Dark Days Challenge – Week #2 Recap

Greetings, intrepid local food hunters! I’m thrilled to help Laura out by filling in on this week’s Dark Days update while she enjoys Italy. I’m sure she’s eating very well!

Writing this update has given me a great excuse to hang out in my PJs on a rainy morning and take a look at all your great blogs. I love reading about your meals, your lives and your views on sustainable eating. Even though my husband thinks I’m just web-surfing…

We enjoyed lots of local food this week, including my first attempt at using real pumpkin in a pie (yummy – do this as soon as you can!), but the meal I posted is franks and beans, local style.

This week’s theme definitely seems to revolve around squash. Points will be awarded to everyone who can successfully use one of those buggers!

*****

The West

Anita, at MarriedWithDinner, has been happily moving into fall menus, and enjoyed a full week of local goodness. Her chili dogs would make any baseball fan happy while watching Boston in the playoffs (and is there another team playing – here in NH we are very firmly entrenched in Red Sox Nation!).

Pork sausage with apples and onions was the main course for Donna’s family, who also discovered that grape picking is fun for little ones, and that making grape juice for dinner should be started before 5:00p.m!

ThisKat asks readers of DirtToDish what they need to make local, sustainable eating a part of their lives. She wonders what small changes folks have made, and what roadblocks they are running into that may be preventing them from making other changes they may want to make. She has also posted her rules, and has enjoyed roasted chickens and the best frittata she’s ever made.

Laura enjoyed a happy surprise when she discovered the ease of steaming a pumpkin instead of taking the time to peel and chop the thing. She’s also enjoying the stamina of market veggies in her fridge, compared to the fleeting freshness of grocery store lettuce. (One squash point!)

E-mail updates from Marcia in Wyoming send news that her local meal this week included their own roast leg of lamb, rubbed with homegrown rosemary and garlic, along with some lemon pepper. She roasted some homegrown veggies and potatoes to go along with it, and enjoyed an apple betty that she made with apples that were procured in what is probably the deal of the season: a zucchini trade!

Soups and stews using her CSA’s keeper share have kept Ellen busy, and a little flummoxed, remembering to read recipes carefully, but the “Sloppy Lentils” sounds like a great cool weather stew, although she would recommend adding some zing to recipe!

Check out the gorgeous garden photos from Melinda! She has limited one of her weekly meals to 90% harvested from her own backyard! Salads, pizza, roasted veggies, and more salads were on the menu this week. She’s still looking for a purely local source for wheat and grains, with plans to grow some of their own next year.

Leeann is the lucky recipient of a half-gallon of “private label” honey, and enjoyed an appropriately-orange-themed meal this week, of rainbow carrots and cheese potato roesti. I plan to try the potato recipe this week with my own “private label” potatoes from a friend!

Between with her great Haiku Friday posts and thoughtful commentary, Katrina, at Kale for Sale has a great mashed winter squash recipe that seems like a good one to have in your back pocket if you’re among the many local eaters hiding squash in every available storage area in your home this time of year. Serrano peppers, garlic and butter – how bad can that be? (One squash point!)

Ham steak and mashed potatoes were the blue plate special over at the Skagit Foodshed. Saara is plugging away like the rest of us, and while we all have plenty of bad days, we share the good ones and feel better about the whole thing!

Stop by Wool Fairy if you have a minute, and give Jenney a shout of encouragement!
The Middle

I want to hang out at Anne’s house! Her week included local French toast, bacon, fresh pasta, homemade marinara sauce, roasted chicken, local veggies and local cider and butter! On a rather sad note, Anne has finally come to the conclusion that she just doesn’t like butternut squash. I’d say more for the rest of us, but admit it people, we don’t need any more! (Perhaps a negative squash point, then?)

Total success for Chessa. She enjoyed roasted delicata squash, honeybaked lentils and Brussels sprouts from her local foodshed. She even roasted the seeds and enjoyed them along with dinner. Check out that honeybaked lentil recipe – another one to add to the list! (Two squash points for using the seeds in the same meal!)

Sick kids meant a change in plans for Angie. But, if you ask me, roast chicken with mashed potatoes, squash, carrots, corn and homemade rolls would be good anytime, upset tummies or not! (Squash point!)

Penelope was tempted to use one of her butternut squash, but realized the purple cauliflower and broccoli in the fridge needed to be used up first. (She didn’t know about the squash points.) Her skillet meal with potatoes, onions, veggies, eggs and cheese is a great use of all those less hardy veggies. Check out the Barney-ness of the purple cauliflower!

At Culinary Student, Daniela reports that, although it may be “Celebrate Local Harvest” time at Whole Foods, it doesn’t mean they actually have many products that actually come from the local harvest. She toughed it out, though, and enjoyed a roasted squash soup, and a great looking baked apple. (Squash point!)

Valeree was lucky enough to have a local meatloaf in the freezer already, and enjoyed that with mashed potatoes and a local salad. I’m jealous that she’s organized enough to have a meatloaf in the freezer – nevermind that her recipe sounds great!

The East

Thomas the Tank dominated Caroline’s dinner table, but she managed to enjoy some great omelets stuffed with feta cheese, and fresh tomatoes and carrots. It sounds like the kids even stopped their fighting when they discovered the fresh-baked bread! Do not send your used Thomas items her way.

Christy O enjoyed a classic soup and salad meal with fresh mixed salad, potato leek soup and homemade corn bread. If you have a minute to stop by she could use some help with recipe ideas for giant beets!

Another great idea for squash use from Ed at The Slow Cook. He glazed his acorn with a pomegranate molasses. But that’s not all. There were pan-seared pork chops, Sauteed apples and a lima bean, tomato casserole. Most of Ed’s meal came from his backyard or a mile from his house! (Squash point, Ed!)

Sarah’s got her rules posted, and great plans for a weekend of local eating.

My neighbor over in Maine, Wendy is realizing that this time of year sometimes means simple, but delicious, New England meals. She and her family enjoyed maple-flavored chili beans and pumpkin pancakes, along with some killer, homemade hard cider. She feels like it wasn’t very creative, but I think it sounds just fabulous! (Pumpkin in a pancake = squash point!)

Danielle has organized her posting into zero-mile meals and 25-mile meals! My mouth is watering over her week of menus. She’s still enjoying lots of fresh veggies, including tomatoes from her garden, along with her own eggs. She’s making a dent in the frozen side of beef, and enjoying roast and lots of meatballs. Make extra and freeze them, says Valeree!

Great recipies for spicy pumpkin soup and baked ziti are part of Beth’s post this week. She has good tips about substituting local cheddar for different types of cheeses. And, of course, she earns squash points!

Nicole’s rabbit pot pie wins the originality prize this week! She assures us that fresh rabbit is mild and not gamey at all. The pot pie sure looks great, so I’m tempted to believe her. She also posted a more traditional roast chicken, potatoes and carrots. Both meals warm my innards right up!

And finally, Jasmine had a busy week, but still managed to make a local dish of spaghetti squash casserole (cooked squash, ricotta, pesto and tomato sauce – brilliant!). However, she’s been so busy she hasn’t eaten it yet – we look forward to the reviews! We’ll hold her squash point until the verdict is in…

*****
If I’ve missed anyone, spelled anyone’s name wrong, somehow butchered a great post, or (horrors) withheld squash points, please forgive me, and feel free to post a firm correction here in the comments! Laura will be back next week, but I’m definitely hooked on checking in with all of you again.

Thanks for your participation and enjoy the fall foods in your neighborhood!