March 9, 2010 | Local Sources
For the past three years I’ve been talking about “my farm” in my blog posts, raving about the bounty from “my farm”, and giving you recipes that are based on the produce I receive from “my farm”. I think you know that I don’t actually own it, but I do own a share of it through my CSA. CSAs are community supported agriculture – you pay a fee to the farm which fund spring start up at the farm and helps them avoid debt. Your share fee then entitles you to a share of the produce each week as it’s harvest. “My farm”, Monroe Organic Farms, has had a waiting list for years – they are organic, they deliver to distribution centers along the front range, and well, they are just special. But they have been hit by economic challenges just like the rest of us, and that means memberships are down this year. The good news in that is that they might finally be able to take on new members, so now is your chance to jump on the bandwagon!
Call Jacquie Monroe at the farm if you’d like to sign up and see if she can fit you into a distribution center near you. When you join the farm you’ll have a chance to order one of the new cookbooks from the farm that I helped put together. You’ll want to make sure you get this as it offers some very important information:
- what to do when you get your produce each week – how to clean and store everything
- a wide variety of recipes so if you’re swimming in zucchini you’ll have options
- tips for long term storing – freezing, pickling or canning – if you want to make your produce last through the winter
You’ve also heard me talk alot about Dallas Gilbert on this blog. He runs the Eastern Plains Natural Food Co-op, and is the person from whom I purchase my heritage breed turkeys each year (along with other products like all natural chickens and ducks). For those of you in the Denver metro area, Dallas let me know today that he’ll be at Marczyk Fine Foods on 17th Avenue this Saturday from 11-3. They’ll be doing some cooking demonstrations and talking about cooking heritage breed products, along with offering some samples. Make sure to stop by!
March 8, 2010 | Condiments, Vegetables
I gotta tell you, I’m just tickled pink about these pickled pink onions. Read the Rest »
March 6, 2010 | Appetizers
You need to trust me on this recipe – they were yummy, so I served them, we ate them – and I forgot to photograph the final product. You might recall I mentioned hosting a little get together for my group heading to Italy soon. Well, these little morsels were the perfect bite of savory goodness to get the group in the mood. Read the Rest »
March 5, 2010 | Entrees, One dish meals, Soup
I just hate it when life gets in the way of blogging, but it happens. Two cooking classes for two different groups, two days spent cleaning out perennial gardens so they’ll be ready for spring before I leave for Italy, an Operation Frontline class, a doctor’s appointment for my mom, lunch with my parents, a meeting with a client for an upcoming party I’m catering. You know the drill: I’m in bed each night before I know it and another day has passed without a food photo. I could give you the recipe for the pork stroganoff I made this week - it was creamy and savory, but I don’t have any photos. I could tell you how delicious the Thai menu was my class created on Wednesday night – but again, no photos. Instead, I’m sharing with you photos I took this morning of the chicken chili we made yesterday for the Operation Frontline class. It’s fast, it’s cheap, it’s nutritious, and it’s yummy – I bet even your kids will like it. Read the Rest »
March 1, 2010 | Salads, Side dishes, Vegetables
Every time I teach a class for Operation Frontline I talk about the health benefits of eating beans – vitamins, protein without the saturated fat, fiber – and yet I never seem to eat them all that much at home. Truth is, they are cheap, easy, and delicious, and this salad is simple to make. Pair it with a nice piece of fish – or a healthy bison steak like I did – for dinner and you’re set! Read the Rest »
