November 17-November 23

This is the last Box of the season! Wow, I can't believe Thanksgiving is around the corner and the year is quickly sprinting to a close. I have thoroughly enjoyed participating in The Produce Box and plan on doing it again next year.

This last Box contains Raspberries, 1/2 lb. Bag of Roasted Peanuts, 1 lb. bag of Baby Spinach, Sweet Potatoes, Field Tomatoes and 2 Bell Peppers. I also added on a half bushel box of canning tomatoes.

With a half bushel of tomatoes, I of course will be making an abundance of tomato sauce to freeze. I have adapted the Tomato Sauce to my family's preferences: shredded carrot, omit celery, replace spices with 2 tsp each Oregano, Basil & Rosemary, and after 2 hours of simmering I add 2 tsp pepper & 1 tsp of salt. Also I have pureed most of the sauce since my family perfers a less chunky sauce. This time around I will also be adding one can of tomato paste.

Again I cut the White Chicken Chili from my menu. Oh well I'm sure I will eventually make it, and more than once, during the course of the winter.

Wednesday, November 17- Soup and sandwiches due to extra activities this evening.

Thursday, November 18- The Steak Fajitas from last week got bumped to tonight. Which works out well considering I will need to pick my daughter and her friends up form a Brownie meeting this evening.

Friday, November 19- I will make Warm Bean and Sausage Salad. I believe I have made this in the past and enjoyed it. I will be omitting the olives and substituting the turkey sausage with pork sausage. I will using the spinach provided in my box.

Saturday, November 20- I am in the mood for homemade Fish and Chips. So with my husbands assistance I will be preparing a favorite Alton Brown recipe for the fish. With all the grease I am thinking of perhaps serving a side salad along with the fish in place of french fries. We'll see if my husband approves of that suggestion.

Sunday, November 21- If whole chicken is on sale I think I will pick one up and bake it tonight. I'll serve it with Candied Sweet Potatoes with Apples. I am thinking easy and of course slow cooker comes to mind. Therefore, I will prepare Slow-Roasted Rosemary and Garlic Chicken.

Monday, November 22- Tonight I will prepare Spicy Beef Noodle Bowl.


Tuesday, November 23- This may be leftover evening or take out. With Thanksgiving cooking right around the corner as well as out of town guests arriving, I am going with simple and easy tonight.

**pictures from BHG and Cooking Light for illustration purposes only**

November 10- November 16

As the Produce Box approaches its close of the season I am astonished not only to find ourselves nearing Thanksgiving but also surprised at the abundance of fresh produce which has entered my family's daily life. Although I have always made it a point to serve at least one vegetable with dinner nightly and stock a variety of fruits in the house for snacking, I have discovered a weekly supply of farm fresh produce as provided my family with a much healthier and richer diet.

This weeks Box contains local Apple Cider, 2 Red Bell Peppers, a large Eggplant, 2 heads of Romaine Lettuce, Sweet Potatoes and Tomatoes.

I never made the White Chili so I may decide to throw it on this week's menu. Unfortunately, my homemade cole slaw was rather bitter. I discovered after the fact, that soaking the cabbage for about 20 minutes helps mellow the bitterness. Good tip to know for next time!

Wednesday, November 10- Tonight I will try making a main course salad for dinner. I am altering a recipe I found on Allrecipes.com with some of my own additions.
Southwest Chicken Salad
1 small can corn, drained
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar and Monterey cheese blend
3 tomatoes, chopped
Chopped romaine lettuce
Catalina salad dressing
Southwest Style Chicken
Corn chips

In a large bowl, combine the corn, black beans, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes. Add dressing and mix well. Cut up chicken and placed over salad. Add corn chips before serving.

I may buy prepared Southwest Style Chicken or if I have the time prepare my own.

Thursday, November 11- Garlic and Thyme Pork Chops and Sweet Potato Casserole will be served this evening.

Sweet Potato Casserole
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup margarine, melted
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and halved
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg white
1 (5 oz) can evaporated milk

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees
2. Combine first 5 ingredients in small bowl, stirring to form streusel. Set aside
3. Place potatoes in pot covered with water. Bring to boil, cover and simmer 30 min or until tender. Drain. Mash in large bowl.
4. Stir in 1 cup of streusel topping, sugar, vanilla, egg white and milk.
5. Spoon into 2-qt. casserole coated with cooking spray. Top with remaining streusel.
6. Bake for 45 min.

Friday, November 12- Swedish Meatballs served over egg noodles will be tonight's dinner, thanks to a weekend excursion to Ikea!

Saturday, November 13- Date Night!! My husband and I are going out on the town so simple microwaved meals for the kids.

Sunday, November 14- Eggplant Rollatini will be attempted tonight.

I will follow my standard Eggplant Parmesan recipe to fry up the the eggplant however, I will cut them length wise. Once fried, I will loosely follow a recipe I found on Allrecipes.com with my additions.
1-2 cups ricotta cheese
1 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan
2 tsp. basil
1 clove minced garlic
8-10 slices prosciutto
Tomato Sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

In a bowl, beat the egg until lightly scrambled. Mix the ricotta in with the egg. Add 1/4 cup mozzarella, 1-2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and garlic and gently combine. Fold in basil just to combine. Do not overmix.

Place a slice of prosciutto on eggplant then place a tablespoon of the cheese mixture on 1 end of the eggplant and roll up tightly. Place the eggplant rollatini into a greased (with olive oil) 13 by 9-inch baking dish, seam side down. Continue with remaining eggplant. Evenly distribute the tomato sauce on top of the eggplant rollatini. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese and bake for 15 minutes.

Monday, November 15- Steak Fajitas with peppers and onions will be served for dinner tonight.

