I had been drafting a post about our little CSA (that's "community supported agriculture" for those not familiar) and summer life to go live this week, when events over the past few days conspired to get in my way. Unless you live in a rain forest and are completely disconnected from all forms of news media entirely, you must know that we (this United States of America) are in the grips of a horrific drought. Not a little dry spell. Not a week-long heat wave, let's all hope it rains and cools off. Not a turn your sprinklers on and we will make it. No, this is serious business. Literally and figuratively.
I live smack-dab in the middle of Northwestern Ohio's farm country. Out the window from my computer desk I look into a corn field. Directly behind our home on the other side of Dry Creek (literally right now) sits a large soybean field. To the north of our small neighborhood is a hayfield. Driving to work during the school year I pass more farms, barns, grain silos, tractor storage sheds, and elevators than I can count. Grain prices are listed on our news broadcasts right along with the stock market. As members of a local CSA, we are directly tied to the farmers who feed our family as well. Becky, Don and the crew are like family to us. Farmers make up a large percentage of the community that employs me as a school counselor. And right now, things are bad.
We aren't getting distribution this week for our CSA. Or next. The crops simply are not producing. Farmers are selling off herds of cattle. Chickens are dying due to heat. (and before anyone tells me about how they are kept in inhumane conditions, I'm talking about lovely hens that roam farmer's front yards and produce the most delicious free-range, organic eggs you've ever eaten). Even my own little garden that we irrigate isn't producing. The blossoms are coming on with my pepper, cucumber and tomato plants, but then drop off. The plants are so stressed.
My heart is breaking for those who are working so hard every day to feed us. I know so many of them and see it in their faces right now-the stress and sadness. And there isn't a thing we can do except pray for rain. Hope for the heat to break. Stare at radar screens and will those rain storms to dive south towards us instead of hovering 50 miles north.
I'm not a climate change expert. I'm not even close to what one would call a scientist. Quite the opposite actually, as it is my second-to-last worst subject. But I am hearing everywhere I turn that we are facing more winters that are warm and snowless. More summers with record-breaking heat waves and dry weather. So I am going to do my best to step up our efforts here to reduce our footprint. It may not bring the much hoped for rain, but it is the very least I can do. All I ask is that you do the same, and spread the word.
And hug a farmer. Then take them some lunch or dinner. They need all the support they can get right now, and we should take it right to their fields.
notes from the middle
Showing posts with label Community Supported Agriculture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Community Supported Agriculture. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Fowl. Trussed and Roasted.
Yesterday we ate the most perfect roasted chicken. Perfection I tell you. I cannot get over how delicious it was. And how simple. So awesome that I'm going to detail how easy it is to create.
We get our birds from our CSA. (that's Community Supported Agriculture to those of you who aren't in the know) They raise their chickens out on the farm, where they forage, roam, sun themselves, and eat whatever falls in front of them. They're organic and as free range as one can get. We even visit them each week at pick-up. Talk about knowing your food source! Well, we are gearing up for our final bird pick-up of the season by eating the last of the ones in the freezer, and last night I wanted the most simple way to roast a chicken, as I was feeling a bit under the weather. I've roasted chickens about one million and one ways under the sun. In white wine, with butter sauce, stuffed with 40 cloves of garlic, over root vegetables, lemon butter and thyme, basted with beer...I could go on and on. Each variation is good in its own right. However this one takes the cake on taste, simplicity, and idiot-proofness. First you must learn how to properly truss your bird. This is something I've never taken the time to learn. (smacks forehead) I looked up videos and now I know. Thank the interwebs for You Tube. Here's the video I used:
See? Easy-peasy. Now, on the the actual roasting of the bird. I couldn't tell you exactly what mine weighed. Probably 6-7 pounds. It was one of our larger birds though. I found the recipe on Epicurious (which, by the way, is my favorite iPad/iPhone app for cooking!). It is titled, My Favorite Simple Roast Chicken. Here are the basics for you:
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
Line roasting pan with heavy duty foil.
Wash and thoroughly dry your bird. Dry. Dry. Then dry some more. You want no moisture so you have no steam. I used lots of paper towels.
Liberally salt and pepper the cavity with freshly ground pepper and kosher salt.
Truss your bird. (I did this backwards and it worked just fine)
Rain salt over your bird. The recipe recommends about one tablespoon of kosher salt. I did not measure, I salted until it sparkled. It freaked me out, but in the end was perfection.
Place into roasting pan you have lined with heavy duty foil.
