Farmer's Market Report - Aug 30th

Company in town, no Farmer's Market trip today for me. So, I'll have to live vicariously through you guys! What did you find at your markets this week?

Use the Mr Linky below, but please read the guidelines first. Be sure to link back to this page, mention the Farmer's Market Report in your post, and link to your post page (not your homepage).

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Mexican Chicken Salad

This is great to have when you've got leftover chicken from the grill or from a roast.

Here is the recipe from Southern Living:

4 c chopped cooked chicken
2 c shredded sharp Cheddar

Use what you like of these:
2 T chopped green pepper
2 T chopped sweet red pepper
1 16 oz can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 4.5 oz can of chopped green chilis
1 med. onion, chopped

Dressing:
1/2 c sour cream
1/2 c mayo
1 pkg (1.25 oz) taco seasoning mix

Or use your favorite oil and vinegar dressing.

Corn chips
Shredded iceburg or romaine lettuce
2 med tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 med avocadoes, coarsely chopped (skin and remove pit, of course)
1 can (2 1/4 oz) sliced ripe olives, drained

Combine the first 7 ingredients (or of those, what you want to use). Set aside.

Use the dressing of your choice (mix ingredients for Dressing 1 together). Pour over chicken mixture; toss gently, cover and chill.

Place corn chip on a plate; top with lettuce. Spoon chicken mixture onto lettuce. Top with tomato, avocado and olives. Serves 8.

When I made this I made only 2 servings. I used the oil and vinegar dressing and just poured it all over the salad rather than mixing and chilling. :) I'm never one to follow a recipe, but I figured I'd give you the "official" recipe then let you adapt it.


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Making Sustainble Fish Choices

In general, I go for wild-caught fish. I don't buy it terribly often, so I don't mind if it occasionally comes from far (Alaskan salmon, for instance), but try to avoid fish that comes from far off when there are closer-caught options. I also usually avoid farmed fish - especially salmon. Some people say it is it better to purchase farmed fish and not contribute to over-fishing, but it seems to me that anything grown in industrial conditions isn't good. And most farms these days are industrial farms...including fish farms.

But I think there is a more important aspect to consider rather than "wild-caught" vs "farmed" vs. "local", and that is sustainability. Figuring out what is sustainable in the fish industry, however, is not easy for the layman.

I found a resource to share with you that might help - I know it helped me!

Top Ten Sustainable Fish Choices and Ten Fish You Should Avoid Eating at foodluvin.com

So, what do you think? Which of these choices surprised you? What changes might you make based on this. I know I'm glad I've been opting for Wild Alaskan Salmon lately...and this week I'm going to try Farm-Raised Rainbow Trout. Normally, I would have eschewed "farm-raised", but it is the most sustainable option I can make at my supermarket this week.

Now if I can just learn to fish. :)

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Figs with Goat Cheese and Balsamic

I heard about this somewhere recently - darn, wish I could remember so I could give a link. (If you recognize this recipe and posted it recently, let me know and I'll link to you!) Anyway - we tried it and it is SPLENDID!

Here's what I did:

Take a large handful of the freshest figs you can find. Slice in half. Top each with a small amount of goat cheese. (I scooped a small amount and gently formed a clump for each fig half.) Drizzle balsamic vinegar (splurge on a good quality Modena for this if you can) over the top - you want just a splach on each fig. (We drizzled it on the plate first and then set our figs on top.)

The tartness, sweetness, creaminess is to die for! I should have taken a photo - but we gobbled them up to quickly!


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Weekly Menu Aug 24-Aug 30

Here's what I have on hand to "use up" this week:

- a lot of mushrooms
- head of romaine lettuce
- three lovely slicing tomatoes
- a LOT of cherry tomatoes
- couple lbs of okra
- 2 sm and 2 lg eggplants
- 1 avocado
- 1 mango
- fresh pita
- 5 oz of goat cheese
- a handful of basil
- a LOT of cucumbers
- 1/4 peck of peaches
- some leftover chicken (from a roast last week)
- 6 or 7 figs from our fig tree (and more to be picked during the week for "snacks")
- a tub of plain yogurt

So, with that I am making:

Sunday:

• Lunch - Pizza with Fresh Tomatoes (and mushrooms, basil and onions) Used up one slicing tomato, some mushrooms and some basil.


