Cheesy Vegetable Soup: Guest Recipe from Deb

Today, I'm turning my kitchen over to Deb from Bowl Me Over for a recipe swap. A fellow Californian with similar food philosophies, she created a fast and easy vegetable soup, perfect for getting anyone to eat more vegetables! I love her combination of peppers, mushroom and zucchini among all the other yummy veggies in this soup. And like she says, it's versatile! Choose whichever vegetables you have available to you seasonally and make this soup.

Be sure to visit Deb at Bowl Me Over to see the dessert I shared with her this week!

Let me start by thanking Renee for the opportunity to share a recipe with you!  I'm "Souper" Chef Deb from Bowl Me Over.   Why Souper Chef Deb do you ask? Well, it's a little play on words as many of the recipes I write end up in a bowl and today is no different! The recipe I'd like to share with you is Cheesy Vegetable Soup.
 

 

You don't have to be a vegetarian to enjoy this soup! Because we're getting closer to summer, I'm lightening things up and leaving out the meat, but just because it's meatless, don't think it doesn't bring the flavor.  This soup is mighty tasty AND it's done in just 30 minutes! 
 

Spring Green Vegetable Pasta Primavera

Springtime is the perfect time to go back to nature and start eating fresher. In many cities, Farmer's Markets are opening as the weather warms and early spring produce is abundant. To celebrate the season, I created a verdant pasta primavera with all things green and in season right now. I chose a combination of vegetables that I knew my family is willing to eat (kale and snap peas). I also added a vegetable that always gets mixed reviews (cauliflower) and introduced a new vegetable to all (fava beans). Pairing this quartet of green vegetables with something I know everyone in my family will eat (pasta) guaranteed no one would turn their nose up and whine about not wanting to eat.

 

 

I'll admit that my children can be picky. When I first met my older kids 5 years ago, they would not touch zucchini, or bell peppers, or a number of other vegetables that they readily will eat today. Did you know that it can take up to 10 times of a child trying one new food to adjust to a new taste or texture? Children's palettes are constantly adjusting, and its not always a flavor or texture thing, sometimes they are in an uncooperative mood, there is an even number of peas on their plate, the clouds are covering the sun, etc.

As a parent, I used to take their defiance for not eating vegetables personally. I knew that I had cooked them properly, seasoned them well, used my culinary knowledge to make the food palatable, and still they wouldn't eat it. The more I fought back, the less they would eat. So instead of forcing or demanding that foods be eaten, I just keep serving them. Not all the time, and not always the same ones over and over again. The more they are exposed to a certain vegetable, the more likely they are to try it, and sometimes, they might actually like it!

Tex Mex Zucchini Boats

Ever get the craving for a good old fashioned Sloppy Joe, but you don't want to wreck your diet? Looking for a new dinner idea? These Tex Mex Zucchini Boats will give you the familiar flavors of your favorite sloppy sandwich, without the bun, and with added vegetable servings. This zucchini boats are an everyone-pleaser in the Messy House. Added bonus: they are grain-free, gluten-free, and if you omit the cheese topping, its even dairy-free! And let me tell you, if you do choose to lose the cheese, the meat filling gets extra crispy and delicious!

 

 

I've mentioned these zucchini boats in my weekly meal plans a few weeks ago, and they are always a hit in our house. I based the recipe off of another family favorite: Sloppy Joe Pizza. In fact, any extra filling would be amazing baked onto a pizza. Or you can top nachos with it. Or tossed into pasta for a southwestern-style cheeseburger macaroni. Double the filling recipe and use leftovers as a base for homemade chili, and the possibilities go on...



 

Tex Mex Spice Blend

With this easy spice blend, there is no more need to purchase those packets of taco seasoning. My Tex-Mex Spice Blend goes great on taco meat, fajitas, and is my secret weapon in my Tex Mex Zucchini Boats.

When you start with a well-stocked spice rack, there is no need for pre-mixed spice blends and pricey packets of seasoning. Creating your own spice blends also mean that you can customize the spices to meet your flavor palette.

Tex Mex Spice Blend
(get printable recipe)

Ingredients - for one pound of meat

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (for mild) -OR- ground chipotle chili pepper (for hot)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Simply mix all the spices together and season as desired! This recipe makes 2 tablespoons of seasoning, which seems to be perfect for about one pound of meat.

 

 

Try this spice blend with my Tex Mex Zucchini Boats!



