We received our latest CSA shipment today, and an internet search returned a few promising recipes that would utilize our fresh veggies and wouldn’t require any trips to the grocery store. The Lemon-Pepper Chicken over Garlicky Spinach recipe is slightly modified from this one on RecipeZaar, and the carrot dish comes from Quick From Scratch Herbs & Spices. We really enjoyed this combo!

Chris says:

I love last-minute dinner ideas that don’t require me to go out!

Lisa says:

But you did have to go; we were out of lemons.

Chris says:

Shhhh! Don’t ruin the story! The point is we got to use all our fresh veggies. Anyway, these carrots rule.

Lisa says:

I know it — and I really like this spinach stuff.

Chris says:

I think it’s just a tad sweet… maybe needs a bit more lemon juice?

Lisa says:

Maybe you need to get back to the store?

Chris says:

Funny.

Lemon-Pepper over Garlicky Spinach
One large, or two small chicken breast(s) (about 12 oz)
lemon-pepper seasoning
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 large shallot, chopped
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 small tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 bunch spinach, washed
salt & pepper

Season chicken breast on both sides with lemon-pepper seasoning. Using a little olive oil or cooking spray, heat a skillet over medium heat. Saute the chicken until done (internal temp of about 165-170). Set aside and keep warm. In the same pan, saute mushrooms, shallot, garlic and tomatoes until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the wine, lemon juice, and 1/3 cup of water. Continue to cook until liquid is reduced to a thin sauce. Add in the spinach, folding in as it wilts. Season with salt and pepper. Place the spinach on a plate and top with the chicken.

2 Servings

Sauteed Carrots with Lemon and Marjoram
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 bunch carrots, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch slices
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
2 tbsp lemon juice

In a medium nonstick frying pan, heat 1/2 the oil over moderately low heat. Add the garlic, carrots, sugar, 1/2 the salt, the pepper, and the dried marjoram. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Uncover the pan. Raise the heat to moderate and cook, stirring frequently, until the carrots are very tender and beginning to brown, about 8 minutes longer. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the remaining oil and the lemon juice.

2 Servings

It’s three in a row for us from Quick From Scratch Herbs & Spices. We were out of town this past weekend so all our dinners this week have been either improvised or planned at the last minute. This book has been great for quick, easy to prepare meals. We’ve made a seafood albondigas soup previously, and I’ve been looking forward to making a beef version. Normally I’d avoid making hot soups like this in the summer months, but Seattle has been in refrigerator-mode recently, and it’s seemed more like late fall than early summer!

Lisa says:

Jeanette’s going to love this — three in a row from the book she got us.

Chris says:

Yay for mini-meatballs! How do you like it?

Lisa says:

Yum, I like this soup — and this one seems more filling than the seafood version.

Chris says:

I was worried you’d complain about it not being hearty enough. You don’t always like these broth-based soups.

Lisa says:

It’s not that I don’t like them, it’s that I think of them as snacks. Plus, I had a bunch of chips beforehand just in case.

Chris says:

Well, I’m definitely a fan.

Mexican Meatball Soup
1 tbsp canola oil
1 small red onion, chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
1 zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch slices and quartered
2 tbsp fresh oregano
1/2 tsp ground cumin
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
1 15-oz can diced fire-roasted tomatoes, drained
1 3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper
1/2 lb ground beef
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 tbsp breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 tbsp lime juice

In a large pot, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion and half the jalapeños and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the zucchini and 1/4 teaspoon of the cumin and cook, stirring, until the zucchini starts to soften, about 3 minutes.
Add the broth, water, tomatoes, 1 1/4 teaspoons of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper; bring to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the ground beef, garlic, the remaining jalapeño, 1/4 teaspoon cumin, 1 tablespoon of the fresh oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, the bread crumbs, and the egg. Shape the mixture into 24 meatballs, about 1 inch in diameter.
Add the meatballs and corn to the soup and simmer until the meatballs are just done, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and the remaining 1 tablespoon fresh oregano.

4 Servings

We’re always looking for new ways to use up the last of our veggies from the CSA box; this recipe from Quick from Scratch Herbs and Spices was easily adaptable to what we had left: broccoli and leeks! It comes from the “Spices” half of the book, and features Turmeric, which we’ve never really had as the main spice/focus of a dish: usually it’s used simply to add color. Not that it didn’t do the same here!

Chris says:

I’ll say it again — the recipes in this book are quick indeed.

Lisa says:

What are those little discs?

Chris says:

Those are the broccoli stems — you cut ‘em like coins… good, eh?

Lisa says:

I like the crunch.

Chris says:

Me too. I like the leeks in this; I’d almost make that a permanent alteration.

Lisa says:

Well we certainly seem to get them often enough in the CSA box…

Chris says:

Yeah, it’s kind of comforting… secure. Wait, ha! It’s a –

Lisa says:

Please don’t say, “Security Leek”

Chris says:

I’ll just go back to eating now.

Broccoli with Turmeric and Tomatoes
2 tbsp canola oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 large leek, thinly sliced
1 1/2 lbs broccoli (about 2 large stalks), stems peeled and cut crosswise into 1/4 slices, tops cut into florets
1 cup drained canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes (yield from 1 15-oz can)
1/3 cup water
3/4 tsp salt

In a large, deep frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and leeks and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions and leeks are very soft, about 5 minutes longer.
Stir in the turmeric to coat the onions. Stir in the broccoli, tomatoes, water, and salt and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the broccoli is tender, about 10 minutes.

4 Side Servings

This recipe came together in about 15-20 minutes, so it definitely lived up to the title of the book from which it came — Food & Wine Magazine’s Quick from Scratch Herbs & Spices Cookbook. We’re just diving into this one, but I’m really liking it so far — I love when each recipe is accompanied by a full-page picture. The book is divided into two sections: “Herbs” and “Spices”. Each recipe features a particular herb/spice — cilantro is one of our favorites, so we started there.

Chris says:

So, considering that I decided to make this about 10 minutes before you got home, I’d say this turned out quite well.

Lisa says:

Yeah, I thought we were doing Tortilla soup!

Chris says:

I changed my mind… not in a soup mood. Besides, this way we can tell Jeanette how much we enjoy the cookbook when we see her this weekend.

Lisa says:

It’s true! Yum, I like this dipping sauce.

Chris says:

I like most dipping sauces. Especially when they have cilantro!

Lisa says:

Cilantro *does* rule the planet. We need to start growing it.

Chris says:

Yes, please.

Thai Grilled Chicken with Cilantro Dipping Sauce
2 jalapeño peppers, seeds and stems removed
4 cloves garlic: 2 smashed, 2 minced
1/2 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves and stems
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp salt
4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts (about 1 1/3 lbs.)
6 tbsp rice-wine vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp dried red-pepper flakes
1 1/2 tbsp water

Light the grill and set at medium-high heat. In a blender, puree the jalapeños, smashed garlic cloves, the 1/2 cup cilantro leaves and stems, the fish sauce, canola oil, sesame oil, and 1/4 tsp salt. Put the chicken in a shallow dish and coat with the cilantro puree.
Grill the chicken for 5 minutes. Turn and cook until just done, about 5 minutes longer.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring the vinegar, sugar, and the remaining 1/4 tsp salt to a simmer, stirring. Simmer for 2 minutes. Pour the liquid into a small glass or stainless-steel bowl and let cool. Add the minced garlic, the tablespoon of chopped cilantro, the red-pepper flakes, and water. Serve each chicken breast with a small bowl of dipping sauce alongside.

4 Servings