monday check list

here's 10 things you need to know this week (at least i think so):

1. crop mob dates have been scheduled.  come out and meet your growers.  free sunshine and fresh air. oh, and free lunch.  check out our facebook events page.

2. we have hired our interns for this year and could not be more excited to work with this group of women.  caitie, marcia, and taylor are going to be awesome!

3. seed catalogs are still coming in the mail and maybe some of you are planning on doing a garden this year.  mike can come help you get the ground ready. details here.

4. this is the last week to sign up for the veg box subscription.  email us at clementinespandp@gmail.com to get the sign up form.  you can pay by check, on the website, or at our facebook shop.

5. 61% of low income families have no children's books.  you can help change this. here's the post about it.

6. omahans, you have a chef in your town that has been invited by the james beard foundation to put on a dinner for their members.  new yorkers, you should go to this!  congratulations, chef paul kulik!

7. i work for this woman!

8. waffles are back on the menu at daily grub on saturday.  and i am jonesing. bad.  AND look for cookbook on kickstarter this march!  elle is genius.

9.  my cousin, connor barrientos, won at the state wrestling championships this weekend.  our family is so pumped!

10. some wonderful videos and posts on gardening with children.  and a how to on building cold frames.


upcoming posts this week (hopefully). . .what you really need when expecting a new baby and food + accessibility.

planning planting and parties

while, hendrix and i recover from (yet another) cold, i have been planning what we will plant and where on both the produce farm and in our yard.  you see, when we moved out here there was no landscaping, flowers, bushes, etc.. so while mike finishes rebuilding the foundation, i have been slowly adding perennials and landscaping.  it can get really expensive, but is so worth it.  this year i will finish up the front walkway by making an edible landscape combined with my perennials.  i am going to grow herbs, cherry tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, kale, chard, and some broccoli.  and i am going to add some lilac bushes, a perennial shade garden, and zinnias to the yard.  don't you just love how optimistic we are all about our spring plans in february!?!
in addition, to planting plans, i am planning parties.  hendrix's 2nd birthday is on march 11th.  he is having a very hungry caterpillar party complete with dirt cake (pudding, crushed oreos, gummy worms, and flowers).  i am having way too much fun planning this thing.  i made some of these streamers yesterday.  and the kids are going to play games where they guess how many bouncy balls are in the jar, try to find the most "bugs" in the sandbox, and decorate their own pizzas.  the party bags are filled with sunglasses, stickers, playdoh, and seed packets. i am a dork. and really good at doing things on a budget.
and then there is the wedding plans. . .mike and i will be getting married at the fontenelle forest on october 14th.  we will be growing almost all of our food and decorations.  i am getting excited.  i can't decide on a dress or exactly how to decorate.  if you have any harvest themed decorating ideas send them my way. 
last but not least, we are placing our final seed orders and taking our final subscription orders.  soon we (god willing) will be tilling and planting produce for great restaurants and many wonderful omaha residents.

make a love story

hello!  so monday is valentine's day.   here's some tips to get you some bonus points with your lovies. . .

1. can't get reservations?  don't want to partake with amateurs? go to this instead.  $70 can get a couple some awesome wines and food pairings.

2. make these chocolate cupcakes and serve with coffee ice cream.  heavenly,  i tell you.

3. print these out and surprise your kiddos and lover on valentine's morning

4. buy me fresh tulips.

5. on a budget?  how about you make some one's day with a party in a box.  i was going to do this for hendrix until he suckered me into buying him a $7 mylar heart shaped balloon.  he pronounces "heart" & "balloon" in such a precious way . . .it's heartbreaking. ha!

happy friday, happy sunshine, and happy valentine's day!

and happy soon - to - be birthday to hendrix's buddy, jackson! you're TWO, dude!

one 4 pound chicken, three meals

seriously. one 4 pound chicken can make three meals for a family of four.

here's the breakdown. . .

begin by breaking down your chicken into 8 parts (2 wings, 2 thighs, 2 legs, 2 breasts). and buy a whole chicken, people! it is often at least $1 per pound cheaper. and it is simple to cut up. . .all you gotta to do is try and practice. buying a whole chicken combined with making three meals out of it is so wonderfully cost effective. you should really treat yourself to something. . .wink!


