwBKQ-4PxfacodVrjEUnadDzM1djC2tBLUyhhVPcgR3YWRymW_kmMw9FtjCA8-YXXsTZuBSldhfrbtAhLT5otAoZQKWcoSoFtKHlbzfwHCtrg/s1600/rockfish.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #660000;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMwYaevRBH1uUAkmC-H70myjP7FdwBKQ-4PxfacodVrjEUnadDzM1djC2tBLUyhhVPcgR3YWRymW_kmMw9FtjCA8-YXXsTZuBSldhfrbtAhLT5otAoZQKWcoSoFtKHlbzfwHCtrg/s320/rockfish.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL8mSPlp3k19goLVDfn4ri6hbG9Ut9J5y1HrGjiqrWYOPGGF89Dt6g0A1Jv33StsaQEXuiLV0TNdhVMSsqtA7cSklLeLKzJ8GJxKKlglg-SBy2q_VAolnaHzwpaj7y9gmIVNeIfg/s1600/grilled+rockfish.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #660000;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL8mSPlp3k19goLVDfn4ri6hbG9Ut9J5y1HrGjiqrWYOPGGF89Dt6g0A1Jv33StsaQEXuiLV0TNdhVMSsqtA7cSklLeLKzJ8GJxKKlglg-SBy2q_VAolnaHzwpaj7y9gmIVNeIfg/s320/grilled+rockfish.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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</span> <span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At this point you're probably sick of hearing me talk about padron peppers, but I can't help myself. We grilled those, too, and they were even better than they were blistered in a pan (which I wasn't sure was possible).</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlyBT6jY4BBVCsrrzEaALz9r0bQMn_X27zeBEwHOurkNtD986ZYcbXbmjsEWevRNUw-XLesXvSf8wX-qK2-5CEaPI4HvLNyriZ4D-o34jUm5xB7NsoVmsa1MvA_KEEeUEaq1tJzg/s1600/padron+peppers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #660000;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlyBT6jY4BBVCsrrzEaALz9r0bQMn_X27zeBEwHOurkNtD986ZYcbXbmjsEWevRNUw-XLesXvSf8wX-qK2-5CEaPI4HvLNyriZ4D-o34jUm5xB7NsoVmsa1MvA_KEEeUEaq1tJzg/s320/padron+peppers.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWHmc1g4Em0677jBUJOW0B4dlMuID9xNmQUFfATxBCAzZvp3IA3sT70VDnF8SlalhHAOgOo9sKbsHxzhZYIg5ZLoNOZAARN2LP1gBdE1y9kIR_8pmQveLSD1FKWx1Kzv809jRqaw/s1600/grilled+padrons.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #660000;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWHmc1g4Em0677jBUJOW0B4dlMuID9xNmQUFfATxBCAzZvp3IA3sT70VDnF8SlalhHAOgOo9sKbsHxzhZYIg5ZLoNOZAARN2LP1gBdE1y9kIR_8pmQveLSD1FKWx1Kzv809jRqaw/s320/grilled+padrons.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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</span><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There's nothing revolutionary about this meal, but it served as a timely reminder to me that simple is often better, in food and in writing.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Have a happy Labor Day weekend!</span></span></span></span></span></span>Madelainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05945052223213292557noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24925976.post-17584840039637772102012-08-30T11:12:00.001-07:002012-08-30T11:12:39.499-07:00CSA Takeaway - Week 17<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Between fantasy football drafts, Davy's birthday, book club, Tex's birthday, and a trip to Chincoteague for Labor Day, I haven't had much time to think. Some emergency Amy's macaroni and cheese hit the spot last night for a late dinner, along with a big salad featuring carrots, cucumber, sweet pepper, and edamame. Everything that doesn't get eaten before tomorrow, which will probably be most of the following is going to come with us for the weekend:</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- various sweet peppers</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- various hot peppers</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- red onion</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- okra</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- salsa kit </span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- rosemary</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- carrots</span><br />
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Madelainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05945052223213292557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24925976.post-50673673512096150312012-08-24T12:56:00.002-07:002012-08-24T13:13:49.840-07:00CSA Meals - Week 15<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's never easy to come back from vacation, especially after a week-long trip to the beach that involves multiple gourmet dinners. This year's features were steaks on the grill, lobster, breakfast for dinner, shrimp pasta, and the ever-popular <a href="http://madaboutfood.blogspot.com/2011/08/pizza-night.html" target="_blank">pizza night</a>. Cary and Brian outdid themselves yet again, with the traditional margherita, a spicy jalapeno and pepperoni pie, and an extra special clams casino pizza.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJUMIpODHtl4VQLSdP8tKgkaZXIyoe-FLQGBna5lZJapOebY9_EsSTRlxeAz9LJ8ZU2guQT8tKrvwzaijVrU57pSwvnmsodxWDtBVc5CGZTbRy5ANUAZMIpVONmKsgzfowkEENhw/s1600/jalapeno+pizza.