It’s Week 50 of Dinner Plans and we are starting the countdown to the end of the year!
With only a little more than 3 weeks left in the calendar year, we’re revving up to enjoy all the seasonal treats for this time of year. I’m in full gift prep mode as we prep cookie dough for our annual cookie tins along with a few small cakes and preserves like my blueberry butter and persimmon butter. I'm also shopping small businesses here in Napa to find yummy foodie gifts to gift loved ones this year. My sister has requested a box of chocolates from Annette's. Happy to oblige.
Seasonal Cooking Tip: Planning a Holiday Menu
The Holiday Party Season is officially underway! Between work gatherings, family gatherings, and parties with friends we may find ourselves hosting or bringing a dish, potluck style. Today, I’m sharing three practices I employ when planning for the holiday menus while keeping with our seasonally focused ingredients:
- When to Opt for Store Bought: Ain’t no shame in the store-bought game. I tend to opt for pre-made food items if I know the size of the gathering is large enough where making a bunch of food can be a challenge both in supplies and in time.
- Consider Dietary Preferences: Offering a variety of foods that cater to different dietary preferences or restrictions ensures attendees feel included in the meal sharing experience and that they have food options to choose and enjoy. If hosting, ask guests in advance for their dietary preferences or needs. If you are attending, you may want to reach out to the host to see if they have that information to share.
- Shopping the Pantry, the Fridge, the Box, or Local: If I’m making a dish to bring, I always start with shopping my fridge and pantry. That’s in part how my harissa roast carrots came to life last year. Once I’ve decided on the ingredients, then I’ll shop the local farmers market or grocery store for the remaining ingredients. For the holiday season, I’ll tend to focus on roast vegetables sides. I’ll make cakes and baked good with seasonal fruits like persimmon or apples.
PS: don’t forget to check out Part I and Part II of my Pantry Essentials Series for more tips and recommendations for keeping a well stocked pantry ahead of the holiday season.
Dinner Plans for the Week
Even though we're in the "In Betweens" of the year with holidays, I'm relishing our double CSA pickup days. This week it's Riverdog Farm and Stepping Stone Farm CSA pickup days.
Dark leafy greens for those early winter salads call our name. Squash and root veggies for slow roasts and possible soups. Spinach and arugula will be blended together for a seasonal pesto for a variety of dishes.
I'm particularly excited for the dried togarashi peppers and Gobo! I'm trying my hand at braising the Japanese Burdock Root and will grind the dried peppers to make a seasoning for ramen.
Here’s what we picked up for our CSA shares this week:
Riverdog Farm:
- Red Leaf Lettuce
- Pomegranates
- Arugula
- Grey Kabocha Squash
- Scarlett Green Turnips
- Rapini
Stepping Stone Farm
- Verza Moretta Savoy Cabbage
- Gobo (Japanese Burdock Root)
- Mizuna
- Sprouted Broccoli
- Japanese Mustard Greens
- Butteryflay Spinach
- Dried Togarashi Peppers
Our Game Plan for Dinner this Week:
Sunday: Miso Cod with Braised Gobo (both recipes from Just One Cookbook)
Monday: Easy Lasagna Soup
Tuesday: Ratatouille with Herby Polenta using the eggplant I found in the back of our fridge
Wednesday: Prosciutto & Pesto Pinwheels with Simple Salad
Thursday: Maple Harissa Roast Carrot Soup with Crispy Mushrooms
Friday: Ramen inspired by JOC's 10-Minute Ramen Recipe
Saturday: Pizza with Butternut Squash Sauce, Camembert, Peppers, and Spicy Sausage
From favorite recipes to new things with a wide variety of ingredients, cooking delicious food with our CSA definitely gets us out of a dinner rut and reduce food waste. I share meal ideas for our busy weeks with our weekly newsletter. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to be in the know when they’re live. 😉
Wishing you a nourishing week ahead. 🧡
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