Well, not that I’ve spilled the beans with what is really going on in our lives, let’s get to some carb-loving recipes because in all honest, I’ve really only wanted bagels, pasta and pizza for the past 15 weeks.  This week’s CSA brought a bounty of fresh, HUGE spinach that I used to make a pesto for this pasta.

You can use a lot of different greens for pesto.  I’ve used kale before, and the spinach pesto turned out lovely.  I also had a ton of asparagus from the CSA that was a perfect addition to make a beautiful spring pasta dish.  Here is what this week’s CSA included:

Spinach
Baby White Turnips, 1 Bunch
Rosemary
Cucumbers, Large & Pickling
Asparagus
Trout – 1 fillet
Gringo George Corn Chips
Gringo George Salsa

I’m going to make a caramelized turnip recipe tonight, which I promise to share.  The other items we’ve just been using here in there in other dishes and as snacks.

For the pasta, I cooked one pound package of pasta per package directions (this is a brown rice pasta) and simply tossed it with the spinach pesto (this is the recipe I used), 1 bunch steamed asparagus, about 1 cup peas and sprinkled the top with Parmesan cheese.  For protein, I breaded and pan-fried some chicken breasts that were pounded thin.  It was a refreshing dish to sit down to for dinner last night on the patio.

Tell me: what is your favorite way to use pesto?

Second, Please & Thank You has really taken off.  April was filled with children’s classes, private lessons and corporate trainings.  Each week I was teaching at least 2-3 different places.  I’m so grateful that it has been going well, and I am having a blast with it.  It did however, leave little time for extra cooking and posting.

Last, and certainly not least, I’ve been busy cooking this little bun in the oven.

So, I’ve been battling the 1st trimester blahs, but I think we are moving on now.  We are thrilled to be adding another little baby snob to our clan in the fall.  So hang in there with me as we get back on track around here!

Baby Snob loves, and I mean loves, scrambled eggs.  She would chow down on them for every meal if we let her.  Here’s the truth though, at 6:30 a.m. (yes, that is usually when we are up and eating breakfast by), cooking scrambled eggs is one of the last things I want to do.  Why?  It means I have to do more dishes after breakfast.

I know, I know.  What can I say?  Sometimes I am selfish and lazy, and realistically toast requires less clean up.  Most mornings though, I do try to put my child’s wants and health above my desire to avoid cleaning, and I make eggs.  Thus, my idea for these mini frittatas was born.  I made a large batch, froze them and just heat one up each morning – brilliant!

Here is what was included in my CSA share from Maude’s Market this week (part of which was used for this recipe):

Asparagus
Rosemary
Lettuce Mix
Pumpkin (jarred)
Pork – breakfast sausage links
Yellow Split Peas
Parsley plant

We are just at one month into my Love Where You Live Series.  If you are new here, each week I am writing about my CSA share from Maude’s Market here in St. Louis and highlighting one recipe I make with the goods from my share.  You can read more about the series here.

This week, I thought I would do something a little different and really highlight one of the products that was in my CSA share: sorghum.  To be perfectly honest, I had no idea what sorghum was or how to use it prior to it ending up in my bag.  That is what I love about CSAs – you are introduced to new foods that challenge your cooking and open up your mind and palate to new recipes!

I assumed sorghum was a southern thing, which I guess it kind of is, but I was shocked at how many recipes I found for it and how many places it could be used.  It is basically a syrup, similar to molasses, but milder and more buttery in flavor.  You can use it recipes as a substitute for maple syrup, honey or molasses.  It is great on pancakes, cornbread and biscuits. I decided to use it as a substitute for honey in a classic glazed carrot recipe.

I simply followed this recipe from Bon Appétit, omitting the ginger and bourbon.  The results, as you can see, would make anyone eat their vegetables.

I also found some other great recipes that use sorghum that I hope to try at some point in the near future as well:

Pecan Cobbler with Sorghum Syrup

Sweet Potato Casserole with Sorghum

King-Sized Sorghum Cookies

Tell me: Have you ever cooked with sorghum?  What did you make?