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJUMIpODHtl4VQLSdP8tKgkaZXIyoe-FLQGBna5lZJapOebY9_EsSTRlxeAz9LJ8ZU2guQT8tKrvwzaijVrU57pSwvnmsodxWDtBVc5CGZTbRy5ANUAZMIpVONmKsgzfowkEENhw/s320/jalapeno+pizza.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jalapeno Pepperoni</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn7mMG7pVvFcFjipFsCmZTJ5otVOyZrALd90xpLzxPNILJ5TYmFe2cgn03DGb3h9hiaIEUmpS3mx2cNdB0bHnYxOmqUgvzBEO7k-pnei1WOmXVRhBG_VmSmmAgSwWbW6SVCeI5kQ/s1600/clams+casino+pizza.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn7mMG7pVvFcFjipFsCmZTJ5otVOyZrALd90xpLzxPNILJ5TYmFe2cgn03DGb3h9hiaIEUmpS3mx2cNdB0bHnYxOmqUgvzBEO7k-pnei1WOmXVRhBG_VmSmmAgSwWbW6SVCeI5kQ/s320/clams+casino+pizza.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Clams Casino</span></td></tr>
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</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The back-to-reality blow was even harder this year since our house was still without air conditioning. I was hoping to score some </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burrata" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">burrata</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> from River City Cellars to eat with fresh tomatoes and ease our pain a little bit, but, sadly, they were out of it. Instead I took home two other varieties of cheese and a new jar of spicy plum chutney, and we had another dinner with bread, cheese, Hungarian salame, and steamed edamame.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sticking with the stove-free theme, I made a <a href="http://www.glamour.com/health-fitness/2010/12/healthy-recipes-get-out-of-your-lunch-rut?currentPage=2" target="_blank">chickpea salad</a> later in the week, minus the lettuce wraps. The poblano peppers from our share, which I diced and added at the last minute, added a little heat and extra crunch to the dish.<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5E1TQ7NABK_eO1MdlLbGJdd6V4d9f5ftmr-09vE2gn49WbTcx3TP5oQjISpZoE-5lkYohEmR2ZZq_NZQ5LfuGQGICl2b7kgaHOt0CTbDMHfTZyvBfYILuw6HiXVdsbSukD2IFIA/s1600/chickpea+and+avocado+salad.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5E1TQ7NABK_eO1MdlLbGJdd6V4d9f5ftmr-09vE2gn49WbTcx3TP5oQjISpZoE-5lkYohEmR2ZZq_NZQ5LfuGQGICl2b7kgaHOt0CTbDMHfTZyvBfYILuw6HiXVdsbSukD2IFIA/s320/chickpea+and+avocado+salad.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I put together another lettuce-free salad for lunch one day, inspired by this recipe for <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/2012/08/mediterranean-chopped-salad-with-tomatoes-peppers-feta-basil.html?ref=search" target="_blank">Mediterranean Chopped Salad</a> from Serious Eats. Instead of onion, I added some garlic to the dressing, and was pleased with the results. I rarely think to add much besides oil and vinegar or lemon juice when I'm making dressing, but the presence of mustard makes a big difference.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwBjEbtW1NY_DxXGXMviTmBhKcf8GgApUGs6JIr38-Hcbmfc6YgJMJE6MYgb4rs9n7aVTIfwH6k9Qr-CaQ5XEglNZQk2MgO_14Tcpy8z4WJFP0kSUAuaiiFSJHsuA8x-WzqcLzMg/s1600/Med.+chopped+salad.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwBjEbtW1NY_DxXGXMviTmBhKcf8GgApUGs6JIr38-Hcbmfc6YgJMJE6MYgb4rs9n7aVTIfwH6k9Qr-CaQ5XEglNZQk2MgO_14Tcpy8z4WJFP0kSUAuaiiFSJHsuA8x-WzqcLzMg/s320/Med.+chopped+salad.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrHYisObW3iJ6WiCRcro5MOLt9R8HI5RrskWpRzgvlgWk_zvzpYi6_ndAeyJg_ZCEzXabB4sAC1ZgEtfomQTB38eY-W7_WjgpsResfHDDnqU1-Oo8CQd7RfNb8ZxNkXZwCrPYLvA/s1600/Med.+chopped+salad+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrHYisObW3iJ6WiCRcro5MOLt9R8HI5RrskWpRzgvlgWk_zvzpYi6_ndAeyJg_ZCEzXabB4sAC1ZgEtfomQTB38eY-W7_WjgpsResfHDDnqU1-Oo8CQd7RfNb8ZxNkXZwCrPYLvA/s320/Med.+chopped+salad+2.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br />
</span> <span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One of my favorite annual events, the Hanover Firefighters Crab Feast, took place on Saturday. My parents made their second appearance, and Evan made the drive north to participate.</span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span> </span><br />
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifX_RoR8jyoxKLT5mr1vyKqOVUkVVBdQ09uEGi9Tm0clD_s-5aESg8W05gfFMOqd7EhmF88iN5nRN8aSddjGabbLj6Jc6t8nA6AIatNmCSwumBibbn4GvWQzBOulKeElPNMvCLNA/s1600/crab+feast+2012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifX_RoR8jyoxKLT5mr1vyKqOVUkVVBdQ09uEGi9Tm0clD_s-5aESg8W05gfFMOqd7EhmF88iN5nRN8aSddjGabbLj6Jc6t8nA6AIatNmCSwumBibbn4GvWQzBOulKeElPNMvCLNA/s320/crab+feast+2012.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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After the copious amounts of crab and beer, and even a few hot dogs, we relaxed, ordered a pizza, and munched on raw Dragon Tongue beans, which were sweet and crisp.<br />
