Week 11 Box 11

Let it be known that the Rabbi has returned. This of course means that I no longer get the benefit of a full and fruitful box. Ah well, I'm back to my half share and it's probably better for the environment (less veg going to rot) and for this blog (splitting the share with the MIL results in me getting the weird stuff). However, we are coming into the Fall (even though it is still August) which means the "harvest time" is coming. I'm excited for the bounty of new veg that are coming into the season. And this week The Box is starting to reflect it. Here's what we got:

The Number of Hot Peppers in The Box is TOO DARN HIGH

As I said in a previous post Hot Peppers are an interesting but dangerous ingredient. Usually I will add them in small quantities to various recipes of the Spanish/Mexican variety. But when The Box gave me 7 Hot Peppers I was honestly stumped. What exactly do could I make with that much spice that won't kill The Husband by taste-bud overload.

Even I was a little frightened and for lack of a better plan I was going to simply slice and pickle them, saving them to top off sandwiches when the mood arises, maybe add them to a Martini for an interesting flavor twist.  But, although I've been wanting to pickle something for the blog for a long time, I just couldn't bring myself in this case. It felt a little bit like a cop-out. Too easy. So after some time on The Google Machine, and the purchase of a brand new canning kit, I decided to turn this:

Into a sweet and spicy relish. Yum!

Week 7 Box 7

After the disaster that was The Box last week. I was anxious to replace the rotting produce in my fridge with a fresh clean start. This week The Box was delivered to me by The Husband while I was at my Parents' house waiting for our wedding photographer to bring us our pictures (EEEEEEEEE!) and it was, un-ironically, delivered  in a box, which, because of my experience with the sp-sp-spider, I promptly made The Husband remove from the apartment as soon as we got home.

I have to honestly say this week The Box is giving me a little bit of a head scratch-er. This is not because there are any particular ingredients in it that are unusual or difficult to work with, but for precisely the opposite reason. It is going to take some thought to try and make the ingredients interesting.

Play your guessing game before looking at the list below:

Sigh

Well, a week has passed since that bountiful box landed in my lap. I had plans for it. OH I had plans for it. I was going to make a pasta dish with the Fava beans, try my hand at Kohlrabi fries, maybe make zucchini bread. I had PLANS I tell you PLANS. But my grandfather always said, we plan, God laughs. And this week God laughed hard at me and my plans.

If you live in the Northeastern part of the United States you know that God laughs a hot, sweaty heat. The Husband and I live in a second floor apartment of a house that only has window air conditioners in three of its four rooms (the room without the AC being the kitchen) and this means that 98 degrees (feeling like 110) outside means we were lucky, LUCKY if the temperature dropped below 86 (Fahrenheit that is). We didn't use the kitchen once this week and we spent way too much money eating outside the home, in air-conditioned restaurants.

And so my dear beloved readers, I have to apologize, the beautiful produce I drove 45 minutes for on Monday has gone to waste. By the time the heat broke last night and temperatures began to be reasonable outside and in, the Fava Beans rotted, the Tomatoes got soft and mushy, and the Kohlrabi... well that's just fine I think the only way to kill that thing is with fire.

I did have time to make one dish for you today, because once we COULD cook I felt like we SHOULD make something for you. And so, continuing reading for this week's installment of "What the Frack* do I do with All this Kale?"

*not the actual word

The answer? Quesadillas!