Hello and happy Tuesday! I hope your week has been off to a good start. We started our end of year testing yesterday and it’s different than what we’ve done in the past. Usually we do the Woodcock Johnson exam, but in our new town I hadn’t found someone to administer that test, so I decided to go with the classic- IOWA test of basic skills. Learning how to take a test (time management, strategy, filling out the correct coordinating bubble) is a skill in itself that I thought would be good for the kids to have some practice with. I didn’t realize it was almost six (6!) hours of testing. We are breaking it up over three days and jumped in yesterday morning. Reading the prompts brought me right back to my own childhood, as I think the verbiage hasn’t changed in 30+ years. 

We spent just shy of three hours yesterday and the girls’ reaction? This is so fun!! Ha. their brains were definitely worn out by the end of it, but yet they both thought it was fun, which I thought was hilarious.

Since it’s largely a talk them through it, start the timer (this one is the best; we’ve used it for endless tasks since the kids were little), and let them go set up, I had ample time to fold laundry and play in the kitchen. I’ve been experimenting with a new sourdough method I got from my friend that is simple and supposedly works for boules, loaves, and pizza dough. I’ve had lunch with boules with it had success for sourdough pizza for lunch yesterday, but my loaf was a dud. Two out of three isn’t bad, though! 

Playing around in the kitchen had me thinking I should share some of our recent eats. While I am still loosely meal planning each week, I’m also improvising a lot based on what I’m picking up at our weekly CSA and the farmers market. I love that this has us eating so much more in season produce.

Pair that with the half cow we bought about a month ago and it has me loving how much more I’m able to support local farmers now. Don’t get me wrong, I still hit up Costco and Whole Foods on the regular, but it’s a treat for me to add in more local fare, which has been a goal of mine for sometime. So I figured, let’s take a peek at what some of those hit (and miss…) meals have been lately!

Starting things off with a family classic and K’s most requested meal- marinated chicken and noodles with roasted broccoli!

To be closely followed by H’s most requested meal- Shepherd’s Pie! I double the recipe and it sometimes overflows, but nothing that a little tinfoil lined pan can’t handle. I like to ask the kids and David for meal input sometimes and when I do, these two first dishes are always at the top of the list.

Now if I get to choose, I’m going with steak. I cooked this filet using my go to method for thick steaks and not to toot my own horn, but TOOT TOOOOOT, I nailed it. Topped with some herb butter made from herbs from the garden and I’m drooling almost just looking at this picture.

However, to keep me humble, it was followed not long after with my complete screw up of a bottom round roast. The house smelled SO good, but I totally overcooked it by a lot. We ate it anyway with ketchup and steak sauce. The meal was also was redeemed by the incredible local sides- sauteed Swiss chard and roasted veggies of carrots, onions, and baby potatoes.

I’ve been putting some love into breakfast and though Greek yogurt and eggs have been our regular breakfast, I’m jazzed things up on occasion with the following: bacon, egg, and cheese everything bagel, blueberry muffins and crispy bacon, avocado toast on sourdough.

On random cooler days I’ve made some cozy favorites like the above Shepherd’s pie and enchiladas. With a freezer full of beef, I used ground beef and beans for these enchiladas and it was excellent. I didn’t write down my method, but I should have. Next time!

Fresh arugula, baby spinach, and microgreens from the farm have leant themselves nicely to midday salads. I’ve been panfrying cut up chunks of chicken breast with a citrus seasoning and using my favorite homemade dressing, making it all taste super fresh! I’m also sprinkling hemp seeds on every salad for extra omega-3s.

I made a Mongolian beef recipe which was way too salty, but mixed in with sautéed Bok choy made it edible enough.

And then I nailed a roasted chicken and veggies. I don’t have a real recipe, I just do some variation of this: season chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder with olive oil and some butter under skin and over. Roast at 350 degrees for about 1 hour and 20 minutes (use a meat thermometer to check doneness). Then I put whatever veggies I have on hand under it. This time is was a mix of turnips, radishes, carrots, kohlrabi, and onions from the farmers market. All served over buttered rice.

A few more odds and ends before I give into the pup staring (glaring?) at me to go on a walk.

• Ground beef and chicken taco bowls with cilantro rice, pico, black beans, and guacamole.
• New method sourdough looking all fresh! Smothered with butter.
• Chicken pho picked up from TruBroth, which is insanely flavorful. I want to learn how to make a broth so rich!

Ok, share with – what’s the best thing you’ve eaten recently?!