With that in mind, I’d like to invite you to the Taste of UCity.  It is this Thursday, May 9th and is only $20 for ALL YOU CAN EAT.  That’s right, no buying tickets to get a tiny bite of something.  We’re talking legit samples and tons of local UCity restaurants participating.  Plus, a bonus is that you can see me do a cooking demo and try some samples of what I make.  Be sure to say “Hi” is you decide to come!

Week #2 of our CSA brought a bounty of food we have since fully consumed:

Sunchokes, 1/2 lbs.
Nettles, 1/3 lbs
Cucumber
Frozen Cherries 1lbs.
Beer and Onion Brats
Companion Pretzel 4 pack
Broccoli Vegetable Plant

The cherries have become part of our smoothie routine.  We’ve been snacking on cucumbers and grilling brats with the pretzels.  I roasted the sunchokes with dinner tonight.  I’ve done this before, and they are just as delicious as I remembered.  They may look a little gnarly, but they are a unique alternative to potatoes.  You can boil or roast them or even use them in stir fry like you would a water chestnut.  Until next week – enjoy!

Roasted Sunchokes

1/2 lbs. sunchokes, peeled and sliced into 1/4″ slices

olive oil

salt

fresh cracked black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a bowl, toss the sliced sunchokes with olive oil, salt and pepper to coat.

3. Spread sunchokes out evenly on baking sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes, stirring halfway through, until edges are golden brown.

I’m slowly learning what things are not life-giving, which of those I can and cannot avoid, and what things make me very happy and fulfilled at the end of the day.  Sadly, things like washing the dishes are soul-killing to me, but they are unavoidable.  Cooking, however, brings me joy and fulfillment, yet I’ve avoided it over the past few weeks.  Last night, I took a small baby step towards getting back in kitchen.

This was actually a small miracle.  We were watching a friends’ little boy + we had Baby Snob + the Food Snob was running late.  So me, 2 one-year-olds that are hungry and a min pin that they were torturing to the point I almost feel sorry for him.  In the midst of the chaos, I produced this semi-homemade that everyone seemed to love.

Tofu Masala

1 block extra-firm tofu

1 jar Trader Joe’s Masala Simmer Sauce

1 cup water

1 cup frozen peas

2 cups prepared rice

Directions:

1. Drain and if time permits, press the tofu.

2. Cut the tofu into chunks (whatever size you want).  Heat a nonstick skillet with some olive oil to medium heat.  Add the tofu and pan fry until all sides are golden brown.

3. Add the masala simmer sauce, water and peas directly to the pan and let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes.

Serve over rice.

I’m often reluctant to purchase premade sauces and marinades because it’s a lot of money to spend on a food product that you aren’t sure you’d like.  I rolled the dice on this one and decided to give it a try though.  I really liked it.  If you like other masala flavored dishes, you will certainly enjoy this simmer sauce.  You could also easily do this dish with chicken if you prefer.

The question still remains for us tonight though: What’s for dinner?

When I sat down with Leslie to talk about Farmer Girl, her passion for the product and providing it to families came through immediately.  I, too, was completely on board with the mission and vision of what Farmer Girl is all about.  The meat comes from her family farm, uses organic principles, and uses pasture-based and animal-centered practices.  They currently offer pastured, grass-fed beef, pastured pork, and pastured lamb.  They will be adding chicken this summer.

It is a monthly subscription program that allows you to order boxes with certain cuts and amounts of meat or order a la carte individual cuts.  You can have the meat delivered to your home or pick it up at one of their pick-up locations throughout St. Louis.  Unlike purchasing a quarter or half a cow, the amounts are small enough that they can last your family a month and fit in your regular freezer at home.

Where do I come in and why do I care?  I am actually working with them on recipe development and recipe testing!  Each month, subscribers receive a newsletter with multiple recipes that have been tested with Farmer Girl meat (because pastured, grass fed beef cooks much differently than traditional factory meats from the grocery store).  It is such a fun opportunity, and I can say that it is a very high quality product and worth every penny.

If you are interested in learning more, please be sure to check out their website.  I am getting no commission or compensation for saying any of this or if you sign up.  I just think they are a great company.  As well, I will be sure to share my recipes as they are published on the site!