CSA 2013 Week 20

Week 20 Bounty:
Brussels Sprouts
Assorted tomatoes
Peppers
Greens Mix
Beets
Yellow Potatoes
Onions
Eggplant
Winter Squash
Arugula
Kale


It has been a while and I just realized that I failed to ever post about our last regular season share.  All of these dishes were superb.  The chili is a mainstay at our house.  The Pizza with Arugula we have enjoyed previously, but this time we added prosciutto.  The truffled mashed potatoes were scrumptious.  It really was one wonderful meal after another!

Meal #1 (chard, garlic, onion, kale)
Stir Fried Swiss Chard with Spicy Honey Cashew Sauce2 tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, pressed with a garlic press
1 medium size onion, sliced
4 kale leaves, roughly chopped
2 Swiss chard leaves, roughly chopped
1 carrot, julienned
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp garam masala
4 green onion stalks, minced
8 fresh basil leaves, torn
1/2 cup cashews (I used raw, unsalted), chopped well
1 inch nub of ginger, grated
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Sriracha (substituted chili pepper)
Chop the cashews with a nut chopper or food processor until broken into teeny, tiny pieces and some particles are powdery. In a small bowl, mix well together the ginger, honey, and soy sauce. Heat a small nonstick pan over medium heat. When the pan is hot, toast the cashew pieces for about 2 minutes until fragrant and golden. Stir often to avoid getting the cashews burnt. Pour the wet mixture all over the cashews and turn the heat down to medium low. Stir well for about a minute, making sure all cashew pieces are coated with the sauce. Add the Sriracha and stir for another minute. Move pan away from heat. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, sauté the garlic until fragrant and golden brown. Throw in the onions and sauté until soft and almost caramelized, about 4 minutes. Toss in the kale and Swiss chard and cook, stirring often, until it wilts, about 3 minutes. Add the carrots and cook for 2 minutes, stir often. Mix in the spice mixture and stir well. Turn off the burner and remove pan from heat. Throw in the green onions and basil leaves, mix well. We mixed the nuts and greens together and served over rice. * Recipe adapted from Let's Cook and Be Friends blog

Image from annmariavolpi.com

Meal #2 (arugula, basil)
Pizza con Rucola/Arugula
Whole wheat Trader Joe's pizza crust
Frozen pesto cubes from the freezer, thawed
Sliced fresh mozzarellla

Prosciutto
Arugula
Spread pesto on crust, added mozzarella slices and prosciutto and baked at 400 degrees for 12 minutes. Added arugula just before serving.

Meal #3 (brussels sprouts, garlic, scallions)

Pork and Brussels Sprouts Stir Fry

3 tablespoons oil1/2 pound boneless pork loin chops, cut into 1/4-inch thick strips
1 pound brussels sprouts, halved2 scallions, whites and greens sliced separately
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Heat 1 tbsp. oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add pork and cook until golden; transfer to plate. Add remaining 2 tbsp. oil and sprouts to pan; cook, stirring occasionally, until brown and tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Add scallion whites and garlic; cook 1 minute. Add soy sauce, brown sugar and 1/4 cupwater; cook until sauce is slightly thickened. Return pork to pan and toss to coat. Top with scallion greens. *Recipe from rachelraymag.com

Meal #4 (tomatoes, bell peppers, garlic)

Image from kalynskitchen.com

Vegetarian Black Bean Chili

3 cans black beans
2 yellow or green bell peppers
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
5 to 6 medium-sized garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon lime juice
two 4 oz. canned diced green chiles (or 1-2 medium-sized minced Anaheim or poblano chiles)
2 teaspoons dried basil (or 1 tablespoon fresh basil)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste
1/2 cup tomato puree
Heat oil in skillet. Add garlic and all other seasonings, lime juice, bell peppers, and chiles. Sauté over medium heat until peppers and chiles are tender (about 15 minutes). Add sauté to beans and tomato puree. Simmer covered over low heat for about 20 min., stirring occasionally. Serve with dollop of light sour cream, sprinkle of cheese, or without any toppings. We served with taco chips. *Recipe from FitSugar.com.