Pumpkin Banana Breakfast Cookies

Breakfast in the Messy House often consists of my teenager grabbing something to eat on the run before heading off to school. I'm a chronic breakfast skipper myself, I settle down in front of the computer with a cup of coffee when I get back from school drop-off and work straight on through to lunch. I needed something that I could bake that would satisfy our needs, so we could all have healthier breakfast habits.

These Pumpkin Banana Breakfast cookies fit the bill! They are tasty, portable, and filled with whole grains and nutritious ingredients. These breakfast cookies are an excellent choice for a homemade treat anytime of the day.  These cookies are not too sweet, and their texture is chewy and almost muffin-like, gives them enough substance to feel filled up after one or two.

Strawberries and Cream Rice Krispie Bars

Strawberries and cream rice krispie bars are the ultimate no-bake dessert for Valentine's Day. Not only are there only 5 ingredients, but these can be made in less than 15 minutes. They contain no artificial colors or flavors, making these treats fun and kid-friendly! Freeze-dried strawberries give these treats their pink color and an intense strawberry flavor.

 

Sweet, delicious and naturally red and white, strawberries and cream is the perfect pairing for Valentine's Day. The combination of freeze-dried strawberries and white chocolate chips are added to the classic recipe of rice krispie treats to create this festive dessert. To make it super-special and a little extra decadent, drizzle some chocolate over the top. You could stop there, but I tossed on a dash of colorful sprinkles to add to the Valentine's theme! Of course, if you are trying to avoid artificial colors, avoid the sprinkles.

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Valentine's day is around the corner, and I asked fans on Facebook whether I should post a recipe for cookies or rice krispies. They came back with a mixed response, so I said I would share a cookie recipe this week, and share a fun red and white rice krispie recipe next week. Thinking about the colors and emotions that Valentine's day conveys, I knew I wanted to include something red in my cookies and include warming spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger. I had been tinkering with a cranberry oatmeal cookie recipe for some time now, and I decided it would be the perfect treat for Valentine's day.

If you are not familiar with cardamom, it is spice used frequently in Scandinavian and Eastern Indian cuisines, and is one of the prominent spices of Chai tea, and is said to be an aphrodisiac in some cultures. I love using it in baked goods and in ice creams, it pairs extremely well with citrus and tart fruits, and is a welcome compliment to other baking spices.

Spiced Rosemary Candied Almonds

Sticking with game day snack theme, these Spiced Rosemary Candied Almonds are the perfect snack to enjoy with company (or not) while watching sports, hiking, or just kicking back. A few staple ingredients is all you need to create a sophisticated snack that will please just about everyone. These Spiced Rosemary Candied Almonds aren't just great for game day. Try them for snacking on mid-day, instead of reaching for the chips or cookies. Package them up, they make perfect gifts for holidays, housewarmings, and hostess gifts.

Don't think you need to stop at almonds, though. Try making Spiced Rosemary pecans, walnuts, cashews, or a mixed blend. Once you are comfortable with the method, the possibilities are unlimited! Make these ahead and store for up to one week in a cool, dry location. These make for excellent additions to a cheese platter, or toss in some dried cranberries for a tempting fruit and nut blend. Instead of reaching for pretzels or the chip and dip, grab a handful of these nuts and snack smarter.

 

Spiced Rosemary Candied Almonds
Get printable recipe here

Ingredients

• 1 pound raw almonds
• ¼ c sugar
• 1 egg white
• 2 tsp dried rosemary, finely chopped (3 sprigs)
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus pinch
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper

Pizza Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms

The Superbowl is just around the corner, signaling the end of football season and the wait to spring training has begun. Did your team make it this year? It did - congratulations! It didn't - yeah... neither did mine. Whether you are hosting a Superbowl or a Supperbowl, these Pizza Stuffed Portabellas are guaranteed to win you some points!

So often, sports-watching parties are filled with our favorite game-time foods: buffalo wings, nachos, pizza... you get the picture. Our husbands love the freedom of eating greasy, fattening foods that go easy with beer.  These stuffed mushrooms have the flavor of your favorite mushroom pizza, without the crust and without the guilt!

Rosemary Focaccia Bread

Old Man Winter, step aside! While you might be snowed in, iced over, up to your eyeballs in scarves and jackets in the middle of winter, I'm here to share a classic bread recipe that is perfect to pair with your comforting soups and heart stews. Rosemary Focaccia is similar to making pizza dough, a simple recipe using few embellishments to make it feel special.

