The Weekly Share

I picked up our second share of the 2009 season on Tuesday, June 16th.  We received:

• 1 zepher yellow squash
• 1 head lettuce
• 4.5 oz. Salad mix
• 4.5 oz. Spinach
• 8 oz. snap peas
• 4 radishes
• 1 bunch green onions
• 2 garlic scapes

I love having all of the fresh greens available again! Tonight, we finished off the lettuce from last week as a salad. I still have some arugula from last week that I will saute with garlic tomorrow for lunch. I think I might be the only family member who likes it . Usually I don’t like “hot” or “peppery” greens, but I think the arugula is great! Dave can have all of the green onions, though!

I think I will grill the squash this week. I plan to slice it lengthwise into ¼ inch planks, marinate in italian dressing, then grill it to carmelize the marinade. How do YOU cook squash? I’d love some ideas because I know this ONE squash is just the tip of the squash iceberg coming this summer! We had zucchini coming out our ears last summer. I have a great zucchini bread recipe( see “Z-Word” post) – but there is only so much of it one can eat… I shredded and froze some of last year’s zucchini. I guess I should use that soon, huh? I had planned to make zucchini bread at Christmas time for gifts, but it never happened. I’ll remember this year though – it’s already on my calendar!

Here is my favorite greens recipe. My whole family loves it. My boys even tell me to put MORE spinach in it – how can a mom say no to that ?!  Plus they want more bacon, too – you give a little to get a little, I suppose! Give it a try and tell me what you think…

Tortellini with Bacon, Greens, and Brown Butter

From Real Simple Magazine, May 2007

hands-on time: 15 minutes total time: 30 minutes serves 4

• 1 pound cheese or meat tortellini
• 4 oz. Sliced bacon *My family likes MORE!*
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter *We find 4 tablespoons to be plenty of butter*
• 2 cups arugula (OR spinach OR basil OR watercress) *My family likes spinach – and MORE of it!*
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Our second share brings some variability from the early crops. Gone are the delicious strawberries, replaced with some early tomatoes. No spinach or mixed greens this week either, but we did get the first sugar peas of the season.  All in all this week’s share feels a little lighter than last week.  However, the season is just getting started and supposedly the amounts will ramp up quickly as we move into summer.

So on 17-JUN-2008 we got to pick:

• 1 Head of Lettuce
• 1 Bundle green onions (4)
• 6 oz. Sugar Peas
• 6 sprigs of Basil (about 2 oz.)
• 11 oz. (3) tomatoes
• 4 green onions
• 4 garlic scapes

Click the picture for a larger version.

So right off the bat we have the first of our weekly pickups this past Tuesday. Still working out how I would like to present the ‘goods’ here on The Weekly Share, but for starters I’ll just provide a simple list of the share contents. The pickup process is very simple. Just show up at the designated time and place and you can select your items. The share is not already put together for you, rather a sign next to each produce item lets you know the amount allowed for this weeks share.

So on 10-JUN-2008 we got to pick:

• 1 Head of Lettuce
• 1 Bundle green onions (4)
• 3 1/2 oz. Salad Mix
• 2 radishes
• 3 1/2 oz. Spinach
• 2 pt. Strawberries

Click the picture for a larger version.