• Dinner - Since we had such a late lunch, we kept dinner fairly light: Figs with Goat Cheese and Balsamic Vinegar and Baba Ganouj and Fresh Pita Used a bit of the goat cheese, the figs that were harvested this morning, 2 small eggplants and most of the fresh pita.

Monday:

• Lunch - left over pizza
  
• Dinner - Mexican Chicken Salad and Sliced Mango. Will use up an avocado, the leftover chicken and some of the romaine.

Tuesday:

• Dinner - Quiche with Spinach, Mushrooms and Goat Cheese and Melon Salad. Will use up a frozen quiche base from my freezer and some mushrooms which I'll add. A sprinkling of goat cheese on top will use up the rest of the goat cheese.

Wednesday:

• Dinner - Eggplant Parmagiana and a Green Salad. Dessert: Peach Crisp and Vanilla Ice Cream. Will use up the 2 large eggplants, the rest of the romaine, and the peaches.

Thursday:

• Dinner - Broiled Lemon Fish, Fresh Tomato & Basil Pasta, and Cucumber and Yogurt Salad. Will use up some cherry tomatoes and basil, cucumbers and plain yogurt.

Friday:

• Dinner - Pizza (we'll do cheese for the kids and whatever toppings we have on hand for the adults)

I'll add some of the recipes this week! Check out lots of great other menus at http://www.orgjunkie.com/ !

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The Farmer's Market Report - August 23rd

I saw a sign on one of the farmer's tables today that said they'd have tomatoes until OCTOBER 31!!! Wow, that makes me happy. Of course, that is precluding bad weather or an early frost. But here in the piedmont of North Carlina, that is unlikely.

Our Farmer's Market goes until November and possibly longer depending on the farmers. I've noticed the past week that the organizers of the market are really pushing that fact. Last year, I was not a confirmed farmer's marketeer, so I missed out on the late harvest. I am looking forward to it this year!

How long does your market last?

So, what found this week -

• I was hoping to pick up some cataloupes, but there were none to be found. Still watermelons, but I decided against one.


• Picked up some Bosky Acres goat cheese - my hubby will LOVE this. And I think I'm going to try it with our figs (from our side yard fig tree) and some balsamic.


• Tomatoes are still coming in strong, so I grabbed a nice selection - a Pink Lady and some Mecklenburgs.


• Eggplant is looked lovely, so I grabbed a couple of those. Next week I'm going to try the "Violetta"- it's that pretty pale purple striped variety. The farmer told me it is a bit sweeter than regular eggplant. Sounds promising!


• But NO EGGS. Oh I was so disappointed! My egg lady wasn't there this week. I even had finally gathered up some egg cartons to return to her and she wasn't there. Hopefully next week.


• The "Peach Guys" are still bringing in loads of peaches, so I grabbed a bag. These guys make me laugh - definitely lovely South Carolina gentlemen. Most of the farmers come in their grungies, but these two look like they just stepped off the golf course.
  
• And my favorite PITA!

Want to share what you found at your farmer's market? Use the Mr Linky below, but please read the guidelines first. Be sure to link back to this page, mention the Farmer's Market Report in your post, and link to your post page (not your homepage).

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Turkey meatballs and Spaghetti

These are such a hit at my house! These are a great easy meal for any time of year.

1 lb lean ground turkey
1 tsp garlic powder
1 T Worchester sauce
1/8 c. Parmesan cheese (grated)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 egg, beaten
1/2 c dry breadcrumbs
1/4 c. tomato sauce (I use Barilla Marinara), plus the more for the pan.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix all ingredients. Spray a 9 x 13 baking pan with veggie oil. Pour a very thin layer of sauce on the bottom then begin forming the meatballs and placing them in the pan. Spoon a little more sauce over the top of each meat ball (I just gently drizzle it around the pan - hitting most of the meatballs). If you have more sauce in your jar, you can save it to top the spaghetti. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Pull off the foil after 30 minutes and turn off the oven. Let the meatballs sit in the warm oven while you finish the pasta.
I use Barilla thick spaghetti noodles, boiled until al dente.

Serve a plate (or bowl) of pasta topped with a dollop of sauce and a few meatballs. Parmesan cheese is always delicious on top, too!

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Menu Plan Monday: Aug 18-22

This is the first week I'm using a rotation meal plan I've designed for the busy days of the school year. I've never done this before, but I think it will make life much easier during the school year to have a "set" plan that also provides a bit of flexibility. I'll blog more about this idea in the future.

