Trying to figure out what to do with that CSA delivery? I’ve organized a week’s worth of dinner ideas that use seasonal produce from local farms.
Meal Plan 5/26-5/31
Happy Wednesday, everyone! I am in a great mood today for many reasons. The top three are (1) the week is halfway over, (2) we get the day off on Monday! and (3) Rami’s and my first wedding anniversary is on Monday!!!!!! It seems like just a few months ago that we were planning our wedding in Iowa. I smile every single time I see a lemon because they remind me of our marriage, and I’m planning to make some lemon bars over the weekend so we can relive that part of our wedding day. Rami and I were talking today about whether...
read moreMeal Plan 5/18-5/25
It’s officially summer at our house. The students are mostly gone from the university where I work, and Rami’s teaching schedule is wrapping up, too. That’s not to say we won’t be busy for the next few months; summer for us doesn’t mean a break so much as a shift in the usual routine. Last weekend was the first of several picnics we’ll be taking, and starting next week we’ll be spending every Wednesday night together watching “So You Think You Can Dance.” (Seriously. We love that...
read moreMeal Plan 5/10-5/17
It’s raining in Austin right now! We desperately need some rain, and all the clouds from this cold front are expected to stay for the rest of the week. Hooray! More good news: Rami and I cleaned out our kitchen last weekend and I found a picnic basket in one of the cupboards above the fridge.We decided that picnics would be fun, cheap dates for the summer and we have resolved to take picnics together on the weekends. Any good ideas for picnic locations in Austin? Of course, there are other meals to plan besides picnic dates! Here’s...
read moreMeal Plan 4/27-5/3
It’s been a few weeks since I did a menu plan, and man am I feeling the burn! My fridge and pantry are a little bit of a mess because our meals have been so disorganized. Instead of sitting around feeling sorry for myself, I’m gonna get right back on the meal planning bandwagon and focus on using up some of the random groceries hanging out in my kitchen. This is what we’re getting in our Local Box this week. Thanks so much to Stephanie over at Eating Out of the Local Box for all the farm links in this week’s...
read moreMeal Plan 4/5-4/11
Uh, I wrote this whole post last night while I was on dinner break at my job. Then I forgot to hit “publish” before I stepped away from my work computer. Kind of par for the course yesterday. Hopefully things will be a little less hectic today, starting with my trip to the farmer’s market tonight to celebrate bake sale victory with my foodie friends. Can’t wait to hang with them for a while, pick up some awesome veg, and eat some Bola Pizza. This is what we’re getting in our Local Box this week: Green or Red Leaf...
read moreMeal Plan 3/16-3/22
It’s definitely spring time in Austin! The weather is nice and warm, and there’s no frost in the forecast until later in the year. The winter greens like bok choy, spinach, and mustard are still coming fast and furious, but now some more tender plants like tomatoes are here, too! We’re on our third straight week of tomatoes in the Local Box, so I guess I can quit pinching myself and cook them, already. For the past two weeks, I’ve been eating the tomatoes as soon as they arrive on my doorstep, sliced with a little sea...
read moreMeal Plan 3/3-4/9
Hey y’all. Sorry for my lack of posting lately. I have been pretty sick with mono, and I have lost my will to cook anything besides chicken soup. That compounded with the fact that my husband/sous chef/ blog-helper-extraordinaire is out of the country means things have been pretty bleak in the kitchen as of late. However, I am on reduced work schedule and some sweet drugs, so hopefully I’ll be back in my apron as usual soon. In the meantime I am cooking easy, familiar recipes with my produce. Here’s what we got in our Local...
read moreMenu Plan 2/23-3/1
Photo: Liz Love Woohoo! I’m finally feeling better. I missed making a menu plan last week because I was sick, so I’m extra enthusiastic with this week’s menu preparations. It helps that we’re getting our first round of local strawberries this week. All the vitamin C in the strawberries will chase away any lingering ickies for sure. And although every time I buy strawberries I want to make popsicles (see above), I’m going to use this week’s haul in a very responsible and healthy spinach salad. Here’s...
read moreMeal Plan 2/9-2/15
Oh, happy day. My Greenling Local Box arrived today just like clockwork, even though I didn’t get home from work until 7:30 tonight. The next few nights are very hectic here in the El-Farrah/Hutchison home, so I’m aiming for super quick and easy suppers until this weekend, when I’ll have a little more time to cook. Monday’s Valentine’s Day Dinner is a surprise. Top Secret. My lips are sealed. But there may be some chocolate. And also garlic… Here’s what’s in the Local Box: Bibb Lettuce –...
read moreMeal Plan 2/2-2/8
Last night I met a bunch of Austin food lovers at an ATX Food Swappers event co-hosted by Megan, Kate, and Sarah. This was my first-ever food swap and I am so glad I worked up the nerve to go! I took 5 packages each of whole wheat beer bread mix and chocolate chai truffles and swapped for a huge number of homemade goodies. Most of those goodies are perishable, so I have a wonderful assortment of ready-made breakfast and dessert items to include in my meal plan this week. The food swap items listed below link back to their original makers...
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