Lunchbox Dinners

12/12/2024

For this week's menu, I want to offer something that will be quick and easy to serve in the midst of shopping/ prepping for the holidays, hosting out of town guests, et cetera.

Posole Rojo-
The classic Mexican stew of pork and hominy simmered in a red chile broth with garlic, onion and herbs. Our version uses Beeler's humanely raised pork and mild ancho/guajillo chilies, and is served with lots of garnishes! 

​Vegetarian/vegan version will incorporate "the three sisters" (corn, beans and squash) into a hearty pozole-like stew with the same assortment of toppings.

Garnishes-
Organic avocado, cilantro, tortilla chips, fresh jalapeno, limes, "Easter Egg" radishes, pepitas, white onion, shredded lettuce, cotija cheese

Cornbread with Red Pepper Honey Butter-

12/05/2024

Here is the menu for this Tuesday, December 10!

This peanut sauce was famous at my mom's restaurant, Bellissimo. It's a really tasty recipe from her cookbook... with a few alterations of my own :)  This week, it will be the usual "fan favorite" menu,  featuring all organic produce from Earl's Organics.

Thai Peanut Noodles-
fresh rice noodles with veggies and baked tofu, plus crunchy peanuts, herbs and peanut sauce

Asian Salad with Lime Shallot Vinaigrette-

Fresh Pineapple with Brown Sugar & Toasted Coconut-

11/29/2024

Here's our 12/3 meal- a super healthy one to revive our souls and cleanse our palates after this holiday week! It's full of organic veggies and whole grains, healthy fats and of course some delicious condiments to top it off.

Spicy Salmon Bowl with Sesame Sriracha Drizzle- Wild salmon with lime ginger teriyaki marinade and sesame sriracha drizzle,  served over brown rice with organic avocado, cherry tomatoes, pickled cucumber, scallions, grated carrot, greens & roasted sweet potatoes, with sesame almond sprinkles.  

Chocolate Banana Chia Pudding-
It tastes luxurious but actually is good for you! Chia seeds are high in protein, fiber, calcium and omega-3s. Made with creamy coconut milk, organic banana & fair trade cocoa, thickened with organic chia seeds.

11/14/2024

Here is the menu for this Tuesday, November 19.
We've made this meal every year since we first started making dinners for families at Shelbyville Preschool! Iggy was only 3 and a half years old then...sniff...

Chicken and Root Veggie Pot Pie-
Organic chicken breast and thigh with leeks and root veggies (parsnip, carrot, turnip, potato, rutabaga, celeriac) simmered in a creamy broth, finished with a handful of peas, baked with a pastry lid. 

Herb Salad-
Simple salad of tender greens & herbs with red wine vinaigrette.

Chocolate Beet Cake with Cream Cheese Icing-
My favorite cake! If you don't tell the beet-haters, they'll never guess what's in this amazingly moist and delicious chocolate cake :)

If you are not on my mailing list and you'd like to order, please email me! [email protected]

11/10/2024

I can't believe we haven't been to Denny Bar before!

11/07/2024

Feeling like everyone, including me, could benefit from some warmth and comfort this week. Which leads me to soup! I tried this dish at a ramen shop up north, and it was SO GOOD! After researching the recipe, I learned that Tantan ramen, or "Tantanmen" is a Japanese take on Sichuan "Dan Dan" noodles. We've made this a few times now, and I'm looking forward to sharing big giant bowls of soup with my family and yours. 

Tantanmen-
Japanese ramen noodles simmered in a rich, creamy broth of chicken stock with white sesame paste, ginger and doubanjiang, which is a bean paste similar to miso but slightly sweet and spicy. It has a little sake as well, and the creaminess comes from soy milk. The ramen will be topped with minced organic chicken (seasoned with fresh ginger and fermented Chinese black beans), bean sprouts, steamed organic baby bokchoy, spinach, scallions and marinated silken tofu with aji mirin. I'll roast some corn too, which is a traditional ramen topping, as well as bamboo shoots & toasted peanuts. For those of you that like it spicy, I'll be making Sichuan chili oil to serve on the side, infused with star anise, garlic & shallots.

Kaki-
A delicious fruit celebrated every Autumn in Japan, persimmons are called "kaki" and are actually the national fruit.  Organic California Fuyu persimmons are the non-acidic variety, sweet with flavors of cinnamon and honey.