Tuesday, November 16- White Chicken Chili I'll update the blog with my recipe.

November 3-November 9

I did not opt for a Produce Box this week. So that means I am left to my own inspiration and devices to come up with a menu this week. I may venture to the State Farmers Market if I need some fresh produce.

I never had the opportunity to make the Eggplant and Zucchini Casserole. My eggplant was questionable and surprisingly my zucchini had mold. But alas from disappointment I found inspiration and whipped up a very tasty one pot meal, Sweet Potatoes and Stuffing with Pork.
I diced up some of my purple sweet potatoes along with an onion and red pepper. I poured Italian dressing over the vegetables and baked for 15 minutes at 375 degrees. I then pushed the veggie mixture along the sides of the pan and spread stuffing mixture (which was mixed with 1 1/2 cups of water) down the center. I then placed 3 thick cut pork chops on top of the stuffing. I returned the pan to the oven for 45 minutes. Delicious, easy and simple!

Tuesday I made Cheeseburger Bacon Meatloaf with a few modifications. I used one small chopped onion in place of the Onion Onion seasoning and I halved the recipe.

Wednesday, November 3- I plan to make BBQ Chicken Sandwiches served with Cole Slaw.

BBQ Chicken
olive oil and a couple of cloves of garlic pressed in
3 or 4 chicken breasts.
Barbecue Rub

1. Rub oil on to chicken and then rub thoroughly with Barbeque Rub.
2. Place in Deep Covered Baker in microwave for 11 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make barbecue sauce** (see below).
4. When chicken breasts are cooked, take out of deep covered baker and place on cutting
board and fork pull them apart OR cut up with the Salad Choppers right in the Baker. Place
pulled chicken back in baker and add barbecue sauce (about ½ - 2/3 of recipe).
6. Serve with buns.

Sauce: 1 cup ketchup, ¼ cup brown sugar, firmly packed, 2 tablespoons Barbecue Rub, 2 teaspoons vinegar
Combine ingredients in (2-qt.) Saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally; remove
from heat. Reserve half of the sauce for serving.

Cole Slaw
1 head of Cabbage shredded
1/4 pound shredded or julienne Carrots
1 Onion finely chopped
1/2 cup Mayonaise
1 tablespoon Vinegar
2 teaspoons Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Salt

Mix Mayo, Vinegar, Sugar & Salt in non-reactivate bowl. Add shredded Cabbage, Carrots and diced Onion. Mix well. Chill before serving.

Thursday, November 4- The girls will have one of their favorites, Mac N Cheese while I prepare Potato and Ham Soup for myself and my husband. I'll serve both with some fresh bread.

Perfectly Potato & Ham Cheddar Soup
Tastefully Simple Recipe

Ingredients
Perfectly Potato Cheddar Soup Mix
5 cups hot water
1 Tbsp. Bacon Bacon**
1-2 cup cubed cooked ham

Directions
Prepare Perfectly Potato Cheddar Soup Mix as directed on package with water. Add remaining ingredients; simmer 30-40 minutes. Makes 5-6 servings.
**if I don't have any Bacon Bacon seasoning left I will substitute bacon pieces

Friday, November 5- My children asked to have spaghetti and meatballs. A simple meal and it will delight my girls.

Saturday, November 6- The Western Wake Farmers Market is having a Fall Craft Fair. Perhaps I'll find a few Christmas gifts as well as inspiration for this weekend's meals. I'm sure I'll pick up some apples and butternut squash. I can make dessert or quick bread with the apples and the squash may be used in my daughter's favorite casserole dish. I'll see if I can find ideas for dinner tonight while I am at the Market.

Sunday, November 7-As long as the day doesn't get away from me, I plan on making Herb-Coated Roast Beef with Gravy (recipe from Woman's Day). I'll serve it with potatoes and green beans.

Herb-Coated Roast Beef with Gravy
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried crushed rosemary
1/2 tsp salt
1⁄4 tsp pepper
4 1⁄2-lb top round boneless beef roast
3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp oil
1 can (141⁄2 oz) beef broth
2 Tbsp flour
1⁄3 cup dry red wine or beef broth

1. Heat oven to 425ºF. Set a wire rack into a shallow roasting pan (not disposable foil). Mix garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper in a small bowl.

2. Place roast on rack in roasting pan. Brush with 3 Tbsp mustard and sprinkle with herb mixture, patting it on the mustard.

3. Roast the beef 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Roast meat 1 1⁄4 hours, or until a meat thermometer inserted in center of roast registers 140°F for medium-rare. Remove roast to carving board, tent with foil and let rest 20 minutes (temperature will rise to about 145°F for medium-rare).

4. Meanwhile, stir broth into flour in a bowl until blended. Place roasting pan over medium-high heat; add wine and stir to scrape up any brown bits on bottom. Add broth to roasting pan. Stirring with a whisk, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 1 minute, or until thickened. Serve roast with gravy.

Monday, November 8-I am thinking slow cooker meal tonight. White Chicken Chili maybe with cornbread will be tonight's dinner.

Tuesday, November 9- With all these delicious meals, I have a feeling there will be plenty of left overs to finish up before a new Produce Box arrives.

Menu October 27- November 2

This weeks Produce Box includes a Butternut Squash, 3 Zucchinis, a pint of Grape Tomatoes, a head of Cabbage, a variety of 8 Apples and surprise items. My box's surprise items included 2 Green Tomatoes, 2 Red Bell Peppers and fresh herbs.