Orange zest and coarse sea salt take this rustic bread to another level, and will make your kitchen smell amazing! This yeast bread takes a little bit of patience to attain the perfect rise, but is well worth it in the end!

Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche

Hash and eggs, pancakes, quiche, my family loves breakfast for dinner. I enjoy making breakfast for dinner more than I like making breakfast for breakfast. During the week, our busy schedules don’t allow us to enjoy breakfast as a family and on the weekends we tend to sleep in and enjoy lazy mornings in our pajamas.

But preparing breakfast for dinner on a weeknight allows us to enjoy our breakfast favorites without the stress. I use eggs to substitute other more costly proteins and its a win for the wallet as well. When you have kids that might be picky, enrobing vegetables in an egg custard is an enticing and inviting way for them to get a little extra nutrition.

Green Bean and Tomato Salad

Here in the Bay Area, we have over 75 Farmer's Markets open to the public throughout the week. That gives locals plenty of opportunities to shop locally and seasonally. In the summertime, the number of markets are at their peak, and so are the fruits and vegetables. I partnered up with some other local food bloggers to create a Dinner Party filled with finds from our local Farmer's Markets, and I offered to bring the salad. Take a look at what I made and don't forget to check out the other courses!

When it comes to summer, I have salads on the brain. I don't want to be cooking heavy meals when the temperature spikes. Fresh vegetables and lean proteins tossed with a tangy dressing keep you cool and comfortable, and looking good in your swimsuit. This salad is fast to whip together, and can be made ahead of time, making it perfect for your next potluck.

I took a combination of farm-fresh green beans and tomatoes, and paired it with a tangy shallot vinaigrette. For added protein I tossed in some chickpeas, making it perfect for lunch or dinner. Dress this salad ahead of time and let marinate for up to 4 hours ahead of time, or enjoy right away!

Green Bean and Tomato Salad

 

Ingredients

• 1 pound green beans
• 1/2 pound tomatoes
• 1 can garbanzo beans
• Dijon Shallot Vinaigrette, recipe below

Directions

1. Trim stem end of green beans. Blanch in salted boiling water for 90 seconds to 2 minutes. Shock in ice water to stop the cooking, and drain well.
2. Slice tomatoes into wedges. Drain garbanzo beans and rinse well.
3. Toss green beans, tomatoes, and garbanzo beans together with vinaigrette, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Dijon Shallot Vinaigrette

• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• Juice from 1/2 lemon
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/4-1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Combine minced shallot, mustard, lemon juice, and vinegar. Whisk in olive oil to emulsify. Season to taste.

Curious to see how the rest of our dinner party goes?

The Heritage Cook starting out our party with appetizers! See her Caprese Skewers.

Onto the main course: Crazy Foodie Stunts created a fabulous Roast Pork Tenderloin with Mushroom Marsala Sauce and Nosh My Way brought her Loaded Mashed Cauliflower.

And don't forget dessert! Fearless Dining didn't take any shortcuts when she wowed us with her Vanilla Bean Infused Cheesecake with Peaches in Dark Rum Sauce.

Sloppy Joe Pizza, combining two of my family's favorites to create a new favorite

When my teenage son came in and saw me topping pizza dough with Sloppy Joe meat, it put a huge grin on his face. He knew it was going to be awesome without even tasting it! Topping pizza dough with Sloppy Joes might not be a novel idea, but it does combine two dinners that are big hits in our household into one, easy-to-eat dinner. The thick pizza crust holds up better than soft hamburger buns, making this Sloppy Joe Pizza a little less sloppy!


 I press homemade pizza dough out to create a foccacia-style crust. The thicker crust tends to hold all the meatiness of thick Sloppy Joe mix loaded with onions and peppers. For an easy weeknight shortcut, I use a Sloppy Joe seasoning packet and add onion and peppers to the browned ground beef. If you prefer to make your Sloppy Joes from scratch, Diane at Recipes for our Daily Bread has a great recipe.

Sloppy Joe Pizza

Ingredients

   For the Sloppy Joe topping:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 Sloppy Joe Seasoning Packet
• 6-oz can of tomato paste

• Pizza Dough
• 2 cups shredded cheese, Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Mozzerella

Directions

1. Brown ground beef, and drain well. Remove from pan.
2. Add diced onion and bell peppers to hot pan, and sauté until softened.
3. Return meat to pan, add contents of the seasoning packet, tomato paste, and 1 can-full (6 ounces) of water. I add less water then called for on the seasoning packet to make a thicker sauce to prevent my pizza crust from becoming soggy.
4. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the mixture is hot and thickened.

