2016 CSA Week 7: In the Kitchen

Hi fellow CSA members!

First things first! I FINALLY got to make that banh mi sandwich this week that I had been dreaming about (the one I told you about in the last post)! I started getting a little nervous as I was fermenting the veggies... I had hoped to let them pickle overnight but instead they were just going to get the "minimum 30 minutes." Was it really going to turn out?

Y'all. It did! You don't have to like Vietnamese food or banh mi sandwiches, but take a minute to celebrate with me! I savored every delicious bite. I'm actually still waiting for my level-up kitchen medal to arrive in the mail. Because I felt so accomplished. Was it the best banh mi I've ever put in my mouth? No. (But I did seriously LOVE it!) Would it even pass as a legitimate Vietnamese banh mi? Maybe not even. But still. It was exactly what my mouth was craving and to me that's what food is all about. Taking great ingredients and turning them into even better meals. Oh, and I guess nutrition and stuff.

Johnie was away that evening so he didn't get to taste it. He doesn't generally like this type of food so I don't think he would have enjoyed it anyway. So it worked out perfectly for both of us. I'm betting he would rate NOT having to taste it at 5 broccoli stalks.

So for this week's share I browsed several websites looking for new summer squash recipes. Johnie doesn't like squash. Can you believe it? Who doesn't like squash? Maybe you, and that's okay. I came this close to just breading it and frying it, which is my favorite. (Don't worry, that'll happen very soon.) But, I did want to try to come up with something he may enjoy. I considered a few squash casseroles, heavy with cheese, but as good as the squash casseroles have been in the past, he just doesn't like them. I decided to try something different.

I began thinking of dishes he really enjoys that I could just add squash to. And, by the time dinner arrived I was just wanting something fast and easy. I decided to whip up some omelets and add squash to them.

"Why would you put squash in an omelet?!?" he asked.

"Well, how would you like to eat the squash?" I countered.

He conceded an omelet might be his best bet.

I wasn't even sure I would like it, but I did. I thought it was great, actually. He ranked it three and a half broccoli stalks. And admitted later that the more he ate of it the more he liked it. And then went back for seconds and asked, "Can I just eat all that's left?" I'll take that as a win.

For the omelet, I mixed together eggs, squash, mushrooms and ham. Then I added shredded cheese at the end. I did sprinkle a little Adobo seasoning, but any type of house seasoning would probably work just as well. (And the avocado was just for my omelet.) Pretty easy, and maybe it'll spark some inspiration for the picky eater in your house.

If you're looking for other creative ways to use your squash, check out these great ideas.

Also, I heard blueberries were at the London Farmer's Market last week. I'm hoping to go in the morning and stock up so that there is plenty of Blueberry Zucchini Bread in my future!

Finally, a shout out to friend and fellow CSA member, Jennifer, who happened to get one of the surprise tomatoes in her share and graciously gave it to me after I squealed in delight at seeing it in her bag. Sustainable Harvest Farm has made me a tomato snob. I usually don't waste my time with store-bought tomatoes (only in cases of extreme emergency). We'll all have them in abundance soon, but the first one of the season is always a precious gift. This year, quite literally.

I love to hear from you! Let me know your recipes, tips, tricks, thoughts or questions. amyrosekarr@gmail.com