A Girl's Gotta Eat!

We planted a raised-bed garden in our backyard this year. It was our first attempt, and we planted a wide variety of veggies: cabbage, cucumbers, carrots, bell peppers, a variety of herbs, tomatoes…you name it. We've definitely picked up a few tricks to use next year, like 6 tomato plants in a 5 by 8-foot space is too many, but overall have experienced a fair amount of success. In our recent Food Network Magazine , there were 3 different tomato pie/tart recipes, but this was a must as soon as I saw "corn custard" in the title. It seemed like the perfect combo: tomatoes from the Nash garden plus fresh corn from our Delvin Farms CSA equals deliciousness in a pie shell. I was sold. We made it that weekend, and I am (only somewhat) ashamed to admit that within 12 hours, it was gone…not a crumb to be found anywhere. Our Delvin Farms corn was so sweet you could eat it raw straight from the cob, and our tomatoes have been so juicy, it was the perfect food marriage. The...

Mike and I enjoy sweet potatoes, and in the farm box we subscribe to, we often get some fresh ones just in time for fall. It seems though, especially around Thanksgiving and Christmas, that most if not all of the recipes we have copious amounts of one or more of the following: brown sugar, marshmallows, bourbon, maple syrup/molasses/sorghum, etc. We wanted savory sweet potatoes. With our sage plant still producing in the garage under a grow lamp, the recipe I found for Sweet Potato and Sage Butter Casserole was just what were looking for! This was easy to put together and very tasty. So tasty, in fact, that I forgot to take any photos. Ours looked just the original, so check out this link for a visual: Sweet Potato Sage Casserole 2 pounds sweet potatoes , peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes , peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces ...

It's that time of year again when the veggies start rolling in faster than we can eat them. (Thanks, Delvin Farms !) We recently got a couple of huge, beautiful eggplant that we knew needed to be used sooner rather than later, so last night I fired up Pinterest to see what I could see. There were several recipes in contention, but ultimately we went with Eggplant Steaks. (Technically the recipe was for Eggplant Stakes, but I decided not to hold that against the pinner.) The recipe was super easy and super quick. We ended up broiling the eggplant in 2 batches, as it was too much to fit all in one pan. Otherwise, we made it exactly as directed and served it with wild mushroom couscous and dinner rolls with German honey spread. Even for two meat-eaters like Mike and I, it was delicious and absolutely filling. We've already packed up the leftovers for lunches tomorrow!   Eggplant Steak  2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoons thick steak sauce (we used Lea ...

In our most recent CSA box, we received a very nice-looking seedless watermelon. Most people would probably be thrilled with it, but I’ve never been a huge watermelon fan (unless it’s yellow watermelon, which I can eat like it’s going out of style.) Thankfully, Delvin Farms always sends an e-mail with recipes the night, to help use the fruits and veggies we are expecting. The following is a recipe from them, and quite possible the only way I’ll red watermelon from here on out. A few tips and comments…I used shallots instead of red onion because I don’t like a really strong onion flavor. I didn’t measure the melon, but used about half or a normal-size seedless watermelon and thought it was about perfect. I was also hesitant about saving the leftovers, as I was worried that the melon would get soggy sitting in the dressing overnight. I ate and shared the remainder the next day for lunch and still thought it was very tasty. I think it would be great for a picnic or get together ...

It’s that time of year again when the farmers’ market is brimming with tasty treats, and our CSA is full of goodies fresh from the farm. As it was last year, our first couple boxes have been mostly various types of leafy greens and lettuces. The lettuce is always the easiest to fix…nothing beats a super-fresh salad with some grilled chicken or steamed shrimp. Some of the other greens take a bit more imagination. Luckily, Delvin Farms always sends out recipes with their emails of what to expect in the coming week. Last year, Mike and I both had kale for the first time. We tried a couple recipes, but the kale chips were our favorite, and very easy to fix. This year we wanted to try something different, something that preferably didn’t require us to turn on the oven when our A/C was already working overtime to keep up with the 95-degree heat outside (in May!!). We opted for kale bruschetta, and made the crostini in the toaster oven. The recipe was easy to put together. I do thin...

I read a recipe a while back for Summer Squash Pasta Soup (it's another from Seasoned to Taste by the JL Chattanooga.) I thought it sounded delicious, but I don't like making soup during the hot months, and good summer squash is sometimes hard to come by in the colder months. I have a solution. In our past couple CSA boxes from Delvin Farms , we've been getting more pattypan squash than we could stuff and eat. Technically the recipe calls for yellow crookneck squash, but I decided this would be an acceptable substitute and put some tasty looking squash to good use. Also, Mom and Dad haven't been able to eat all their pattypan, so I decided to make a double batch and invite them over for supper. Mike decreed the result as his new favorite soup, and the rest of us thought pretty highly of it as well. I didn't have fresh thyme on hand, but thought dried worked fine. If you don't have or prefer not to cook with wine, I'm sure you could use additional brot...

Mike and I have been getting quite a few cucumbers in our CSA. While we are happy to chop them salads or slice them for cucumber-onion salad (with our own twist of Greek yogurt), we were on the lookout for something a little different. That's where this recipe comes in. Cucumber Feta Salad seemed perfect for us: quick, simple, and with a twist (that's where the fennel comes in.) The recipe is pretty self-explanatory, and we didn't chage anything. For those who may not have tried it, fennel has a subtle licorice-type flavor. Don't worry, it's not overpowering at all in this salad. Instead it adds a nice little crunch and complements the other flavors. I would say that if you're unsure if you'd like it, chop it into pretty small pieces. We had some large chunks in ours that, while tasty, can take you aback if you're expecting the mild flavor of cucumber instead. While you're getting together this weekend for your Labor Day picnics and barbecues,...