To assemble the pizza, top your favorite pizza dough or my Rosemary Focaccia Dough (prepared pan-pizza style) with shredded cheese and your Sloppy Joe topping. My family prefers a Cheddar and Monterey Jack blend, but mozzarella or any easy-melting cheese would be fantastic. Sprinkle a bit of extra cheese on top and bake on a pizza stone in a 450 F oven for 15-17 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Garnish with basil, and serve. If you like your Sloppy Joes a little spicy like we do, top your pizza with a few dashes of hot sauce or jalapeño pepper rings.

This pizza brought Sloppy Joes up a notch and received high praise from my kids and husband alike. What are some of your family's favorite dinners?

Sweet and Spicy Pickled Cherries

 

The local cherry season is something we have come to cherish here in Northern California. For a short while every spring and early summer, cherries can be found at the farmer's markets and fruit stands. A few select cherry orchards offer "pick your own" options, where you can go out with a bucket and spend half the day picking cherries and enjoying the sunshine. When you've picked enough, or your bucket is full, you can pay by the pound and be on your way. You can then take your newly acquired cherries to make cherry pies, ice creams, or use them in savory applications. Of course, that is if you don't eat the whole lot fresh from the bag first!

 

Because I was buying cherries in such a volume this year, I invested in a cherry (and olive) pitter. I chose the OXO Good Grips pitter (about $13 on Amazon). Be sure to be wearing a shirt that is dark or that you don't mind staining, because while the pitter comes with a twist-on splatter guard, cherry juice will still spray out. I have found that pitting the cherries into a high sided bowl helped keep most of the spatter contained.

 

I used my knowledge learned at the Maker Faire Pickling Workshop with a bold mix of spices to create these innovative Sweet and Spicy Pickled Cherries. Try these in an cocktail (with a splash of the liquid) or paired with goat cheese or on a charcuterie platter at your next party for a twist on traditional pickles. The pickling liquid also gets infused with the taste of cherries and spices, and would make a wonderful base for a vinaigrette.

Sweet and Spicy Pickled Cherries
Makes 2 pint jars

Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh cherries, pitted

   For the brine:

• 2 cups apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons kosher or pickling salt
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

   Per jar, you will need:

• 3 coins of fresh ginger
• 1 star anise
• 1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
• 1/8-1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes

Directions

1. Combine apple cider vinegar, water, salt, and sugar in a sauce pan. Heat to a simmer.
2. Place your pitted cherries into 2 pint size mason jars.
3. Add your ginger and spices on top of the cherries. Be sure to not overfill the jar. You are looking to leave head-space in the lip of the jar.
4. Pour the hot brine over your cherries and spices. Fill to the bottom of the lip of the jar. A canning funnel can be very useful in this step, but not necessary.
5. Seal your jars, and leave out to let cool. Once cooled, store your cherries in the refrigerator. Let marinate for at least 48 hours before enjoying.

Printer Friendly Version

 

This recipe is for refrigerator pickles, so while my equipment was clean, it did not need to be sterilized. If you plan to can these cherries, please take caution and sterilized everything and follow proper canning procedures.


Do you pickle at home or use any other old-school preservation methods? What is your favorite type of pickle? What is the strangest thing you have seen pickled, and would you try it?

Meal Plan Monday- How is it June already?

I hope you had a great weekend! I spent the weekend running errands and catching up on housework. I picked up my produce for this week's Farmer's Market Friday at the Brentwood Farmer's Market on Saturday. If you haven't linked up to Farmer's Market Friday yet, there is still time! Party closes at 5 PM PST on Wednesday.

We have one more week of school for my teenage son, but it involves mostly 8th grade activities (field trips and the typical last week of school fun). I am so ready to have my daughter fly back to California for the summer, she lives with her mom in Louisiana most of the time. This week we have a visit to the dentist for our bi-annual cleaning, lets hope for zero cavities!

This week I'm cleaning out the fridge, utilizing leftovers from the weekend and the produce that I just picked up. My grocery list is already written, and I can get away with checking out through the express lane this week!

Monday
We're off to the dentist after school. that means we will be having Crock-Pot BBQ Chicken from Oatmeal Smiles. I will be serving this with a corn-nectarine salsa and steamed green beans.

Tuesday
I need to pick up eggs from the farmer's market, and then I will be making my Swiss chard and sweet potato frittata. Since I will miss Meatless Monday, we will be having Meatless Tuesday instead.

