Dinner Plans: Week 28

It’s Week 28 of Dinner Plans and we're soaking up all things summer fun!

We spent the long weekend at the coast. It was my first time visiting Bodega Bay and I love the peaceful and calming nature of Northern California Coastal beaches. We befriended a family who brought their two labradors along to play and my kiddos loved taking turns playing fetch with the dogs and running into crashing waves. I'm encouraging myself to allow time for more rest and relaxation this season. It's often easier said than done, but the long hikes and beach days like this help a good deal.

Seasonal Cooking Tip: The Return of Stone Fruits

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 stone fruits. They're one of my favorite summer fruits aside from berries. I love the variety of ways we can enjoy them but especially love how easy it is to freeze a variety of preserves. This Cherry Compote is one I make every year to save for morning oats in winter and to make a pie filling for the holidays. This Peach Galette is a favorite summer time dessert to bring to any gathering, too. Freezing fresh stone fruits at their peak is also a helpful practice to save the season and preserve them for later use.

To do this, I like to rinse and pit the fruit such as cherries. I will freeze pitted cherries whole. For the peaches and plums, I'll cut into slices to be use for future pie fillings or fruit crisps. As always, make sure to store fruit in freezer safe containers or bags. Label and date to make sure you track how much time you have to enjoy it. Most fruit frozen fresh can be stored in the freezer to be used within 6 to 12 months.

Dinner Plans for Week 28

We had a week break from Stepping Stone Farm as they gear up for the Summer CSA Season. The timing was great as we picked up our Riverdog Farm box this week and will enjoy the quintessential summer corn and squash for the week's meals. Cucumbers will be used for pickles and a smashed cucumber salad for an easy work from home lunch. Lots of apricots and plums means a new fruit crisp recipe is underway. Stay tuned for that delicious dessert recipe!

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

Riverdog Farm:

• Fresh Corn
• Royal Blenheim Apricots
• Santa Rosa Plums
• Parsley
• Carrots
• Slicing Cucumbers
• Summer Squash

Our Game Plan for Dinner this Week:

Sunday: One Pot Braised Chicken Thighs with Apriums and Wild Rice

Monday: Salad Salmon Niçoise with Warm New Potatoes and Sorrel Vinaigrette

Tuesday: Zucchini & Corn Enchiladas Verdes with Shredded Chicken

Wednesday: One Pot Orzo with Sun Gold Tomatoes, Corn, and Zucchini

Thursday: Chicken Teriyaki with Stir Fry Veggies and Smashed Cucumber Salad

Friday: Fried Chicken Sandwiches with Homemade Refrigerator Pickles

Saturday: Pizza with Sun Gold & Cherry Tomatoes, Fior di Latte, Fresh Basil and Balsamic

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. 😉