1. pesto baked chicken

baste 4 pieces of chicken with a jar of pesto (or make your own. . . i made the arugula pesto recipe on the back of the bag i bought at trader joe's)
in a glass pan greased with olive oil, bake at 350 degrees for about 1/2 hour, top with shredded mozzarella, bake another 5 - 10 minutes until cheese is melted and chicken is cooked through. serve with cous cous & broccoli, enjoy!

while you are making the above recipe, poach the remaining pieces of chicken. let chicken cool while you eat dinner. shred chicken and store in fridge until you make these next two recipes.

2. chicken and kale hand pies

i use frozen pie crust and just add a bit of shredded cheddar to the filling. these are also a great thing to freeze for a quick dinner in a few weeks. AND i did not use kale because i had none so i used the remaining arugula i had from the pesto. by the way, trader joe's had wild arugula for $1.99 a bag. booyah!

3. bbq chicken pizza

one pizza crust

bbq sauce

jalapenos (fresh or canned), optional

shredded mozzarella

remaining shredded chicken

1/4 red onion, thinly sliced

roll crust out onto greased cookie sheet. top with bbq sauce, chicken, red onion, jalapenos, & shredded cheese. season with a bit of salt & pepper. cook at 425 degrees for 10 -15 minutes or until cheese is melted, bubbly, and slightly golden brown. enjoy!

there you have it. . .for around 5 bucks you can provide the protein in three dinners. p.s. the bbq pizza was a HUGE hit with mike.

out with the old and in with the new

it's a new year! for most of us that means new resolutions like eating better and saving money. . .how about you start by cleaning out the fridge and pantry. a well stocked pantry can help you when you're making dinner. and a clean fridge makes it easier to see what the hell you got in there. if you are just getting started on the whole "cooking at home thing" and building your pantry i suggest adding a few pantry items to your grocery list each week. the cost will be spread out and won't be such a downer. here's the list that i go by and send out to our provision subscription clients. . .for FREE! use it and get organized, healthy, and save a few bucks.

grains + legumes:
dried &/or canned beans (cannellini, black, & kidney)
rice (white, brown, & quick cooking)
assorted pasta shapes
couscous
quick-cooking polenta &/or cornmeal
barley
oatmeal
flours (white & whole wheat)

oil + vinegars:
balsamic vinegar
olive oil
white vinegar
cider vinegar
vegetable oil

cans + jars:
anchovies
dried mushrooms
sun-dried tomatoes
roasted red peppers
capers
olives
tomato paste
marinated artichokes
tomatoes ( whole, diced, crushed, pureed)
soup (tomato, cream of chicken, & cream of mushroom)
broth (chicken, beef, & vegetable)
honey
garlic, minced

frozen + veggies:
onions
potatoes
puff pastry, frozen
peas, frozen
spinach, frozen

baking + extras:
bread crumbs
sugars (white, brown, & powdered)
baking soda
cinnamon
cloves
baking powder
active dry yeast
nutmeg, dried
ginger, dried

herbs + seasonings:
crushed red pepper
chili powder
cumin
basil, dried
oregano, dried
thyme, dried
garlic salt
onion powder
black pepper
salt

p.s. check out the fashion cleaners blog for our shout out! thanks, ashley!

great start

happy new year! here's a quick recipe to get you started on the right track in 2011. . .weather you made a resolution to eat better, be organized, or save money quinoa* cakes are a great way to start your new year and your morning!