Put bird into oven once it is up to temperature and roast 50-60 minutes (until it is done cooking...use your meat thermometer!)
Remove from oven, placing bird on cutting board. Baste with pan juices. I also basted with butter I melted with some sage and thyme. Allow bird to rest 15 minutes. Then carve and enjoy.
This will be the most tender and delicious chicken you've ever eaten. We devoured it. I don't know that I'll ever make one another way. The skin was crispy and golden. The meat was tasty and moist. And the best part was it was very little work! I only am sorry I didn't get any photographs for you. I was too busy cleaning up the mess I made when I burned a batch of roasted butternut squash and ruined my favorite sheet pan. Stupid juicy squash and maple syrup.
At least we had chicken!
We get our birds from our CSA. (that's Community Supported Agriculture to those of you who aren't in the know) They raise their chickens out on the farm, where they forage, roam, sun themselves, and eat whatever falls in front of them. They're organic and as free range as one can get. We even visit them each week at pick-up. Talk about knowing your food source! Well, we are gearing up for our final bird pick-up of the season by eating the last of the ones in the freezer, and last night I wanted the most simple way to roast a chicken, as I was feeling a bit under the weather. I've roasted chickens about one million and one ways under the sun. In white wine, with butter sauce, stuffed with 40 cloves of garlic, over root vegetables, lemon butter and thyme, basted with beer...I could go on and on. Each variation is good in its own right. However this one takes the cake on taste, simplicity, and idiot-proofness. First you must learn how to properly truss your bird. This is something I've never taken the time to learn. (smacks forehead) I looked up videos and now I know. Thank the interwebs for You Tube. Here's the video I used:
See? Easy-peasy. Now, on the the actual roasting of the bird. I couldn't tell you exactly what mine weighed. Probably 6-7 pounds. It was one of our larger birds though. I found the recipe on Epicurious (which, by the way, is my favorite iPad/iPhone app for cooking!). It is titled, My Favorite Simple Roast Chicken. Here are the basics for you:
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
Line roasting pan with heavy duty foil.
Wash and thoroughly dry your bird. Dry. Dry. Then dry some more. You want no moisture so you have no steam. I used lots of paper towels.
Liberally salt and pepper the cavity with freshly ground pepper and kosher salt.
Truss your bird. (I did this backwards and it worked just fine)
Rain salt over your bird. The recipe recommends about one tablespoon of kosher salt. I did not measure, I salted until it sparkled. It freaked me out, but in the end was perfection.
Place into roasting pan you have lined with heavy duty foil.
Put bird into oven once it is up to temperature and roast 50-60 minutes (until it is done cooking...use your meat thermometer!)
Remove from oven, placing bird on cutting board. Baste with pan juices. I also basted with butter I melted with some sage and thyme. Allow bird to rest 15 minutes. Then carve and enjoy.
This will be the most tender and delicious chicken you've ever eaten. We devoured it. I don't know that I'll ever make one another way. The skin was crispy and golden. The meat was tasty and moist. And the best part was it was very little work! I only am sorry I didn't get any photographs for you. I was too busy cleaning up the mess I made when I burned a batch of roasted butternut squash and ruined my favorite sheet pan. Stupid juicy squash and maple syrup.
At least we had chicken!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
On the grill
It is officially summertime. The sun is warm. The skies are blue. The kids are out of school. Round here the wheat is turning a lovely shade of gold as the corn & soy beans are straining to get taller by the second. I'm loving it. And because it is summer, we are using the grill an awful lot more than any other time of the year. (does anyone grill in the dead of winter? And speaking of that, who remembers the Cosby episode where Cliff went out to Bae-be-que in a blizzard?! Loved that one!). Our garden isn't too plentiful yet-we're zone 4ish here-so for now I'm mostly grilling meat. But here are a few of our favorites right now:
Grilled Halibut on Cedar Planks
My favorite fish. Hands down. Nothing local about it, I know. But this fish makes me swoon. Our picky 4 year old even loves it. I grilled it on cedar planks that had been soaked in water for 24 hours. The fish steaks had marinated in lemon juice, salt, and pepper for 30 minutes. After grilling, they were served with a lemon white wine butter sauce. There are one million online. Basically, it's lemon juice (fresh) butter and wine cooked until reduced. I throw in the lemon peels for added flavor. Our son gobbled it up and declared it was "chicken fish!" Whatever it takes, right?
