It was another sick week here - everyone else was doing better and back to school, but I was in pretty bad shape all week. So, I stuck to mostly easy cooking and old favorites. Looking back, I see that we had kind of a maple syrup theme going on!
This was our last weekly pick-up of fresh veggies from our local CSA farm on Monday this week - so sad to see the local growing season end! So, I did try to incorporate our farm-fresh veggies into our meals this week.
We got some gorgeous Brussels sprouts still on the stalk. My husband and I love them, but my son doesn't, so I prepared them with bacon and maple syrup (and onion) - I figure you can cook just about anything with bacon and maple syrup and it'll be good, right? My husband and I loved them, but my son was still not impressed! With it, I made an old favorite, Maple-Glazed Salmon, my family's favorite salmon recipe (yes, more maple syrup!).Another night, I roasted a whole chicken (I stuff it with cut-up lemons and cloves of garlic) and prepared another delicious farm-fresh veggie with it: rutabaga (what they called swede in the UK). I have never cooked or eaten rutabaga before, so I figured I better go with another kid-friendly preparation - yes, you guessed it! - Maple-Glazed Rutabaga. I also chopped up some carrot and Yukon Gold potatoes to give it more kid appeal. I absolutely loved it - roasting it caramelized the maple syrup, leaving a yummy glaze on all the veggies. My husband and son weren't quite as impressed but they ate it. More for me!
I used the left-over chicken to make Arroz con Pollo, one of my own recipes, and another easy family favorite.
Now, we are hunkering down for Hurricane Sandy aka Frankenstorm which should be starting to reach our area this afternoon. School has already been cancelled for Monday and Tuesday, so college son is home for the duration (and we may pick up some extra kids along the way today!) So, tonight I am planning to make a big triple batch of Red Beans and Rice, a very old favorite of ours from our time in New Orleans. I created this recipe based on a bunch of authentic recipes from Louisiana, lightening it a bit and making it a shorter preparation for busy weeknights. When my son left for a local college, he said, "Mom, make sure you let me know anytime you make red beans and rice, so I can come home for dinner!"Hope you are all safe from the storm and enjoying some good weekend cooking of your own!
I love maple syrup in the fall. I'm not sure why when it's made in the spring, but I've always associated it with autumn eating.
ReplyDeleteStay safe and keep well! Red beans and rice sounds terrific for a crowd in a storm.
It was the last week for our CSA too. I love Brussels sprouts any ole way. And I'd be happy to eat your maple theme.
ReplyDeleteI'm a recent convert to Brussels sprouts, and I do think a maple glaze a few years back had a lot to do with it! Good luck with the storm! We've been battening down the hatches here too.
ReplyDeleteI love maple syrup, too. I even buy Grade B because I love the more intense maple flavor. So good.
ReplyDeleteYou know, as a long time subscriber to CookingLight magazine, I actually recognized those first two recipes. How funny is that? I subscribed to that magazine from 1992-2008 or so. I always pulled out old issues during the different seasons for new inspiration.
Stay safe in the storm! We are right in her path, so I am pretty nervous.
My mouth is watering at the sound of that salmon...and red beans & rice doesn't sound too shabby, either. I definitely shouldn't be looking at this on an empty stomach!
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