quinoa cakes
1 c. pre cooked quinoa
3/4 c. all purpose flour (you can use 1/2 all purpose + 1/4 whole wheat)
2 t. baking powder
1 lg. egg + 1 lg. egg white
1 T. unsalted butter, melted
1/4 c. low fat milk
2 T. maple syrup
in medium bowl, whisk quinoa through baking powder together. in separate bowl, whisk egg through syrup until smooth. add egg mixture to flour mixture and whisk to combine. lightly coat skillet with butter and heat over medium high. drop batter by heaping tablespoon full into skillet. cook until bubbles appear, 2 minutes. flip and cook until golden brown on underside. repeat with remaining batter (adding butter as needed). serve with fresh fruit. makes about 12-15

*freeze leftovers between sheets of waxed paper in ziploc bags up to month. reheat in toaster
quinoa cakes make a great snack for yourself and the kiddos, too. quinoa is a grain that while gluten free it also a complete protein.

rambling thoughts on inspiration

the current economic climate has me thinking a lot about making your own fate. as i try to figure out what our family's fate is. . .i look for inspiration. muses.

summer has been writing an inspiration series on her blog. for all the people who say there should be a less fluff more "real" mommy blog out there. . .here's some real writing on the topic of retaining a sense of oneself while mothering. and even better, developing and growing as a person while mothering. you can find them here, here, here, here, and here.


i often require mini mental breaks throughout the day while i am mothering and partnering (domestically). here are my favorite new to me inspiring websites:
great name. . .honestlywtf
this one led me to honestlywtf and i found her via design*sponge
and i am embarrassed to say i just recently began frequenting the smitten kitchen.


i wrote about being grateful during harvest recently. and how sometimes it takes death to remind us what is important. i forgot that it. . .death. . .can also remind us about inspiration. the passed can help us remember that even the inspiring need to be inspired. this poem was on a program for a funeral i went to this year. i never knew the title until i googled it about 1/2 hour ago. makes sense.


do you believe food can inspire? i have been thinking about how i live in a bubble where most everyone i know and talk to loves food. they believe in the power of food. that food can heal physically and mentally. that food can evoke change. i am not naive. . .i realize this ain't how most people think. hence, the kings: fast food joints and prepackaged, processed food.


what, if not food, inspires you? what inspires the people you know and talk to? do you believe in making your own fate?

veg box subscription

for the 2011 growing season, clementine's p+p will be expanding it's services to include providing weekly veg boxes to residential customers. any household can sign up to receive a weekly veg box that they can either pick up at our farm, at a midtown location (TBD*), or have delivered to their house**.

what you need to know:

our produce is grown on our family farm in gretna, ne by us. the produce is grown using only natural and organic practices. this farm is the original homestead of mike's great great grandfather, alfred brockman.

veg boxes will be ready weekly from may 2011 through september 2011 (22 weeks).

the sign up deadline is february 15, 2011.

veg box subscriptions are a commitment to the entire growing season and are not available on an as needed basis. meaning, by signing up you agree to pick up/receive veg boxes weekly from may 2011 thru september 2011 and to pay for the whole subscription (22 weeks).

the cost is $7.50 per person per week. ex: if you have four people in your house, the cost would be $30/week ($660 for the season) . however, if a 4 person household believes they only go through enough veggies for 2 people they could choose the option that cost $15.00/week ($330 for the season) . this will give customers the option to receive only the amount of vegetables they will go through in a week.

customers will also have the option to opt out of certain vegetables. don't like brussel sprouts? just tell us and you'll never see them in your veg box.

a 20% deposit is required at the time of signing up and you must pay the entire balance in full by march 31st. households that pay for their veg box subscription in full at the time of signing up will receive a 10% discount.

payments can be made on this website using the paypal option or by sending a check made out to clementine's produce and provisions, at P.O. Box 312, Gretna Ne 68028.

the veg box subscribers will have the opportunity to celebrate with us by visiting the farm during planting season and with a year end potluck harvest supper.

interested and future subscribers can leave a comment or email us and we will send you the subscription form.

look under what's growing and you will see a complete list of what we will be growing and including in our 2011 veg boxes. questions? email us at clementinespandp@gmail.com. we look forward to the 2011 growing season and hopefully, feeding you and yours!

*the exact location and pick up time has not been determined for the midtown picker uppers. there will be one and we will send subscribers information by the end of 2010.