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By Monday, Davy and I ended our oven moratorium. The weather was slightly cooler, and he put together an impressive pan of nachos with ground chicken, a few tomatoes, sweet peppers, salsa, lettuce, cilantro, and plenty of cheese. The oven was on at 450 degrees for fifteen minutes or so, and we barely suffered (only the cheese melted).</span></span></span></span></span>Madelainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05945052223213292557noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24925976.post-81304423821793057992012-08-23T07:43:00.002-07:002012-08-23T07:43:59.482-07:00CSA Takeaway - Week 16<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Amy mentioned in her latest email that there are only two weeks left in the summer CSA, and I'm still in shock. How is August almost over? I know it's been cooler, and the days are noticeably shorter, but I'm still holding on. There are still plenty of tomatoes and peppers in our share, and I'm going to enjoy as much as possible while I still can. This week, we received:</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- assorted sweet peppers</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- assorted hot peppers</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- yellow roma tomatoes</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- purple and red cherry tomatoes</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- carrots</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- eggplant</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- padron peppers (Amy was kind enough to give these to me instead of okra)</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- a fragrant bunch of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuberose" target="_blank">tuberose</a>, pictured below</span><br />
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Madelainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05945052223213292557noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24925976.post-86444760189260913142012-08-15T07:35:00.002-07:002012-08-15T07:35:51.406-07:00CSA Takeaway - Week 15<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnCP-LSbbNRrkmuj-8C_6AgCkDYSrLOj5TzLLJ93HmWjGq4kIyrVMKSaROBI0PYrmJMk1FQ0FmW9ECEChN6X17QD4QjerWDMFbS86bnnBMvvG5U_OAnNqhjBJzsbYjnCZDB8o5fw/s1600/bean.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnCP-LSbbNRrkmuj-8C_6AgCkDYSrLOj5TzLLJ93HmWjGq4kIyrVMKSaROBI0PYrmJMk1FQ0FmW9ECEChN6X17QD4QjerWDMFbS86bnnBMvvG5U_OAnNqhjBJzsbYjnCZDB8o5fw/s320/bean.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pictured to the left is a Dragon Tongue bean - an heirloom variety that, according to Amy, can be treated like a green bean. We also received:</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- new potatoes</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- yellow cherry tomatoes</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- "Jimmy Nardello" heirloom sweet peppers</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- poblano peppers</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- onion</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- a few other sweet peppers</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- Juliet tomatoes (a "petit roma")</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- figs, which I bought from <a href="http://epicgardens.com/" target="_blank">Epic Gardens</a></span>Madelainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05945052223213292557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24925976.post-87535950690362812492012-08-03T13:45:00.003-07:002012-08-03T13:51:17.495-07:00CSA Meals - Weeks 12 and 13<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's normal to make a big pot of soup when your air conditioning breaks at the end of July, right? The heat of the stove certainly doesn't increase the temperature of the kitchen and surrounding rooms to the point that you just want to leave your house.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm not sure making soup in the summer is a good idea even with functioning central air, but I had a significant number of vegetables to work with, and wasn't creative enough to think of another use for them. I chopped potatoes, scraped corn off cobs, cut ribbons of Tex's chard, sliced carrots, and minced garlic in preparation. </span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To start, I sauteed the garlic in olive oil in my dutch oven, added the carrots and potatoes to brown them a bit, and then dumped in a mixture of chicken stock, water, and some diced tomatoes that were taking up freezer space. Rosemary, thyme, and a parmesan rind went into the broth to add some flavor, and I let everything simmer for a couple of hours. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When I turned off the heat (to Davy's relief), I stirred in a can of rinsed cannellini beans, corn kernels, and the chard. </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYgLYD4MdFYuU-k_aEDZzCp5F8r90mlUt7Dx3EyEYnnXcCp35mZ79i5CUJTzlWEFS0B41OLBHl6QVVs023-7fZ-7To9UURli8T0cl5GOAGkfUXXPru3mmXbyVIkXkqkiUCcyLHA/s1600/veggie+soup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #073763;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYgLYD4MdFYuU-k_aEDZzCp5F8r90mlUt7Dx3EyEYnnXcCp35mZ79i5CUJTzlWEFS0B41OLBHl6QVVs023-7fZ-7To9UURli8T0cl5GOAGkfUXXPru3mmXbyVIkXkqkiUCcyLHA/s320/veggie+soup.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;">The soup rested in the fridge over night, and on Sunday, I made a cross between <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gremolata" target="_blank">gremolata</a> and pesto by blending lemon zest, basil, garlic, and olive oil to add a little bit of freshness and citrusy tang.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVgg6Rh4upNHaLfY-8vRpgagj957tVs25G2V-dFsrjeuETm189BDrDlVVCDSh4ZRYNVLDQ-cYls3laj9QlUQt70_T9eBUD40I72J17O9bwNevK1uogiNgfpJnC0WKYVo7R_Ibjjw/s1600/gremolata.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #073763;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVgg6Rh4upNHaLfY-8vRpgagj957tVs25G2V-dFsrjeuETm189BDrDlVVCDSh4ZRYNVLDQ-cYls3laj9QlUQt70_T9eBUD40I72J17O9bwNevK1uogiNgfpJnC0WKYVo7R_Ibjjw/s320/gremolata.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;">What I should have made, instead of soup, was something like the Vietnamese chicken salad that we ate earlier in the week. I don't have the source of the recipe, but it includes chicken, napa cabbage, scallions, cilantro, and peanuts. I added grated carrots, and the dressing contains fish sauce, sesame oil, and sugar. It's quick, light, and especially satisfying served over rice noodles.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8OgdT8HPrJdkYRn0A0Vo_wbRefsDtpsmnKtxMB0et_7EYjcijiDchGUA4mFp7k-k-ABPCpZsxJfJ0Ukb9BNgNNOjHI4z8JeJdjYbdJiC5I5AoVtwI-mVx27HzRHxEmKn0BgCIOw/s1600/vietnamese+chicken+salad.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #073763;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8OgdT8HPrJdkYRn0A0Vo_wbRefsDtpsmnKtxMB0et_7EYjcijiDchGUA4mFp7k-k-ABPCpZsxJfJ0Ukb9BNgNNOjHI4z8JeJdjYbdJiC5I5AoVtwI-mVx27HzRHxEmKn0BgCIOw/s320/vietnamese+chicken+salad.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;">To go with the salad, we tested out the Padron pepper method I <a href="http://madaboutfood.blogspot.com/2012/07/csa-takeaway-week-12.html" target="_blank">mentioned</a>, and it worked beautifully. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsQvxyqXVcSxVPVUOPYksW7pi-vrX55u-DIKMqqX5Z67Qa3GgSu3FHhKpixvRAJ9eNCp9WXiaFfHsu6TtoJlTr87y8lYgfUwFwsbcrjQB7lwPRUFdb0782cRo_1byR8cC341FmwQ/s1600/padrons+-+seared.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsQvxyqXVcSxVPVUOPYksW7pi-vrX55u-DIKMqqX5Z67Qa3GgSu3FHhKpixvRAJ9eNCp9WXiaFfHsu6TtoJlTr87y8lYgfUwFwsbcrjQB7lwPRUFdb0782cRo_1byR8cC341FmwQ/s320/padrons+-+seared.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On average, about one in every ten pepper is supposed to be extremely hot, and the bunch that we got fit that standard. The few that were spicy hit me in a surprising rush of heat and saltiness, which only made me want to eat more.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Luckily, Amy had more Padrons available this week, and Davy and I made another round on Tuesday night. In the interest of not turning our kitchen into a room-sized oven, we ate Hungarian salami, a few cheeses from <a href="http://caromontfarm.com/" target="_blank">Caramont</a>, and a makeshift bruschetta with yellow cherry tomatoes and basil marinated in olive oil and balsamic vinegar.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN1qiFdjb5w-rn38i3CGyth1E9pP81_d_JT5SrjIl8KFoV9LazJCEMxD0GrrIsQVJUTmB7BN-dMSyZqwTQtCJ9CkZkTOZRiiaR8SnLZdJ0lzcEgBQCWG7RxHDVTiIqApUnoZ8x2w/s1600/tomatoes+-+bruschetta.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #073763;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN1qiFdjb5w-rn38i3CGyth1E9pP81_d_JT5SrjIl8KFoV9LazJCEMxD0GrrIsQVJUTmB7BN-dMSyZqwTQtCJ9CkZkTOZRiiaR8SnLZdJ0lzcEgBQCWG7RxHDVTiIqApUnoZ8x2w/s320/tomatoes+-+bruschetta.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHCFuAKIl-QUz869E3aYeWtf0iuCFflJ0xgOl_K6KRs4c5zml29MoU7fg4zxAAoT92Q3KYaNkOs4HP5xuhg4pl_YkAgUhf-7i-FaRYo9yHrM8uq7bMMkgbOHLbnXlvuoBpiImEXQ/s1600/meat%252C+cheese%252C+bruschetta%252C+peppers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #073763;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHCFuAKIl-QUz869E3aYeWtf0iuCFflJ0xgOl_K6KRs4c5zml29MoU7fg4zxAAoT92Q3KYaNkOs4HP5xuhg4pl_YkAgUhf-7i-FaRYo9yHrM8uq7bMMkgbOHLbnXlvuoBpiImEXQ/s320/meat%252C+cheese%252C+bruschetta%252C+peppers.