As much as I have tried twice now putting the Lemony Veggies and Couscous on my weekly menu, I still have not made it. Mind you not because I am dreading to prepare this dish but merely due to life circumstances which inevitably tweak my best laid dinner plans. I think I will shelf the recipe for this week, but I do plan on making it soon! I plan on using some of the zucchini for a casserole this week but I also have some left over from the DJ's Berry Patch I picked up last weekend which I'll turn into muffins or bread.

Wednesday- With my husband not home for dinner, I plan on whipping up a turkey soup with the leftover turkey breast from over the weekend. I'll add the leftover peas and carrots from last week as well. I will also throw in a cut up potato or sweet potato if I want to bulk it up more.

Thursday- There is a fundraiser for my daughter's school at Chick-Fil-A so that will be tonight's dinner followed by hosting a Tastefully Simple Party (yummy!).

Friday- With the cooler weather, I plan on preparing Butternut Squash Apple Soup and I will find an interesting way to prepare some Tastefully Simple Beer Bread to accompany the soup. I think I will add some cream to the soup puree as well as some minced garlic and thyme while I am sauteing the vegetables.

Saturday- Tonight's meal will be pork chops and an Eggplant and Zucchini Casserole. (As long as the eggplant from last week holds up.)

Sunday- Halloween usually means pizza for dinner and a Halloween cartoon before the kiddies venture out and go trick or treating. So tonight will be pizza and candy!!

Monday-It's hearty good eats this evening. I will be frying up chicken with Fried Green Tomatoes along with some gravy and mashed potatoes.

Tuesday-I'm not sure about tonight's meal but I will probably use the cabbage most likely as slaw. I'll need to think about this meal some more. ***Alright I gave it a little thought and I might make pulled pork sandwiches, it goes hand in hand with cole slaw!

October 20-26 Meals

This weeks Box contains 1 Large and 2 tiny Eggplants, 2 Bell Peppers, 3 Squash, 1lb. of Unshelled Striped Beans, 3 lbs. of Purple Sweet Potatoes, 3 Cucumbers and a variety of 10 Apples.

The White Bean and Sausage Cassoulet was a wonderful hearty meal. I am glad I threw it on the menu again last week! The Apple Stuffed Chicken was heavy on the thyme for my liking but the side dish of Butternut Squash Apple Bake was superb!

I had some zucchini left from 2 weeks ago and will make some more Zucchini Bread this week. I never made the apple muffins, most of the apples had been snacked on before the weekend! So maybe with this weeks apples I will try an apple cinnamon muffin recipe.

Wednesday, October 20- It's Mexican inspired dinner tonight. I will season ground beef with cumin and cayenne pepper, saute chopped pepper from my Box, add drained & rinsed black beans and diced tomatoes. The mixture will be served on flour tortillas and garnished with shredded cheese and sour cream.

Thursday, October 21- Thursdays are my busy hectic evenings. Therefore, my girls will dine on one of their favorites, Mac N Cheese with fresh fruit. My husband and I will eat later that evening, most likely cheeseburgers and a simple side.

Friday, October 22- Slow Cooker Turkey Breast served with potatoes and peas will be Friday's meal.
Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

• Layer the bottom of your crockpot with one chopped sweet yellow onion, 1/4 cup chicken broth, and 1/2 tbsp. minced garilc.
  
• Rub the turkey inside and out with one packet of onion soup mix, also rub some oregano, thyme, and 1/2 tbsp minced garlic on the breast.
  
• Drizzle the breast with 1 tbsp. melted butter or olive oil. Place breast on top of onions and cook on high 1 hour.
  
• Reduce to low setting and continue cooking for 7 hours.
• During the last 3 hours, add quartered potatoes and/or sweet potatoes.
  
• While breast rests before craving, turn setting to high and in a small bowl or cup, mix together 2 tablespoons flour with 1/4 cup of liquid (chicken broth or water). Stir into crockpot, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, or until thickened.

Saturday, October 23- I will be entertaining company over the weekend and after late day soccer games we will be dining out, most likely at Tyler's Taproom in Apex!

Sunday, October 24- My husband will be getting some marinated beef from the Meat House in Cary to grill for dinner tonight. I will serve purple sweet potato fries, caramelized onions and peppers and a fresh salad with the beef.

Monday, October 25- I never made the Lemony Roasted Veggies and Couscous last week. So I will prepare it tonight using some of the potatoes from last week's Box and I will add some pepper and eggplant to the veggie mix. I will also add some minced garlic and serve it with shrimp.

Roasted Lemony Veggies & Couscous

1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped basil
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
2 large tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 small butternut squash (about 1 pound) peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 4 cups)
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 pound red-skin potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 cup baby carrots, halved
1 cup couscous

Directions
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. In a small bowl, stir together lemon juice, basil, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper. Slowly whisk in olive oil; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, squash, potatoes and carrots. Sprinkle mixture with remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Drizzle with prepared lemon dressing and stir well to combine.
3. Pour vegetable mixture into a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish and cover with foil. Bake at 375 degrees F for 35 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake another 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
4. When there is 10 minutes bake time remaining, prepare couscous according to package directions. Remove vegetable mixture from oven and carefully stir in couscous. Serve immediately.

Tuesday, October 26- I think I'll use the yellow squash from my box to make my Squash and Zucchini Burritos. I'll look for some zucchini at the farmer's market over the weekend.

Sounded Too Good to Wait

While looking for innovative ideas to prepare Butternut Squash, I stumbled across this recipe, Butternut Squash Apple Cranberry Bake, at SimplyRecipes.com. After reading the recipe, I couldn't resist making it with my butternut squash instead of the couscous meal I had intended it for. Therefore, Friday's meal will be the Apple Stuffed Chicken served along with the Butternut Squash Apple Bake. I did make a slight alteration to the butternut recipe. Not having any cranberries on hand, I substituted them with raisins. I also added a dash of cinnamon to the sugar mixture.

