csa — Ma Whats For Dinner?

Doesn’t get more local!

June 20, 2012 by Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 10 Comments

You hear me say it ALL. THE. TIME.

Buy Local!

Eat Local!

Well it doesn’t get any more local than this!

We’ve taken to our back deck to make our own herb garden!

Now if you’ve been following along for a while now…

You know that I have green thumb issues.

But since the nice folks at my CSA keep giving me herbs I decided to get on it.

With my special helpers of course!

So we are on our way to super local grown herbs.

5 steps away local.

We’ve got

Basil…

Dill…

Oregano…

Thyme…

Chives…

and Sage.

Here’s to hoping I don’t kill ‘em too fast.

Filed Under: Cooking Tips, Featured, Getting Kids To Eat Tagged With: basil, buy local, csa, herbs, oregano, parsley, sage, thyme

Pasta with turkey bacon, peas, and dandelion greens

April 30, 2012 by Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 11 Comments

My lawn has exploded…

Exploded with dandelions…

And I couldn’t be more excited.

They may be seen as weeds…

But they’re actually delish!

I love to pair them up with a pasta.

Then my aunt mentioned her quick go to pasta was with turkey bacon and peas….

Hmmm, sounds like a match made in heaven!

This is a delicious and quick dish that’s good for you and tastes great!

The boys loved the sweetness of the peas and I love the smoky turkey bacon and whole wheat pasta.

Make a big batch and keep it in the fridge…

Makes a great quick lunch with a salad!

Super easy…

Super quick…

Super delicious!

kid favorite recipes side dishes healthy eating for kids featured dinner Pasta with turkey bacon, peas, and dandelion greens

WHAT YOU NEED:

1 box whole wheat pasta (I like fusilli)

1 t extra virgin olive oil

4 slices organic turkey bacon (We use Applewood Farms)

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup english peas (you could use frozen, I had fresh on hand)

1 bunch dandelion greens

S&P

1 cup of pasta water (if necessary)

parmesan cheese

WHAT TO DO:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with salt. Add your pasta and cook to al dente according to package instructions. When you have about 2 minutes left to cook grab a cup of the cooking water and set aside.

While the pasta cooks, heat a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add in your olive oil and then toss in your bacon. Cook til crisp, about 7-8 minutes. Toss in your garlic and let cook for another minute. Add in peas and dandelion greens, and season with S&P. Let the sauce simmer for a few minutes and then add in your pasta water.

Drain your pasta and toss in the sauce. Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese and serve.

YUM!!!

Filed Under: Dinner Recipes For Kids, Featured, Healthy Recipes For Kids, Healthy Side Dish Recipes For Kids, Kid Favorite Recipes Tagged With: bacon, buy local, cook with your kids, csa, dandelion greens, farm to table, pasta recipes, peas, Stone Garden Farms, turkey bacon, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat pasta recipes

Salad Week – Pesto Pasta Salad

August 24, 2011 by Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 4 Comments

This is one of our favorite recipes.

You can make it quickly by taking some help from the store…

In other words,

Pick up a container of pesto sauce and a rotisserie chicken.

Or make ‘em from scratch…

That’s how we roll, yo…

Pesto Pasta Salad

WHAT YOU NEED:

1/3 cup toasted pine nuts

6 cloves of garlic, divided

4 cups fresh basil leaves

1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 T divided

1 T fresh lemon juice

1 cup parmesan cheese

S&P

1 box whole wheat rotini or ziti

1 cups cooked chicken, diced

1 large zucchini, diced

1 yellow squash, diced

1/2 cup yellow green beans

WHAT TO DO:

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Season with salt when boiling and cook pasta until al dente.

Meanwhile in the bowl of a food processor combine toasted pine nuts and garlic. Pulse quickly, about 10-15 seconds. Next add in basil and a pinch of S&P.

Turn the food processor on and allow basil to be chopped. Next stream in olive oil, slowly, until well combined. Add in lemon juice. Pulse it again and add in parmesan cheese. Once it is all combined set aside until your pasta is done.

2 minutes before pasta will be finished toss in your yellow green beans. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water (I always save a cup of water in case my sauce needs to be thinned out a bit.)

In a separate skillet heat the remaining tablespoon olive oil over high heat. Chop remaining garlic clove and add it to the oil. Just before the garlic begins to brown add in your zucchini and squash. Cook for about 5 minutes, until it begins to soften up.

In a large bowl, pour half of your pesto sauce. Pour pasta and veggies on top of the sauce. Top with chicken. Pour remaining sauce on top and mix well. Season with S&P if necessary.

Filed Under: Dinner Recipes For Kids, Featured, Healthy Salad Recipes For Kids, Healthy Side Dish Recipes For Kids, Kid Favorite Recipes, Lunch Ideas For Kids Tagged With: basil, buy local, chicken, cooking with kids, csa, farm to table, pasta salad, pesto sauce, whole wheat pasta

Grillin’ & Chillin’ Week – Grill ‘em all

August 5, 2011 by Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 6 Comments

To paraphrase Metallica…

Grill ‘em all!

