Dinner Plans: Week 33

It’s Week 33 of Dinner Plans and we are celebrating a kid-free week in our new hometown!

My parents arrived this weekend to pick up our kids and take them down to SoCal for a week at "Camp Grandparents!" I'm so excited--and so grateful--for this time with my husband. I'm especially excited for the chance to be tourists in our own town. After living in Napa for a year, I've yet to check out all the delicious food spots and scenes. With the break in parenting for a week, we've made all the reservations for places we've longed to try.

Seasonal Cooking Tip: Pickling Made Easy

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 pickling made easy. My approach to this is always with the beginner home cook in mind. I, personally, don't always have the time to complete full canning processes but pickling cucumbers or red onions for a batch I know I'll use within a couple weeks? That I can do. And I know you can too. So, if you're new to pickling as a way to preserve seasonal produce, I can't recommend these pickled red onions or refrigerator cucumbers enough. The onions are great for breakfast tacos or in rice bowls. The cucumbers? Fried chicken sandwiches, my friend.

Dinner Plans for Week 33

After a year of juggling double farm CSAs, we made the decision to choose one for the time being. We'll now keep on cooking on with the Stepping Stone Farm CSA. It's been such a treat to continue to get to know Patrick and his approach to growing food with intention. I feel a deeper sense of reverence in preparing meals with the fruits and veggies he cultivates for his members.

That said, the melons will feel like an absolute treat for breakfast this week. One will be used in a chilled soup or salad situation paired with the salty perfection of prosciutto. Tomatoes and Cucumbers team up in a tasty gazpacho to take the heat off these hot summer days we're finally having. Eggplant to be grilled with miso and ginger as part of a speedy rice bowl for a post hike meal. Delicious days ahead.

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

Stepping Stone Farm:

• Heirloom French Melons
• Heirloom Tomatoes
• Black Diamond Eggplant
• Shintokiwa Cucumbers
• Red Shiso
• Petit Summer Squash
• Red Chesnook Garlic
• Spicy Tomato Jam!

Our Game Plan for Dinner this Week:

Sunday: Tomato & Cucumber Gazpacho with "Grilled Cheese" Croutons filled with the Spicy Tomato Jam

Monday: Melon & Prosciutto Salad OR Chilled Soup of Melon with Crispy Prosciutto

Tuesday: Grilled Chipotle Marinated Chicken with Cucumber Salad with Toasted Pepitas, Cotija, and a Chili-Lime Dressing

Wednesday: Tomato & Garlic Confit Pasta

Thursday: Ginger Miso Grilled Eggplant with Marinated Shiso Rice & Stir Fry Ground Pork or Beef

Friday: Smash Burgers with Bacon, Taleggio, and the Tomato Jam from our CSA

Saturday: Pizza Picnic with a Classic Pizza Margherita with Heirloom Tomatoes, Fior di Latte, and Fresh Basil

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. 😉