As it bakes away in my oven and the scents of nutmeg float through the air, I eagerly await the arrival of dinner to sample this sweet smelling dish!

October 13- October 19 Menu

This week's Box contains a variety of 8 Apples, 2 lbs. Irish Potatoes, 3 small Eggplant, Tomatoes, 3 lbs. Purple Sweet Potatoes and 1 Butternut Squash. Also in my Box was a pleasant surprise sample of air-dried sausage, Old Folks Country Sausage.

From last week's menu, I made Pumpkin Zucchini Bread much to my daughters' delight. However, I never made the White Bean and Sausage Cassoulet Recipe (I'll give it another chance this week). I think I will make some fresh Apple Cinnamon Muffins over the weekend with some of the apples from my Box. I'm not sure how I want to cook up the Butternut Squash. The Butternut Squash bread came out delicious, maybe turn them into muffins or make into a creamy soup? Such decisions, let the inspiration flow!

Wednesday, October 13- Since I didn't get around to cooking the cassoulet up last week, I plan on cooking it tonight. I'm not crazy about breadcrumb toppings and will most likely skip that part of the recipe.

White Bean and Sausage Cassoulet Recipe

2 tsp oil

3 links (10 oz) Italian sausage

2 medium carrots, thinly sliced

2 stalks celery, sliced

1 large onion, chopped

2 tsp minced garlic

3 cans (15.5 oz each) Great Northern beans, rinsed

2 cans (14.5 oz each) fire-roasted diced tomatoes

1⁄2 cup water

1 tsp dried thyme leaves

Seasoned Crumb Topping

2 tsp oil

1 tsp minced garlic

2 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs from a baguette

2 Tbsp each grated Parmesan and chopped parsley

Recipe Preparation

1. Heat oven to 375ºF. You’ll need a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil.

2. Heat oil in a 5-qt pot over medium heat. Brown sausages on all sides until cooked through, about 6 minutes. Remove to plate.

3. In fat remaining in saucepan, sauté carrots, celery, onion and garlic until golden, about 5 minutes.

4. Cut sausages into 1⁄4-in.-thick slices. Add sausages, beans, tomatoes and their juices, water and thyme to saucepan. Simmer, covered, 30 minutes or until heated through and flavors are blended.

5. Topping: Toss oil and garlic with bread crumbs; spread on prepared baking sheet. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, tossing once, until toasted. Cool slightly; stir in Parmesan and parsley. Serve Topping with cassoulet.

Thursday, October 14- With a busy schedule and one less family member at the table for dinner, tonight will be simple and easy. Perhaps mac n' cheese or soup and sandwiches.

Friday, October 15- With the fresh butternut squash, sweet potatoes and Irish potatoes from my box, I will make Roasted Lemony Veggies & Couscous, a recipe I found in Family Circle. I think I may add some garlic and shrimp to this dish.

Roasted Lemony Veggies & Couscous

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped basil
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
2 large tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 small butternut squash (about 1 pound) peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 4 cups)
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 pound red-skin potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 cup baby carrots, halved
1 cup couscous

Directions
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. In a small bowl, stir together lemon juice, basil, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper. Slowly whisk in olive oil; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, squash, potatoes and carrots. Sprinkle mixture with remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Drizzle with prepared lemon dressing and stir well to combine.
3. Pour vegetable mixture into a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish and cover with foil. Bake at 375 degrees F for 35 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake another 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
4. When there is 10 minutes bake time remaining, prepare couscous according to package directions. Remove vegetable mixture from oven and carefully stir in couscous. Serve immediately.

Saturday, October 16- My girls will be camping with my husband this weekend. So I am either on my own for dinner or I will drive out to the campsite and have dinner al fresco with them.

Sunday, October 17- Using one of the apples from my box, I will be serving Apple-Stuffed Chicken with peas and rice for dinner tonight.

Monday, October 18- From Ikea, I will be preparing their Swedish Meatballs with sauce served over egg noodles. Yummy!

**Photographs reproduced for illustration purposes only from Family Circle and Woman's Day- no infringement of any copyrights intended**

October 6-12

With the Produce Box on a 2 week hiatus I was left to come up with my own inspiration for menus. Of course I fell into the traps of take out would be so much easier a couple of nights. I did make Butternut Squash Quick Bread by replacing the pumpkin in my pumpkin bread recipe. I must say it turned excellent and will repeat that recipe again. Although I did indulge in a few nights reprieve of cooking, I am proud to say that I came up with some decent menus over these last 2 weeks. But I am definitely excited about this week's return of the Produce Box!

This weeks Box marks the start of the Fall season boxes. My box includes: 3 small Eggplants, a pint of Cherry Tomatoes, Beans, 2 large Garlic Bulbs, 5 Zucchinis and a variety of 10 Apples.

My girls have been asking for zucchini bread and with the arrival of my Box I will quickly be at work baking up a few loaves.

Wednesday, October 6- My husband requested our delicious slow cooker Chili and it's a perfect meal for tonight.

Thursday, October 7- Quick and easy tonight-Cheese Quesidillas and Marinated Steak Fajitas

Friday, October 8- Garlic Italian Grilled Chicken with the Beans from my Box, there was a recipe in the newsletter which I am considering making up with the beans, and homemade macaroni salad.

Saturday, October 9- With soccer games and hopefully a stop at the farm to pick pumpkins, it's the perfect day for a Crock Pot Dinner.

