Dinner Plans: Week 20

It’s Week 20 of Dinner Plans and we're gearing up for a month of celebrations!

I shared on Instagram Stories this week that my youngest and I have been baking cakes multiple times per week. I am relishing these days spent together in the kitchen and the way we've perfected the single layer vanilla bean olive oil cake has been timely given the celebrations we've got on the calendar for the Monday of May.

We've got two big birthdays to celebrate and Mother's Day, too, so desserts are on the mind. The Blood Orange and Olive Oil Cake has been a favorite here and I even caught my youngest using mandarins in a similar fashion when we finished the blood oranges. Little sparks of creativity flowing through my youngest as curiosity begets testing and trying new things yielding a tasty result. A season to savor.

Seasonal Cooking Tip: Wild About Garlic

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 garlic. If you're growing it in the garden this is the time where the bulbs are growing and, depending on the variety, you may even notice the garlic scapes coming into view. These green stalks extend from the base of hardneck garlic varieties, like Killarney Red, and usually look like oversized chives or scallions. They are a delight in a seasonal pesto or in these falafels made with fava beans.

Once we see the garlic scapes then we know the garlic harvest is near. Enjoy these seasonal delights with pasta or sautéed with late springtime veggies to add just a milder garlic note to your dish.

Dinner Plans for Week 20

We've got a double celebration today as we celebrate a birthday for our oldest and Mother's Day. There is something sweet about sharing the day knowing that I was born into motherhood the day my oldest was born. Pizza and cake are very much on the agenda for Sunday Night Supper. Loads of leafy greens for a variety of springtime salads and with the number of turnips I've begun to collect, a riff on leek and potato soup feels right for a chilly Monday night. I'm also finalizing a recipe for a vegan taco filling I've been working on featuring marinated oyster and maitake mushrooms. Hoping that can make it's way onto the blog for the start of summer grilling.

Here’s what we received from our CSA shares this week:

Riverdog Farm:

• Turnips
• Gold Oak Mandarins
• Arugula
• Bok Choi
• Fresh Oregano
• Leafy Lettuces

Stepping Stone Farm:

• Butterflay Spinach
• Daikon Radish
• Rouge D'Hiver Romaine (a velvety red leaf lettuce)
• Aurora Orach
• Napoli Carrots (I'm going to miss these until their season returns!)
• Shio Koji Granola

Our Game Plan for Dinner this Week:

Sunday: Pizza with Spinach & Arugula Pesto with Grilled Chicken and Fior di Latte

Monday: Turnip, Leek, and Potato Soup with Spring Salad and Crispy Breadcrumbs

Tuesday: Crispy Marinated Oyster Mushroom Tacos or Tostadas

Wednesday: Tofu Rice Bowl with Daikon Radish Kimchi and Stir Fry Snow Peas with Carrots

Thursday: Shio Koji Marinated Ground Beef with Sauteed Bok Choy

Friday: Asparagus Tart in Puff Pastry

Saturday: Pizza Margherita

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. 😉