It’s Week 40 of Dinner Plans and we’re gearing up for fall baking!
As I mentioned on Instagram Stories today, we skipped this week’s CSA pickup as we still have a bit of produce to cook through so we stretched our box. I did pick up some more lion’s mane from Oak Grove Farms and they are a fantastic addition at the Claremont Farmer’s Market. Follow them on Instagram and visit them every Sunday at the market!
Seasonal Cooking Tip: Prep the Pantry for the Holidays
We are entering the final three months of the calendar year. This also marks the start of the busiest time of year for cooking and baking. With holiday entertaining close on the horizon now is a good time to take stock of the pantry to prep for the weeks and months ahead. Here are three steps to take for assessing inventory and prepare your pantry for all your holiday cooking and baking needs:
- Step 1: Take a look at your spice cupboards. Is your cinnamon, ground clove, or nutmeg getting low? How about dried spices for brining or roasting? Take a look at what is in stock and make a list of items to purchase in bulk to restock.
- Step 2: Assess pantry cupboards. Look for the canned goods you’ll need or want and identify what needs to be replenished. Canned tomatoes for sauces, soups, and chilis or canned beans for a good game day chili are ones to always have on hand.
- Step 3: Make your shopping list and gather necessary items. Once you’ve checked the cupboards, consider the recipes you’ll want to make for the season and craft the list.
This is a great opportunity to consider any gifts you intend to bake or make this season. Consider ingredient needs and shop for those as well. I’m making vanilla extract this year so vanilla beans are on the shopping list this week.
See Part I and Part II of my Pantry Essentials Series for more tips and recommendations for keeping a well stocked pantry no matter what size pantry you have.
DINNER PLANS FOR THE WEEK
We’re leaning into cooking with what we have on hand this week. I did stop by the local farmer’s market to pick up mushrooms, figs, and apples but the bulk of our menu this week is supplied by the last of the eggplant, squash, and greens from the CSA boxes from two weeks ago. We’re making a vegetable stock, roasting veggies and sautéing greens to use it all up.
Here is our game plan for dinner this week:
Sunday: Mushroom Risotto
Monday: Garlicky Greens Dinner Toast with Fried Egg
Tuesday: Vegan Mushroom Tacos using the Lion’s Mane from Oak Grove Farms
Wednesday: Baked Ratatouille Pasta (recipe coming this week!)
Thursday: DIY Sushi Rolls with Shrimp and Avocado (I use this recipe from Just One Cookbook to make our sushi rice)
Friday: Shrimp Scampi Pasta
Saturday: Pizza with Sausage, Peppers, Onions, and Olives
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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