Beef Stew
Ingredients
3 pounds cubed beef stew meat
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup baby carrots
4 large potatoes, cubed
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups beef broth
1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup red wine
1/4 cup liquid (wine, beef broth or water)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Directions
1. Place meat in a large plastic bag. Combine 1/4 cup flour with 1/2 teaspoon salt; pour into the bag with the meat, and shake to coat.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add stew meat, and cook until evenly browned on the outside. Transfer to a slow cooker along with the carrots, potatoes, onions, minced garlic and pepper.
3. Mix together 2 cups of beef broth and dry soup mix; pour into the slow cooker. Pour wine into slow cooker.
4. Cover, and cook on High for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to Low, and cook for 6 hours, or until meat is fork tender. In a small bowl or cup, mix together 2 tablespoons flour with 1/4 cup of liquid (beef broth, wine or water). Stir into stew, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, or until thickened.

Sunday, October 10- I will be making my Eggplant Parmesan with the eggplant from my Box plus a few I picked up at a local farm stand and using my homemade Tomato Sauce (which I cooked up earlier in the Summer and froze). A fresh garden salad, with my home grown cucumbers and the cherry tomatoes from my Produce Box will accompany the meal.

Monday, October 11-I made something in the past similar to the below recipe and I think I will try this recipe from Woman's Day tonight using some of the garlic from by Box.
White Bean and Sausage Cassoulet Recipe
Ingredients
2 tsp oil
3 links (10 oz) Italian sausage
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 large onion, chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
3 cans (15.5 oz each) Great Northern beans, rinsed
2 cans (14.5 oz each) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1⁄2 cup water
1 tsp dried thyme leaves

Seasoned Crumb Topping
2 tsp oil
1 tsp minced garlic
2 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs from a baguette
2 Tbsp each grated Parmesan and chopped parsley

Recipe Preparation

1. Heat oven to 375ºF. You’ll need a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil.
2. Heat oil in a 5-qt pot over medium heat. Brown sausages on all sides until cooked through, about 6 minutes. Remove to plate.
3. In fat remaining in saucepan, sauté carrots, celery, onion and garlic until golden, about 5 minutes.
4. Cut sausages into 1⁄4-in.-thick slices. Add sausages, beans, tomatoes and their juices, water and thyme to saucepan. Simmer, covered, 30 minutes or until heated through and flavors are blended.
5. Topping: Toss oil and garlic with bread crumbs; spread on prepared baking sheet. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, tossing once, until toasted. Cool slightly; stir in Parmesan and parsley. Serve Topping with cassoulet.

Tuesday, October 12- If there are many leftovers, then we will have a smorgasbord of left overs tonight. Otherwise, I will need to come up with something, let the inspiration flow!

September 15- September 21

Today's Produce Box is the last box for the Summer season. In 2 weeks the Produce Box will be offering Fall boxes filled with local farm's Fall Harvests. I am excited to see what those offerings will include. This week I received 4 lbs. of Sweet Potatoes, 5 Cucumbers, 1.5 oz of fresh Basil, 2 large Onions, a pint of Grape Tomatoes, 3 Butternut Squashes and local Grape Cider.

I am thinking of using my Pumpkin Bread recipe and substituting the pumpkin with butternut squash. I'll let you know how that works.

Last week I used cucumbers in a tomato sauce. Something different to use up my abundance of cukes. My husband is not a cucumber lover so he didn't care for the addition of the cucumbers to the sauce. I however, thought the sauce was excellent. Of course I made a few alterations to the recipe. I added one can of crushed tomatoes, 1-2 tablespoons of tomato paste and ground beef Overall I enjoyed this sauce and am wondering if I could shred the cucumbers to hide them from my husband? Here is the link for the Cucumber-Tomato Sauce.

Wednesday, Sept. 15- Grilled steak served with Cinnamon Sweet Potato Fries. (The recipe calls for making them chips but I plan on baking them as fries and adding a little garlic powder and ground pepper to the mixture.)

Thursday, Sept. 16- With our crazy Thursday schedule, I am either opting for sausage hoagies on the grill or take out.

Friday, Sept. 17- Butternut Squash Risotto using my old stand by risotto recipe, with a few additions. First, I will add 2 cloves of minced garlic to the onion. Second, I will add cinnamon and nutmeg to my mashed butternut squash. Lastly, I will use a 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese. By the way my old and reliable risotto recipe can be found on the side of Harris Teeter Arborio Rice. I will add some cut up tomato to the risotto and some shrimp to round out the dish.

Saturday, Sept. 18- With yard work on the agenda all day, I would like to keep tonight's dinner simple. I plan to make the Cucumber-Tomato Sauce again using the shredded cucumber and a dash of chopped fresh basil over pasta along with a loaf of bread.

Sunday, Sept. 19- Seasoned Grilled Pork Tenderloin (I'll make up my own rub using some chopped fresh basil, lemon pepper, garlic powder, salt and chopped onion) with Grilled Sweet Potatoes. I made these potatoes a few week's ago and everyone (even the kids) ate these up!

Grilled Sweet Potatoes
2 large sweet potatoes, sliced
1 apple - peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp white sugar
drizzle of maple syrup
1/4 cup butter

Directions
1. Preheat an outdoor grill.

2. In a bowl, toss the sweet potato and apple slices with the cinnamon and sugar. Place on a large piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle with maple syrup and top with butter. Tightly seal foil around.

3. Place foil packet on the grill, and cook 40 minutes, turning every 5 to 10 minutes, until potatoes and apples are tender.

Monday, Sept. 20- I'll break out the crock pot tonight for Chili. I enjoy crock pot meals for the ease of preparing a sumptuous dish. With a little prep work in the morning by evening I will have an awesome and hearty meal!

Tuesday, Sept. 21- Most likely tonight will be left overs however, on the off chance all the left overs were already eaten for lunches I am thinking of pork chops and potato pancakes.

