11/2/12 Weekly Menu |Fall Table

Farm Fresh

bok choy, carrots, gourmet greens, jalapeños, mizuna, parsnips, sweet red peppers, turnips, winter squash

What’s for Dinner?

Friday – the in-laws visit

pulled pork sandwiches (William-Sonoma Food Made Fast)
spicy oven fries (Good Housekeeping)
savvoy cabbage slaw (SIO Week 22)

Yes, still catching up from last week’s veggie nirvana!  Beautiful savoy cabbage and German butterball potatoes to use tonight…

Saturday – Mexican Night!

chips, salsa, and guacamole
black bean tacos with roasted peppers and onions (Vegetarian Times)

I make these often, roasting whatever veggie sounds good with Mexican (summer squash, winter squash, etc.). This week, I’ll seed the jalapenos, and add them in to roast also.  The tacos are great with just salsa and guacamole (could use jalapenos to make your own!) – no need to buy those out-of-season tomatoes!

Sunday

mixed green salad, basic vinaigrette (NYT)
balsamic glazed parsnips (Epicurious), or
roasted parsnips and carrots (Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics)
maple-balsamic glazed pork medallions (Cooking Light)

The gourmet greens are so delicious on their own, there is no need to add anything to them except a simple vinaigrette.  However, depending on the season and what I have on hand, I often do.  In the fall I’ll add some apple or pear or persimmon chunks, and possibly some cheese – goat, blue, whatever!  And often I’ll throw in some nuts for extra protein.

Monday

mizuna salad with turnips, Asian vinaigrette (SIO Farm Blog;  NYT )
salmon “bulgogi” with bok choy and mushrooms (Epicurious)
brown rice

Given my overabundance of veggies, I will substitute the shitake mushrooms with a sweet red pepper (until Hood River mushrooms come my way this winter!).  And for my family of four, I always just buy a one pound filet of salmon.  A yummy rice to go with Asian dishes is Bob’s Red Mill Sweet Brown Rice.

Tuesday

wild rice stuffed squash (Martha Stewart)
mixed green salad, basic vinaigrette (NY Times)

For stuffed squash, I use 1 cup any type of wild or brown rice that I have on hand; of course, you could also use a favorite grain – quinoa, wheat berries, farro, cous cous, bulgar, etc.  Try various dried fruits (cranberries, apples, apricots) and nuts (hazelnuts, almonds, pecans) too!  This is a very versatile recipe.

Wednesday

mizuna salad (SIO Week 23)
curried carrot soup (Oprah)
artisan wheat, nut or french style bread

There are so many carrot soup recipes; if curry’s not your thing, just find one that suits your family’s taste buds!  Alice Waters has a simple and delicious one (NYT);  I highly recommend pureeing any carrot soup.  If there’s a meat-lover in the family, add a pre-made roasted chicken to this meal.

Thursday

vegetarian sheperd’s pie (SIO Week 23)

I’ve never tried this – looks delicious!

At the Market

2 lbs. boneless pork shoulder
onion – 2
4 medium potatoes
ginger
shallot
artisan bread
french green lentils – 1.5 cups
sandwich rolls
salsa
guac
tortilla chip
2 cans black beans
1 can fire roasted tomatoes
corn taco shells
1 lb. pork tenderloin
1 lb. salmon fillet

This list assumes my reasonably stocked pantry.

“What the Kale?!?”

Don’t panic and get out the compost bin if all of the sudden you have a giant veggie delivery coming your way, and you still have a fridge full.  Here are a few suggestions for preserving the bounty!  (Soups and stews freeze wonderfully in those gallon zip lock freezer bags.)

• winter squash and sweet pepper soup (American Inst. for Cancer Research), just use both acorn squash
• pumpkin soup (Epicurious), I skip the red pepper mousse and use any winter squash I have
• white bean and butternut squash soup (Alice Waters, The Art of Simple Food), again, any squash, and canned beans are OK
• parsnip soup (Epicurious), double this recipe, and use 2 lbs. of parsnips.  Delicious with a beef entree!
• bok choy & vegetable soup (The Daily Meal), double this recipe, use an entire head of bok choy, vegetable or chicken broth, and skip the snow peas.  A wonderful accompaniment to an Asian style salmon or halibut.