Steak
Now I'm picky when it comes to steak. It has to be tenderloin. Not because I like the cut or the flavor. I have wretched dental work that won't let me chew anything less tender. Boo. When my husband orders a NY strip steak and moans over its deliciousness I ooze envy. Anyhow...we have been giving the steaks minimal treatment...bring them to room temperature, brush with olive oil, sea salt, pepper and put on a high temperature for about 4-5 minutes per side. Voila! Medium rare filets and a happy family.
Chicken
Finally, the grilled entree of my childhood summers. We would eat chicken on the grill's rotisserie each weekend it seemed. That smell, taste, sight sends me straight back to my grandparents back yard in Firestone Park. Two weekends ago we got our first poultry share from our CSA. This round got a lemon butter, charcoal treatment. Nothing compares to chicken cooked over charcoal with a little hickory thrown in at the end. Mmmmmmmmm!
So, what are your favorite summertime grill treats? Clearly we keep them easy here-no recipes involved! Share ideas and inspiration. When veggies start to roll in soon we will br throwing those delights on the grill too, so more to come.
Grilled Halibut on Cedar Planks
My favorite fish. Hands down. Nothing local about it, I know. But this fish makes me swoon. Our picky 4 year old even loves it. I grilled it on cedar planks that had been soaked in water for 24 hours. The fish steaks had marinated in lemon juice, salt, and pepper for 30 minutes. After grilling, they were served with a lemon white wine butter sauce. There are one million online. Basically, it's lemon juice (fresh) butter and wine cooked until reduced. I throw in the lemon peels for added flavor. Our son gobbled it up and declared it was "chicken fish!" Whatever it takes, right?
Steak
Now I'm picky when it comes to steak. It has to be tenderloin. Not because I like the cut or the flavor. I have wretched dental work that won't let me chew anything less tender. Boo. When my husband orders a NY strip steak and moans over its deliciousness I ooze envy. Anyhow...we have been giving the steaks minimal treatment...bring them to room temperature, brush with olive oil, sea salt, pepper and put on a high temperature for about 4-5 minutes per side. Voila! Medium rare filets and a happy family.
Chicken
Finally, the grilled entree of my childhood summers. We would eat chicken on the grill's rotisserie each weekend it seemed. That smell, taste, sight sends me straight back to my grandparents back yard in Firestone Park. Two weekends ago we got our first poultry share from our CSA. This round got a lemon butter, charcoal treatment. Nothing compares to chicken cooked over charcoal with a little hickory thrown in at the end. Mmmmmmmmm!
So, what are your favorite summertime grill treats? Clearly we keep them easy here-no recipes involved! Share ideas and inspiration. When veggies start to roll in soon we will br throwing those delights on the grill too, so more to come.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Choices
I am home with a sick boy today. I was going to type out a write-up all about our weekend in Detroit about the lovely Henry Ford Museum and Toy Story on Ice. Then I was going to give you your next good eats installment about the restaurant we went to in the Corktown neighborhood of Detroit.
And then this morning happened.
I was reminded all about the choices we make in our lives, for our families, and for ourselves. Through an open dialogue, I was reminded how important it is to talk about our choices in a kind, considerate and non-judgemental way. I'm certain I'm losing many of your right now, so let me give you a little background.
Four summers ago we were on our way to the beach, and I was reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. The book changed forever the way I look at food, our food sources, and how my family eats. I began to tip-toe into the world of locavory. We aren't perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but more like a work in progress. We seek out local food producers (local defined as the Midwestern region). We try to find organic if possible. We support locally-owned businesses. We found an awesome CSA last spring that we joined. I learned how to start seeds and began our gardening adventures. I culled memories of my mom canning and preserving foods when we were kids, and now "put up" pickles, jams, jellies, and sauces in the summer months. In the process we have found a wonderful community in the area of food producers, restaurateurs, and more that put a face to the food on our table. This is what suits us.
However, I understand that there are a wide variety of people out there. Families that are rushed, lead hectic lives and cook on the fly using prepared foods that I don't touch with a ten foot pole. Families that don't eat/use any animal products for religious or moral reasons. Families who have a child with food allergies and bend diets of everyone in the house around these allergies for the child's safety (where we consume peanut butter as though it is water). All of these families have made choices that work for them.
The dialogue that was opened up on our Facebook page today was one we are all too often afraid to have. I think it is so important to question and understand the choices we make (be it about our food, our values, our politics, or more) so that we understand each other better. This doesn't mean I think we should argue or belittle one another because they make a different choice than us. It is okay that my family chooses one thing whereas yours another. We can still be friends, right? I think it is time to stop drawing lines in the sand and realize that these choices are what make us all so interesting and real. What make us come together, laugh, have relationships, and grow. Even what makes our pot-luck parties so yummy!