September 8- September 14 Menu

My Box contains 6 Tomatoes, 8 Apples, 7 Cucumbers and 9 Peaches.

I will be making Freezer Jam with some of the peaches. My oldest daughter loves snacking on the fresh peaches too. I love quick breads and will make up Apple Bread with some of the apples. I didn't make the apple sauce last week. So I will use the remaining apples from last week and some of this week's batch to make up the Spiced Slow Cooker Applesauce.

I will be making Cool Cucumber Salsa, something different to do with these cucumbers. In addition to the Box's cucumbers, my personal garden has been providing my family and neighbor with an abundance of cucumbers. Therefore, I have been looking for new and different ways to use them up.

Dinner this week is very simple and basic. We have some extra activities which will keep us busy and away from the kitchen. So I have planned for a very easy menu. So I apologize that my weekly planning is not very creative or interesting this week.

Wednesday- I am finally using up some of the hotdog rolls from our Labor Day BBQ to make Italian Sausage Sandwiches with grilled peppers and onions along with macaroni salad (with diced up fresh tomato).

Thursday- Simplicity tonight, hotdogs and the remaining macaroni salad.

Friday- I never got around to making the Peach and Honey Chicken last week. I am going to do something a little different and a little less time consuming. I plan on making Baked Chicken with Peaches and serve it over rice.

Saturday- Pasta with ground beef and Cucumber-Tomato Sauce is on the menu tonight along with a loaf of bread and a bottle of wine. Yes I found a tomato sauce recipe that uses up some of my cucumbers. Sounds different and probably the only interesting recipe on my planner this week! I'll let you know how it went over.

Sunday- Steak Fajitas along with the Cool Cucumber Salsa will make for a simple dinner tonight. **picture for illustration purposes from allrecipes.com**

Monday- We are going out for dinner tonight. As much as I enjoy cooking, it is always nice when someone else does it (and cleans up the mess!).

Tuesday- It's my husband's Birthday so we will be doing something special for dinner to celebrate...but I can't tell you- he is probably reading this blog too! ;)

Menu September 1- 7

I am looking forward to the first apple delivery of the season. My fruit laden box this week consists of 3 Macintosh Apples, 3 Gala Apples, 3 Granny Smith Apples, 4 Peaches, 3 Field Tomatoes, a personal Watermelon, a Sprite Melon and 5 Cucumbers. I also received 2 lbs. of Sweet Potatoes.

Notes about last week:

I eventually made all the meals I had set out to do last week, with some minor re-tuning. The soup was excellent! Below is my alternations to the recipe. Although it never cooled down, the homemade soup was a great alternative for dinner. I will definitely keep this soup recipe around!

Butternut Vegetable Chicken Soup

1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup finely diced onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
4 large carrots, thinly sliced
2 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
9-11 cups chicken broth
2 red potatoes, cubed
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 tsp. Each- nutmeg, cloves, allspice & cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 cups chopped baby spinach
2 (16 ounce) cans great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup half and half
Directions
1. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the carrots and butternut squash; cook and stir until squash begins to brown, about 15 minutes.
2. Pour in the broth. Stir in the red potatoes, thyme, salt, pepper and spices, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes. Stir in the spinach and great Northern beans, and simmer until the spinach is tender, about 10 minutes.

3. Pour about 3 cups of the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full (you may have to do this in two batches). Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree. Return the pureed portion of the soup to the soup pot, leaving the remaining soup chunky. Alternately, you can use a stick blender and partially puree the soup right in the cooking pot. Stir in half and half and warm through.

What to do with my Box?
With all the fruit in this week's Box, I am left to my own devices to come up with exciting dishes to make for dinner.


I have intentions of making an apple pie with my fantastic homemade cinnamon crust to share at our Labor Day BBQ this weekend. I also am thinking of making some homemade applesauce (Spiced Slow Cooker Applesauce) with my girls. They love being my Sous Chefs! I also plan on making the Peach Cobbler Bread I have made before with rave results from my girls. This makes both a great dessert or sweet breakfast treat.

Wednesday, Sept. 1- Cheesy Grilled BBQ Chicken Wraps recipe at Kraftfoods.com will be dinner tonight. However, I will add diced red onion and warmed black beans to each wrap. Also I am simplifying dinner by using a refrigerator package of cooked chicken strips. The leftovers will be great for lunch too. **picture from Kraftfoods.com for illustration purposes**

Thursday, Sept. 2- Tonight couldn't be busier if I tried! Between a doctor's appointment, soccer practice, a Girl Scout meeting and a parent preschool orientation, I truly don't have the time to create a gourmet feast. So I am thinking the girls will have something quick and easy and my husband and I will fend for ourselves along the way.

Friday Sept. 3- Grilled Steak seasoned with the Chef Bobby Buzz's Espresso Rub (a bonus sample received in a previous Produce Box) served with Grilled Sweet Potatoes.

Grilled Sweet Potatoes
2 large sweet potatoes, sliced
1 apple - peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp white sugar
drizzle of maple syrup
1/4 cup butter

Directions
1. Preheat an outdoor grill.
2. In a bowl, toss the sweet potato and apple slices with the cinnamon and sugar. Place on a large piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle with maple syrup and top with butter. Tightly seal foil around.
3. Place foil packet on the grill, and cook 40 minutes, turning every 5 to 10 minutes, until potatoes and apples are tender.
**Recipe originally from allrecipes.com with a few modifications**

Saturday, September 4- We will be heading out to the Western Wake Farmer's Market in the morning. I'll keep a lookout for zucchini and yellow squash. If I can get my hands on them, tonight's dinner will be Squash and Zucchini Burritos.

