Cooking the Box: Week 5

And just like that another year of CSA Farm Tours are in the books. It was another hot and busy weekend, but we managed to get over 1200 people to the farm over the past two weekends. While farm tours are always a highlight of the summer, I am definitely ready for a mini break. And by mini break, I mean relocating back to my own house instead of living at my parent’s house like I have for the past three weeks. I’m excited to get back into some routine again and not live out of a laundry basket. Oh, and have a clean car again! A word of advice, don’t leave a glass bottle of balsamic vinegar in your car when it is almost 100 degrees. It will break and your car will smell like vinegar for several weeks. Yes, that really happened and I’m super thankful for the detailer who will be cleaning my car this morning.

Cooking is a whole other story. I’ve tried to keep up on cooking meals, but it has been a challenge. Three nights at my own home in the last three weeks meant time in the kitchen was limited. I kept thing pretty simple, but I’m ready for some decent meals again and this week’s share is a perfect reason to spend a little extra time in the kitchen. Let’s take a look at what you can do with the share this week!

Sweet Corn: The first homegrown corn of the season is here! You can keep things simple and simply boil the corn and enjoy. I think that I will actually end up cutting the corn off of the cob and tossing it in a frying pan with some of the onion from this week’s share along with some peppers I pick up at the store. I then serve this little mixture alongside chicken or fish for dinner. Add some fresh cut tomatoes to it and you have yourself an awesome fresh stir fry that comes together super fast.

Carrots: Carrots are definitely one of those things I buy all winter long at the store, but really don’t enjoy them. These carrots are completely different! The taste doesn’t even compare to those in the store. I’ll wash, peel, toss in some olive oil and place on a cookie sheet and roast. Simple roasted carrots are one of my favorite things. If I roast these carrots on Tuesday when I get home from work, I can add them to a couple of lunches or dinners throughout the week.

Broccoli & Cauliflower: This week is all about keeping it simple as I get back into a routine. Although I hate turning my oven on when it is this hot outside, since I am already roasting carrots tonight, I’ll chop up my broccoli and cauliflower and toss it in olive oil with a bit of salt and pepper and add it to a separate baking sheet. I’ll roast it at the same time as the carrots and call it good. When I want to warm it up for a meal later in the week, I’ll just throw it in the air fryer to crisp it back up! Quick and easy…it doesn’t get much better than that.

Tomatoes: I basically add tomatoes to almost every lunch and dinner throughout the summer. Whether it’s a slice with some salt and pepper, or I chop it up and add a bit of mozzarella and balsamic vinegar, they make a great fresh snack. I’ll use some with my corn salsa, but I’ll probably just enjoy the rest of them as a fresh snack.

Onions: One onion will be used in the corn salsa I plan on making and the other will get used somehow. These onions are great for burgers or sandwiches as they are super mild. I even like to sauté them and serve with eggs too. Maybe an omelet with a little sauteed kale and onion? That is if I am feeling ambitious one morning.

Raspberries: Well, these won’t last long. I’ll probably eat them as I prep the carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower tonight. Please remember these berries are extra soft and if they have started to melt, simply add them to some yogurt or ice cream for a delicious treat!

Peas: I have memories of sitting on the back deck and shelling peas as a kid. For some reason, it was much more enjoyable then than it is now. Maybe if I add a glass of wine to the mix as I shell them, it be better. All jokes aside, fresh peas are truly a treat! I plan on shelling mine right away and placing the peas in an airtight container until I want to steam them. When I’m ready, I’ll simply steam them for a little bit and top with a tiny bit of butter, salt and pepper for a great summertime treat!

Kale: I love myself some good kale chips, but I really hate turning my oven on any more than I have to when it is this hot outside. I really like kale is any form, so I’m going to challenge myself to make a cold kale salad to enjoy throughout the week.  This recipe for Kale Pasta Salad looks delicious and easy to make, so I will likely toss this together so I can enjoy it throughout the week. Remember, if you massage the kale with olive oil or a dressing, it will make it a bit more tender!

There you have it, Week #5. As always, it isn’t fancy, but hopefully this gives you a few ideas on how to cook your way through the box this week. Stay cool and I hope you all have a great week!

Jenna