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I will admit to making pasta a few times, despite the unofficial stove ban, but all of our tomatoes were practically begging me to make fresh pasta sauces. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There may have been a few tomato and feta sandwiches thrown in as well, which only require the brief, contained heat of a toaster oven.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;">We're leaving for the Outer Banks tomorrow, and I'm looking forward to bringing the rest of our share and using a kitchen to its fullest capacity without worrying about the temperature ramifications. Have a wonderful week!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Madelainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05945052223213292557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24925976.post-90275003963074146252012-08-02T12:53:00.001-07:002012-08-02T13:19:39.340-07:00CSA Meals - Week 11<div>
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I once participated in a conversation with a group of people, including a vegetarian friend, about why she decided to give up meat and how she went about it. She said something that's stayed with me, which was that her family didn't center their dinners around meat every night. </span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It struck me that, despite the fact that I consider myself to be a healthy eater, I normally start planning meals based on the protein rather than the vegetables. Even though I think about my friend's words fairly often, I never made much of an effort to put the idea into practice.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Three or four years have passed since then, and this is the first CSA season in which I'm really noticing a difference in the way I approach cooking and eating. I'm getting better about using our fresh, weekly produce items as building blocks instead of side dishes.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We still had potatoes from Week 10 and ate them thinly sliced, off the grill. Davy always manages to season them perfectly, and they accompanied grilled tile fish and raw green beans.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Wednesday marked a turning point in the summer. I was completely worn out from the heat, and had no desire to make dinner until I saw the cover of my neglected <i>Bon Appetit</i>. August's <a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2012/08/tomato-feta-open-face-sandwich" target="_blank">cover recipe</a> is an open-faced tomato and feta sandwich. I'm not sure why I hadn't thought of it before, but it's a genius way to feature ripe tomatoes. <span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLEhNVHEUBMtbMSsiF_52vE6_8I66dLdYqG4yzx9ShDn_M1M7eFRjEt8c0liGTN7VVEQmHBFGDi0cxWj9uW9AMpK9TKc4b7g-15MQVrJwbVdnM5ZCfmyaxFALEv4sCRe2j4vucLA/s1600/Tomato+slices.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLEhNVHEUBMtbMSsiF_52vE6_8I66dLdYqG4yzx9ShDn_M1M7eFRjEt8c0liGTN7VVEQmHBFGDi0cxWj9uW9AMpK9TKc4b7g-15MQVrJwbVdnM5ZCfmyaxFALEv4sCRe2j4vucLA/s320/Tomato+slices.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I didn't even have to go to the store to make these for dinner now that we have an oregano plant, and Davy and I both loved them. </span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The simplicity of this method even allowed me the time to chop a bell pepper and cucumbers from my parents' garden to use throughout the week. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For not saving that much time, I certainly felt like I'd accomplished a lot whenever I took out the prepared vegetables.<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqw4uMZSFtpn65qx1Qglakoi-puiNBHyJAehNuW-VRJ0iqxeH7lqhSYJvhApSnparOGXh7YdGahbsy3LFjVwxbYylO9y45smvC73BgTSmg3vo_USdfFHtAxXj-QmJuQ1jGmpK5Zw/s1600/Chopped+cuc+and+pepper.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqw4uMZSFtpn65qx1Qglakoi-puiNBHyJAehNuW-VRJ0iqxeH7lqhSYJvhApSnparOGXh7YdGahbsy3LFjVwxbYylO9y45smvC73BgTSmg3vo_USdfFHtAxXj-QmJuQ1jGmpK5Zw/s320/Chopped+cuc+and+pepper.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We used some of them for a chopped salad with tomato, feta, and basil alongside pork nachos, and more the next night in a salad when we ordered pizza.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The weekend highlights were limited to two more rounds of tomato and feta sandwiches, along with leftover grilled potatoes converted into homefries, and a lemony <a href="http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/angel_hair_pasta_with_shrimp_and_lemon_cream_sauce/" target="_blank">shrimp pasta dish</a>.<span style="color: #0c343d;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVvcE3XgTDUu5xkqSwqSPwkOqcQ7hIn3pXbtW7MfJDchxUFUlwjs0Io1PZ-AUkuLmjdgf4wgRtEQ02dHbtzJ5MiQwdEjSDwqinOuV3Krt9Mx1ovpSbCv2EQiVhSlWSz8BOxAYhVw/s1600/shrimp+pasta.