Side (potatoes)

I do not even remember what we served this with, but know that we still have some in the freezer and I cannot wait to break them out again!  We used real black truffle, shaved, that we brought back from a trip to Italy last year.  We spent $20 on what would cost us around $100 for the same here in the U.S.  As for the recipe, we cut out the dill as we wanted to just let the truffle work it's magic!

Rustic Truffled Mashed Potatoes with Garlic and Dill

2 pounds Idaho russet potatoes (~4 big ones, wash but do not peel)
1 heaping teaspoon table salt
4-5 garlic cloves, peeled
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons truffle oil (yes, I know it is ridiculously expensive!)
1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill (or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried dill weed)
Scant 1/2 teaspoon flaked sea salt (may need more)
Grinding of fresh black pepper
A fresh black truffle, if you can afford it (optional)
Place potatoes and salt in medium pot. Fill with water so it comes to about 1-1 1/2 inches above potatoes, and bring to a boil. Throw in garlic cloves, partially cover pot and turn heat down so it is just boiling (not furiously boiling). Boil 18-20 minutes. Remove lid and poke a bamboo tester or toothpick into potatoes to make sure they are done. If done, drain water and leave potatoes and garlic in the pot. To the pot, add butter, oil, dill, salt and pepper, and mash a bit with a potato masher. Put lid back on pot and let potatoes rest about 3-5 minutes, so butter can fully melt into the hot potatoes. Uncover pot and mash with potato masher further, until you have desired consistency. I like to leave them a bit rustic; not too smooth. As you mash, the potato skin will break up charmingly. Taste and adjust for salt, adding a bit more if you need it. Remember, you can always add more salt, but it is difficult to repair a dish that is too salty, so go slow on the salt. Put lid on pot and let rest until serving time. At serving time, grate some fresh truffle over each mound of mashed potatoes on plates, and be sure to serve with a dramatic flourish. If you don’t have fresh truffle, that’s OK. There will still be plenty of truffle flavor infused from the truffle oil. Just make a mental note to save up for a fresh truffle, at least once in your life. Serves 4-6, depending on appetites. * Recipe from shockinglydelicious.com

Other (beets, eggplant, sqush, greens)
Beets roasted, pureed and frozen
Eggplant roasted, pureed and frozen
Squash roasted, pureed and frozen
Greens, steamed, pureed and frozen

CSA 2013 Week 14

Image from Scotch Hill Farm, Broadhead, WI

Week 14 Bounty:
Tomatoes
Arugula
Peppers
Melon
Squash
Okra
Green beans
Basil
Cucumber
Chard

Meal #1 (squash, eggplant)
We enjoyed these with some Italian sausages.  They were delicious.  We make sure to make them small and thin so they crisp up or the kids don't like them.

Zucchini/Eggplant Cakes
1 whole Large Zucchini
1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
1/2 cup (to 3/4 Cup) Breadcrumbs
1/2 cup 4-cheese Italian Blend (or Parmesan Or Romano)
2 whole Eggs
Kosher Salt To Taste
Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
Olive Oil
Wash and cut the end off of one large zucchini. Shred it using the large holes of a cheese grater. Squeeze the shredded zucchini inside of a clean towel until you’ve removed as much liquid as possible. Place shredded zucchini into a medium sized bowl. Add minced garlic, breadcrumbs, cheese (shredded), eggs, kosher salt and pepper to taste. Stir with a fork until well mixed. Heat olive oil (about ¼ inch deep in bottom of skillet) to a medium heat. When the oil is hot enough drop a glob of zucchini batter into the skillet and flatten it a bit. After about two minutes, turn the cakes over ( they should be nice golden-brown) and cook on the other side until done (about 2-3 minutes). Serve with the dipping sauce of your choice and enjoy!  *Recipe from thepioneerwoman.com

Meal #2 (arugula)

My husband, Allen, loves pizza with arugula and this effort was well worth it!
Pizza con Arugula

Whole wheat Trader Joe's pizza crust

Frozen pesto cubes from the freezer, thawed

Sliced fresh mozzarellla

Arugula

Spread pesto on crust, added mozzarella slices and baked at 400 degrees for 12 minutes.  Added arugula just before serving.

