Hi! I'm so glad you stopped by! If you've visited here before, you know that I am a seasonal cook...with some local and organic, as I am able. I've found that cooking with my local seasons keeps my menus from getting "stale" and makes it much easier to cook with really fresh ingredients. If you are considering going "local", but are daunted by the challenge I encourage you to make the seasonal switch first. Get used to cooking within nature's cycle...which will make local food all that much easier to find!
I am in the Southeast of the US, where we are blessed with a nice long growing season. But our mid-atlantic climate gives us a similar harvest schedule to many other places in the US.
So, what is in season this week:
Chicken is still coming from the Chicken Club, so that is wonderful! We'll get two more harvests and then be done for the season. Since hubby is still not interested in eating beef or pork, I'm going to stock up on organic chicken in my freezer. Still looking for a local farmer who can supply me with about 10 at a time for my freezer.
My local supermarket has started carrying a few truly local items. I say truly because last year they did this and "local" was two or more states away. Not so local. But not they have a mile-based system (I can't remember what it is, but I think it was within 150 miles or so). They had fantastic looking sweet potatoes, so I stocked up on those!
Celery is still coming in strong from our vegetable co-op. I'm using some for kids' snacks, the Ceci & Tagliatelle soup, and a celery risotto. Celery risotto may sound a little plain, but I have it on good authority that it is quite delicious and elegant. I'll let you know!
Broccoli - a little early for us, but my co-op has some, so I'm enjoying it.
Here is this week's menu:
Monday
"Emergency" Take out
Tuesday
Supremes a La Milanese (Chicken Breast rolled in parmesan and sauteed in butter), Sweet Potato Chips, steamed broccoli
Wednesday
Ceci (Chick Peas - pronounced: Chay-Chi) & Tagliatelle Soup, Homemade Semolina Bread
I use canned, but you could use dried and just soak and cook them before making the soup.
Thursday
Meatballs & Tomatoes over pasta
Using good canned italian tomatoes. I know, I know - entirely not local...and canned! Someday I'll grow and can these myself, but until I do, these are the BEST tasting, so I use them without guilt!
Friday
Pizza!
Homemade dough, bottled Marinara, mozzerella cheese - none of it particularly seasonal nor local
Saturday
Succotash, Corn bread, hard boiled eggs
This is just simple, plain, good fare.
Sunday
Roast Chicken, Squash &Apples, Celery Risotto
I have a brine I'm going to use with this chicken. I'll post the recipe in the next day or two. The squash and apples are so good. Don't tell you kids that it has squash in it and I promise they'll gobble it up!
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2 comments:
Oh, yum. I have a celery risotto recipe that I use, and we all love it. Well, the 4-year-old has gotten a bit oppositional and no longer loves anything, but he'll come around again. We're still waiting on celery to come in though.
How about posting that chick pea soup recipe? I LOVE chick peas, however they're pronounced.
Our farm season is winding down - mostly root veggies, winter squash, pumpkins, though the green beans are making a final valiant spurt. (And I think we've just today picked our LAST ripe tomato! A record for me here in CT.)
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