In the mean time...here is my menu plan for this week:

Monday: Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs, Green Salad
Tuesday: Roast Chicken with Rosemary and Lemon, Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes (these are just sliced with olive oil and salt/pepper), Melon Salad (watermelon and cantaloupe - garnish with mint)
Wednesday: Going out for Mother-in-Law's birthday
Thursday: Clean out the Fridge Night
Friday: Homemade Pizza
Saturday: Thai Noodles with Peanut sauce and Green Onions and Shrimp

I'll add these recipes as I can over the next day or so. If you are interested, subscribe via email or RSS so you won't miss them. And be sure to check out the rest of the great menu ideas at the Org Junkie!

Farmer's Market Report - Aug 16th

How was your Farmer's Market this week?
Get a great deal?
Find a wonderful new vegetable?
What delicious dish will you be making with your find?
Got a funny story to tell?
What did you bring home?


Today I was late getting to the Farmer's Market, again! Talking with one of my favorite farmers, I heard that the market was slow today despite perfect weather (sunny and 70 at 8:30am). We all agreed that it was probably due to late-risers after the Olympics. (I stayed up late watching the Olympics, how about you?) Did you notice it was a bit slower than usual at your market?

Well, it worked out well for me! Usually the eggs are totally gone by 7:45, but this morning, I was able to bring home 2 dozen eventhough I didn't get there until 8:30. I also found my favorite homemade pita (doesn't even compare with store-bought), slicing tomatoes, eggplant, and some basil. My fridge is quite full, so I didn't need much, but I couldn't pass up these summertime "staples".

Today, I'm going to make to following:
- a basil, cucumber and tomato salad
- eggplant dip (much like baba ganoush)
- a yummy tomato sandwich!

Check back for the recipes later today.

I can't wait to see what you've got going on at your Farmer's Market!


Blog about your experience at the farmer's market this week, then come back there and add your post URL to the Mr. Linky below. Be sure to link directly to your post, not your main page. A few guidelines, if you please:

1) Mention the Farmer's Market Report in your post.

2) Link back to this edition of the Farmer's Market Report from your post.

3) Link directly to your Farmer's Market post, not your main page.

4) If you wish, you can give a couple words in the "name" field to help describe your post or give your general location. (ex. Kerry - Charlotte, NC or Kerry - heirloom tomatoes)

5) Feel free to use the graphic above, but please only use in it conjunction with this event.

6) I reserve the right to delete any links that are inappropriate or entirely off the subject.

Leave your post's URL in the Mr. Linky below.

This Little Piggy Went to Market!

Don't forget tomorrow is the Farmer's Market Report. Publish your post about your farmer's market finds or anecdotes (from any time this week - doesn't have to be a Saturday market) and then come back here and submit your link.

Can't wait to see what you all bring home tomorrow!

Monthly Link Harvest - August

One of my favorite things about blogging is the great bits of information you run across all over the blogosphere. I enjoy sharing what I find, too.

Here are some interesting and, hopefully, useful articles I've run across in the last month. I'm calling it a "Link Harvest":

10 benefits of higher fuel prices. Well, that's something.

Solar-powered dryers (HT: The Common Room) (Ok, this is really about clotheslines and home owner's associations.)

Reducing waste - Food Waste!

When to buy organic and when you shouldn't.

Is switching to reusable really that important? Here are 50 reasons that say, "Yes!"

From the USDA - a chart to help you determine what can be frozen and for how long.

A great post, with photos, about making compost...and some further links.

Art work: The Corn Harvest - August by Pieter Brugel the Elder (1556)

Tomato pruning and a contest!

A sweet smelling tomato warmed by the summer sun - that is my favorite summer vegetable. Do you love to grow tomatoes? I do! Here's a tutorial on how to prune tomatoes for my fellow tomato lovers.

So, what does this have to do with a contest? Well, the Desert Diva is hosting a little a contest and all you have to do is leave a coment on her blog (this post) and share with her about your favorite fruit or vegetable OR share with her about your farmer's market. And you might WIN!

If you stop by, please let her know I sent you!

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Farmer's Market Report - Aug 9th

How was your Farmer's Market this week?
Get a great deal?
Find a wonderful new vegetable?
Got a funny story to tell?
What did you bring home?