When Mike and I were still just dating, Mike's mom was having us over for dinner and introduced me to a brand new dish: Squash Casserole. It was so very tasty that I asked for the recipe at the end of the meal and have been making it ever since. Granted, it's not the healthiest way to eat your vegetables, but sometimes you've got to go for tasty and leave the healthy to someone else. Most recipes I've found call for a full cup of sour cream and an entire stick of butter. I've decreased both these and found it was still delicious. If you're really going for decadence, though, feel free to go all in. Also, most recipes I've seen either mix half the cornbread stuffing mix into the casserole or spread half on the bottom and the remaining on top. I really enjoy the crispy on top, so that's where I put all of mine. All the ingredient amounts are pretty flexible. I've used preshredded carrots, and I've shredded my own. Preshredded will offer a bit o...

Mike and I have been getting eggplant in our CSA box as of late and were on the search for new ways to enjoy them. Normally we would treat ourselves to Eggplant Parmesan, but since that would require several eggplant and typically we receive 1, we needed to branch out. While perusing a Rachael Ray magazine on my lunch break, the solution presented itself: Mediterranean Chicken Stacks! The recipe looked simple and delicious, two of our favorite things. We had fresh eggplant and tomatoes from our farm box, and I picked up fresh herbed goat cheese from Noble Springs Dairy at NFM. The recipe did take a bit longer than the magazine promised, but we've found that it usually does. It still made for a great weeknight meal...not a ton of ingredients were needed, and it only got one skillet dirty. It makes 4 servings, so Mike and I even had lunch for the next day ready to go! Mediterranean Chicken Stacks 1 eggplant (10 oz.), trimmed and peeled Salt and pepper 2 thick slices coarse...

I’ve wanted to try this one for a while, and with the arrival of the first tomatoes in our CSA yesterday, decided today is the perfect time! (Also, Mike’s mom is coming over for dinner, and she doesn’t mind when I try out new recipes on her.) Remember the Amaretto Fruit Salad I made for Easter? This pasta is from the same book, Seasoned to Taste . I told you it was good one and that you’d see more recipes from it…I’d hate to not deliver on a promise. With tomatoes in the farm box, basil growing one our deck, and pasta always in our pantry, all I really had to pick up was the Brie. I didn’t want to be eating too late, so I chopped the tomatoes the night before, put them in a medium bowl so everything else could be added tonight, and stored them in the fridge overnight. I thought about chopping the basil early as well, but didn’t want to run the risk of it bruising overnight. We made everything as directed, with the exception of adding a bit of extra garlic. We have a ton of it from o...

Mike and I returned home from vacation a little over a week ago to a very full farm box. We were very excited to find some tiny yellow squash in there and decided we would purchase a zucchini from the store to stretch the squash a bit further. I had already picked up some chicken tenderloins, so the plan was to grill those and have veggies as a side dish. However, when I got to store, the zucchini were also looking a bit smallish. I started thinking: why not combine the zucchini, our squash and maybe a few other veggies, then toss it with pasta for a Pasta Primavera dinner? I've certainly read enough recipes for it that I felt confidant in winging it this time. Here's what we started with....  1 small zucchini, 2 small squash, 1 green bell pepper, 3/4 pound chicken tenderloins. You'll also need 16 to 32 ounces of pasta sauce and 1 pound of pasta.   Chop all the veggies. We started by sauteing the bell pepper since it typically takes a bit longer. Drizzle about 2 to 3...

We used the recipe for Swiss chard that Delvin Farms sent us. It wasn’t my favorite (I’m not a big “greens” person), but I would still  make it again. Mike thoroughly enjoyed it though, and I did finish my bowl. We used the stalks and the leaves, adding the stalks first and letting them cook for a bit before adding the leaves. I also topped mine with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, having read several other recipes that did so. Swiss Chard Made Easy from Delvin Farms 1 bunch of Swiss chard 1 teaspoon butter 1 small clove garlic, sliced 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons water Pinch of dried crushed red pepper Salt to taste Roughly chop leaves into inch wide strips. Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add the olive oil, a few small slices of garlic and the crushed red peppers.   Sauté for about a minute and add the chopped chard leaves and water.  Turn thoroughly and cover.  Check for doneness after about 5 minutes.  Add salt to t...

We just picked up our first CSA box, and I must say that I was not disappointed. In our first stash, we received Swiss chard, Russian red kale, garlic, green onions, strawberries, red lettuce, and green lettuce. We were also supposed to have broccoli, but I accidentally picked up the one box without it. I believe we got extra red lettuce instead, so it’s all good. The garlic and strawberries had Mike and I most excited, but I was definitely intrigued by the kale and chard. If I’ve read 1 recipe for kale chips in the past couple months, I’ve read a dozen, and chard seems to be gaining popularity as well. And I had promised Mike that I would try everything in the box at least once. First, we made the kale chips. These were so easy and tasty that I cannot WAIT to get more in the coming weeks. I knew that they were baked until crispy, but I figured they wouldn’t really crisp up the way that say, potato chips, do. I was pleasantly surprised. I would also imagine that they retain many of th...