**there is a $25 per week delivery charge. for instance, a family of four that wishes to have their produce delivered would pay $55 per week ($1210 for the season).

love letters

1. dear trader joes,
i love you. no, seriously. I LOVE YOU!
love,
your biggest fan

if you've been living under a rock, like i was up until yesterday, trader joes in omaha is now open. trader joes and i are now reunited. thank the lord jesus christ. you must go.

2. dear orange poppy bakery,
i love your marshmallows injected with the addicting crack of goodness.
love,
anna

if you haven't tried orange poppy bakery's marshmallows you must. my friend summer started this company and she is an amazing baker. the deadline for thanksgiving orders is nov. 19 (this friday!). . .she is offering chai, peppermint, vanilla bean, cinnamon, chocolate chip, apple cider (my fave!), and toasted coconut flavored marshmallows. they are handcrafted, hand poured, and hand cut squares of goodness. each one is 2x2 and you get about 8-10 per bag for $5.50. or get a whole batch (about 45) for $25. give her a call (960.6464) or email her (miller.summer@gmail.com). she'll even deliver in the omaha metro area!


3. dear hendrix,
i love you so much it makes my heart hurt. thank you for being you.
love,
your momma

19 month old little boys are fantastic. hendrix learns and discovers at such an incredible rate. it is absolutely fascinating to watch.

mise en place

while i listen to hendrix ransack his room prior to falling asleep in a heap of exhaustion, i thought i'd write a quick post about using the most of your time when it comes to preparing dinner. i am such a huge fan of the crockpot and braising because it allows me throw something together when hendrix is playing independently or taking a nap. i also am a huge advocate for meal planning and basing your grocery list off that plan. however, i have been reading a lot about preparing meals beforehand either in sections or to refrigerate/freeze for later use. so, this week, i am going to give it a go. when i get off this computer, i am going to assemble our vegetarian lasagna for dinner tonight, prepare the two parts of the shepard's pie for wednesday, make granola for snack times this week, and make/freeze a quiche for a breakfast later this week. i think this type of preparation only works when you are feeling especially super mommish, your kid sleeps in &/or goes to bed early, or you had too much caffeine. but, hey, when the opportunity presents itself. . .go with it.

bread

i decided last night to take up the hobby of bread making. mike couldn't be happier. seriously, he loves bread. alissa left her great jackson street bookstore find, beard on bread, at my house a few months ago. so now it's mine and i will making italian holiday bread today. mike is marking which recipes he wants me to try. other than skipping the entire whole wheatbread and potato bread section. . .he's pretty much marked each one. what about you, do you enjoy making bread? what are your favorite recipes?
p.s. send alissa an email and tell her to restart her blog. and tell her to call me.

a revelation

why this took me so long to figure out. . .i don't know. i could of been. . .USING THE CROCKPOT FOR LUNCH!!! right now, i have asian chicken wings in the crockpot. i'll be serving them with premade quinoa and wilted spinach. amazing. if i wanted to get crazy i could have one crockpot going for lunch and another for dinner. but i prefer to make pot roast in the oven. i'm thinking this fall & winter, i will be making soups, dips, and meat for tacos & wraps for lunch. anything, would be better than the mac & cheese with hot dogs i succumbed to yesterday. yes, even i, have fallen prey to the most evil of evil lunches. all you gotta do is combine your ingredients in the morning and turn the sucker on high. and voila! . . . LUNCH! lunch was turning into my nemesis. no more. thank you, once again, crockpot.

asian chicken wings
3 lbs. chicken wings, browned
1 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. soy sauce
1/2 c. ketchup
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 c. dry sherry
1/2 c. hoisin sauce
1 T. lime juice
3 T. toasted sesame seeds*
combine everything except lime juice and sesame seeds. cook on high 2-3 hours or until no longer pink. before serving thoroughly coat wings in sauce and drizzle with lime juice and sprinkle sesame seeds.
*to toast sesame seeds just heat a small amount of oil in pan and toss around for a minute or two until you smell the goodness.