Wednesday
Using up leftover carnitas for Carnitas Quesadillas. If you need an easy crock-pot carnitas recipes, check out Jonesin' For Taste's Pineapple Pork Carnitas. Will be rounding out the meal with a green salad and fruit.

Thursday
More leftovers! This time I will be making Broccoli Beef using leftover tri-tip. I have to figure out how to make it without the oyster sauce (or with a vegetarian oyster sauce).

Friday
Sometime during the week I need to make chicken stock to utilize the chicken bones that are piling up in my freezer. I will be making some kind of corn soup for Friday, to utilize all this corn I bought. I'm thinking a spicy corn bisque served chilled with shrimp and avocado sounds really tempting, especially since the weather is supposed to be up in the 90s!

Saturday
Pizza night or eat out!

Sunday
If the weather is nice, we will probably invite some friends over and grill out and chill. Chicken and kielbasa, probably, with veggies and potatoes.

What do you plans look like for dinner this week? Kids out of school yet, or still stuck for another week?

Beet and Blueberry Salad with Lemon Dill Vinaigrette

When I think about food, I think of flavor pairings. My recipes can start with one or two ingredients that I want to highlight, and then branch out with complementary or contrasting flavors. I first made this Beet and Blueberry Salad for Mother's Day brunch, and wanted to share the recipe with you. My original Mother's Day salad had beets straight from my garden, but I picked up beautiful baby beets from First Generation Farmers on my farmer's market run yesterday.

The dressing was a happy accident based on what I had in my fridge. I knew that dill and lemon would pair well with the beets (think borsht) as well as add a nice brightness and acidity to the salad. I rounded out the dressing with a bit of local honey and coarse grain mustard. If you like a sweeter dressing use more honey and less mustard, but I liked the tanginess of it because of the sweetness of the beets and blueberries.

Roasting the beets is as easy as tossing them with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roasting at 425 F for 30 to 40 minutes. When they are fork-tender, I place them in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to steam as they cool. The skins peel right off (I wear gloves when I do this to prevent red fingers) and they are ready to use or store in your refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Farmer's Market Friday #3

It's starting to feel like summer in the Bay Area! I am looking forward to a great three day weekend with some grilling and chilling. I don't plan on going anywhere for Memorial Day this year, especially since I have been running around the past two weekends having fun! A couple of cold beverages while barbequing on the porch is about as far as I want to go this weekend. That being said, I won't be grilling up boring burgers and hotdogs. I plan on grilling lamb kabobs and serving them with a Kale Waldorf salad, a recipe I got from First Generation Farmer's while shopping at the farmer's market. They are still raising funds to be able to farm their entire 50 acres organically. If you would like to donate, you can head to their IndieGoGo fundraising page.

There are some definite signs of summer at the farmer's market this time of year. I picked up a great selection of vegetables, and even had $3 left over for a bouquet of flowers for myself!

The Breakdown
Green Beans $2.00 per pound (organic, Enos Family Farms)
Golden Beets $2.00 per bunch (organic, Enos Family Farms)
Blueberries $5.00 (Alpine Blue Farms)
Tuscan Kale $2.00 per bunch (First Generation Farmers)
Yellow Swiss Chard $2.00 per bunch (First Generation Farmers)
Purple Carrots $1.50 per bunch (organic, Swank Farms)
Baby Zucchini and Squash $1.50 per pound (FT Fresh Farms)
Flowers $3.00 (Sunrise Nursery)

This Week's Meal Plan Includes

 

Roasted Chicken with Lemon Quinoa

Vegetable Medley with Carrots and Baby Squash

 

Curried Green Beans

 

Beet and Blueberry Salad with Citrus Dill Vinaigrette

 

Kale Waldorf Salad

 

Porcupine Meatballs with Warm Swiss Chard, Onion, and Bacon

 

Pasta Primavera

 

Check back as I will be adding recipes for some of these delicious dishes onto the blog in the upcoming week!

 

Farmer's Market Friday Link Up #3

Thank you again to those that added links to the link-up! I love reading about your recipes, crafts and tips and tricks. Be sure to share the party! More links mean more clicks, meaning more potential views for you! You can grab this banner and add a text link to your party page. (This weekend I will work towards making it clickable!)

 

Miss last week's party? Check out all the links here!

 

Features from Last Week

Tips For Attracting Hummingbirds

 Roasted Asparagus with Garlic and Parmasan

 

Both links got the most clicks and came from Melissa at How Does Your Garden Grow?. Make sure to grab a button below!