Blog about your experience at the farmer's market this week, then come back there and leave add your post URL to the Mr. Linky below. Be sure to link directly to your post, not your main page.

Today, our farmer's market was much quieter than usual. I think everyone stayed up late watching the Olympic Opening Ceremony and had to sleep in! I stayed up late, but got up anyway. My family is heading out of town for a few days (just hubby and kids...I'm home alone!), so I really didn't need much at all. However, I am part of a "Chicken Club", and today was our next pick up day for our "harvest", so I had to go get my bird. I get one bird at each harvest - fresh, free range, organically-fed. It is unbelievable how good these chickens are - even better than the ones I get from Trader Joe's.

It was a perfect day to look at some of the other vendors at our farmer's market - specifically the baker and a soap-maker. So, I enjoyed a blueberry scone for my breakfast from the baker and got the most fragrant and lovely soap (Lavender - Tea Tree) from the soap maker. I love that our farmer's market has more than just produce!

Although I wasn't purchasing produce today, there was a lot of it and so beautiful! Figs, pears, tomatoes, lettuce, squash, peppers, cantaloupes, watermelons, beets, corn and lots more. Our little farmer's market sure does provide some wonderful produce!

I can't wait to hear what your found at your farmer's market! Leave your post's URL in the Mr. Linky below!

The Farmer's Market Report - Information and Guidelines

How was your Farmer's Market this week?
Get a great deal?
Find a wonderful new vegetable?
What delicious dish will you be making with your find?
Got a funny story to tell?
What did you bring home?

I started the "Farmer's Market Report" to encourage communication between bloggers trying to eat locally and/or seasonally.

Each week the Report features food finds, recipes, stories and photos inspired by farmer's markets - all across the country (and sometimes further). Want to participate?

Blog about your experience at the farmer's market this week, then use the most recent post's Mr. Linky to add your post's URL.

A few guidelines, if you please:
1) Mention the Farmer's Market Report in your post.

2) Link back to this edition of the Farmer's Market Report from your post.

3) Link directly to your Farmer's Market post, not your main page.

4) If you wish, you can give a couple words in the "name" field to help describe your post or give your general location. (ex. Kerry - Charlotte, NC or Kerry - heirloom tomatoes)

5) Feel free to use the graphic above, but please only use in it conjunction with this event or this blog.

6) I reserve the right to delete any links that are inappropriate or entirely off the subject.

Have fun!

7 Steps to a Productive Farmers Market Trip

Recently, many families have become aware of the importance of eating organically, sustainably, and locally. This means many people are looking to the farmers market for their grocery needs. And for many people, Saturday is their farmer's market day.

But I've seen a few families wandering around aimlessly or arriving late only to find most of the produce gone. To avoid this, I've got 7 simple steps that I think will help you have a productive trip. I bet some of you will be able to add to these, too...leave a comment if you've got other suggestions!

1. Get up EARLY! If this means you have to go to bed early, do it. Know what you are wearing, what you are bringing to the farmer's market, and, do not underestimate the importance of this one, how you will get caffeine. Plan to arrive when the market opens - or even a few minutes before (which might give you time to take care of #4 before the market even opens).

2. Have cash. I go to the ATM the day before and generally take $40 with me, sometimes more if I know I have a lot to purchase (like when I was buying a heap of peaches a few weeks ago). Try to break large bills into smaller ones (5s and 1s are best). But if you don't have time to break your bills, consider making a large purchase from one of the farmers first and breaking your bill that way. (I break my bills by getting a cup of coffee on my way and they are usually happy to make change.)

3. Bring a big bag, basket or small hand cart. Many farmers will have plastic bags on hand, but it can get very cumbersome to pick out produce and dig your cash out of your pocket while holding all those heavy bags. A big bag can be hung on your shoulder freeing up your hands. A basket can be set on the ground and obviously a small hand cart is a breeze to roll around.

4. Take a tour. When you first arrive at the farmer's market, take a quick tour around to see what is available from the farmers. This also gives you a chance to quickly compare prices a bit. Once you've made a full circuit, then start shopping.

There are some caveats here - 1) if you are worried about the availability of an item (for me it is eggs), go to those farmers first. 2) if you have a very large farmers market (more than, say, 30 farmers) you might prefer to skip the tour and instead head for the back of the market and work your way to the front. However, even for a large market it can be wise to make a simple tour of the main "aisle" just to see what is available.

