There is so much happening this Saturday and more people will be out and about getting ready for gatherings, that I decided to skip the farmstand. Instead, let’s do pick-ups this week. I’m baking dark chocolate biscotti right now, and tomorrow will be cranberry orange biscotti. If there are baked goods that you’d like, just get in touch. It looks like my afternoons will be spent inside all week, so baking and jamming are good things to do. Baking could be biscotti, bread, granola (there are a few bags from yesterday’s farmstand), or crisps. Just let me know what you’d like and when it’s convenient to pick up. I’m so flexible this week.
Menu:
Beets – available any day
Beans – should start doing their thing, but there’s a short waiting list
Bell peppers – there may be a few of the smaller ones ready Thursday(ish)
Broccoli – should have some starting Tuesday
Carrots – some may be ready this week
Chard – can be picked any day
Cucumbers – the slicing variety should give us 10 or more this week starting Tuesday
Jalapenos – should have a handful by Thursday
Peas – watching those new pods and flowers
Radishes – there are 2 or 3 bundles that can be picked this week (final ones until fall)
Tomatoes – *may* have a few small ones this week
Herbs: chives, Italian parsley, basil, sage, thyme, rosemary, oregano, Mexican oregano, peppermint, lime basil – available any day
Need some ideas for the week? How about making pesto with basil, parsley, and some pine nuts or unsalted sunflower seeds? You can use this over hot pasta or make cheese tortellini and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking and then after a good shake, toss in the pesto. There’s a great, cool dish! You can add in some cannellini beans or cubed meat (think ham, salami, chicken) for more protein. I can put together a pesto herb bundle for $3. Remember that pesto freezes beautifully.
How about roasting some veggies this week? If you’re a grilling kind of person, your grill pan or griddle can also be used. Scrub, chop, and toss your veggies with your favorite oil and chopped sage, thyme and rosemary. Cook until fork tender. Leftovers? Turn them into a savory hash by cooking in a skillet or on the griddle with your favorite (or leftover) meat option. Get those veggies crisp on the outside and you’ll love the leftovers every bit as much as the original meal.
You could also make a cold pasta salad with Italian dressing and added veggies like the mini broccoli, some grated carrot, onion, and diced cucumber. Add in beans, cubed meat or cheese, and
We love the chive & onion dip recipe on my FB page. This dip is great for veggies, chips, crackers, or even as a sandwich spread instead of mayo. The chives are also a great addition to a baked potato or potato casserole, too.
You can make salads or wraps with the chard for a cool, crisp option this week. We love chicken salad wrapped in the bigger chard leaves – they hold together so much better than lettuce and are more nutritious, too!
You can add some finely chopped peppermint or lime basil to a fruit salad of halved strawberries, blueberries, and green grapes. Make a small amount of dressing with equal parts lime juice and honey just to coat the fruit and add the fresh herbs to really punch up the flavors!
If you’d like flowers this week, please let me know what day you’d like them and I’ll go through the beds to see what’s ready. There are some zinnias opening, and there were even a handful of sunflower buds showing the flower’s centers during my nightly walk-through.
Remember that there are jams here, too. You could easily use peach jalapeno over a smashed block of cream cheese as a quick (and tasty) dish to share. That jam is also good brushed on grilled shrimp, chicken, or pork for a little sweetness and great flavor. *Note: brush this on during the last couple of minutes to avoid the sugar burning or thin it with a little apple cider vinegar as a late mopping sauce.
All in all, just let me know what you want, if there’s a day and time that works best, or if you want me to just let you know when your items are ready. Your support means the world to me, and I hope that this style will work for you this week.