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVvcE3XgTDUu5xkqSwqSPwkOqcQ7hIn3pXbtW7MfJDchxUFUlwjs0Io1PZ-AUkuLmjdgf4wgRtEQ02dHbtzJ5MiQwdEjSDwqinOuV3Krt9Mx1ovpSbCv2EQiVhSlWSz8BOxAYhVw/s320/shrimp+pasta.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On Tuesday, I went home during my lunch break and made a salad with tomatoes, corn, avocado, hard-boiled egg, lime juice, basil and olive oil.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggN_eWjwrTeG1cnjx1OxiErwej9C25vs-Oxl5ZnVKyUpyjQGYwOOWnij9lvAjJjoTW9gnKqT0sKOFAKE0om4Eby27sdQeS1sokmt_Bh8iOhGOzwxepFe32L7hZwAd0YX22rg33HA/s1600/salad+mishmash.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggN_eWjwrTeG1cnjx1OxiErwej9C25vs-Oxl5ZnVKyUpyjQGYwOOWnij9lvAjJjoTW9gnKqT0sKOFAKE0om4Eby27sdQeS1sokmt_Bh8iOhGOzwxepFe32L7hZwAd0YX22rg33HA/s320/salad+mishmash.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The salad was not only flavorful and refreshing, it also allowed me to clear several items from my fridge before they were past their prime, and not once did the thought of starting with meat cross my mind.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Madelainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05945052223213292557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24925976.post-82922360532622790482012-08-01T14:00:00.002-07:002012-08-01T14:00:46.922-07:00CSA Takeaway - Week 13<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8OaZkfWejaDs_tVPUD-OYHYbTb2PWCWdF2arHb23rqpt1hmGt25XhgQDRXrxEYwdY4tpAPWaMcOvAIzqdp9H2H7yvbLSBzOHW7iqP9uyh5jJJOjPDD8EBWpIPuOm8lg-Y-FNZrg/s1600/edamame.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8OaZkfWejaDs_tVPUD-OYHYbTb2PWCWdF2arHb23rqpt1hmGt25XhgQDRXrxEYwdY4tpAPWaMcOvAIzqdp9H2H7yvbLSBzOHW7iqP9uyh5jJJOjPDD8EBWpIPuOm8lg-Y-FNZrg/s320/edamame.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When I pulled the soy bean stalks out of our CSA bag, I nearly jumped up and down in excitement. Edamame are one of my favorite healthy snacks and addition to recipes. We also got:</span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- more padron peppers</span><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- sweet bell peppers</span><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- an onion</span><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- cherry tomatoes</span><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- slicing tomatoes</span><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- green beans</span><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- hot peppers (one of which is a mature Padron)</span></span></span><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Madelainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05945052223213292557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24925976.post-34542848035043801342012-07-25T12:05:00.002-07:002012-07-25T12:05:59.803-07:00CSA Takeaway - Week 12<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzQr8ftK8HVHDikALaou1c1N_2cL4L3JzJCuGQqs7QgecOtv22SrLodZEjRFwHrbnBIPLAkn8oAFBf6fDSgs6TSjAWFQOIXq1W4oOMKj5mQkRIbhXpUbZiZuFriNOXQihCbhGLXw/s1600/yellow+tomatoes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzQr8ftK8HVHDikALaou1c1N_2cL4L3JzJCuGQqs7QgecOtv22SrLodZEjRFwHrbnBIPLAkn8oAFBf6fDSgs6TSjAWFQOIXq1W4oOMKj5mQkRIbhXpUbZiZuFriNOXQihCbhGLXw/s320/yellow+tomatoes.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Can you guess what's in the bowl pictured to the left? I'll give you a hint - there are two types of tomatoes and a more traditional fruit (which we did not get in our share). In addition to the two types of tomatoes shown, we also got yellow cherry tomatoes called Snow White, basil, carrots, and sweet bell peppers. I passed corn and a canary melon off to Josh and Caitlin since I'd just bought six ears of corn at Ellwood Thompson's.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Amy had cartons of healthy-looking <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Padr%C3%B3n" target="_blank">Padron peppers</a>, which I've eaten at both Secco and <a href="http://madaboutfood.blogspot.com/2012/04/tapas-in-nyc.html" target="_blank">Boqueria</a>, and she was generous enough to give me after she saw me eyeing them. I can't wait to try <a href="http://honestcooking.com/2011/07/22/the-best-way-to-enjoy-padron-peppers/" target="_blank">blistering</a> them in olive oil and enjoying them in the comforts of my own home.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In case you're still reading, this is what's in the photo above: yellow plum tomatoes (Golden Rave variety), pink heirloom tomatoes, and nectarines. I couldn't get over how similar the nectarines look to the pink heirlooms!