and if breakfast is your nemisis. . .

andrea's healthy pancakes
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup all purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
couple dashes of ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt (she cut this to 1/2 tsp)
2 eggs
1/4 cup applesauce
1 3/4 cup milk
couple swirls of honey for good luck
makes 15 five inch panckes. which are way more filling and healthy! and cheaper than the store bought ones! andrea makes a batch, freezes the leftovers, and then heats them up for the kids. brilliant!

the red guy is coming.

the holidays are approaching. quickly. after halloween. . .there's thanksgiving. then CHRISTMAS. i'm still debating about weather to be a scrooge or excited. but i do know what you all get your loved ones. or your hairdresser.

1. my friend, summer, makes amazing marshmallows. i mean these things are handcrafted, artisan, crack-injected puffs of deliciousness. she has a big holiday promo going on. place your orders people and get all your stocking stuffer, random service people, neighbor shopping done.

2. or you could go to the nomad this sunday, october 24th and bid on some silent auction items. there will be some artwork up for bid or clementine's p+p will be donating a six month veg box subscription. wouldn't you love to receive that for a holiday gift? 6 months of weekly organic produce deliveries!! and all the money raised will go to the avery clare latham education fund. two presents at once. you can't beat that.

3. or you could come to the farm on thursday night from 6:30-9:00 pm and participate in our first snack 'n swap night. just bring a snack to share with the group and 8-10 items to swap with other participants. it's going to be a blast.

i hope some of this information inspires you to give meaningful, cost efficient, delicious presents this holiday season. and, more importantly, to enjoy one another's fine company. xoxo

winging it

a few weeks back, i woke up with the cold from hell. it lasted about ten days for hendrix and i. it lasted about 21 days for mike. did i mention he has the immune system similar to a newborn? anyway, i woke up wanting two things. hot tea and homemade chicken noodle soup. the kind of soup that has the big, thick noodles. real chicken. and chunks of carrot and celery. i am a purist when it comes to chicken noodle soup. mostly, because i've only had actual, real chicken noodle soup twice in my life as opposed to the campbell's can my mother would feed me. gross. i set out to make it in the crockpot and it was beautiful and delicious. i totally winged it with the items in my freezer and pantry. what a satisfying thing. . .to provide a delicious, soul warming, comfort food for my sick family.
a week or so before the cold from hell, i woke up wanting bohemian cafe's sweet & sour cabbage. lucky me, i had a head of cabbage in the crisper drawer. and caraway seeds. people, i nailed that recipe. i fried up some pork schnitzel, made some sour cream mashed potatoes, and saved mike a 25 minute drive downtown. mike was so impressed. my next goal is to make the hungarian goulash that they serve there. it's mike's favorite.
was i always able to wing it? no. about 8 years ago my cousin had to teach me how to let eggs cook slowly instead of burning them. my "specialty" was spaghetti with a can of ragu and 1/2 container of parmesan added to it. as i grew older, lived on my own more, and became friends with cooks i decided that i needed to learn how to cook more stuff. someone once told me that my grandmother read cookbooks like they were novels. this is a great way to learn what flavors go together and techniques. getting a job at buvette opened even more doors for me since you are immersed in the kitchen and all that goes with it. now i would never buy parmesan in a container or a jar of tomato sauce. why? some would say because i am a snob. i say because it is cheaper to shred it yourself, the sauce tastes better when you make it in your pan, and the meal is that much more satisfying. a little practice goes a long way in the kitchen.

