Local Box Meal Plan: Nov. 16-20

Happy Thanksgiving! I realize that I’m a week early, but we’re having some friends over for an early Thanksgiving on Sunday. Because it’s not the actual Thanksgiving day, I’m taking some liberties and veering from my family’s traditional Turkey Day menu (and let’s face it, who wants to have the same meal twice in one week?).

This week, we’re getting sweet potatoes, red onion, and collards or mustard greens from Naegelin, Eureka persimmons from Indian Hill (Texas A&M has a good breakdown of persimmon varieties grown in Texas here), Cameo apples from Top of Texas, pie pumpkin, green beans from Animal Farm, hot and sweet peppers from Green Gate Farm, escarole and Louisiana shallot-scallions from Acadian Family Farm, Bibb lettuce from Bella Verdi and herb from Pure Luck.

So I’m making:

Appetizer:

• Persimmon-cranberry chutney with water crackers and brie

Main course:

• Herb-roasted turkey
• Chestnut-apple stuffing (made with a red onion) served inside a roasted pumpkin – this only works if we get a pumpkin, not fennel. Here’s hoping for a pumpkin for the super cool presentatation!
• Roasted sweet potatoes tossed with herbs
• Roasted green beans
• Sauteed greens with garlic
• Louisiana shallot-scallion dinner rolls (based on this sweet dinner rolls recipe)

And because we still have to eat dinner on Saturday:

• Italian wedding soup with escarole
• Green salad with balsamic vinaigrette

I’m also retrying hot pepper jelly with this recipe, since it didn’t work so well last time.

Are you changing up some of your Thanksgiving staples this year, or keeping it traditional?

Local Box Meal Plan: Oct. 19-23

This week, we’re getting: Corno di Toro sweet peppers, bell peppers, an assortment of herbs, cucumber, Meyer lemon, gala apples, Thai eggplant, lettuce, cherry tomatoes and either baby bok choy or sweet potatoes, depending on your delivery day.

So I’m making:

Lunch:

• Eggplant croquettes in a pita with lettuce, sliced cucumber, and tzatziki

Dinner:

• Roasted turkey breast stuffed with lemon, garlic and herbs
• Grilled shrimp with Romesco sauce (a traditional Spanish sauce made with garlic, chiles, almonds, tomatoes and peppers)

Side Dish:

• Roasted sweet potato with shallots and sage

Dessert:

• Apple confit with vanilla ice cream

Plenty of produce that’s perfect for fall!

Local Box Lookout, week of 02.23.2009

Here’s what the folks at Greenling have planned for this week’s Local Box. Remember, you can still order this week’s Local Box through Saturday and later, depending on your zip code. Click here to check it out!

• spinach
• lettuce
• radishes
• green onion
• kale and collard bundles
• sweet potatoes
• carrots
• grapefruit
• kohlrabi
• mustard greens

Local Box, 01.21.2009

Some very tasty veggies came in this week’s Local Box. I can’t *wait* to eat those radishes. And I tasted the spinach even before I took the picture. (It’s super tender and flavorful!) I’m planning to roast the beets and serve them alongside some lentils for dinner tomorrow.  I ate a tangerine with breakfast this morning – and expect the others will meet a similar fate. I’m stumped on the sweet potatoes, though. I’ve been deep-frying them into chips a lot lately, but I’m up for a change. Any ideas? How about on the bok choy? It’d be lovely in a stir-fry, but it’s so fresh and young, inspiring me to try something new. What do you have planned for your Local Box this week?

Local Box Lookout, week of 01.19.2009

Here’s what’s forecast for next week’s Local Box:

• radishes
• spinach
• striped beets
• sweet potatoes
• green garlic
• portobello caps
• yellow onions
• herbs
• tangerines
• bok choy

Report from Fearless Forager, week of 12.22.2008

Here’s the plan for this week’s Local Boxes:

• lettuce
• sweet potatoes
• green onions
• crimini mushrooms
• radishes
• herbs
• kale
• tangerines
• grapefruit
• cilantro
• collards
• apples

Also, we’re on a modified delivery schedule this week. Here’s the scoop:

In the Austin area, if your normal delivery day is:

• Tuesday, you will receive your order Monday the 22nd.
• Thursday, you will receive your order on Tuesday the 23rd.
• Wednesday, you will still receive your order on Wednesday the 24th.
• Friday, you will receive your order on Wednesday the 24th.

And in San Antonio, if your normal delivery day is:

• Tuesday, you will receive your order Monday the 22nd.
• Wednesday, you will receive your order Monday the 22nd between 9am-2pm.
• Thursday, you will receive your order on Tuesday the 23rd.

How are you planning to eat out of your Local Box for the holidays this year?

Molasses Horseradish Sweet Potato Spears

This festive preparation graced our Thanksgiving table, but there’s no reason not to enjoy it any ol’ night of the week – especially with Local Box sweet potatoes to spare. Check out the recipe here… and let us know what you’ve been doing with all those sweet potatoes, yourselves!

Local Box, 11.19.2008

I’m tempted to decorate with the undulating sea of greens that arrived in my Local Box yesterday. But they’re too rich and flavorful – I’d rather eat them instead. I’ve got out-of-state guests coming for the Thanksgiving holiday, so I’m psyched to see avocadoes again — guacamole is a quick-and-easy hors d’oeuvre with real regional flair, especially when made with local onion and Key lime juice. I think I’ll plan to turn some of those Meyer lemons into sauce for gingerbread pancakes, too. And I’m hoping to find time to turn some of the Meyer lemons I’ve collected into marmalade for a cranberry sauce recipe I’m excited to try. I’ll horde this week’s sweet potatoes for next week’s big meal, and maybe fry some green tomatoes, too.

What have you got planned for your Local Box this week?

Report from Fearless Forager, week of 11.17.2008

This week, she’s planning to load-up our Local Boxes with all of this:

• bibb lettuce, romaine lettuce, or baby lettuce/arugula bouquets
• avocados
• key limes
• collard greens
• radish
• mustard greens
• Japanese turnips with greens
• assorted herbs
• apples
• Meyer lemons
• butternut squash or sweet potatoes
• red potatoes

Local Box, 11.12.2008

It seems like there was even more food than usual in this week’s Local Box! Collards, kale, and mustard will keep us in the green for days, no doubt. And what a treat to find avocadoes! I’m swamped this week, so I’ll be looking for some quick meals. A microwaved sweet potato and an apple will make a great quick lunch, and perhaps I’ll roast that big ol’ zucchini to toss with pasta for an easy dinner. What have you got planned for your Local Box this week?