5. Talk with the farmers! Get to know your farmers and let them get to know you. Ask them questions about the produce they are selling, what their future harvest might hold, where they farm, etc. Enjoy your time with them. And if there is something you particularly liked from a previous purchase, let them know! (Conversely, if there was something you didn't like, let them know that, too.) And let them know you support their efforts to continue supplying local food.

6. Remember, this is NOT a grocery store. Vegetables will not be sprayed with wax to be shiny. Some vegetables may have little "friends" with them (bugs). Vegetables may be less "regular" than what you are used to finding in a store. This is NORMAL! Super shiny, no bugs, pefectly uniform is NOT NORMAL. The farmer's market is real stuff and real stuff is, well, real.

7. Make a plan for your purchases. When you get home be ready to go to work.

• Figure out how you'll use what you've purchased. Do you need shrimp to go in that Shrimp Gumbo you are planning to make with your fresh okra? How about a new Fig Tart recipe for those figs?
  
• Wash and trim any vegetables that need it. Give that spinach the long cold soak it may need to get rid of all the sand in its leaves. Chop up those carrots into "matchsticks" and store in an container for the kids's snacks.
  
• Provide the proper storage to keep everything fresh. Does that cantaloupe need a day or two more to ripen on the counter? How about a good container to keep the lettuce from wilting in the refrigerator?

So, are you planning a trip to your farmer's market tomorrow or have you gone recently? Let me hear about it! Come back tomorrow and participate in the "Farmer's Market Report". (I'll have a Mr. Linky set up.)

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August "Recipe Swap Box"

Randi at i have to say is hosting her monthly "Recipe Swap Box" - this month's theme is "Garden Fresh". Check out the delicious recipes...and share some of your own!

If you are here from Randi's blog, Welcome! My blog is new, but poke around a bit. You'll find some other good recipes and more to come - all seasonal and sustainable for suburbanites!

Here are the recipes I'm sharing this month...

Summer Garden Ratatouille

Cucumbers with Yogurt and Mint

Whole Wheat Peach Kuchen

Classic Tomato Sauce

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Cinnamon Raisin Bread - in the breadmaker

My kids love cinnamon raisin bread, but I've had trouble finding one that isn't expensive or is as healthy as I'd like it. So, I decided it was time to find a good recipe to make at home. The past few weeks, I've been trying different cinnamon raisin breads looking for just the right one. And I found this one yesterday....it is FANTASTIC!

It makes a very large loaf - touched the top of my 2lb breadmaker! And the taste and texture was just what I was looking for...very cinnamony, chewy, but not heavy. If you love cinnamon raisin bread, give this one adapted from Recipezaar.com a try!


Cinnamon Raisin Bread
1 tablespoon oil
1 1/4 cups warm water, plus
1 tablespoon warm water
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup maple syrup (or maple-flavored syrup, if you must)
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups bread flour, plus
2 tablespoons bread flour
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

**1/2-3/4 cup raisins (add these towards the end of the kneading cycle - if your maker has an "add fruit and nuts" indicator use it)

1 - Place the ingredients in the order given.
2 - Make a small well in flour and pour in yeast.
3 - Bake on 2 lb basic cycle.
4 - Add raisins at proper time for your maker

Some of the reviews on Recipezaar.com indicated that the dough was a bit sticky, but came out fine. Mine wasn't at all like that, but I think it is due to the whole wheat flour (the original did not use whole wheat). Just be warned if you use all white flour, your dough might look a little stickier than usual.

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Classic Tomato Sauce

Marcella Hazan is one of my favorite Italian cookbook authors. Her book, Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, is a fantastic resource if you love Italian food. She has many great recipes for pasta sauces - this one is a true classic and couldn't be much simpler.

Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter
2 lbs fresh, ripe tomatoes (blanched, skinned and coarsely chopped) OR 2 c. canned Italian plum tomatoes, cut up, with their juices
5 T butter
1 med. onion, peeled and cut in half
Salt

Put the tomatoes in a saucepan, add the butter, onion, and salt, and cook uncovered at a very slow, but steady simmer for 45 minutes, or until the fat floats free from the tomato. Stir from time to time, mashing any large pieces of tomato in the pan with the back of a wooden spoon. Taste and correct for salt. Remove onion before tossing the sauce with pasta (save it for the stock pot).