And then this morning happened.
I was reminded all about the choices we make in our lives, for our families, and for ourselves. Through an open dialogue, I was reminded how important it is to talk about our choices in a kind, considerate and non-judgemental way. I'm certain I'm losing many of your right now, so let me give you a little background.
Four summers ago we were on our way to the beach, and I was reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. The book changed forever the way I look at food, our food sources, and how my family eats. I began to tip-toe into the world of locavory. We aren't perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but more like a work in progress. We seek out local food producers (local defined as the Midwestern region). We try to find organic if possible. We support locally-owned businesses. We found an awesome CSA last spring that we joined. I learned how to start seeds and began our gardening adventures. I culled memories of my mom canning and preserving foods when we were kids, and now "put up" pickles, jams, jellies, and sauces in the summer months. In the process we have found a wonderful community in the area of food producers, restaurateurs, and more that put a face to the food on our table. This is what suits us.
However, I understand that there are a wide variety of people out there. Families that are rushed, lead hectic lives and cook on the fly using prepared foods that I don't touch with a ten foot pole. Families that don't eat/use any animal products for religious or moral reasons. Families who have a child with food allergies and bend diets of everyone in the house around these allergies for the child's safety (where we consume peanut butter as though it is water). All of these families have made choices that work for them.
The dialogue that was opened up on our Facebook page today was one we are all too often afraid to have. I think it is so important to question and understand the choices we make (be it about our food, our values, our politics, or more) so that we understand each other better. This doesn't mean I think we should argue or belittle one another because they make a different choice than us. It is okay that my family chooses one thing whereas yours another. We can still be friends, right? I think it is time to stop drawing lines in the sand and realize that these choices are what make us all so interesting and real. What make us come together, laugh, have relationships, and grow. Even what makes our pot-luck parties so yummy!
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Our CSA Farmers
If you aren't familiar with the concept of the CSA, it is a farmer who participates in Community Supported Agriculture (hence, CSA). Basically, we pay in with other members at the start of the farming season, and over the course of the spring/summer/fall we get our "share." For our farm, the season is 20 weeks long, so we are going to be getting produce well into the fall months. Each Saturday morning the three of us pile into the car, flip on NPR and head south to the farm. We started the season with radishes and piles of spring greens. It then progressed into summertime produce staples of cukes, tomatoes, peppers, and some sweet corn. Now they're making the transition into fall plantings...butternut squash, kale, broccoli, more radishes, carrots, sweet potatoes. It is all so delicious. By having all the members pay in before they even plant, we shoulder the risk of farming with them (weather/pests/weeds/etc.) and they do all the work. The best part for us has been the connection we've built with our farmers. It has been wonderful. Not to mention the food-delicious! And the local honey we've gotten used to having around that is thick, minty, herby, and so different that what you'll find in the grocery stores. I know all three of us look forward each week to our Saturday morning trip.
This weekend when we arrived, Becky was filling our orange trug as the three of us chatted with both her and her husband Don. I casually asked if they had any more green cherry tomatoes. (I'd heard the story on NPR the other day about Mrs. Wheelbarrow's Kitchen and her recipe for tomolives sounded so yummy I'd been thinking about it ever since) Without hesitating, Don grabbed a small purple trug and took us straight out to the gardens. Not only did we get a great tour and conversation about the farming methods they're using this year, but we went down the rows of cherry tomato plants and picked to our heart's content. Even our three-year old son assisted in the task, announcing each find by calling out "green tow-mato!" I would guess that we came home with at least two or three pounds of the little gems. This is just the kind of people our farmers are-they are always asking us (and the other members) what we need, what we're looking for, and doing their best to come through. It makes us feel so good to be a part of such a great little community that we get to visit each week. Later this afternoon I'll be making up several batches of the tomolives from the recipe I found on Mrs. Wheelbarrow's Kitchen (you'll have to link to the NPR article). When they're done and cured in the refrigerator I'll let you know how they came out. I'm sure that they'll be a great addition to our savory early-fall dishes!