FREE or nearly free

most of us are on a budget. these days especially. so, i was thinking about things that are free or nearly free that i take advantage of quite a bit.
1. pandora radio. it has the power to change hendrix's mood almost immediately.
2. under the sink "restore" store. FREE paint and up to 50 lbs. in houseshold cleaning products, varnishes, etc. you really can redo that room, now! almost all of the paint in my house comes from here.
3. the habitat for humanity store on 24th street. amazing doors, knobs, light fixtures for super cheap & it al goes to a really great cause. i got my kitchen cabinet knobs for $1.50/ea. take that anthropologie!
4. new life thrift has the best kitchen utensils, tools, pans, servingware, chairs, picture frames, holiday decorations. recently, i got a cast iron skillet for $6, a little tikes picnic table for $4.97, and a camel blazer (very j crew -esque) for $1.97. amazing.
5. looking for a quick, cheap, lunch that is not a combo meal of unknown, processed ingredients? go to any restaurant along the south 24th street strip or better yet check out daily grub. you can get a filling meal for around $6 that won't make you feel guilty or sick.
6. big wheels to butterflies last chance $1 store. all kids clothes are $1/ea. i got hendrix's fall wardrobe for $27.
7. for the cost of two combo meals or one take & bake pizza, you can receive a months worth of dinner menus & printable grocery lists.
8. redbox. for $1 you can rent a movie. need i say more? and for someone who doesn't get mail service at their house, this is awesome.
9. go to the library!!!!!!! remember those? yes, they still exist and most have wonderful story times for kids.
10. plan your garden for next year. for a little investment you can have fresh herbs, tomatoes, and more for almost six months out of the year.

ratatouille

if you haven't made this, yet (or ever) this is what you need to make for dinner tonight. it's perfect for this rainy weather. it's perfect for all those summer veggies you have on the countertop. it's perfect as leftovers tomorrow morning with a poached egg. i have somewhat perfected my ratatouille recipe and add a little something to it. the french may be appalled, but it always gets rave reviews. so here it goes. . .

clementines's ratatouille
2 (or 1 large) eggplants, cut crosswise and sliced thin
(peel if using a typical italian, but i am using a japanese eggplant that has very thin skin)
1 zucchini, cut crosswise and sliced thin
1 yellow squash, cut crosswise and sliced thin
1 onion, quartered and sliced thin
3-5 minced garlic cloves
1/4 c. olive oil
2 cans/jars diced tomatoes, drained or the equivalent in chopped, fresh, heirloom tomatoes (about 4-5 cups)
S&P
1 large bunch of basil, chiffonade
1/4-1/2 container of emeril's organic vegetable broth*
1 red pepper, sliced into thin strips

for the vegetables to cook evenly and properly, meaning not completely disintegrating into mush, it is very important to cut your eggplants and summer squashes into similar lengths and widths.
first, heat your olive oil. then add onion, garlic, and red pepper. cook until just about softened. then add your eggplants, squashes, & tomatoes. let cook for a few minutes, stirring well, to distribute heat evenly. cook until the eggplant and squashes are beginning to soften. then add the broth and season. you want to add enough broth to fill about halfway up the vegetable mixture. let simmer on med-low for about 15-20 minutes. just before serving adjust your seasoning, if necessary, and stir in basil.

we eat it with goat cheese on top and crusty bread on the side. if you have a big meat eater, like mike, italian sausages are great with it or roasted chicken. or an egg. sounds weird, but don't knock it 'til you try it. it's great!
*i use this because i think it tastes the best and is usually the cheapest vegetable broth at the store.

popsicles and smores!

important editor's note: orange poppy baking co. is throwing in a free bag of their artisan handcrafted apple cider marshmallows to the first ten people to place an order with clementine's. this is for produce orders and provision subscriptions! isn't that great!

this weekend & next week are supposed to be HOT! real hot. i'm not looking forward to it. so i got to quick get all my housework done while it is still cool. now, i want everyone to go buy popsicle molds at at target this weekend. or make your own out of yogurt containers and those cute sticks. side note, if i was getting married in the summer i would totally serve popsicles at my wedding. with cute messages of love printed on the sticks. which is where smores come in. . .i am having smores at my wedding. and my friend, summer of orange poppy baking company, makes handcrafted artisan marshmallows that are going to go into smore kits for everyone. so there's another thing i want everyone to do. buy some marshmallows from her and make a smore*. the apple pie marshmallow changed my life. now here are some popsicle recipes!

minty berry pop:
1/2 bag frozen berries
1/2 c. lowfat plain yogurt
1 1/4 c. lemonade
1/3 c. chopped mint
generous squirt of honey

blend together, pour in molds, wait a few hours, and enjoy!

watermelon mint pops:
2 c. watermelon
1/2 c. chopped mint
1 T. sugar
juice from 1/2 lime

blend together, pour in molds, wait a few hours, and enjoy!

coco loco*
1 13.5 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
1 c. chopped pineapple-1 ripe banana, lightly chopped
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
A few grinds of fresh black pepper
A few fresh mint leaves

blend together, pour in molds, wait a few hours, and enjoy!

