It’s Week 3 of Dinner Plans and we are showing our love and support for our SoCal Neighbors this week. The Los Angeles Wildfires have marked a level of devastation we’ve not yet seen. Pacific Palisades. Altadena. Pasadena. The Valley. If you’ve lived in Southern California or spent extended periods of time there, and in the Greater Los Angeles Area especially, you may know these areas well. The food, the culture, the historical landmarks. A palpable richness in diversity and culture.
These are the places and spaces that make LA and its surrounding neighborhoods absolutely beautiful. Seeing the community rally together from our spot here in Northern California is not at all surprising. And, yet, it still brings tears to my eyes to see how everyone is stepping up to support in the ways they can.
If you are able and feel compelled to do so, please donate to the Wildfire Recovery Fund through the California Community Foundation.
Seasonal Cooking Tip: Celebrate California Citrus
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 California Citrus. From oranges to lemons. Kumquats and limes. Citrus fruits add a bit of brightness to our cold winter days. Here are three ways to savor the citrus season:
- Zest: I love citrus zest for marinades and dressings. You can zest a teaspoon or two at a time to freeze.
- Juice: Fresh citrus juice is also a wonderful companion for marinades and dressings. Use lemon juice in lemon curd. Freeze squeezed orange juice is a Sunday breakfast staple. Blood orange juice is perfect in this yogurt loaf cake.
- Segments: Segment a variety of citrus for garnishing roast fish or in a winter salad. Think: grapefruit segments in salads or mandarins on slow roasted salmon. Kumquats add punchy zing to this salsa for fish tacos.
Dinner Plans for the Week
This week we skipped our Riverdog Farm box on account of having so much produce still to work through from the freezer and last week’s Stepping Stone Farm Box. We’ve got freezer greens, carrots, and loads of squash to cook through this week. We’re also hosting Jerry’s cousins for a Sunday Brunch and it’s looking like we’re doing another round of tacos for Sunday. I’ll have the steak taco marinade recipe up later this week. It’s delicious served alongside Guatemalan black beans and assorted salsas.
Our Game Plan for Dinner this Week:
Sunday: Grilled Flank Steak with Guatemalan Black Beans and Salsas
Monday: Quiche with Rainbow Chard adapted from this recipe on the blog
Tuesday: Enchiladas with Sweet Potatoes and Black Beans
Wednesday: Hearty Winter Vegetable Soup
Thursday: Roast Squash Soup with Crispy Pancetta and Croutons
Friday: Mexican Fish Soup (Caldo de Pescado)
Saturday: Pizza with Butternut Squash Sauce, Peppers, and 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. 😉
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