Meal #3 (chard, onion, garlic, parsley)

This was not a hit with the little ones, but Allen and I enjoyed it.
Honey Lemon Salmon with Parsley Rice and Swiss Chard
4 tbsp lemon juice, separated
1 tbsp honey (21g)
2 salmon fillets
About 1/2 lb raw Swiss chard, chopped
1/2 onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups of cooked rice
About 1/4 cup fresh parsley, separated
Kosher Salt
Cook rice according to package directions. Season salmon fillets with salt and pepper. In a separate pan, add 1 Tbsp of olive oil and onion slices. Heat on medium, stirring every so often so they don't stick or burn in the pan. When they start to get soft add the Swiss chard. Lower heat slightly. Toss occasionally as the Swiss chard cooks down. While the Swiss chard cooks, combine honey and lemon juice in a small bowl. Set aside. When the Swiss chard is tender transfer to a serving bowl. This process should take about 15-20 minutes. If you like very wilted Swiss chard add about 1/4 of water to pan when cooking to speed up the steaming process. Wipe out pan and add 1 tsp of olive oil. Heat on medium. When hot add salmon fillets. Cook for about 5 minutes on each side. When the salmon is almost done add the honey/lemon sauce to pan. Cook for about 1 minute longer for the sauce to thicken. Be care not to burn the honey (I turn the heat to low at this point). To plate add 1/2 of the Swiss chard to the center of the dish. Place salmon on top of the Swiss chard and top with a few sprinkles of fresh parsley.  Add remaining parsley to rice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve on the side. * Recipe from lifeonfood.blogspot.com

Sides (basil, garlic, green beans, okra)

Some fabulous repeats to stock up the freezer.
Basil Walnut Pesto
2 cups packed basil leaves
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons softened butter (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
Place basil, olive oil, walnuts, garlic and salt (if using) in food processor. Blend until thoroughly combined. Add Parmesan and butter (if using) and blend 5-10 seconds more. Just before serving, add 2 Tbsp of hot pasta water from cooked pasta. Serve over pasta with bread and salad.* Recipe by dahlia at Food.com

"Bean" Dip
1 cup cashews
2 cups green beans, cleaned and ends removed
2 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp oil (I used olive)
2 tsp onion powder
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
Dash cayenne pepper
Soak 1 cup cashews in water for 30 minutes. Drain most of liquid, but not all. Puree 1 cup soaked Cashews into a paste. Leave cashew paste in your food processor or blender and add the remaining ingredients. Puree everything together until well blended. * Recipe adapted from www.addictedtoveggies.com

Easy Indian Style Okra (for the freezer)
1 pound sliced fresh okra (about 1/2 inch thick)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garam masala
salt to taste
1 medium onion, chopped
3 Tablespoons oil
Place the sliced okra in a large ziploc bag, add cumin, ginger, coriander, garam masala, pepper and salt. Freeze. When ready to eat, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook until tender. Add frozen, spiced okra and stir for a few minutes, then reduce the heat to medium-low, and cover the pan. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until okra is tender. It may take longer depending on size of okra. *Recipe adapted from CALIGAL76 at allrecipes.com

Other (melon, tomatoes, cucumber)
Melon with lunch
Leftover - tomatoes and cucumber

CSA 2013 Week 1

Week 1 Bounty:

Photo from Scotch Hill Farm, Broadhead, WI

Lettuce Mix
Red Iceberg Lettuce
Nancy Butterhead Bibb Lettuce
Bok Choi
Leeks
Carrots
Spinach
Arugula
Oregano

Gift of goat cheese




Meal 1: arugula, pesto, tomato sauce
Pizza with Proscuitto and Arugula
This is one of Allen's favorite pizza's that he enjoyed in Italia.  We used a Trader Joe's whole wheat pizza crust.  As we still have things left in the freezer from the 2012 share, we used some of our homemade pesto and some tomato sauce for the base pizza sauce.  It was topped with mozzarella cheese and prosciutto, then baked for about 10 minutes at 450 degrees.  The arugula was added once it was removed from the oven.