* this is from designsponge online. best design blog ever. check them out! http://www.designspongeonline.com/2010/06/small-measures-with-ashley-diy-popsicles.html#ixzz0tr1bIbyG
*email me at clementinespandp@gmail.com for information on how to get marshmallows from orange poppy baking company. or how to buy some of our produce. or how to have us help you save time, money, and your sanity with our provision subscription.

the incredible, edible egg

this week i am going to focus on summertime lunch ideas for kiddos. everyday around noon hendrix wakes up from his nap and i start thinking. . .oh crap, what am i going to feed this kid. if there are leftovers from dinner the night before it's usually that, but sometimes i eat all the leftovers for breakfast. then i think berries, cheese, and cheerios. then i think, no! mama, variety is the spice of life. a lot (too much) thinking happens at lunch. so, lately, it has been eggs and quinoa. both are great because they pack a lot of protein and are superfast. and cheap. really, really cheap. plus, one of my favorite blogs, http://www.girlsgonechild.net/, has been featuring a lot great egg & quinoa recipes lately. so here are some of my favorite egg dishes to chow down on for lunch:

scrambled eggs with spinach, tomatoes, garlic and whatever hard italian cheese i got in the house. takes like ten minutes and is super filling.
just scramble however many eggs you need to feed the brood, add a generous handful spinach, one chopped tomato, 1 - 2 minced garlic cloves, and a small handful cheese. cook eggs through and serve.

quinoa with a fried egg and spinach (or beet greens) from www.dinneralovestory.com again takes about 10 minutes
saute 2T. chopped onion in a pan with olive oil, a splash of soy sauce and a dash of sesame oil. add a handful of greens and saute until it wilts. remove veggies. add eggs (again, however many you need) and fry them up, adding a bit more soy sauce if you like. serve eggs and greens on top of a scoop of prepared quinoa*. this a very easy, asian insprired dish that makes a great and quick dinner, too.

curried pea frittata with tomato chutney from bon appetit. this takes about 20 minutes, but makes leftovers for breakfast the next day if there are only a couple of people or feeds 1 adult and about three kids.
urried pea frittata with fresh tomato chutney adapted from bon appétit
1 12-ounce container grape tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoons (packed) dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon (or more, to taste)ground cumin
1 small garlic clove, peeled1 1/8-inch-thick round peeled fresh ginger, chopped
8 large eggs
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons curry powder (or more, to tastes)
1/4 teaspoon (generous) salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 green onions, chopped
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
Preheat broiler or oven. Place tomatoes, brown sugar, cumin, garlic, and ginger in processor. Switching on/off, blend just until tomatoes are coarsely chopped. Transfer chutney to small bowl and add salt and pepper to taste.
Place eggs in same processor bowl. Add cheese, curry powder, and salt and blend well. Heat oil in large broiler-proof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add green onions and peas. Saute until onions wilt, about 1 minute. Add egg mixture. Cook until top is almost set and bottom is golden, lifting edges to let uncooked egg flow underneath, about 7 minutes. Place frittata in broiler until top is set, about 1 minute. Run heatproof rubber spatula around frittata to loosen and slide out onto plate. Serve warm or at room temperature with tomato chutney.
*if your frittata won't form don't be afraid to make these scrambled eggs with curry. it happens to best of us.

