Happy Box Week 1

And so it begins!  Yesterday I received my first weekly CSA “happy box” delivery from Fulton Farms.

Here is what my first box contained:

• 1 big bag of spinach
• 3 Roma tomatoes
• 1 head of lettuce
• 1 head of red cabbage
• 3 stalks of broccoli
• 2 green peppers
• 3 red apples
• 3 green bananas
• 2 oranges
• 1 mango
• 1 lb. of strawberries

Later in the season my deliveries will consist of 100% locally-grown organic produce, but right now in the Ohio Miami Valley, the only things growing are a few really hardy cold-season crops like spinach.  So my first few boxes will also contain organic produce from a trusted wholesaler.  (I would have been okay with an entire box full of spinach, but it’s cool.) 

My mission this year is to utilize every bit of produce that I receive in my CSA deliveries all season long.  I hate to admit that this was not the case last year, which was my first year with the program, but you live, you learn. 

So last night I made broccoli salad to serve with skillet pork cutlets and balsamic tomatoes...

• I blanched the 3 stalks of broccoli, boiling them until they were bright green and still somewhat crispy.  Then I plunged them in cold water to stop the cooking and retain the beautiful color and texture.  Then I chopped the broccoli into bite-sized pieces and threw them in a bowl.
• I added 3 slices of chopped, crispy bacon.  (Tip:  I use kitchen shears to snip bacon into small, evenly-sized pieces.)  I also added ½ cup of golden raisins and ¼ cup of roasted, unsalted sunflower seeds.
• I mixed up a sauce using 1 cup of homemade mayo, 2 tablespoons of citrus vinegar and 1 tablespoon of agave nectar.  (You can also use honey.)  Then I just tossed it all together. 

It was delicious.  I hope I get more broccoli in my happy box next week.  

As for the rest of the meal, I simply rubbed thick slices of pork tenderloin with my favorite all-purpose dry meat rub and browned them in a skillet.  In another skillet, I sautéed a large onion until soft, then added a 10 ounce package of grape tomatoes and a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and cooked on medium-high heat until the tomatoes burst and it all got a bit caramelized.  Yum!

I'd say things are off to a great start.

Baked Flank Steak - Super quick and easy!

I love recipes that are delicious but require very little effort.  This is one of those.  All it takes is some quick prep, then let the oven do the rest.  Don't be fooled by the simplicity; this recipe is a go-to for those times when you want to serve a nice meal, but you just have better things to do than hang around in the kitchen all day.  (That's right.  I said it.)  

So, here is what you need:

• a good-sized flank steak.  Two if you’re feeding a larger group.
• a large onion, sliced.  I like sweet onions like Vidalia.
• 3 tablespoons of vinegar.  I like using my homemade citrus vinegar, but red wine vinegar or Balsamic vinegar would work just fine.
• a teaspoon of sugar
• ½ teaspoon of dry mustard

Lightly score the flank steak on both sides with a sharp knife.

Place it in a glass baking dish.  Sprinkle with salt.  Top with the onion slices.  Combine the sugar, vinegar and mustard and pour it over the meat and onions.

Pour one cup of hot water over all.  Cover the baking dish with foil and place in a preheated 325 degree oven for 30 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake it uncovered another hour.

To serve this, slice it diagonally.  It’s good with a simple vegetable or green salad and some couscous -- just follow the box instructions for cooking the couscous, but substitute the hot beefy pan drippings and onions for an equivalent measure of water.

Easy.  Tasty.  Terrific.

Enjoy!

Infused vinegars in pretty jars

I love citrus vinegar.  It's the best for making homemade mayonnaise and salad dressings (which you can read about here.)  But don't go looking for it at the grocer's -- make your own!