Side Salad (Lettuce Mix and Nancy Butterhead)
with oil and balsamic dressing

Meal 2: 
bok choi, carrots, celery, onion, red iceberg
Chicken Stir Fry with Bok Choi

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons coconut oil, divided
1 bunch bok choi
1 cup sliced heirloom celery
1 cup thinly sliced carrot
1 small onion, cut into wedges
1 cup water
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granule
Cut chicken into 1/2 inch strips; place in a resealable plastic bag. Add cornstarch and toss to coat. Combine soy sauce, ginger, and garlic powder; add to bag and shake well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. In a large skillet or wok, heat 2 tablespoons oil; stirfry chicken until no longer pink, about 3-5 minutes. Remove and keep warm. Add remaining oil; stir fry broccoli, celery, carrots, and onion for 4-5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add water and bouillon. Return chicken to pan. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.

Side Salad (Red Iceberg) with Balsamic Honey Dressing
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. dijon-style mustard
1 tsp. honey
1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
1 shallot/small onion, minced
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
In a small bowl whisk all ingredients to combine orput all ingredients in a jar and shake to combine. Use immediately or keep, covered and chilled, up to one week. Makes 2/3 cup dressing. * recipe from about.com

Meal 3: leeks, onion
Bacon, Egg and Leek Risotto
6 cups low-sodium chicken stock or vegetable broth
1 cup (4 ounces) finely chopped bacon (from about 4 slices) or pancetta (we used 8 slices)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large or 3 smaller leeks, quartered lengthwise, cleaned of grit, and chopped small
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more to fry eggs
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
2 cups arborio, carnaroli, or another short-grained Italian rice
1/3 cup dry white wine or vermouth
1 cup finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish if desired
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 to 6 large eggs, you’ll want one per serving
Place stock or broth in a small-medium saucepan over very low heat on a back burner. You want to have it heated until steamy when you add it in a bit, but not so much that it simmers and loses volume. Heat a second medium saucepan (3 quarts) or skillet over medium heat. Add bacon or pancetta and cook until it renders its fat, and is tender and just barely crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl and set aside, leaving whatever dripping you can in the pan. Add a tablespoon of oil to the bacon fat if needed, then add the leeks. Cook leeks on medium-low for 10 to 12 minutes, until softened and mostly tender. Transfer to bowl with bacon and set aside, leaving stove on. Add butter to pan and, once melted, cook onion in butter until translucent and tender, about 5 minutes. Add rice and cook sauté until faintly toasted, about 4 minutes. Add wine or vermouth and cook until it almost disappears, about 2 minutes. Ladle 1 cup of hot broth into the rice mixture and simmer until it absorbs, stirring frequently. Add remaining broth 1/2 cup at a time, allowing broth to be absorbed before adding more and stirring frequently until rice is al dente, about 25 to 30 minutes. What you’re looking for in well-cooked risotto is a creamy but loose dish. When ladled onto a plate, it should spill into a creamy puddle, not heap in a mound. You might need an extra splash of broth to loosen it. When you achieve your desired texture and tenderness, stir in the cheese, bacon and leeks. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into serving bowls. Then, quickly, in a small skillet, heat a pat of butter over medium-high and swirl it to coat the pan. Crack one egg into the skillet, season with salt and pepper and reduce heat to medium. I like to cover the skillet with a small lid at this point, as it seems to help the egg cook faster and more evenly. In one minute, you should have a perfect sunny-side-up egg. Transfer to your first bowl of risotto and repeat with remaining eggs. Garnish each with an extra bit of grated parmesan and eat immediately. * Recipe from smittenkitchen.com

Meal 4: spinach, oregano, sage
This was our kid-friendly meal of the week.  We had hot dogs and spaetzle with oil and oregano.  The kids enjoyed fried sage and Allen and I enjoyed steamed spinach. We started growing herbs this year, mostly sage and basil because we just can't get enough of either.  We used the first sage harvest for the kids.  This meal was a huge hit!

Steamed Spinach
Rinse spinach, add to pot with small amount of water on low heat, cover.  Cook for a short time - watch carefully so as not to burn it.  I added a bit of oil butter and nutmeg.

Fried Sage
Heat oil in pan, add whole sage leaves.  Remove when they just begin to brown and place on paper towel.  Add small amount of salt.

Gifted: goat cheese
A kind neighbor helped us out, so they were thrilled when we shared our goat cheese with them in thanks!

Arugula Endive Salad with White Wine Vinaigrette

This was really not for the kids, but my husband and I enjoyed it thoroughly!