huevos rancheros scramble - this my version of the classic all scrambled up.
melt butter in pan, saute onion and add strips of tortilla cooking until tortillas begin to puff up (add more butter if necessary). pour scrambled egg mixture on top, add cheese and cook through. serve with salsa and sour cream. i, also, will serve with beans and rice from the night before (if we had tacos or the like).

hopefully, you try one of these this week and the kids like it. they all make great dinners, as well. there are still vegetables available for purchase so just send me an email or leave a comment. we can deliver or they can be picked up at the farm. there are eggplants, beets, tomatoes, herbs, pickling cucumbers, carrots, and peppers available. have a great monday!
*i got the idea to premake a batch of quiona weekly to use in salads, for breakfast with berries and honey, as dinner sides, etc. from both www.dinneralovestory.com and www.girlsgonechild.net. typically, 1 c. uncooked yeilds 4 c. cooked quinoa. it can be found at super target and whole foods.

virtual farm stand

alright, folks! the eggplants are growing, the four kinds of tomatoes are ripening, the hot peppers are getting spicy, the beets are ready to be pulled, and the carrots are ready to be gingered. . .

veggie prices and descriptions:

japanese eggplant: smaller and more slender than your typical eggplant this beauty has a sweeter, more delicate flavor. the skin is much thinner than its italian counterpart. really versatile. 2 for $1.50

scarlet prince beet: bright color and buttery texture make these beauties great for roasting. but they are even great shredded raw in summer salads. $3/bunch

jalapenos & garden salsa peppers: these are great for cooking, drying, salads, and snacking. some of the most versatile peppers on the market. $3/pint

beefsteak tomatoes: this is the "summer tomato lovers" tomato. big, juicy, and big. great for those blt's. $1/ea.

mr. stripy tomato: yellow striped tomato that i have fallen in love with. such a beautiful fruit to make salad with. they get very big and taste great. $1/ea.

cherokee purple: omg! these are so damn pretty. they have a unique dusty rose color that will break your heart. pair that with mr. stripy and some fresh basil. whoa, mama. wonderful sweet flavor. $1/ea.

roma tomato: this is the one you need to stock up on and make your marinara with. or can with.* a homegrown roma is so fantastic in flavor. 2 for $1

danvers carrots: this is the basic homegrown carrot, people. except that there is nothing basic about a fresh carrot. they are like candy and addictive. $3/bunch

email us at clementinespandp@gmail.com to purchase any of these. the veggies will be ready to be picked up or delivered by the beginning of next week. we are in midtown/downtown omaha on sundays, mondays, & wednesdays. we do deliveries in west omaha all days of the week.
*we are thinking about doing a how-to home canning class. thoughts? would you all be interested in learning how to prolong all this summer freshness?

salad with bacon is better than salad with no bacon

i love bacon. if you don't. . .then add some boneless, skinless chicken breasts to this salad. i do not love boneless, skinless chicken breasts. do what you want. my hips and caboose are obvious indicators of my choice. this salad recipe is from my cousin rachel. she brought it to our last family gathering and it was so delicious and easy to make, i knew i had to share with all of you.
rachel's salad
1 pkg. cheese tortellini, cooked, rinsed, and cooled
1 bunch or pkg. spinach, cleaned with stems removed
1 pkg. (8oz.) mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
8 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled

(OR

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and sliced)

2 decent handfuls of shredded parmesan cheese (or similar)

dressing -

rachel used ranch dressing, but you could use whatever you like. i have done it with just olive oil and balsamic (and sprinkled the bacon and shredded cheese on top), but today i am going to omit the shredded cheese and make this awesome salad dressing i got from real simple magazine (www.realsimple.com.)

creamy parmesan dressing

1/2 olive oil

1/2 parmesan cheese

1/4 c. sour cream

2 T. white wine vinegar

s+p, to taste

whisk it all together. you will have some left over, but the dressing keeps well in the fridge for up to 5 days.

i think this a great salad to bring to any gathering, but i love it for summer dinner, too. i hope you enjoy it! happy 4th of july!

(editor's note): i added about 2 t. of minced garlic to the creamy parmesan dressing. this makes it way more delicious.