Fortune Cookies-

11/01/2024

Here's the menu for Tuesday, 11/5. I've been waiting for November to make this fall-inspired "Macaroni and Cheese" dish, with a buttery crumb crust, crumbled bacon, and a creamy sauce of fontina, sharp cheddar. The star ingredient is a puree of roasted locally grown butternut squash to give it a velvety texture, good flavor, and of course, all the good stuff that comes from winter squash!  In addition, California pears are at their peak so I'm looking forward to bringing in a ton of them to make this poached pear dessert  :)

Bacon Butternut Mac and Cheese-

Roasted Broccoli-

Cider-Poached Pears with Star Anise, Cinnamon Sticks & Spiced Almond-Oat Crumbles-

10/27/2024

Oaxacan food for my birthday ♥️♥️♥️

10/24/2024

Here's the menu for this Tuesday, 10/29!
Polenta Lasagne
Creamy polenta layered with fresh mozzarella, basil, handmade tomato sauce.

Caesar Salad-
The classic, with organic romaine hearts, croutons, parmesan and our handmade Caesar dressing.

Apple Brown Sugar Crumble 
We'll use sweet Opal and tart Granny Smith apples, baked with a crumbly topping of brown sugar, butter & oats, scented with cardamom, ginger and cinnamon.

10/18/2024

Yummy food in a crazy rainstorm! Young coconut "ceviche," shrimp pizza and cute kitty...

10/10/2024

Here's the menu for this Tuesday, 10/15.

It's time to savor the flavors of early autumn! Concorde pears are out now, as well as my favorite golden Opal apples! We'll use them in a big salad along with lots of roasted autumn vegetables. You can warm up the veggies and dressing, if that sounds good to you. Of course it also works as a regular ol' tossed salad or as a composed salad.

Fall Salad with Chicken & Roasted Organic Vegetables-
organic chicken breast, roasted delicata squash from Dwelley Farms, red and gold beets, roasted Tomatero fennel, Opal apples, Concorde pears and toasted walnuts with cider-maple vinaigrette, mixed greens and a little bit of chevre.

Curried Yellow Pea Soup with Indian Spices & Coconut Milk-

Cornbread-

10/05/2024

Art Lovers Wanted
Big time, first ever, ART SALE

Shopping for yourself or for Christmas giving, visit Mount Shasta High School Gymnasium at 710 Everitt Memorial Hwy where more than 25 artists who work in various media gather for a
ONE DAY ONLY
Selling art.

It’s a fundraiser for Siskiyou Arts Museum to purchase their 1925 historic building.

Shoppers choose from paintings, woodwork, ceramics, jewelry and much more.

If you’ve always wanted to collect art from our local community, it’s a free to the public opportunity to shop and talk with artists.

Sponsored by Siskiyou County Art Council (SCAC) and Siskiyou Arts Association (SAA)

Doors open at 9am and close at 3pm on October 19, 2024.

For more information: Anne McTavish [email protected].

Art by Chris Messer

10/03/2024

We are pretty excited about all the fall produce coming in! Pomegranates are here, and my trees are bursting with red and gold apples! Plus the many different kinds of winter squash, each with it's own unique characteristics: creamy, starchy Kabocha, sweet, tender Honeynut, and nutty, earthy red Kuri. I think the flavor of the roasted squash goes so nicely with corn tortillas and guajillo chilies in this week's dinner on 10/8:

Pumpkin Red Chile Enchiladas-
Pan fried corn tortillas with a filling of shredded organic chicken breast, roasted organic kabocha/honeynut/kuri squash, caramelized onions, jack cheese and handmade red chile sauce, with a side of Mexican crema and tomatillo salsa.

Smoky Black Beans-

Pomegranate Kale Salad w Toasted Pumpkinseeds, Balsamic Vinaigrette-

09/26/2024

I love Peruvian food and I've been wanting to make this chicken ever since I found my mom's stash of "Time Life Foods of the World" cookbooks when I was first getting into cooking. To make it authentic, you need to use Aji Amarillo chilies for the sauce. I was able to get ahold of a case of them from Durst Organic Farm. Aji Verde sauce is creamy, spicy and so delicious!
Here's the menu for this Tuesday, 10/1:

Peruvian Chicken with Aji Verde Sauce

Roasted Potatoes & Yams-

Criolla Salad w/ pickled onion, organic tomato-

09/19/2024

Here's the menu for this Tuesday, 9/24!

This week, I'm thinking lasagna. Specifically our big veggie lasagne of fresh pasta sheets layered with spinach, crimini mushrooms, leeks & puree of roasted butternut squash & roasted garlic. We'll use some ricotta and fontina cheeses, and a little bit of tomato sauce.

Autumn Veggie Lasagne-

Roasted Green Beans with olive oil & thyme-

Janet's Apple Caramel Cake-

09/15/2024

If you have a treeful of plums...consider making this Plum Torte. This NYT recipe is famous for good reason: it's simple, quick & delicious!

For those of you who may not already be familiar with Marian Burros' iconic plum torte cake, it is arguably the most famous recipe from the New York Times.