Sunday, September 5- We are having a backyard BBQ with friends to send off Summer. Cheeseburgers with slices of fresh tomato along with hotdogs, summer salads, apple pie and campfire S'mores.

Monday, September 6- Tonight we are having the Peach and Honey Chicken served over rice from last week's menu. With a little reworking of my menu plan I have finally gotten around to making this meal. I found this recipe online but wanted to change it up some.

Peach and Honey Chicken
Generous turn of Olive Oil
1 clove minced garlic
4-6 chicken breasts
1/2 onion, sliced
5 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup water
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1-3 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons water
2 peaches, peeled and sliced

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in the garlic, and cook for a minute or two until the garlic softens and mellows.
2. Stir in the sliced onion. Cook and stir until the onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes, then stir in the honey, soy sauce, ginger, and 1 cup of water.
3. Add the chicken to the skillet, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, spread the lemon slices overtop, cover with a lid, and simmer until the chicken is tender and no longer pink, about 10-15 minutes.
4. Once the chicken has cooked, remove to a serving platter and keep warm. Dissolve the cornstarch in 2 teaspoons of water, and stir into the simmering sauce. Add the peaches, and chicken and cook until the sauce thickens and returns to a simmer. Pour sauce over chicken to serve.

Tuesday, September 7- With the leftover hotdog rolls from our Labor Day BBQ, I plan on serving grilled Italian Sausage Sandwiches with grilled peppers and onions. I'll also make some macaroni salad using up the rest of the tomatoes from my Box.

Menu August 25- August 31

This week's Produce Box contained 2 small Butternut Squashes, a personal Watermelon, 5 Peaches, 2 large Tomatoes, 1 Sprite Melon, a bottle of local Muscadine Grape Cider and 2.5 lbs. of Sweet Potatoes. My husband is eager to try the cider. If it's too sweet for our liking rather than use it as a drink, I'll use it in my cooking maybe to saute with or as a marinade.

Last week's menu was shaken up a bit. We treated our daughters to dinner out Saturday after a great day of soccer games. The butternut was used as the filling in homemade ravioli and the remaining puree was used in muffins.

The ravioli tasted like stuffed pumpkin pie pastas! The muffins didn't turn out quite like I had expected. They were very dense and not as sweet as I had hoped. I'm not sure if I would make them again.
As much as we love the marinated shrimp, again that meal had been scratched from our menu. There is always hope for this week! I kept the Mexican theme but in place of the Squash and Zucchini Burritos I made my delicious Chicken Enchiladas.

Chicken Enchiladas
1 lb chicken
4oz can of chopped green chile peppers
1 small onion
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1 tsp chili powder
Small Can of Enchilada Sauce
1 package of large sized soft flour tortillas
1 package Mexican cheese (or cheddar)

1. Heat large skillet on med/high heat. Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to coat pan
3. Cook chicken through about 8-10 minutes.
4. While chicken is cooking chop onion
5. Remove chicken to cutting board, add chopped onion to skillet and chili powder
6. While onion is cooking, dice up chicken
7. In a small bowl combine the can of cream of chicken soup, 1/2 cup of sour cream & 2 tablespoons of enchilada sauce. Mix and set aside.
8. Once onion is tender add chicken, green chilies, about 1/4 cup of sour cream mixture & enchilada sauce (add enough to add moisture to skillet about 1-3 tablespoons) Stir and Heat through.
9. In a 9 x 13 baking dish lightly cover bottom of pan with the sour cream mixture.
10. Add chicken mixture to tortillas and roll up, place seam side down in baking dish. (tortillas can be touching each other in dish)
11. Cover tortillas with remaining sour cream mixture and sprinkle with cheese
12. Bake in a 350 degree oven covered for 20-25 minutes then uncover and bake additional 5-10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.

**Meal can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated. When ready to bake add 15 minutes to bake time or until heated through.

In addition to the peaches from our Box, my husband brought home fresh peaches he got from a co-workers farm. With all these fresh peaches, I plan on making one entree and a dessert, Peach Pound Cake.

Wednesday- Simplicity tonight. It's Mac N Cheese with fresh fruit for the girls and a grilled cheese sandwich or leftovers for me tonight.

Thursday- Since it's soccer practice tonight, set right in the middle of mealtime, I think I'll make something quick and easy. Cheeseburgers with Tortellini Salad and watermelon from our Box is on the menu.

Tortellini Salad
Cheese Tortellini
Diced mozzarella Cheese
Diced Salami
Tomato
Diced Pepper
Italian Seasoning
Salt and Pepper to taste
Italian Dressing

Cook tortellini per bag directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Add noodles to large bowl. Add cheese, salami, tomatoes and seasonings. Pour dressing over mixture. Mix well. Refrigerate until cold. Before serving, stir salad and add more dressing if needed.

Friday- I will make one of my favorite dishes, Sweet Potato Casserole, served with pork chops and Southern Green Beans.

Sweet Potato Casserole
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup margarine, melted
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and halved
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg white
1 (5 oz) can evaporated milk

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees
2. Combine first 5 ingredients in small bowl, stirring to form streusel. Set aside
3. Place potatoes in pot covered with water. Bring to boil, cover and simmer 30 min or until tender. Drain. Mash in large bowl.
4. Stir in 1 cup of streusel topping, sugar, vanilla, egg white and milk.
5. Spoon into 2-qt. casserole coated with cooking spray. Top with remaining streusel.
6. Bake for 45 min.
   