This weekend when we arrived, Becky was filling our orange trug as the three of us chatted with both her and her husband Don. I casually asked if they had any more green cherry tomatoes. (I'd heard the story on NPR the other day about Mrs. Wheelbarrow's Kitchen and her recipe for tomolives sounded so yummy I'd been thinking about it ever since) Without hesitating, Don grabbed a small purple trug and took us straight out to the gardens. Not only did we get a great tour and conversation about the farming methods they're using this year, but we went down the rows of cherry tomato plants and picked to our heart's content. Even our three-year old son assisted in the task, announcing each find by calling out "green tow-mato!" I would guess that we came home with at least two or three pounds of the little gems. This is just the kind of people our farmers are-they are always asking us (and the other members) what we need, what we're looking for, and doing their best to come through. It makes us feel so good to be a part of such a great little community that we get to visit each week. Later this afternoon I'll be making up several batches of the tomolives from the recipe I found on Mrs. Wheelbarrow's Kitchen (you'll have to link to the NPR article). When they're done and cured in the refrigerator I'll let you know how they came out. I'm sure that they'll be a great addition to our savory early-fall dishes!
Thursday, September 2, 2010
An ode to NPR
This morning I heard an awesome story on NPR...it was about canning. I've written about preserving and canning here before, so I don't want to do much overkill today. I'll just give you the link so if you're so inclined to read it (or listen to it-so you can hear the wonderful sound they've included) you may do so. I adore listening to Morning Edition as I drive to school every day, just so I can find some wonderful gems like this...
Overloaded From Your Garden? Just Can It!
Overloaded From Your Garden? Just Can It!
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Chipotle Ketchup Continued...
Well, it is the weekend, and as promised, I made the Chipotle Ketchup. Here are my notes for any interested party...
First, if you have an immersion blender, it should be your best friend during the making of this project. I was able to not have to switch pots or lose heating time at all. It gave me a nice, chunky texture and the best part...less mess to clean up! Next, if you follow the directions to the letter, this is a spicy ketchup. I left half of the chipoltes with seeds in and half got seeded cleanly. Next time I will seed most of them to have a little heat and allow the smoky character to come through. I had to cook the ketchup for quite some time to get it thick enough. The recipe called for only twenty more minutes after you blend it to smooth it out. Twenty minutes were not nearly enough! It was still watery and runny. I just kept it going on the stove for over an hour on low, stirring it well every five to ten minutes.
In the end, I got six half-pints of spicy, smoky, sweet, yummy ketchup out of it. This was easy to make, made our house smell delicious. Now we are coming up with ideas on how to use it this fall and winter...here are a few we've thought of already...
On meatloaf (obviously)
Stirred into cheddar mashed potatoes
Added to our one skillet Swiss Steak
On top of hamburgers with sharp cheddar cheese
Brushed on chicken breasts before they're grilled
Tossed onto chicken wings
Any other thoughts?
First, if you have an immersion blender, it should be your best friend during the making of this project. I was able to not have to switch pots or lose heating time at all. It gave me a nice, chunky texture and the best part...less mess to clean up! Next, if you follow the directions to the letter, this is a spicy ketchup. I left half of the chipoltes with seeds in and half got seeded cleanly. Next time I will seed most of them to have a little heat and allow the smoky character to come through. I had to cook the ketchup for quite some time to get it thick enough. The recipe called for only twenty more minutes after you blend it to smooth it out. Twenty minutes were not nearly enough! It was still watery and runny. I just kept it going on the stove for over an hour on low, stirring it well every five to ten minutes.
In the end, I got six half-pints of spicy, smoky, sweet, yummy ketchup out of it. This was easy to make, made our house smell delicious. Now we are coming up with ideas on how to use it this fall and winter...here are a few we've thought of already...
On meatloaf (obviously)
Stirred into cheddar mashed potatoes
Added to our one skillet Swiss Steak
On top of hamburgers with sharp cheddar cheese
Brushed on chicken breasts before they're grilled
Tossed onto chicken wings
Any other thoughts?
 |
| Chipotle Ketchup Ready For The Winter |
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Chipotle Ketchup
Every year I attempt to preserve some of the summer bounty to enjoy through the cold, hungry months. Some summers I am better at this than others. This summer I stumbled across a book at Costco that has drastically expanded my repertoire of preservation. I was asked to share this recipe, which I will be making on Sunday for the first time (so I'll post pictures soon, along with a taste review), but feel free if you beat me to the creation of the ketchup to let us all know how it turns out!
As an aside...I have not included the basics on home preserving. If you are unfamiliar with it, please consult The Ball Blue Book or The National Center for Home Food Preservation (an awesome website!). You'll need to read up on the basics before beginning...but there really isn't much to it.
4 lb (2kg) tomatoes
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 yellow onions, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) cider vinegar
2/3 cup (5 oz/155 g) firmly packed light brown sugar
1 can (7oz/220 g) chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
Salt to taste
Makes 6 half-pint (8-fl oz/250-ml) jars
Have ready hot, clean sterilized jars and their lids.