For the vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons white wine
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
For the salad:
4 ounces arugula
2 heads of endive, chopped
1/3 cup toasted walnuts
Directions for vinaigrette:
Mix the wine, lemon juice, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper in a blender. With the machine running gradually blend in the oil. Season the vinaigrette to taste with more salt and pepper, if desired.
Directions for the salad:
In a large bowl combine the arugula, endive, and walnuts. Toss with 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette to coat and adding more vinaigrette, if desired. Serve immediately. Any remaining vinaigrette can be saved in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days and should be brought up to room temperature before using. * Recipe from Giada De Laurentiis at food.com

CSA Share Week 19

Another delicious culinary trip!  We went away for a long weekend, so we had to cram a lot of cooking into three days.  But they were very successful endeavors.  

We do have potatoes (and sweet potatoes from Week 18) still left from this bounty.  I haven't decided yet if I will pan fry them, bake them or make them into a soup.  Our freezer seems so full of many soups and we have a little one who sees soup and says yuck!  But I do love a good hearty potato and bacon soup.  

Week 19 Bounty:

Photo courtesy of Scotch Hill Farm, Broadhead, WI

Arugula
Mustard Greens 
Red Norland Potatoes
Tomatoes
Kale
Celery
Brussels Sprouts
Onions 
Cilantro 
Turnips
Bell Peppers

Meal #1: onions, kohlrabi, turnips, celery, carrots, bell peppers, tomatoes, thyme

Slow Cooker Beef Stew
2 pounds beef top round steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 small onions, chopped

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 small kohlrabi and 2 small turnips, chopped and roasted in oven for 25 min on 350 degrees

Small bunch of celery, chopped

4 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 bell peppers, chopped
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained (small bag of tomatoes from share)
1/4 cup all-purpose whole wheat flour
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
3/4 cup vegetable broth
1/3 cup dry red wine (or additional beef broth)
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 bag of whole grain rice mix from Trader Joe's
In a large skillet, cook onions with olive oil slightly, then add beef and brown on all sides. In a 5-qt. slow cooker, combine the kohlrabi, turnips, celery, carrots, and bell peppers. Pour tomatoes over the top. In a small bowl, whisk the flour, tomato paste and broth until smooth. Stir in the wine, salt, garlic, pepper and thyme; pour into slow cooker. Top with beef. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until meat is tender. Yield: 6 servings. * Original recipe from Taste of Home

Meal #2: cabbage, green onions, carrots, kale

Ramen Noodle Salad

1 lg. head cabbage - chopped
5 green onions, chopped
1/2 sm. carrots, grated
2 pkg. Ramen noodles (broken)
1/2 c. sunflower seeds
1 pkg. slivered almonds
1/2 c. butter
Brown noodles, sunflower seeds, almonds in butter; set aside.
DRESSING
1 c. salad oil
2 tsp. soy sauce
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
Mix until well blended. Add dressing and noodle and nut mix to cabbage 15 to 20 minutes before serving. * Recipe from Cooks.com

Baked Kale Chips

1 head kale, washed and thoroughly dried
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt, for sprinkling
Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Remove the ribs from the kale and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Lay on a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil and salt. Bake until crisp, turning the leaves halfway through, about 20 minutes. Serve as finger food. * Recipe from Melissa d'Arabian at foodnetwork.com

Meal #3: arugula

Arugula and Salsiccia Pizza

Bunch of arugula
Italian sausage
Rosemary
Mozzarella
Tomato sauce
Whole wheat pizza crust

Other Uses: bell peppers, cilantro, mustard greens

Bell Peppers

Chopped and frozen in plastic bag.

Cilantro

Chopped and frozen in plastic bag.

Mustard Greens

Washed, steamed, pureed and frozen into cubes.

CSA Share Week 15

Wow!  Only five more weeks left.  We got a little creative this week.  The result made for some wonderfully delicious meals.  Everything was great, but my favorite was definitely the Caprese and "Bruschetta."  Perhaps I am partial due to their Italian flair, but they made a fun, flavor-filled meal.

The Hermit Cookies were a particular surprise.  I wanted to make cookies and thought - why not try to add in a vegetable?  They were scrumptious and the kids loved them. I didn't adjust the recipe for the added liquid, so the cookies were nearly like a bread/bar consistency.  Next time I will adjust the ingredients accordingly.

