Leah here. If you haven't guessed already, I like to keep menu planning fairly structured. It helps me feel organized, or at least it gives me the delusion of it, as another hectic week starts to have some semblance of a plan for dinners that week. On Sundays, I hit the (cook)books and make my shopping list.
But on Saturdays I go wild. Crazy. At least in the morning. No list. No plan. Just a $20 bill. Me and the kiddo walk up and down, up and down again peering in the vendor stalls at the farmers market. Seeing what's fresh. What sounds tasty. We let what looks best (and, ahem, is priced most competitively) fill our bag. This doesn't sound too spontaneous, but for this list maker---oh, it is. It's also a bit liberating and forces my creativity. I'm a slave to recipes and this exercise makes me call upon flavors I like and things I've tried. What do I want to recreate or (gulp) make up? I buy what makes me happy then factor it in to my menu planning on Sunday. I know. Wild woman.
Here's what our breezy walk got us today:
Last week it was dill, but this week my belly wanted basil. It smells like summer and pizza and bright green (yes, green has a smell). This huge bouquet was $2--a fraction of what those plastic containers cost at the grocery store. I think it will become this pistachio pesto which Andolini's, one of my favorite locally owned pizza parlors, so kindly shared the recipe for. Maybe I'll grill up some pesto based pizzas this week? Pioneer Woman pizza dough is my favorite recipe. This strawberry lemon basil soda from Shutterbean also sounds delicious.
It's blackberry time! These little jewels don't last long in my presence. (Looks like I'm raising a sneaky little blackberry lover, too.) Truthfully, I think I'll just eat these cold from the fridge. Maybe whip up some unsweetened heavy cream to dip them in? They are perfect, sweet, juicy bursts that don't need any doctoring. That said, I adore Pioneer Woman's version of blackberry cobbler (more like cake to us Okies). And this creamy blackberry frozen yogurt from Kitchen Corners blog will be made some time before berry season is over.
I'm in charge of a veggie tray for a family gathering this weekend so I grabbed some farm raised cucumbers to chop up for the platter. Things that were grown in your own backyard, or just a few communities away, just taste better I think. This tastes a bit sour. Like grass. Like outside. Instead of like nothing when they come from the super market. I might soak these in a bit of vinegar with some onion slices before I drain and add them to the veggie tray. Did you eat them like that growing up, too?
New potatoes. How I love thee! My Memo (grandma) brought me my first new potatoes of the season. I boiled them then covered them with a little butter, salt and fresh dill like in this Bon Appetit recipe---wow! I snacked on them way past dinner. I love their tiny size and thin skins that make them totally snackable. Plus, they naturally taste a little buttery, I think? Just as is. I'd love to boil these then dip in a little homemade chipotle aioli from Bon Appetit or try this recipe for potato salad with arugula and Dijon vinaigrette from Food52.
I can't wait for tomatoes, corn, melons and all the other delicious summer produce treats.
Are there any new recipes you'll be trying out this weekend?
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