Buying local from the Philly Winter Harvest

I am reading the Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan and it has inspired me to make the leap to buying more local food. Thomas and I have been buying some organic produce and dairy and shopping at the Clark Park farmers market for years now, but we still buy 90% of our food at the local supermarket.

I've tasted fresh milk and eggs from our cousin Leah's farm and there really is nothing like it at the grocery store, and if it tastes better, is produced locally and doesn't cost much more, then why not switch, right? So we got a membership with the Philadelphia Winter Harvest, which delivers fresh produce, meats, dairy, pickled things, etc. through April. This is a buyers club, which is different from a farm share (CSA) in that you get to choose exactly what you want each month. So we are getting a dozen eggs and a loaf of bread a week, organic onions and potatoes, greens, yogurt, cheese and a little meat every now and then for about $100/month.

Since the winter harvest only runs through April we are going to have to decide if we want to sign up for a CSA for the summer and accept whatever veggies and whatnot the farm produces every week or if we want to continue with a buyers club, where we can have more control over what we get. We are thinking that the CSA would force us to learn some new recipes and try out some new vegetables (what do you to with kale?), which will be really fun. Rest assured if we find some new recipes we will share them here on Jen's blog!

bacon, cabbage, and potato soup

I made this a few days ago, and it rocked my world.

about 4 pieces of bacon, chopped
2 T olive oil
1 leek, chopped
1 onion, chopped
about 4 red potatoes, chopped
4 cups of green cabbage, chopped
6 cups of chicken stock
a few sprigs of fresh thyme
bay leaf

heat olive oil on medium. sautee bacon until slightly crispy. add onions and leek. cook another 5 minutes. add potato and cook another 5 minutes. add stock, cabbage, potatoes, bay leaf, and thyme. bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer another 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. salt and pepper to taste.

Salmon Fillet with Citrus and Thyme

Another citrusy-thymey dinner (so that I could use up more of this fresh thyme I have from previous dinner). This is also adapted from a Real Simple recipe, and makes enough for 2.

Ingredients
~1 lb salmon fillet
1 tablespoon olive oil
~ 1/2 lemon, thinly sliced
~ 1/2 orange, thinly sliced
6 sprigs fresh thyme
salt and peper

To make
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Place salmon on foil-lined backing sheet (or in a dish), and season with salt and pepper.
3. Scatter orange, lemon, and thyme on and around the salmon.
4. Roast until the salmon is opaque throughout, about 20-25 minutes.

I served this with some sauteed swiss chard and baked sweet potatoes - tasty and nutritious!

Slow cooker Orange Chicken with Butternut Squash and Potatoes

This is adapted from an old Real Simple recipe. Requires some veggie prep (especially with the butternut squash), but is otherwise not very labor-intensive, and smells lovely as it cooks. Makes ~4 servings

Ingredients
8 skinless chicken thighs
salt and pepper
1 medium onion, cut into quarters and layers separated
~ 1 lb small red potatoes
1 small butternut squash*, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 inch pieces
10 cloves garlic, peeled
1 orange, cut into 1/4 inch rings
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
8 sprigs fresh thyme

To make
1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
2. Put everything into the slow cooker. I put the potatoes and squash in first, then the onion, then the chicken, then the broth (poured over chicken), then scattered the garlic, oranges, and thyme over the chicken.

*My 4 qt slow cooker would not fit all the squash with everything else, so a handful of pieces got put away for another day

3. Cook on high for ~ 4 hours (this probably takes less time, I was just busy and so let it cook longer. Check the chicken after say 3 hours for doneness)