The large tomatoes and peppers I used combined with last week's share and made salsa on delivery day.  The beans I also combined with last week's beans and made that yummy dip.  I was so far ahead that we ended up with no leftovers, with the exception of a lonely eggplant that will be combined with the three new eggplants we received yesterday!

Photos courtesy of Scotch Hill Farm, Broadhead, WI

Week 15 Bounty: 
Leaf lettuce mix
Spicy Greens mix
Arugula 

Tomatoes
Melon
Beans
Basil
Eggplant
Okra
Bok Choi
Cilantro
Summer Squash
Peppers



Meal #1: Juliet and Sungold tomatoes, basil 
Caprese (cah-PRAY-zay)
Cut up larger tomatoes, kept cherry sized tomatoes whole. Tossed with basil and fresh mozzarella.

Naan "Bruschetta"
Whole wheat naan (from Trader Joe's) toasted lightly in the oven at 375 with buratta (also from Trader Joe's), prosciutto and walnuts. Buratta is fresh cheese made from mozzarella and cream. This is an easy version of my favorite bruschetta in Italia.

Okra with Bacon
Slice into stars and fry in hot bacon grease or olive oil. Season to taste with garlic, salt & pepper or crumbled bacon. * Recipe from Scotch Hill Farm.

Meal #2: bok choi, green onions, ginger 
Enjoyed this scrumptious dish with wild rice.

Salmon and Bok Choi
3 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil (didn't have, so we substituted some olive oil)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pound baby bok choy or bok choy
4 (6-ounce) sustainable salmon fillets
1/4 cup diagonally cut green onions
Preheat broiler. Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Coarsely chop bok choy leaves, and arrange on one end of a jelly-roll pan. Coarsely chop bok choy stems and arrange in a single layer on opposite end of jelly-roll pan. Place salmon, skin side down, in a single layer on top of leafy greens. Pour half of soy sauce mixture evenly over salmon; pour remaining half evenly over bok choy stems. Broil for 5 minutes; stir stems. Broil an additional 4 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Arrange 1/3 cup bok choy on each of 4 plates. Top each serving with 1 fillet and 1 tablespoon green onions. * Recipe from Cooking Light at myrecipes.com

Meal #3: greens, arugula

Enjoyed the greens and nuggets with a pumpkin risotto package that we brought back from Italia.  It was a great dinner all together.  I love pumpkin risotto, but my homemade recipe is actually better than this was, so I am really looking forward to making it from scratch.

Spicy Greens with Warm Balsamic Dressing

We used the spicy greens and arugula for this recipe.

1 bunch arugula, cleaned, trimmed and chopped

1 head radicchio, chopped
2 cups chopped escarole, 1/2 head
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, cracked
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper
Arrange greens on a large platter. Heat oil and garlic in a small pan over moderate heat. Simmer garlic in oil to infuse the flavor. Remove the garlic from the oil and transfer it to a small bowl. Wipe the pan and return to heat. Add balsamic vinegar . Raise heat to high and reduce vinegar by 1/2, 30 seconds. Stream oil into saucepan and whisk to combine with vinegar. Drizzle dressing over the salad and season the greens with salt and pepper. * Recipe from Rachel Ray at food.com

Baked Chicken Nuggets
3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried basil
1/2 cup butter, melted
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut chicken breasts into 1 1/2-inch sized pieces. In a medium bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, cheese, salt, thyme and basil. Mix well. Put melted butter in a bowl or dish for dipping. Dip chicken pieces into the melted butter first, then coat with the breadcrumb mixture. Place the well-coated chicken pieces on a lightly greased cookie sheet in a single layer, and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. * Recipe from Teresa at allrecipes.com

Other Uses: melon, cilantro, squash

Melon 

Balled and tossed with blueberries

Cilantro
Washed, chopped and frozen on jelly roll pan, then transferred to freezer bag.

Hermit Cookies
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 egg
2 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup squash, pureed
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup raisins, currants, etc (I used dark chocolate chips)
1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts)
Oil a cookie sheet; set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Beat till combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in the egg, milk, squash and vanilla till combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in remaining flour. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Drop by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet. Bake in a 375 degree oven 10 minutes or till edges are lightly browned. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool. Makes 36 cookies. * Recipe from Better Homes and Garden New Cook Book