CSA Box: What I Got, What I Made

This past week I picked up my first CSA (community supported agriculture) box, which I'm sharing with my friend, Kim, who's received it for months already. I like vegetables, but have been pretty limited in using them and usually go for the trusty, steamed broccoli as a side to mostly anything I make that consists of meat and potatoes, which is about 80 percent of the food I cook for my husband and I. We're Midwesterners, what can I say?

Enter the CSA box from Be Wise Ranch and its bounty of fresh produce. What will I do with: 

• Baby Bok Choy
• Chard
• Satsumas (had to look this one up)
• Avocado
• Carrots
• Apples
• Green Beans
• Beets
• Butternut Squash
• Dates
• Lemons
• Spring Mix
• Zucchini
• Radishes

So far, I've used a less than half the items. The zucchini I used to make zucchini bread, kind of a cheat, since I'm baking it into something and not eating it in its natural form, but rather, shredded and mixed with wonderful things like sugar, butter and nuts. The bread turned out well, but the consistency lumpier than I anticipated and different than zucchinis breads of my past. 

This isn't too much of a surprise since my baking skills aren't that great. I messed up sugar cookies a few weeks ago. The kind where you just add egg and oil to the mix. They all melted into one, large sugary cookie, which I covered with frosting and tasted incredible. 

I think this is due to my problem with patience and exact measurements. I am an oven peeker to see if things are done cooking and I eye measurements and toss them in as I go. No nos in the world of baking, I guess.

I topped the spring mix with a dressing I made of balsamic vinegar, onion, pepper, lemon (also from the box!) and oil drizzled in. I added in random stuff like artichoke hearts and satsumas (oranges from the box), all which turned out pretty tasty. 

Finally, I made bacon-wrapped dates because how else are you supposed to eat them? 

Let me know if you have recipe ideas for what I can do with the rest of the ingredients!

New Recipe Resolution: Mexican Lasagna

Casseroles are a good idea for our household because we can have leftovers that don't have to last all week. I can get down with leftovers, but I don't really want to eat the same thing for days and days. 

I had looked up a few recipes for a Mexican-style casserole and kind of combined different ones to make this Mexican Lasagna, which was simple to put together and a good choice for a Friday night. 

What you need: 

- 1 package of corn tortillas

- 1 lb. of ground beef 

- 1/2 onion

- 1 can of refried beans

- 1 can of salsa verde

- 1 package of shredded cheddar cheese

- 1 can of corn

Spices to use: taco seasoning, salt, pepper, chili powder

First, add a little oil to a pan and dice up the onion and saute. Add ground beef and cook all the way through. Add spices to the meat mixture and set aside. Make sure it is seasoned well. Taste it and add as needed.

Spray non-stick cooking spray on the inside of a baking pan. Cut tortillas in half and place in single layer along the bottom of the pan. Add a layer of salsa verde, then layer of refried beans, layer of the meat mixture, layer of corn, and shredded cheese. Repeat the assembly with more layer. 

Bake in oven preheated at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Serve with chips and salsa. 

Next time I make it, I will probably add Monterey Jack cheese and or the Queso Blanco Velveeta for extra spice, flavor, and cheesiness. Also, you most likely aren't going to use the entire package of tortillas, so save the extra for breakfast tacos made with scrambled eggs, veggies, and salsa!

For this recipe...I forgot to take pictures! Gotta get better at that.

Side food note: I've realized I love vegetables roasted. Add olive oil, salt, and pepper to pretty much any veggie and it's delicious. Last vegetable used: cauliflower. I added thyme, seasoned salt, and a little bit of cinnamon. YUM!