It’s Week 43 of Dinner Plans and we’re getting into the festive Halloween spirit this week!
I don’t know how we’re coming up to the final full week of October but here we are. This week I’m sharing a few fun and festive ideas if you’re looking to entertain or sprinkle in some Halloween treats in the coming days. For me, this holiday marks the official beginning to all the festive foods for the holiday season. I’m looking forward to spending and sharing this time with family and loved ones as we embrace these final months of the calendar year.
We still have a few vegetables and fruits to cook through so we skipped this week’s CSA box. I’ve also got a few freezer items I need to start using up. Namely those summertime tomatoes I froze whole will be transformed into a delicious sauce for weeknight baked pastas or slow simmering soups. We still have a bunch of Anaheim peppers and all the greens for salads. I will still pick up some oyster and trumpet mushrooms from Oak Grove Farms. I’m recipe testing vegan scallops and this is a winner of a dinner you’ll love.
Seasonal Cooking Tip: Beginning Meal Prep Planning for the Holidays
We are one month away from Thanksgiving and this year I’m prepping a little more proactively. With grocery prices not showing signs of slowing down, Jerry and I started to think about how we can enjoy a festive holiday meal on a budget and still cook with the seasonal ingredients we have in our area. One thing I’m doing this week to prepare:
Pre-Order Turkey or Holiday Meats Now, if Available: If turkey or ham is an option for you holiday menu and you’re feeding a crowd, now’s a great time to search local farms to see if pre-orders are available. Oakland based Cream Co. Meats is one we’re considering this year and they’re taking pre-orders now. Ship dates are estimated for November 11th through the 13th.
PT Ranch is one of the ranches in Cream Co. Meats raising turkeys in Ione, CA. The ranch employs a multitude of regenerative farming practices that include rotational multi-species grazing, cover cropping, no-till farming, compost application, and agroforestry to sequester carbon in their soils. As my family and I keep our commitment to supporting local farms and farmers this is a solid contender for us this year.
For the next few weeks, I’ll share one strategy I’m implementing for the week to prep for seasonal holiday meals. I hope these are helpful to you in your own planning in cooking along with the seasons, too.
And, don’t forget to check out Part I and Part II of my Pantry Essentials Series for more tips and recommendations for keeping a well stocked pantry ahead of the holiday season.
DINNER PLANS FOR THE WEEK
With loads of Anaheim peppers and potatoes, I’m thinking a chili will work for the week ahead. We’re also on a mushroom kick so I’m making lots of vegan friendly meals with trumpets and lion’s mane this week. We’ve also got freezer items to use up too. I froze cherry tomatoes whole from Dessa’s Farm and am thinking a roast tomato sauce for lasagna is a good idea. Using up the freezer ingredients now will make room for the holiday ingredients I’ll start to prep in the coming weeks. “Work smarter, not harder” has always been my motto.
Here is our game plan for dinner this week:
Sunday: Roast Heirloom Tomato Sauce Pasta with Meatballs
Monday: Vegan Scallops with King Trumpet Mushrooms and Braised Greens
Tuesday: Crispy Vegan Tostadas with Black Beans and Lion’s Mane Mushrooms
Wednesday: Ground Turkey Meatballs with Broccolini and Sundried Tomato Pasta
Thursday: Easy Chicken and White Bean Chili with Anaheim Peppers and Potatoes
Friday: Steak Frites for a Date Night In
Saturday: Pizza with Four Mushrooms (Oyster, Lion’s Mane, Trumpet, and Portobellos)
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. 😉
Wishing you a nourishing week ahead. 🧡
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