CSA Goodness

I am loving the CSA experience!  We paired up with family friends, so end up doing a pick-up every other week.  In our area there are an abundance of CSA options - ranging in size, variety and style of farming.  We went with this one because we really appreciated their approach to gardening.  I also thought it was cool that the owner/farmer is a (relatively) young guy whose first profession was teaching.  He got fed up with working in the public school system and moved to farming.  If you've read this blog before, you will understand why we felt a connection.  ;-)

Here's what the kiddos and I grabbed today:

• spinach
• turnips
• radishes
• PYO strawberries
• kale
• broccoli
• head lettuce
• salad mix (arugala and san toi)

We added on a fruit share as well, so we got a bonus of even more strawberries.

Oh my groceries, what a beautiful site!  Is there anything more tasty than a freshly picked, juicy ripe strawberry?  I don't think so.  I could eat an entire quart... by myself... at once...  (this may or may not have actually happened.)

Look at the green awesome-ness.  Love it!  Have I mentioned how much I appreciate our salad spinner now?  I never really understood it's purpose until this season.  It gets a workout now... making up for all that lost time.

The greens have prompted much salad making in our home.  We've long weeded out bottled salad dressings from our fridge (have you ever looked at the content list?!!  YIKES!), so it's been fun experimenting with dressing recipes.  Here is a current fav:

• 1 grated garlic glove
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• juice of one lemon or lime
• 1 tsp raw honey
• salt and pepper to taste

Back to those strawberries...  

We eat a lot of them plain, made into shortcakes or pancakes, added to crumbs with rhubarb, tossed into smoothies.  I'll freeze many quarts as well so we can enjoy that sweet taste throughout the year.  I'll also make several large batches of strawberry jam to stock our freezer with.  I was so happy last year to come across a no-sugar pectin (have you ever looked at the sugar content of jam/jelly?  Not good for an item that is supposed to be fruit based) that tastes DELICIOUS.  I use a no-sugar pectin (Ball is most readily available in my area), 100% white grape juice concentrate and fresh strawberries.  Nada mas.  Sets perfectly every time, freezes awesomely and tastes so good on breads, muffins, pancakes, cupcakes...  and straight up - or so my children tell me.