Southern Green Beans
4 slices bacon
1 large onion sliced
4 cans green beans
salt and black pepper

Fry bacon, remove bacon before it becomes crispy.
In bacon fat fry onion until tender.
Pour 4 cans of green beans into pot. If more water is needed add until green beans are covered.
Season with salt and pepper.
Add bacon.
Bring to boil then let Simmer for about 30-45 minutes. (add water as necessary)

Saturday- I have intentions to make from last week's menu, the Grilled Shrimp Skewers. The recipe actually calls for apple but we have always omitted it. The spicy yet sweet flavors of the marinade are to die for! This has quickly become one our favorite ways to prepare grilled shrimp. I will serve it with perhaps some cheese and broccoli couscous and corn on the cob bought at DJ's Berry Patch, if there is any left. Between Soccer games and Birthday parties I might find myself too tired to cook. So this is my "removal" meal. Since I have all the ingredients on hand and the shrimp is frozen I can always hold this meal for another night. I can also use the corn with tomorrow's meal if necessary.

Sunday- Peach and Honey Chicken served over rice. I found this recipe online but wanted to change it up some. I hope my changes result in a tasty and savory dish.

Peach and Honey Chicken
Generous turn of Olive Oil
1 clove minced garlic
4-6 chicken breasts
1/2 onion, sliced
5 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup water
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1-3 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons water
2 peaches, peeled and sliced

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in the garlic, and cook for a minute or two until the garlic softens and mellows.
2. Stir in the sliced onion. Cook and stir until the onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes, then stir in the honey, soy sauce, ginger, and 1 cup of water.
   
3. Add the chicken to the skillet, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, spread the lemon slices overtop, cover with a lid, and simmer until the chicken is tender and no longer pink, about 10-15 minutes.
   
4. Once the chicken has cooked, remove to a serving platter and keep warm. Dissolve the cornstarch in 2 teaspoons of water, and stir into the simmering sauce. Add the peaches, and chicken and cook until the sauce thickens and returns to a simmer. Pour sauce over chicken to serve.

Monday-With these cooler nights, I was inspired to make some soup (I'm longing for those cooler days of Fall.) I plan on making Butternut Chicken Vegetable Soup. I will be making some modifications to this recipe which will include substituting the kale with spinach, adding 2 cans of beans, using less broth and chicken broth and adding cut up chicken. Some crusty bread will go nicely with tonight's meal.

Tuesday- If the leftovers have not been devoured for lunches, then it's leftover night to make room for Wednesday's Box. But if the fridge is sparse, I am thinking a nice grilled steak with mashed potatoes and peas.

Menu for August 18- August 24

This week's Produce Box included 2 lbs. of Roma Tomatoes, 2 Bell Peppers, a Banana Pepper, 5 Peaches, 1 lb. of Red Potatoes, 2 Butternut Squashes, 1 lb. of Grape Tomatoes and a Sprite Melon.

Wednesday- Tonight is a busy night with our family eating in "shifts" due to our crazy schedule. Therefore, the kids will be having some chicken nuggets with peaches and grape tomatoes and my husband and I will have chicken salad sandwiches tonight. I'll add some cut up grape tomatoes to our chicken salad.

Thursday- We will be having Mexican tonight. I'll make cheese quesadillas with a side of fresh tomatoes, from our Produce Box, for my girls while the grownups feast of Beef Tacos. I'll saute the some bell pepper from our Box in olive oil. If I find the time I'll whip up my husband's awesome salsa using the roma tomatoes and peppers from my box.

Friday- From last week's menu, I plan on making the Grilled Shrimp Skewers. The recipe actually calls for apple but we have always omitted it. The spicy yet sweet flavors of the marinade are to die for! This has quickly become one our favorite ways to prepare grilled shrimp. I will serve it with perhaps some cheese and broccoli couscous and corn on the cob bought at DJ's Berry Patch. (Picture reproduced from allrecipes.com)

Saturday- Tonight I am thinking of trying something different with my butternut squash. Our Produce Box newsletter had a recipe for Glazed Butternut Squash. I'm intrigued, we'll see. I'll serve it along with grilled chicken and oven rolls. (I'll post the recipe later on.)

Sunday- Tonight we will be having Grilled Rosemary Pork Chops accompanied with Southern Green Beans and Rosemary Red Potatoes.

Southern Green Beans
4 slices bacon
1 large onion sliced
4 cans green beans
salt and black pepper

Fry bacon, remove bacon before it becomes crispy.
In bacon fat fry onion until tender.
Pour 4 cans of green beans into pot. If more water is needed add until green beans are covered.
Season with salt and pepper.
Add bacon.
Bring to boil then let Simmer for about 30-45 minutes. (add water as necessary)

Monday- This has become one of my favorite new dishes, Squash and Zucchini Burritos. I discovered this dish through a friend. Thereafter, I added my twist and viola! A sumptuous summer dish! Of course I'll only be making this dish if DJ's Berry Patch has the squashes.

Tuesday- There is good chance tonight will be leftovers to make room for our next Produce Box delivery!

Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you are going to get.

"Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you are going to get." Forrest Gump

Even when you stop and plan a week's worth of meals, sometimes life throws you a curve ball. Thankfully even the best laid plans are malleable and you can adapt. My menu last week took an unexpected turn after I learned I was traveling out of town for a funeral. So after Thursday, my menu was thrown out the window, I jetted off on an airplane and left my husband to fend for our daughters and himself. I guess it worked out well that we hadn't gotten a Produce Box delivery after all.

Now I am back home and once again thrown into that quandary of "what's for dinner?". Well I am eagerly looking forward to my delivery from the Produce Box tomorrow. I have begun to find inspiration from the content list for the Produce Box as well as from my kitchen cabinets, refrigerator, freezer and cookbooks. Also, since I didn't have a chance to whip up some of the meals from last week's blog, they too are inspiring me this week.