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1vOOzUDKbLTxiuANWByq2TLqTI_130hYbkuDWxhmErK8-wPXDzqdklVcbBuJb3nTv1Ol0hz11wc2oQvJqtGjqYmAnBQYVVD76jRn_6iIXap7npCivAcoA-oqDfVIug8HyQDKmEA/s1600/peppers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1vOOzUDKbLTxiuANWByq2TLqTI_130hYbkuDWxhmErK8-wPXDzqdklVcbBuJb3nTv1Ol0hz11wc2oQvJqtGjqYmAnBQYVVD76jRn_6iIXap7npCivAcoA-oqDfVIug8HyQDKmEA/s320/peppers.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To the left is a picture of last week's sweet peppers, which I neglected to include in both posts about Week 10. We received another sweet pepper yesterday, though this one is a pretty, light green bell pepper. We also got: carrots, new potatoes, eggplant (given to Carrie), onion, yellow and green beans, sungold cherry tomatoes, and a mix of cherokee purple, yellow and red tomatoes.</span>Madelainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05945052223213292557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24925976.post-24060003440515672802012-07-18T12:15:00.001-07:002012-07-18T13:25:39.681-07:00CSA Meals - Weeks 9 and 10<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm officially in holycowit'smid-Julywhereisthesummergoing? mode. The last couple of weeks went by in a whirlwind of celebration, relaxation, and travel.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Our <a href="http://madaboutfood.blogspot.com/2012/07/csa-meals-week-8.html" target="_blank">house guests</a> were in Richmond through the 4th of July, which meant that the annual party benefited from Lyndsey's extreme chopping talent. She used some of her salvaged cabbage and carrots, and our CSA red onion, to compile a simple, pretty <a href="http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/tangy-mustard-coleslaw-10000001809093/" target="_blank">coleslaw</a>. If you don't believe me, the proof is in the photo below; it looks like bagged slaw mix sliced by machine, but it was all done by a skilled hand.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglH6sA2aFsch_mOJ5UY5IpFlZAVUB6GRx3PpyHzwVJkiracZmzB3Uvplxzmo9zB0OEnsjR8wnNZD1ti1wJBpgv21KVni78sFBDtAXe6Het0OsNhrFLYO5o82yayyWNjugVgaiffA/s1600/chopped+slaw.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglH6sA2aFsch_mOJ5UY5IpFlZAVUB6GRx3PpyHzwVJkiracZmzB3Uvplxzmo9zB0OEnsjR8wnNZD1ti1wJBpgv21KVni78sFBDtAXe6Het0OsNhrFLYO5o82yayyWNjugVgaiffA/s320/chopped+slaw.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;">In the meantime, I put together a haphazard pasta salad with roasted summer squash, mozzarella, and several basil leaves (pictured). The rest of the basil was made into pesto the following week.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht9PY1IsnryHe4foaXvvy4rxSnIBLOwUY741rP4wpXfN4eqLPZprUOIvJxkrsPyXrlx5VWvhbr-a5d4pl9TaRLi7BKM-ncybolP5LYpqYRJePbtuw6iRWUKn0RTVKuNdAfrJGj5A/s1600/basil.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #073763;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht9PY1IsnryHe4foaXvvy4rxSnIBLOwUY741rP4wpXfN4eqLPZprUOIvJxkrsPyXrlx5VWvhbr-a5d4pl9TaRLi7BKM-ncybolP5LYpqYRJePbtuw6iRWUKn0RTVKuNdAfrJGj5A/s320/basil.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I believe my contribution was eaten, but it wasn't very noteworthy compared to the slaw and several of the other dishes gracing Tex's air-conditioned kitchen.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We recovered from the holiday in Seabrook, SC, and our first dinner there was a group effort that incorporated components of our share from Week 9. Davy and I steamed the yellow and green beans, and made <a href="http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/cumin-pepper-flank-steak-with-horseradish-chimichurri-10000001860144/" target="_blank">flank steak with chimichurri sauce</a>, which was decent. Keith and Carrie's dish, however, outshone ours, and the cucumber and cherry tomatoes we brought added a lot to the <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/roasted-shrimp-and-orzo-recipe/index.html" target="_blank">roasted shrimp and orzo</a> salad. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At the end of the meal, we added the remaining steak and beans to the salad to keep it going for lunch the following day.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In an attempt to clean out our fridge a little before the next round of CSA produce, I repeated a <i>Splendid Table</i> recipe from the spring (<a href="http://www.publicradio.org/columns/splendid-table/recipes/spring-vegetables-white-beans-bay.html" target="_blank">Spring Vegetables and White Beans Scented with Fresh Bay</a>). Instead of spinach, I used dandelion greens - courtesy of Lyndsey and Travis, chicken stock instead of vegetable broth, and added some freshly made pesto. The "stew," as Lyne Rosetto Kasper and Sally Swift call it, was light and garlicky, and had an earthy flavor from the greens and carrots.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTa7wWdzo84Rwi0GFlO8b0jXQtf57DStmZkQRgVzb7cmqSyMDGQ9W0WBXTANCAu3IpVx5o8MIMdsPZ1GOBhBAkPCulHhFaC3CO7EVtti2O3OsqAdJCl2RJWonZyavZ7WFBg6qDlA/s1600/carrots.