So sorry for the lateness of this recap, it’s been a bit busy for both Holly and myself. I PROMISE that this week’s will go up on Sunday night!
Thank you to everyone still hanging in here in February – the hardest stretch for us in the north is here at the same time that the end is in site for our southern neighbors.
If you’re theme oriented, the February challenge is to share at least one of your Dark Days meals with someone new to the idea of local eating (or at least someone you don’t entertain all the time).
Thank you again to Holly for helping with half the recap!
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West:
Looking for a new ingredient to try, Maya stumbled upon Arikara yellow beans at the farmer’s market. Seizing upon the challenge, she added a bit of onion, bacon, turkey stock and more to create a delicious sounding bean soup. Now that’s how you rise to a challenge!
Lucky Grady got to celebrate his birthday with three dinners this year! Joan picked up a local ready-to-cook dinner of ravioli for the first, made beef stroganoff featuring local ingredients for the second and took him out for a lovely dinner with friends for the third. In between all of that she also found time to join us for the Dark Days potluck and seed exchange and bring my new favorite spread. Wow, busy week!
Anita and Cameron welcomed the year of the ox with a Sichuan oxtail soup. Combining a few traditions, methods and recipes they came up with a delicious way to use this often overlooked ingredient. Looking ways to cook with less expensive cuts? Check out the recipe for one great idea.
When you’re having a bad day and mom offers to cook, who would say no? Especially if it’s Einat’s mom and she’s making local sausage, grilled onion and a yummy looking squash. Thank goodness for mom’s!
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The Midwest
Karen surprised herself with a spicy corn, bean and pumpkin stew – she thought she hated squash soup! The meal was nicely complimented with cornmeal and currant scones topped with apple butter and finished off with a cake – using the first two eggs their chickens have laid. Congrats!
It sounds like Anne had a great time at a winter farmers market before heading home to make a lamb & pine nut scramble, served with pureed cauliflower.
Elsewhere, Andrea beat the winter duldrums by relying on her pantry and summer preserving. The family was treated to a delicious menu of chicken with noodles, broccoli, squash souffle, homemade mozzarella and black pepper bread. The veggies hit the spot so well, that the kiddos ate three servings of broccoli!
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The South:
Using tepary beans instead of garbanzos, Laurel made her darn good hummus this week. They enjoyed it with a bit of grilled focaccia on the side. I’m going to give her recipe a try as my homemade hummus has always left something to be desired…
Donna rejoins us with two local meals helpfully cooked by the girls. First up was gnocchi with butternut/sage sauce with sauteed greens and blackeyed peas on the side. Next up was breakfast for Daddy featuring local eggs with roasted hatch chiles, fried potatoes and bread made with flour Laura milled by hand. Now that’s how you rejoin a challenge!
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The East
Over at food on the fire escape, there was a tasty breakfast including pink potatoes, frittata, bread & butter pickles, toast with apple jelly and cheese. It sounds like a perfect little nibble to start a day off just right.
The lack of variety in winter foods is starting to make Sophie a little stir-crazy; still, she managed to showcase three local meals this week: lentil soup with bread and butter, ribeye with bakes potato and kale, and a fresh green salad with hard boiled eggs and leftover rib eye.
Living in a Local Zone is also feeling the challenge of a limited winter pantry. A creative butternut squash polenta, drizzled with maple syrup surely will chase away your winter blues.
Welcome back to Pam; we’re glad your leg is feeling better! A colorful plate of local potatoes, greens, and sweet potatoes, in addition to beets from her freezer rounded out at least one meal this week.
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Hi Laura-
I have been participating, I promise! I am probably not categorizing my posts very well. Great recap this week
Oops, you linked to last week’s meal, not this week’s!
This week it was ham, potatoes, green beans…