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Sun Dried Tomato Basil Aioli

 

I finally got tomatoes and basil to put in my garden from my local Navelet's Nursery. I picked up 2 San Marzano plum tomatoes and 3 other Heirloom varieties, plus 2 pots of basil to plant outdoors. I made sure one of my tomato plants was a cherry tomato varietal so S-Bug can snack all summer long. It will be a few more months before my tomatoes are ready for harvesting, but it feels like summer now, so I made up a batch of Tomato Basil Aioli to flavor up springtime.

 

I originally got this recipe as part of a recipe card from my artichoke vendor at the farmer's market. The original recipe is served at Rio Grille in Carmel, California as a dip for marinated, fire-roasted artichokes. I have scaled down and adapted the recipe to my personal preferences.

Besides being paired with grilled artichokes, this aioli is wonderful for adding flavor to grilled chicken or steak, or stirred into a pasta salad. You can replace mayonnaise with this aioli the next time you make a turkey sandwich for some kicked-up flavor. This aioli would also make a lovely dip for crudité and pita chips at your next event.

 

Tomato Basil Aioli
Makes 2 cups

Ingredients

• 2 egg yolks
• 1 cup basil leaves, packed
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic (about 2 small cloves)
• 1 6-ounce jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil (reserve oil to add even more sun-dried tomato flavor to your aioli)
• 1 cup olive oil
• 1 cup water
• salt and pepper

Note: This recipe calls for raw eggs. I buy local eggs from a trusted vendor. You can find  pasteurized eggs at most grocery stores, if you prefer. As with any recipe, food safety is important. Be sure to refrigerate any leftover aioli and use up within 2-3 days.

Directions

1. Drain oil from tomatoes, reserve.
2. Puree garlic, tomatoes and basil in a food processor.
3. Drop in egg yolks and slowly pour in reserved oil and 1 cup of olive oil.
4. Thin with water until desired consistency, then season with salt and pepper.

Printer Friendly Recipe

Have you ever made your own mayonnaise or aioli from scratch?

Farmer's Market Friday #2

First off, thanks to those that linked up their posts last week! I had fun reading and sharing your posts. What's a party without friends? Be sure to share the party so we can have more amazing links added to the party!

This week, I managed to drag my sick self to the farmer's market to pick up a few things for the week. This weekend we will be at the Bay Area Maker Faire in San Mateo, so I only needed to pick up enough for a few meals. 

The Breakdown

Eggs $5 for 20 (GV Poultry, organic)

>>These guys have a better deal than the grocery store, so I pick up eggs from these guys every other week. We go through a lot of eggs in our house!<<

Strawberries $5 for two baskets (Vasquez Farms, organic)

Leeks $2 (Nunez Farms, organic)

Tomatoes $2.50 per pound (Swank Farms) 

Zucchini and Squash $1.50 per pound (Enos Family Farms, organic)

Blue Lake Green Beans $4 per pound (organic)

My meal plan revolves around what I can find at the farmer's market. That being said, it has to be flexible enough for me to change meals around at a moment's notice. I had planned to make roasted shrimp and asparagus (from last Thursday's Market) but because it was 90 degrees on Tuesday, I made a bacon and asparagus scramble and we had breakfast for dinner. I had planned on breakfast for dinner on Friday, but instead we will have a creamy leek and shrimp pasta dish. I still had a few apricots from last week also, so will be incorporating them into an apricot Dijon glaze for pork chops.

My Meal Plan

Egg and Cheese Breakfast Burritos:

My two-year old loves these and my husband can wrap them up and eat it on the way to work.

 

 

Pasta with Shrimp and Leeks in a Cream Sauce

 

Pork Chops with Apricot Dijon Glaze

 

Sautéed Vegetables

Leftovers will be great in a quick omelet for breakfast the next day.

Fresh Tomatoes with Basil and Olive Oil

 

Strawberries for topping yogurt (or ice cream!) or for snacking on
 

Farmer's Market Friday Link Up
Thank you to those who linked up last week at the premiere of Farmer's Market Friday and to those that shared the party! Be sure to invite your friends to keep the party a success! I have created a button you can share.

I am learning how to create a clickable button, but for now, you can use it as an image with a text link.

Features from Last Week

Frugal Gardening Tips from Snapshots and Snippets

Welcome to the Mercado from Ever After Land

 

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Grab a badge, display it proudly!

 



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