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Seasonal Cooking

So remember my post a couple months back about CSA's and that I had signed up for a Fall CSA share?  So the rutabaga has hit the road and that one's all done!
It's time to sign up for a Winter/Spring CSA.

This time I've signed up with Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative.  They deliver to my worksite so it's super convenient - will let you know how it goes after a few boxes. (Refer back to that old post if you need a refresh on who to contact for a CSA in your area.)

download (36)These pics are all from my deliveries last Fall. Everything from Wimer's Organics was fresh and delicious!

This beautiful veggie bounty required a little adjusting to work ingredients into dinner so nothing wilted or withered away on the counter or in my fridge.

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But, for the most part, there was nothing too exotic or difficult to prepare.

Just looking at the fresh supply on my island made me feel like Martha.

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So now I await my new season delivery. Seeing piles of fresh veggies once again should help with my February blues of waiting to get my fingers in garden dirt.

Since I'm a data-driven girl and cookbooks are recipe 'data', I've been looking for good seasonal references to help handle whatever comes in the box.

Awhile back, I was very happy to get a twitter mention from Mi Ae Lipe at Bounty from the Box on the CSA post but even happier that she was plugging her new cookbook - one that focuses just on CSA seasonal cooking. Check out the website - her artwork is absolutely gorgeous and it has a link to order the new cookbook if you're interested.

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It's a beautiful book - not only are there great recipes but good history on interesting CSA farms, helpful kitchen tips, and gardening.  The only negative is that it is pretty thick/big book  - it's like a textbook.  Personally, I like the textbook reference quality (where I don't read the whole thing but keep discovering sections over time as veggie issues present themselves) but it might not be for everyone.

For those who don't want to put another cookbook on their shelf, there are a ton of seasonal foodie websites and blogs out there.  I've looked at quite a few  but many are just too exotic for me or too into their photography as the main focus.

I try to go to ones that use simple ingredients - things you usually have on hand, and don't get too fancy - recipes you'd actually make after coming home from work. If you want to check a few of those that feature seasonal cooking, here are some suggestions:

Veggie recipe for the day (credit to Bounty from the Box)

Maple-Roasted Brussels Sprouts

1 lb brussels sprouts, halved
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp olive oil
pinch of sea salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.   Whisk together maple syrup, olive oil and sea salt  and add in brussels sprouts to coat evenly. Place in a single layer on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges of sprouts are crispy and insides are soft.

Serve for dinner and test if kids still don't like brussels sprouts.

(Note: this took a little longer in my oven than what the recipe stated so you can adjust to level of doneness).

2 thoughts on “Seasonal Cooking

  1. Mi Ae Lipe

    Hello Amy,
    This is Mi Ae Lipe, the author of Bounty from the Box. Thanks to Google, I just found your blog post and wanted to extend my gratitude for posting about BFTB in your blog! Thank you enormously!

    A couple of notes about credits—the beautiful cover artwork is thanks to an incredibly talented Englishwoman named Mary Woodin. You can see more of her gorgeous watercolors on her website at http://www.marywoodin.com. And the Maple Brussels Sprout recipe is courtesy of Portland, OR–based chef Nicole Hoffmann of Abernethy Elementary School.

    Thanks again for writing about BFTB, and I hope that it helps you in your CSA box adventures throughout the year. Keep up the wonderful writing and photography on your blog!

    —Mi Ae

    Reply
    1. dakota pharmgirl

      Thanks for the kind words Mi Ae and extra info about the artwork and recipe. I definitely will check out Mary's work - so gorgeous!
      I am enjoying the book very much - in fact, just got a heads up from my CSA newsletter that Jerusalem Artichokes would be in my next delivery so I'm busy reading that section in BFTB in preparation =)

      Reply

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