Week 6: "Mission: Eat Squash" and Week 7 picture!

Sorry this post is so late. My real life (AKA work) has been extremely busy this past week. But fear not! I have still found time to cook and consume the majority of last week's CSA. It has actually been quite fun. Cooking and meal planning oddly relaxes me so dealing with the CSA has been my destressor each night. The other great thing about this week is all the food was relatively normal. I have a repertoire of recipes for all of the veggies so I didn't have to do much research. And probably the best thing this week is it finally rained!!!! It actually downpoured last night with water rushing down our street. I never thought a little rain would feel so glorious on my skin. Today it's only 72 degrees. It's going to heat back up tomorrow but at least we got a day of relief.

Ok, on to the food...

Tomatoes:
Delicious!!! Very sweet! But actually my own plant is even sweeter. Either way there are few things better than a sweet homegrown tomato. You can taste the sun, soil and love that goes into it -- more than any other veggie.  Obviously, I have just been snacking on these. I also took a handful and roasted them with balsamic, thyme and sweet onion to put on top of toast and goat cheese again. That meal has become one of my favorite go- to's.

Basil:
We got quite a bit so I thought I was going to make pesto but actually I have been using quite a bit just as a topping. On top of tomatoes, squash, pasta, sandwiches, and whatever else needs a pick-me-up. I still have some left on my counter but I am sure I will have plenty more dishes this week to top off!

Carrots:
Quite boring here. Just eating them raw with lunches and dinner. They are so good and easy this way, it's hard to put any effort into it. Maybe in the upcoming weeks.

Beets:

Here are my sliced beets on the grill. 

I finally like them!! After a little bit of googling "recipes for beet haters" I found a recommendation that sounded simple and delightful. Best part, it didn't take 2 hours of roasting or something like that. I sliced the beets thin, tossed in garlic, balsamic, salt and pepper --And grilled them! I actually just used our grill pan because the beets were quite small. Before eating I added a few crumbles of goat cheese but I think Gorgonzola would work too. I loved it! The char on the beets brought out the earthiness and the cheese added a great tartness. I will definitely eat them this way again. Maybe I will even crave them. We will see.

My meal one night.  Roast tomatoes on goat cheese toast, grilled beets with goat cheese and Czech Beans (see below).

              

Purple Beans:
These were so beautiful but sadly they turn green when you cook them. Too bad but they were still tasty. This week I used these in a recipe from my Baba. I am sure they have a name but I just call them Czech Beans (my dad's side of the family is all Czech). I don't use any measurements so it's really all to your own personal taste. First I steamed the beans for 2 min in the microwave. I still wanted them pretty crisp. The sauce is made of sour cream, vinegar, and fresh dill. Just mix them all to the creaminess and sourness you want. I love vinegar, so I probably use more than most. But the sauce is an easy and cool way to spice up the beans instead of my standard olive oil and salt.

When you cut the beans, they were green inside!

 Final product! -- Probably a little too much sauce. 

Summer Squash:
So much squash! But we used it up the easiest way I new how...bring it to a party. I brought 8 of them cut up and on skewers to put on the grill at our friend's house last weekend. Grilled until slightly charred and topped with Parmesan cheese and basil. Even though it was simple, it received rave reviews.

So that only used up 8 of the 12...
I used one HUGE zucchini to make Zucchini Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. Num! They ended up more like tiny portable cakes but I still like them. Plus, it feels like you are being healthy when you eat them.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/spicy-zucchini-oatmeal-cookies/

Shredded with a grater and then squeezed out the moisture.

Cookies!!!

Still had 3 left...
I used 2 of the yellow squash in a recipe I discovered in an Everyday Food Magazine a couple years ago. Very simple. Roast thinly sliced squash. Add to cooked spaghetti or linguine with olive oil, lemon zest and a few dollops of ricotta cheese. I topped mine off with basil, of course. -- and added tomatoes.

http://www.marthastewart.com/328016/zucchini-pasta-with-ricotta?czone=food/produce-guide-cnt/summer-produce-recipes&center=276955&gallery=275750&slide=256001

You can't really see the squash since it is yellow.  But trust me, its in there.

Cucumber:
I made my favorite cucumber salad. It doesn't feel like summer until I have had this salad. The recipe is from my mom's childhood neighbor. First you make the dressing. Then add a few slices of onion and a cucumber or two thinly sliced. It's best if you let it sit for a few hours or overnight before eating. The water from the cucumber thins out the dressing.

My little thing of cucumbers packed for lunch.

Sour Cream Dressing for Cucumbers
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp paprika
2 tbsp vinegar
1 cup sour cream
Stir to combine and add cucumber and onion.







Sugar Snap Peas:
The one veggie I haven't eaten. So far I am planning on eating them raw tomorrow with lunch but I may need to add them to a stir-fry or something this week.

And I just wanted a share a picture of my pride-and-joy, my SunGold plant. I am so happy this plant is doing well. Everyday, I pick 5 or so ripe tomatoes off the plant. Last year I had a grape tomato plant that did great but I hated the taste of the tomato. They were tart and had a really tough skin. This year I did research before I went to the farmers market to get my plants. I heard a lot of people loved both these tomatoes and plants.  I must agree with the reviews.  They are hearty, the tomatoes don't split and super sweet! -- Like candy.  I will definitely get another one last year.

Week 7:
Finally, here is this week's mission. Another huge week. Lots of work and planning ahead but I will again use it as a destressor from work.

Fennel, cucumbers, carrots, 8 summer squash, Asian eggplant, Swiss chard, sweet onions, garlic, jalapeños, a slicer tomato and more cherry tomatoes.

I know I see some refrigerator pickles and tacos in my near future.