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTa7wWdzo84Rwi0GFlO8b0jXQtf57DStmZkQRgVzb7cmqSyMDGQ9W0WBXTANCAu3IpVx5o8MIMdsPZ1GOBhBAkPCulHhFaC3CO7EVtti2O3OsqAdJCl2RJWonZyavZ7WFBg6qDlA/s320/carrots.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By some miracle, I managed to make caramel for <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Turtle-Brownies-105940" target="_blank">turtle brownies</a> the same night. The bubbling corn syrup and sugar were mesmerizing, and made a delicious sweet topping for the fudgy brownies. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCQPbbu3h7LlUR612hdLIz17WpUcTAYqgNJD2FVFgV_cM_drhP2GYg-Qg4McCSKWkT9Ijgdd55i2g5V4dDhcVW_zlgqDB6ada324GShVw1-FKbPelc8MkK4Xs2iKCUYjZazu5r3A/s1600/caramel.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCQPbbu3h7LlUR612hdLIz17WpUcTAYqgNJD2FVFgV_cM_drhP2GYg-Qg4McCSKWkT9Ijgdd55i2g5V4dDhcVW_zlgqDB6ada324GShVw1-FKbPelc8MkK4Xs2iKCUYjZazu5r3A/s320/caramel.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Davy and I whittled away at our cherry tomato and mesclun salad mix supply with a few green salads throughout the week, adding different ingredients depending on what we had and what was appealing at the time. <br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was visiting family in Harrisburg over the weekend, and we brought a big cucumber and tomato salad over to my grandma's for dinner on Sunday night. There were sungolds, slicing tomatoes, sweet peppers, and cucumbers from my share, and different types of herbs, tomatoes and cucumbers from my parents' CSA and garden. My mom and I worked on the salad together, and dressed it with a little olive oil, red wine vinegar, and sugar.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Despite the fact that it feels like summer is already slipping away, I know that there are many more meals and memories to be made over the next couple of months.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Madelainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05945052223213292557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24925976.post-46967355681046673112012-07-11T07:44:00.002-07:002012-07-11T07:45:30.163-07:00CSA Takeaway - Week 10<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-cdlxQUGb9030fa2EChoQyyx2nk-S_622HIG_4g0M3rTGS8QkUKUJ5ZUUkG5_xYf986_Dvl1lKAkt58dqZPBoPnhYzipJU9Fi9m6ThgZN_CmXwVBxamthCGeTc3s3t8daiXlEw/s1600/slicing+tomatoes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-cdlxQUGb9030fa2EChoQyyx2nk-S_622HIG_4g0M3rTGS8QkUKUJ5ZUUkG5_xYf986_Dvl1lKAkt58dqZPBoPnhYzipJU9Fi9m6ThgZN_CmXwVBxamthCGeTc3s3t8daiXlEw/s320/slicing+tomatoes.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All of the heat and rain produced a lot of large, bright red tomatoes. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We also got plenty of everything below:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">sungold cherry tomatoes</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- mesclun salad mix</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- new potatoes</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- sweet peppers</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We still have a couple cucumbers to work with, and I'm anticipating at least a few variations of my beloved cucumber and tomato salad. That, and some succulent pork sandwiches with the remaining 4th of July pig meat.</span><br />
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</span></span></span></span></span>Madelainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05945052223213292557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24925976.post-87839777848320911752012-07-03T09:22:00.000-07:002012-07-11T07:45:04.852-07:00CSA Takeaway - Week 9<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Today I'm picking up:<br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- green beans</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- sungold cherry tomatoes</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- two types of melons</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- eggplant (here we go)<br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- slicing tomatoes</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- carrots</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- basil</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- red onion</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday, and eats something delicious. We'll be indulging in another <a href="http://madaboutfood.blogspot.com/2011/07/4th-of-july-pig.html" target="_blank">pig</a>. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Happy 4th of July!</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Madelainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05945052223213292557noreply@blogger.com0