All the veggies that is.

We’re grilling all the sides around here these days!

Everything in our box from our awesome Stone Gardens Farm CSA

Check it out…

Cabbage tossed in olive oil and S&P then grilled.

Then drizzle with your favorite salad dressing or just balsamic and extra virgin olive oil.

Grilled potatoes and onions tossed with garlic, olive oil, S&P, parmesan cheese and chives.

Grilled kohlrabi, yellow squash, and zucchini…

Tossed in olive oil & S&P before I put them on the grill.

And finally our favorite…

I loooooove grilled corn.

Check out our recipe for how to do it and the awesome chili lime butter that goes with it!

So get on out and light the grill this weekend!

Filed Under: Dinner Recipes For Kids, Featured, Healthy Recipes For Kids, Kid Favorite Recipes, Vegan Recipes For Kids, Vegetable Recipes For Kids, Vegetarian Recipes For Kids Tagged With: bbq recipes, buy local, cabbage, cook with your kids, corn, csa, farm to table, grilling recipes, kohlrabi, potato, squash, Stone Garden Farms, vegetables, veggies, zucchini

Tasty Tidbit – Scrambled Eggs

July 12, 2011 by Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 4 Comments

You know what?

We like eggs.

You know that right?

Farm fresh eggs…

From our local farm

We start almost every day…

EVERY.

SINGLE.

DAY.

With scrambled eggs.

And what’s not to like?

Packed with protein…

Delicious…

Versatile…

It’s a complete package.

Want to know a secret?

Something that will make your scrambled eggs sing?

Something that will take your eggs over the top?

To decadent…

glorious…

rich and deliciousville?

Toss a little sour cream in those suckers…

Oh yeah!

Trust me.

Welcome to Deliciousville!

Filed Under: Cooking Tips, Getting Kids To Eat Tagged With: buy local, cooking tips, csa, eggs, farm fresh eggs, farm to table, kitchen tips, scrambled eggs

Quick and Easy Pasta Week – Gnocchi Bake

July 11, 2011 by Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 5 Comments

Yes…

I like homemade sauce.

Yes…

I like to spend all day Sunday making it.

Yes…

I have a life.

So…

Sometimes I don’t have time to make a homemade sauce.

That’s when I go with my stand by…

This week is all about quick and easy pastas using some of my favorite go to sauces.

Today is a weakness of mine…

When you’re looking for something fast and delicious and a bit out of the ordinary…

Reach for a jar of Francesco Rinaldi Premium Vodka Sauce!

Grab a bag of these organic gluten free gnocchi

From my pals over at Caesars Pasta!

And some veggies from your local CSA or farm stand and toss ‘em in a pot!

You won’t be disappointed.

Let’s make a Gnocchi Bake!

WHAT YOU NEED:

1 package Caesars organic gluten free gnocchi, cooked to package directions

1 jar Francesco Rinaldi Premium Vodka Sauce

1 T extra virgin olive oil

1 lb ground chicken

1 large onion, diced

8 ounces sliced mushrooms

1 large zucchini, chopped

1 large red pepper, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 bunch kale leaves, chopped

1 large ball fresh mozzarella, sliced

S&P

WHAT TO DO:

Heat a large pot of salted water over high heat. Cook gnocchi to package directions. Usually about 3-4 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Heat a large ovenproof saucepan or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add in olive oil.

Once the oil is hot, add in your ground chicken and cook until browned. About 6-7 minutes.

Once the chicken is nicely browned, add in mushrooms, onions, zucchini, red pepper and garlic. Season with S&P and cook until veggies start to soften, about 5 minutes or so.

Once the veggies have softened up stir in your kale. Allow a few minutes for the kale to wilt and season again with S&P.

Next add in your pasta sauce and stir well to combine.

Toss in your gnocchi and gently combine.

Top with sliced mozzarella and place in oven and bake at 375 for 20 minutes.

Turn up the oven to broil and cook an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and browned.

Serve with a side salad.

Filed Under: Dinner Recipes For Kids, Featured, Kid Favorite Recipes Tagged With: buy local, cooking with kids, csa, farm to table, Francesco Rinaldi, pasta, picky eaters, quick dinners

Doesn’t get more local!

Pasta with turkey bacon, peas, and dandelion greens

Salad Week – Pesto Pasta Salad

Grillin’ & Chillin’ Week – Grill ‘em all

Tasty Tidbit – Scrambled Eggs

Quick and Easy Pasta Week – Gnocchi Bake

Featured Cooking With Kids Videos

Join Our Mailing List

Find us on Facebook

Find A Local Farmer’s Market

Doesn’t get more local!

Pasta with turkey bacon, peas, and dandelion greens

Salad Week – Pesto Pasta Salad

Grillin’ & Chillin’ Week – Grill ‘em all

Tasty Tidbit – Scrambled Eggs

Quick and Easy Pasta Week – Gnocchi Bake

Featured Cooking With Kids Videos

Join Our Mailing List

Find us on Facebook

Connect With Ma

Find A Local Farmer’s Market

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