Like so many others who belong to Community Supported Agriculture, I try and do a weekly meal planning on Fridays, the day after I receive my CSA box of veggies.
If I have to defrost items, or hit a market or make a store run, I do most of that on Saturdays. It is the best way to ensure I use up everything that comes in the weekly drop off.
Yesterday, I was going to go to Glenwood after my volunteering at the Conservancy, but the program and clean up didn’t finish until noon.
Thankfully, I knew I could get to Breezy Willow since they keep the farm store open from 10-2.
My meal planning required eggs, which I had completely used, and a loaf of bread, as I planned to have chili after the football game, and a spaghetti omelet using what I made in the crockpot Friday.
I didn’t plan on buying any veggies there, just eggs, bread, apples, cheese and butter. Oh, and some sausage so I can make meat loaf later this week.
I got sidetracked by this.
One amazing looking purple cauliflower. I will be adjusting the cooking schedule in order to roast this huge fresh vegetable. I love to dry roast them, with just a covering of melted butter and some garam masala. Looks like my meatless Monday will feature it.
As for what was planned and already executed, Friday did include a crock pot lamb “stew”. I saved the broth and some of the veggies, as this stew turned out to be a little thin. Using some noodles in the broth after removing the lamb, carrots, potatoes and some onions, I kept the crock pot on for just enough time to get a bowl of “spaghetti”.
Half of that mixture, stirred with four eggs, pecorino, salt, pepper and poured into a pan.
My husband told me his mom made spaghetti omelets often. I never had one, and this was one very nice simple dinner. After cooking the bottom, I put it in the oven, on broil, and browned the top. On the plate, it looked like this.
Served up with a side salad, using the rest of the beets from an earlier CSA delivery.
Dinners and lunches both highlight the CSA veggies. I now use a small notebook to determine the combinations I can make, to vary our meals and not waste any of the food.
I just need to keep from being tempted by those impulse purchases, like that cauliflower, but it is so good. That beauty will not go to waste.
Tonight we finished the venison chili. Tomorrow, the cauliflower, with baked potatoes and the pesto I made Thursday with the CSA basil.
Tuesday, I will be making those mini meat loaves and putting a few away for the future.
I still need to work the collards into the rotation, but they may be the side dish with the meat loaf.
By doing this planning, and remembering to defrost things in advance, I have really been good at using up my CSA.
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AnnieRie Unplugged 
Great post! That cauliflower looks AWESOME!
Thanks to the ongoing effort to keep up with the CSA deliveries, we eat more vegetables than we otherwise would, especially since we have only the small freezer that’s in the refrigerator, no dehydrator, and canning-phobia. And, to top it off, it’s not rare for me to buy an irresistible veggie like that caulifower while I’m shopping for fixings to use with the CSA produce.
P.S. I’m also a little phobic about trying to preserve veggies by fermenting them.
Sauerkraut is the absolute best way to get over the fear. Every book I read, or web site, tells us how easy it is, and how that fermentation, and good bacteria created by it, are good for us.
I was nervous with my first batch of kraut. Now, it is second nature to cut up cabbage, layer it with salt and caraway seeds, weight it down in the crock and let it loose.
It is so much better than jars or cans of it.
Thank you for the information! Do you happen to know of a local vendor who sells crocks? I found that Lehman’s sells them by mail order.
I had a really hard time finding crocks. No one around here had them. I ended up getting mine in Ohio on a trip with my husband to visit radio friends.
Bought them at Zanesville pottery. Bought the wooden lids there, and ceramic plates that fit inside to weight down sauerkraut.
I imagine they ship, but they certainly weren’t cheap, even to buy “seconds” there.