This sauce may be frozen - just remove the onion before freezing. Marcella says this is the "unsurpassed sauce for Potato Gnocchi" - little potato and flour dumplings cooked like pasta in water. Instead of making these from scratch - which I've done before, I found some all prepared to be boiled at Trader Joe's, so that is what I'm using. Cheating, I know!



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Summer Garden Ratatouille

This is one of those easily adaptable recipes. Throw in whatever amounts or types of the vegetables you have.

This recipe is from Simply In Season, a wonderful little cookbook to help you start cooking with the seasons.


Summer Garden Ratatouille
2 onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
Saute in 3 T olive oil about 5 minutes.

1 med. eggplant, chopped
1 1/2 T fresh basil, chopped or 2 tsp dry
1 T fresh rosemary, chopped or 1 tsp dry
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh marjoram, chopped or 1/2 tsp dry
Add, cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is soft, about 15-20 minutes.

2 summer squash, chopped
2 peppers (green or sweet - red or orange), cut in strips
2 c tomatoes, chopped
Add and simmer until peppers and squash are tender, about 10 minutes. Serve over pasta or polenta sprinkled with chopped fresh parsley, black olives or freshly grated Parmesan cheese.


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Whole Wheat Peach Kuchen

The original called for peaches, and I intend to try it with peaches soon, but I had blackberries that needed to be used up, so I decided to try it with those first. The results were quite delicious!

From Simply In Season:

Whole Wheat Peach Kuchen
3/4 c. whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 c. flour
2 T sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
Combine in a large bowl.

1/4 c. butter
Cut in until crumbly. Pat mixture over bottom and sides of baking pan or oven-safe frying pan.

4 c peaches, halved and peeled (I substituted 4 c. blackberries that had been sprinkled with sugar)
Arrange in pastry, cut side down.

3 T sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Mix together and sprinkle over top. Bake in preheated oven at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes.

1 c plain yogurt
1 egg, beaten
2 T sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
Combine and pour over peaches and bake 30 more minutes or until set.

I'd suggest putting the baking pan on a cookie sheet. I over cooked the crust just a bit trying to get the custard set. Serve with a little ice cream or a bit of cream on top!

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Cucumbers with Yogurt and Mint

This is a great salad to keep on hand in the summer for a quick lunch. It is very refreshing. Again, I don't really have a recipe for this.


Cucumbers with Yogurt and Mint

3 cucumbers peeled, halved and sliced
salt
1/3 c. of plain yogurt
2 Tbsp of fresh, chopped mint (don't even try to use dried mint - it really won't be as good)

Salt the sliced cucumbers and place in a colander to drain. Leave them for at least half an hour - more is better. An hour is plenty. This pulls out the excess water. They'll get a little limp, but still have a nice crunch. Place in a bowl and stir in 1/3 c of plain yogurt. (Use more or less depending on your taste.) If you have a mortar and pestle give the mint leaves a little crush in that before adding them to the yogurt and cucumbers. If you don't have a mortar and pestle, just give the leaves a good scrunch with your hand. This will soften the leaves and help release the oils and flavor. Mix the crushed mint into the yogurt and cucmbers. Stir well and refrigerate.

Sometimes I find that I like to add a dash or two more salt to the mixture before I refrigerate. It should have a slightly salty taste. I know that sounds weird - salt, yogurt and mint, but it really is yummy and refreshing!

In many Eastern Mediterranean/Middle Eastern cultures there is a drink with yogurt, salt and mint (and water to thin out the yogurt). It is surprisingly delicious - tart yogurt, zippy mint and that slight saltiness. If anyone has a good recipe for that, I'd love to have it. Otherwise I guess I just need to experiment with it.


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Rosemary and Lemon Baked Chicken

This smells absolutely divine while it cooks! It is perfect to throw in the oven when you've got a busy day and no time to stand at the stove. All you need to have is a couple of sides (veggies or salad and bread) and you are done! Now, I don't really have a recipe, so bear with me.


Rosemary and Lemon Baked Chicken

1 whole roasting chicken
2 lemons
a few springs of fresh rosemary (fresh is important, the resin in the fresh leaves is very aromatic!)
garlic powder or cloves
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Rub your pan with a little olive oil. Place two springs of rosemary on bottom of pan and place chicken, breast side up, on top of those springs. Put a spring or two of rosemary in the cavity of the chicken. Cut lemons in half and squeeze the juice all over the surface of chicken. Place two lemon halves into the cavity and lay the other two in the pan around the chicken. Drizzle more olive oil over surface of the bird. Sprinkle a touch of garlic powder OR put a clove or two into the cavity. Salt and pepper the bird to taste.

