It’s Week 35 of Dinner Plans and we trying to keep our cool this week!
It's been hot here! After what has felt like a super mild summer, or an extended spring, we've finally ushered in those Dog Days of Summer. The kids are reliving our 90's nostalgia with a slip n' slide to cool off after post-school activities. I've leaned into more low-cook or no-cook meal options. With this burst of warm weather, I know autumn isn't far behind. Whispers of early autumn produce start to make their way to the farmers market now and I love these signals of changing seasons. I also look forward to the change up in meal prepping and recipes to enjoy.
Seasonal Cooking Tip: Keeping Our Cool
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.
We've had a few hot days here in Napa Valley and I've really tried to keep cooking to a minimum. A few low-cook to no-cook dishes I love:
- Tomato Tartines. Tomato Season is finally coming in hot in our area and after having major FOMO seeing folks harvesting theirs, it's been a treat to receive weekly baskets in our CSA or to finally harvest a few from the garden. I've been mixing up our tartines with either herbed goat cheese or stracciatella. I love layering thick slices of heirloom tomatoes sprinkled with ground black pepper and flaky sea salt. A drizzle of good quality extra virgin olive oil and a garnish of fresh herbs like basil and chives make this feel special but without hours behind the stove.
- Speedy Salads. A variety of salads that are no cook are ones I lean into here. Scroll down for one of my favorites that uses the crisp and hydrating sweetness of watermelon.
- Pasta Pronto. Pasta will always in my back pocket. It can be ready in minutes and a sauce can also be ready relatively quickly in a low cook fashion. This week will include a pomodoro style sauce to savor the Sunpeach Cherry Tomatoes in our box.
Because Summer affords us fresh ingredients at peak, we can definitely enjoy them raw and with as minimal prep as possible. Experiment with the flavors you love and the ingredients currently in season at a farmers market near you.
Dinner Plans for Week 35
And just like that, we're rounding the corner to the end of August and soon all things Autumn will make their annual appearance. I'm relishing seeing the markers of harvest season here in Napa Valley which was something I had only begun to notice in our first weeks after moving to Napa.
We're loving Summer's abundance now as the temperatures finally heat up in favor of summer crops like peppers and tomatoes. Shallots this week have a plan to be caramelized for a savory risotto to pair with an equally savory grilled steak. Summer salads are in frequent rotation now as we balance those warm late summer days with the ease of speedy weeknight meal prep.
Here’s what we received from our CSA share this week:
Stepping Stone Farm:
- Crème brûlée Shallots
- Natsu Cocoa Watermelon
- Shishito Peppers
- Roxy Butterhead Baby Lettuce
- Shintokiwa Cucumbers
- Sunpeach Cherry Tomatoes
- Umami Sauce from Rice Flower Koji
Our Game Plan for Dinner this Week:
Sunday: Turkey Meatballs with a Pomodoro Style Sauce (a riff off this one) with Thick Slices of Toasted Bread
Monday: Shishito Rellenos and Grilled Mushroom Tacos with Fresh Salsa
Tuesday: Grilled Shrimp with Watermelon, Cucumber and Mint Salad with Chili Lime Dressing
Wednesday: Grilled Chicken with Yellow Miso Caesar Salad and Toasted Pepitas
Thursday: Miso Buttered Cod with Blistered Shishito Peppers and Fresh Corn
Friday: Grilled Steak with Caramelized Shallot Risotto
Saturday: Pizza with Herbed Goat Cheese, Toasted Pine Nuts, Pancetta, and Caramelized Shallots
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. 😉
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