Back to Reality!

We're home, we're unpacked, the laundry is almost done, and it's time to get back to the daily grind. The fridge is pretty empty, since we've been gone for the last 2 weeks, but I need to keep it that way in preparation for all the Thanksgiving goodies I'm going to start acquiring in the next few days. It was convenient that I went back to work on a Tuesday, when the farmer's market sets up shop in Dewey Square on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I had put some meat in the freezer after receiving it from Omaha Steaks before we left, so I defrosted a few steaks for dinner last night.

At the farmer's market, I bought some brussels sprouts, and also went to a local shop for some Gorgonzola Dolce. I happened to notice marinated Gigante beans so I got some of those as well. So, for dinner last night, we had some delicious grilled steak (something we didn't have at all while overseas), some roasted brussels sprouts, and marinated Gigante beans. I topped the grilled steak with some gooey Gorgonzola Dolce, and it made for a lovely garnish as it melted and incorporated into the steak's juices. That was only 4 ingredients, and the leftover beans and cheese take up very little room in the fridge.

While at the farmer's market, I planned for another dinner as well. I have pork chops in the freezer so I bought some apples and carrots to make a slaw to garnish the pork. I also bought some spinach to make a bed for the pork. However, when I got home tonight, jet lag had definitely set in, so I decided to save the pork for tomorrow, and order some Thai! 

This weekend, I'll start planning the Thanksgiving menu. I'm starting to think about hors d'ouvres, side dishes, and even how I want to cook the turkey. I've been reading up on different techniques, and once I pick one, I'll dissect the intricacies of it for you all. It seems that everyone has a different argument for the best way to cook a turkey. Which one really is the best? I'd have to cook a lot of turkeys to find out! Do you have a favorite way to cook turkey? Share it here by commenting on this post! 

It's a Scorcher!

Phew, is it hot out there today! On days like this, the last thing anyone can think about is standing over a hot stove, slaving away at a complicated dinner. You want to eat simply, lightly, and with the least effort expelled, right?

I have all this produce to use, from the CSA Share, and I was sitting at my desk today, thinking about what I could make for dinner. I haven't gone grocery shopping in awhile, but I have some things, and thought about what I could buy at the farmer's market to fill in the gaps. On my way back from the gym at lunch time, I stopped in at the Foxboro Cheese booth at the Dewey Square Farmers Market. The gentleman there also sells some beef and veal products and that's what I had my eye on. The prices were better than I remember them being last year, so I was psyched about that...but more importantly, he had two gorgeous veal loin chops with my name on 'em!

This was going to be easy! Now, all their meat comes frozen, so I left it out for the afternoon to defrost, and when I got home from work, I mixed up some olive oil, rosemary (from my dear friend, Heidi's, garden), salt and pepper. I let that infuse for a little bit before coating the veal in the mixture. I let it sit for a little bit while the grill was heating up.

I sliced the swiss chard I received in the CSA share into 1-inch ribbons and also minced up a couple of garlic cloves. While the veal was on the grill, I sauteed the garlic in a little butter and olive oil until fragrant and then threw in the chard.

Chard is a very hearty green but it will wilt down just like any other, given the time. I tossed it every minute or so until every leaf was wilted equally. At the very end, I turned down the heat and threw in a bit of Champagne Shallot Mustard from Stonewall Kitchen. The mustard gave a nice creamy texture to the chard, as well as a nice bite...and I only used a tablespoon or so.

This meal came together in about 15 minutes, 10 of which I spent outside, enjoying the weather near the grill. Now that's my kinda summer-time meal!

Fun fact of the day: Did you know that Swiss Chard is high in A, K and C? The World's Healthiest Foods says that Swiss Chard ranks only second to spinach in a total-nutrient analysis!