It’s 4:45am as I sit down and write this post today. I’ve already been in the shed helping to pack shares, fixed some order issues, put the finishing touches on the CSA newsletter that goes out shortly, and even responded to some emails. While getting up at 2am isn’t glorious, I get so much accomplished on Tuesday mornings and all before 6am! Heck, sometimes I get more accomplished between 2 and 6am on a Tuesday than I do all day on a Friday in our office. With no phones ringing and very few emails coming in at this hour, it really is peaceful at this time of the morning.

 

How we are in the middle of August is beyond me. I feel like it was just yesterday our season began, but in reality, we are halfway done with the CSA program as of this week. Granted, there are only 17 weeks, but I consider week 9 to be the halfway point as there are now less 2 am mornings ahead of me than more. That makes sense, right? Summer is flying by with the State Fair right around the corner, meaning September isn’t far behind. As we inch towards fall, more products become available like those big orange things….pumpkins. Speaking of pumpkins, there is a GIANT orange pumpkin sitting in my office right now that I picked last week while out and about with Farmer Jerry. It’s too early for fall things in my opinion, but within a matter of weeks, our parking lot will be transformed into a sea of orange as we begin that harvest season as well.

 

Alright, I’ll stop the rambling and jump into some ideas on what to do with the share this week. Here we go:

 

Sweet Corn: 2 ears will be cut off the cob and sauteed with an onion and used to make stuffed poblano peppers. The rest will likely be grilled or boiled and served with another dinner this week.

 

Poblano Peppers: Stuffed poblano peppers is the answer. I made these last night as I stayed at the farm and somehow am always in charge of making dinner for my parents on Monday nights. They were so good, I will probably make them again tonight so I can have leftovers all week. If you make the stuffed peppers, I recommend maybe picking up 2-3 more peppers as the filling makes quite a lot. I loosely followed this recipe, but added the sautéed sweet corn, onion, as well as a can of black beans in with the chicken and used a bit more cream cheese and it calls for in the recipe since I used 2 very large chicken breasts. I served it with some homemade Spanish Rice, which when I made this I apologized to my mother because she used to make Spanish Rice when I was a child and I remember HATING it. Like I thought it was disgusting….but this one was pretty good. If you use the recipe I linked, I subbed green peppers for peas.

 

Jalapenos: You can always chop up a jalapeno and add it to the Spanish Rice and Stuffed Poblano peppers if you go that route this week. Otherwise, a batch of jalapeno poppers wrapped in bacon is an awesome option. I can’t even think about making a batch of chili at this time of year, but if you enjoy it in the fall and winter, I recommend just dicing up the jalapenos, sticking them in a freezer bag or container and tossing them in the freezer until the weather cools off and chili sounds appetizing again.

 

Onion: I absolutely love these small onions because I can use a whole onion at once. Chopped and sauteed with corn and added to the peppers, or sauteed and added to Spanish Rice is where mine will go. A fresh batch of salsa with onion, tomatoes, poblano or jalapeno peppers is another great option. These are also perfect for caramelizing and adding on top of a burger or another type of sandwich. They are incredibly sweet and not pungent at all.

 

Red Tomatoes: Salsa, sandwiches, a meal in itself…it’s really just a great time of year to enjoy fresh tomatoes. This season doesn’t last forever and the ones we get at the store in the winter just don’t taste the same.

 

Yellow Tomatoes: Similar in flavor to the red tomatoes, but lower in acid. These make a beautiful topper for a tomato tart or simply slice and enjoy!

 

Canary Melon: Cut up and put into a container in the fridge so I can grab and enjoy as a snack alongside some cottage cheese or by itself. I love to squeeze some fresh lime juice over the top if I’m eating it by itself.

 

Carrots: Roasted is one great way to enjoy these! I’ll likely just peel and cut them as soon as I get home and toss them in a container so I can grab them as a snack throughout the week.

 

Cucumbers: Yes, there are some great salads you can make like this one, or this one, or even this one! It’s my one 3-day weekend of the entire summer this coming weekend where I get to head to a cabin with 25 college friends and of course, I’m in charge of bringing all the fresh produce, so I’ll likely just slice these up and add them to a veggie tray for the weekend.

 

Romano Beans: I love to steam these beans and serve them with some caramelized shallots for an absolutely divine side dish to any dinner. Sometimes the beans alone are my dinner if I’m really lazy.

 

Shallots: A very mild flavor, these are perfect for serving with green beans or potatoes. If you’re into making your own dressings, shallots are a great addition to those as well.

 

There you have it! Hopefully, some fun and helpful ideas to help you cook your way through your box this week.

 

Until next week,

Jenna