Dinner Plans: Week 16

It’s Week 16 of Dinner Plans and we've got a few new favorite recipes here!

A delicious mixed berry compote is just the ticket for springtime brunches. This roast chicken thigh recipe is a weekly meal prep must in our house and I love it served alongside spring garden greens with a zesty vinaigrette. Spring time meals call for fresh ingredients and bright flavors. Meals that add some pep to our step these days.

Seasonal Cooking Tip: All About Asparagus

When it comes to seasonal cooking, this year I'm sharing a weekly tip here focused on preparing ingredients, preserving foods, and kitchen hacks that help you save time.

This week we're talking about one of my favorite springtime veggies: asparagus. I love them in a variety of dishes. From this risotto and easy veggie side to an simple tart using store-bought puff pastry, tender asparagus is a vegetable that is a marker for the changing season.

To store asparagus to keep it fresher for longer simply store the stalks in a jar of fresh water in the refrigerator. This helps to keep them crisp and fresh for at least two weeks.

When cooking with asparagus, trim the woody ends by snapping them off from the bottom. We don't want the tough, fibrous ends of the asparagus as they're too tough to eat. Slice and dice as desired and enjoy them in a variety of dishes.

Dinner Plans for Week 16

We opted to skip our Riverdog Farm box this week as we've got quite a bit of produce to cook through and enjoy. I've got a bit of rabe left for a one pot pasta on Sunday and loads of daikon radish to either roast, braise, or enjoy raw in salads. Lots of mandarins to savor and preserve, too!

Here’s what we have remaining from our CSA share last week:

Riverdog Farm:

• Gold Oak Murcott Mandarins
• Little Gems
• Daikon Radish
• Rabe
• Fresh Oregano
• Collard Greens

Our Game Plan for Dinner this Week:

Sunday: One Pot Pasta with Rabe, Italian Sausage, and Green Garlic

Monday: Asparagus Tart in Puff Pastry with Gournay Cheese

Tuesday: Chipotle Lime Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken with Rice and Beans

Wednesday: Herb Roasted Chicken Thighs with Roasted Carrots and Asparagus with Rabe

Thursday: 30 Minute Lamb Ragu with Polenta

Friday: Braised Greens and White Beans

Saturday: Pizza from a local pizza shop!

From favorite recipes to new meal ideas using a wide variety of ingredients, cooking delicious food with our CSA definitely gets us out of a dinner rut while reducing 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. 😉