Hello fellow CSA members,
The sun is shining, and the warmth is bringing me a lot of joy. I get inspired in the kitchen this time of year. I start transitioning out of the cold weather recipes and more into grilling and summer recipes.
I need the inspiration. Last month was a bit of a busy blur in our lives and I didn’t make it through our CSA share. In fact, I barely made a dent in it. I look forward to starting fresh with this share and having some of last months share in the freezer for back up.
Now let’s take a peek at my 20#/month share:
April 2024 CSA Share
Ground Beef 1.5# (1)
Ground Beef 1# (4)
Whole Chicken
Ribeye Steak (2)
Hotdogs: My Choice
Beef Kebab (1)
Pork Loin (1)
Lamb Stew (1)
Lamb Chops (1)
Ground Beef
For my 1.5# package I will make grilled burgers with it. I will make homemade brioche buns to go with them.
For the 1# packages I will make:
Ground beef hash and serve it over polenta. (1 pkg) The original recipe calls for ground turkey. However, ground beef, pork or lamb would also work. I just make sure to drain off any excess fat.
Taco bowl (1 pkg) I regularly use taco meat for quick bowls for my work lunches.
Gyro meat (2 pkgs) I have made this with a 50/50 ground beef and ground pork or with ground lamb. I prefer it with the lamb, but all ground beef is also tasty. I over mix the ingredients as suggested in the recipe as it helps bind it. I will serve it with:
Naan, hummus, and veggies or
quinoa, salad mix, and lemon yogurt dressing or garlic sauce
Whole Chicken
I am in need of more variety in my kid’s lunches. The whole chicken will help a lot. I can spatchcock it, marinade it in buttermilk and salt, roast it, and use the meat to help. I can make:
chicken, black bean, and corn quesadillas
chicken and rice. I save soy sauce packets from takeout and toss one in for them to use with this lunch.
Any other meat that is leftover I will use for my own lunches, making wraps with veggies, hummus and avocados.
Ribeye
Last fall I used the ribeye to make Philly cheesesteak sandwiches. I will plan on using this cut again to make them. They were super tasty and the whole family enjoyed it.
Hot Dog
We are starting off our camping season by staying in a yurt. I plan to take this package of hot dogs and roasting them over the campfire. It’s fun and an easy clean up.
Beef Kebab
I plan to use it to make beef fajita kebabs from my Kebab cookbook. I will use stainless steel skewers.
This is one of those recipes I can easily partner with someone else in my household. One of us can prep it the morning of and someone else can finish the recipe, make the skewers and start grilling.
Pork Loin
In looking for a recipe for this cut I came across one in one of my cookbooks, Complete Chinese Takeout. It is a relatively quick and easy recipe that I can make on a weeknight. I don’t have a wok, but I use a high sided nonstick pan with other recipes, and it works well.
Lamb Stew
I was pleasantly surprised to receive some lamb in my share this month. I really love it with middle eastern spices and served with naan or rice. I will cook this low and slow, shred it, then crisp it up a little in a pan with a little olive oil.
Lamb Chop
We will grill these chops and I plan to serve them with lemon dill rice and veggies.
Beef Fajita Kebabs
Makes 6-8 Skewers
Ingredients
KEBABS
1 1/2-2 pounds of beef kebab meat, cut into cut into 1-1/4 inch cubes
2 green bell peppers, cut into 1-1/4-inch cubes
1 red pepper, cut into 1-1/4-inch cubes
6-8 skewers
MARINADE
1 cup flat beer, ale preferred
1/3 cup lime juice
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons mild chili powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
FOR SERVING
8-12 warm tortillas
3/4 cup guacamole
1/3 cup sour cream
STeps
Combine all the ingredients for the marinade.
Cut the kebab meat into 1 1/4-inch cubes.
Place the beef cubes into a plastic bowl or resealable plastic bag. Pour the marinade over the beef and toss gently to coat. Cover the bowl or seal the bag and place in the refrigerator for 6-12 hours.
Core and cut the bell pepper and peel and cut the onion int 1 1/4 inch pieces.
Thread the marinated beef, bell peppers, and onion onto the skewers in the following order: beef, bell pepper, onion, beef, bell pepper, and so on. Discard any remaining marinade.
Preheat the grill for medium-high heat. When the grill is ready, oil the grates right before putting the kebabs on. Using long-handled tongs, dip some folded paper towels in a high smoke-point cooking oil and wipe down the grill grates, making at least three good passes to create a nonstick area.
Place the kebabs onto the grill. cook for 12 minutes or so. Meanwhile, wrap some tortillas in aluminum foil. Place onto the cool side of the grill. Turn a few times during the cooking process.
Once the beef is cooked to the desired doneness, remove the kebabs and the packet of tortillas from the grill. Place the kebabs on a platter.
Using kitchen gloves, carefully open the aluminum packet and transfer the tortillas to a tortilla warmer or cover with a clean kitchen towel. Serve with sour cream and guacamole.