Blanch, peel, and core the tomatoes, then cut into chunks. In a large nonreactive saucepan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, coriander, and allspice and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes longer. Add the tomatoes, vinegar, and sugar and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut the chiles in half and remove some or all of the seeds, depending on how spicy you want the ketchup. Reserve the adobo sauce and chop the chiles. When the tomatoes are ready, stir in the chiles and 1/4 cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) of the sauce. Let cool briefly.
Working in batches, transfer the tomato mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Return the pureed mixture to the pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring often, until thickened, about 20 minutes. Season with salt to taste.
Ladle the hot ketchup into the sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch (6 mm) of headspace. Remove any air bubbles and adjust the headspace, if necessary. Wipe the rims clean and seal tightly with the lids.
Process the jars for 15 minutes in a boiling-water bath. The sealed Jars can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year. If a seal as failed, store the jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
Mmmmmmm
Tonight I came home wiped out exhausted. Not a tough day at work, but one that makes you want to just lay on the couch and watch reality TV or something else just as mindless. However, the issue of dinner was looming as it does every evening. I'd put chicken in the fridge to defrost two nights ago and it was ready to cook...can't ignore that. And I certainly don't want to put it in the trash (stinky, nasty, mess...blech) So, I peered into cupboards and refrigerator to put together a meal...boy did the fates smile down on us tonight! Here is where canning, freezing, shopping at Costco, and generally stocking up get us a good, healthy and delicious meal in a snap.
Grilled Chicken over Whole Wheat Pasta with Oven Dried Tomatoes
This was pretty simple...I had marinated the chicken breasts in Newman's Own low-fat balsamic vinaigrette to grill. We have a ton of whole wheat spaghetti from Costco, so I cooked up a package of it for this dinner. In a pan on the stove-top I toasted some pine nuts while this was cooking to top the pasta. I also warmed about half a jar of marinara sauce from Costco...the Mario Batali brand. About a week ago, I dried all of our cherry tomatoes from our CSA in the oven (took me about 20 hours...but that's a whole other blog!!) and jarred them in olive oil with thyme. I chopped up about half a jar of them while the pasta cooked and tore up a bunch of the basil from our CSA share this week. When the pasta was done, I drained it, put it in the serving bowl, dumped in the chopped dried tomatoes, some of the olive oil out of the tomato jar, the torn basil, the pine nuts, and about half of the warmed marinara sauce. I tossed the entire bowl of pasta together. We served the pasta topped with sliced chicken breast, topped with a few more pine nuts, some additional sauce and some shaved Parmesan. It was so stinking good! Completely healthy (the sauce didn't even have sugar added...extra healthy bonus for us!), and Jack even ate the pasta and sauce together. For dessert we split a small melon out of the garden. Sun-warmed and just sweet enough. Oooohhhhh my tummy is happy!
Now if I can rationalize the bottle of red wine we split I will be able to feel as though the entire meal and beverage choices were perfection...
Grilled Chicken over Whole Wheat Pasta with Oven Dried Tomatoes
This was pretty simple...I had marinated the chicken breasts in Newman's Own low-fat balsamic vinaigrette to grill. We have a ton of whole wheat spaghetti from Costco, so I cooked up a package of it for this dinner. In a pan on the stove-top I toasted some pine nuts while this was cooking to top the pasta. I also warmed about half a jar of marinara sauce from Costco...the Mario Batali brand. About a week ago, I dried all of our cherry tomatoes from our CSA in the oven (took me about 20 hours...but that's a whole other blog!!) and jarred them in olive oil with thyme. I chopped up about half a jar of them while the pasta cooked and tore up a bunch of the basil from our CSA share this week. When the pasta was done, I drained it, put it in the serving bowl, dumped in the chopped dried tomatoes, some of the olive oil out of the tomato jar, the torn basil, the pine nuts, and about half of the warmed marinara sauce. I tossed the entire bowl of pasta together. We served the pasta topped with sliced chicken breast, topped with a few more pine nuts, some additional sauce and some shaved Parmesan. It was so stinking good! Completely healthy (the sauce didn't even have sugar added...extra healthy bonus for us!), and Jack even ate the pasta and sauce together. For dessert we split a small melon out of the garden. Sun-warmed and just sweet enough. Oooohhhhh my tummy is happy!
Now if I can rationalize the bottle of red wine we split I will be able to feel as though the entire meal and beverage choices were perfection...
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