Roast bird until it reaches an interior temp of 180 degrees F. The time this takes will vary depending on the size of the bird and your oven, but generally, 1 hour and 1/2 or so. (Start checking at 1 hr.)

When bird comes out of the oven remove it from the pan and let it sit (on a tray or cutting board) for a few minutes to let the juices be absorbed into the meat.

Slice and enjoy!

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Weekly Menu: August 4th-8th

Each week, Laura, at I'm an Organizing Junkie blog hosts a wonderful "carnival" of weekly menus called Menu Plan Monday. What a great resource for ideas!

If you are here via Laura's blog, Welcome! This blog is devoted to conversations about seasonal and sustainable food. Each week, my menus will include recipes and ideas for cooking with what is in season and probably can be found locally, too. Interested? Be sure to subscribe by email or RSS so you won't miss a thing!

Lots of lovely things in season right now! This week we are enjoying: spinach, cucumbers, bell peppers, zucchini, watermelon, peaches, blackberries, tomatoes, corn, and fresh herbs.

Here's what we are eating (the bolded items are recipes that will be posted seperately, be sure to check back as I get them online.):

Sunday: Rosemary and Lemon Baked Chicken, watermelon, corn on the cob (this is a Sunday favorite. We trim off the meat, make broth with the rest of the bird, add vegetables and noodles to make chicken noodle soup for lunches.)

Monday: Green salad with diced chicken (and homemade croutons), watermelon, Cucumbers with Yogurt and Mint, corn bread. Dessert tonight is a Whole Wheat Blackberry Kuchen (adapted from one of my favorite cookbooks, Simply In Season).

Tuesday: Summer Garden Ratatouille, Italian-style chicken sausage, corn bread

Wednesday: Gnocchi with Classic Tomato Sauce, a side of steamed spinach (with malt vinegar)

Thursday: Clean out the FRIDGE Night.

Friday: CHINESE FEAST night - to celebrate the opening of the Beijing Olympics: Chinese Dumplings (frozen from Costco - really good!), Longevity Noodles, Stir-Fry vegetables (whatever we have on hand at that point - bok choy, edamame, broccoli, etc), crystallized ginger over vanilla ice cream and/or fortune cookies (not really a Chinese dish, but can we eat Chinese without them?!?)

Saturday: TBD - I'll be completely on my own (hubby and kids taking a quick trip to the beach), so I'm not sure what delightful dish I'll whip up that night. It sounds like I'll have plenty of leftovers from all this food, so I suppose I can always just munch on those!

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Welcome!

Hi there!

I’m Kerry, a stay-at-home, home educating mom to 3 kids ages 6, 8 and 12 in the suburbs of Charlotte, NC. Hubby and I have always been pretty healthy eaters - since childhood really. We both grew up in families where eating healthy food was important. In a lot of ways we’ve always been pretty “crunchy”, although, not adamantly so.

About a year ago, our family began eating “seasonally” as a stepping stone to eating locally. Now, I don’t think we’ll ever be able to pull off the “One Local Year” challenge, but I figure any little bit I can do is worth it. And honestly, I’m too lazy to to be overzealous about it (my hubby calls me a “slackitarian”). But, I’m going to do what I can and, shoot, let’s do it together!

So, are you a seasonal eater, locavore, home gardener, or organic eater? Or are you interested in learning more about that together? What made you stop by the blog and what types of things would you like to see here? Let’s get the conversation started!

About This Blog

Hi there! I'm so glad you stopped by! I’m Kerry, a stay-at-home, home-educating mom to 4 kids ages 7 months, 6, 8 and 12 in the suburbs of Charlotte, NC.

About a year ago, our family began eating “seasonally” as a stepping stone to eating locally, more sustainably, and supporting our local farmers. 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.

Now, I don’t think we’ll ever be able to pull off the “One Local Year” challenge, but I figure any little bit I can do is worth it. And honestly, I’m too lazy to be overzealous about it. But, I’m going to do what I can and, shoot, let’s do it together!

So, are you a seasonal eater, locavore, home gardener, or organic eater? Or are you interested in learning more about that together? What made you stop by the blog and what types of things would you like to see here? Let’s get the conversation started!