Week 16 Box

Apparently next week we will be box-less, so they really overloaded this week's box. Many of the things listed were in bulk.

• Potatoes
• Swiss chard
• Kale
• Garlic
• Onions
• Edamame
• Green beans
• Rosemary

Marinaded Steak Kabobs

I feel that it is a development to mention here that my city is currently flooded and our water is limited in access and under a boil alert.  Luckily I had planned a dinner that was low on dishes.  Anything using a grill or the oven with no dishes will probably be very popular in my house for like a week or so, until the boil ordinance is lifted.

Serves 4

3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped rosemary (1 full sprig)
1 tablespoon worchestershire sauce
3 tablespoons olive oil
Fresh ground black pepper
Salt
2/3 cup dry red wine
1 1/2-2 lbs beef roast, cut into large cubes
1 red onion, cut into large pieces
1 green pepper, cut into large pieces
1 zucchini, sliced
8 oz baby bella mushrooms

1. In medium bowl, mix garlic and rosemary.  Add worchestershire sauce, oil, salt and black pepper.  Mix well and add wine.  Stir in meat chunks well, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
2. On skewers, thread meat chunks and vegetables in desired pattern.  Once skewers are threaded and bowl of meat is empty, brush remaining marinade over kabobs.
3. Over hot flame, cook kabobs until browned.  Vegetables should be still crunchy and the meat about medium well.  Remove from skewers to serve.

Rosemary Potatoes

The potatoes that we get from our CSA are very crisp and fresh.  They tend to roast really well and, since I usually roast potatoes at about the same temp and time as the Cornish game hens were baking at, making these seemed like a given.

Serves 3-4

10-15 small red potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped
2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash ground black pepper

1. Toss potatoes, rosemary, and garlic in a gallon-sized plastic bag that seals.  Shake to distribute garlic and herbs evenly.  Drizzle oil over potatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Seal bag and shake well.
2. Place potatoes in shallow pan.  Distribute potatoes evenly in pan.
3. Roast potatoes in 375 degree oven for 1 hour or until brown.  Serve immediately.

Roasted Cornish Game Hens

I have always wanted to try making Cornish game hens.  When sage and rosemary appeared in the box this week, I thought I would make something chicken and potatoes.  One of our grocery stores had twin packs of game hens on sale and I figured now was as good a time as any to try them.  I don't really know how you would eat them delicately--since I always imagined them being something you would eat at a fancy restaurant--but my husband thought they tasted awfully good.

Serves 2

2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 small onion, quartered and separated into sections
2 stalks celery
2 cloves garlic, cut in half
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 sprigs fresh sage, plus two leaves for garnish
1/2 lemon, cut into slices
2 Cornish game hens (2-3 lbs total)
1/2 cup water
Salt and ground black pepper

1. Grease a roaster or dutch oven.  Line the bottom of the roaster with onion, celery, garlic, rosemary, sage, and lemon slices. 
2. Brush game hens with softened butter.  Place game hens over vegetables in roaster.  Flatten sage leaf over breast of hens, if using, and brush sage with butter.  Any leftover butter can be dropped into roaster around game hens.  Sprinkle hens with salt and pepper and pour water around hens in roaster.
3. Roast game hens in 375 degree oven, uncovered, for 1 hour or until thigh meat tests done.  Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.  Discard vegetables for serving.

Week 9 Box

The greens were back in our box this week, so the farm must be recovering from the storm of a couple of weeks ago.  It is still really wet, though, which I have heard from others in the area is taking a real toll on root vegetables and bulb plants.  Our onions have been tasty but very small, which is also how the potatoes have been.  I was awfully excited for the okra this week.

• Potatoes
• Garlic
• Onion
• Okra
• Eggplant
• Cucumber
• Swiss chard
• Kale
• Tomatoes (these were actually from a coworker)
• Rosemary

Week 7 Box

The root vegetables are starting to show up in my box now.  Weird thing is that a lot of the root vegetables, like beets, that were in this box showed up in June last week.  The box here might seem sort of herb-heavy, but that's because those actually came from my mom's garden.  The herbs will likely be featured in a number of recipes this week.  Pesto has already been made.

• Cabbage (purple)
• Kale
• Swiss chard
• Beets
• Onions
• Potatoes
• Zucchini
• Green beans
• Oregano
• Basil
• Italian flat-leaf parsley
• Rosemary

Sausage Gravy

My mom used to make sausage gravy for breakfast some Saturdays.  Making it for dinner is still fantastic.  I might have changed the recipe a bit from Mom's--I threw in a lot of the herbs I still had in the refrigerator from the CSA--but the idea is still the same and it's still delicious.

Serves 4

10 oz package sausage
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
2 tablespoons fresh sage, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, minced
2 cups milk (I used 2%)
Salt, pepper, and garlic salt to taste.

1. In a large skillet, brown sausage over medium heat until done.  Try to chop the sausage into the smallest pieces possible.  Leave on heat.
2. Toss flour with sausage until evenly distributed.  Stir in herbs.  Pour about 1/2 cup milk into sausage and stir to loosen.  Add another 1/2 cup and stir again.  Add remaining milk and stir well.
3. Stirring constantly, continue to cook and stir over medium heat until gravy is bubbly and thick.  If thinner gravy is desired, add more milk.  For thicker gravy, mix another tablespoon of milk with 1/4 cup milk and add to gravy. 
4. Once desired consistency is reached, serve immediately (gravy will thicken if left standing).  Pairs well with biscuits (as shown below), grits, or potatoes.

Week 5 Box

There was a warning on our box this week that all veggies should be checked for green caterpillars.  Boy were they right.  Probably because of these critters, I sense that this will be the last week for lettuce.  I had to be particularly careful about making that into salad.

• Lettuce
• Greens (chard and kale now)
• Potatoes
• Garlic
• Onions
• Radishes
• Rosemary