Tag Archives: The Produce Box

Claire Robinson and her 5 Ingredient Fix ain’t got nothin’ on me! (Especially since she doesn’t count salt and pepper as ingredients.) This meal feels like a holiday dinner, and it is so simple — turn on oven. Roast food.

For the chicken

6-8 pound whole chicken (not a fryer)

Herb bundle

Prep and truss chicken. Salt and pepper interior and exterior. Put herb bundle in cavity. Roast at 450 for 55 minutes.

For the sweet potatoes

2 sweet potatoes

Butter

Cinnamon

Wash potatoes and poke holes in them with fork. Roast same time/temperature as chicken. Serve with butter, cinnamon and pepper.

For the asparagus

1/2 bundle (about 20) asparagus spears

Olive oil

Grated Parmesan cheese

Snap off ends and wash asparagus spears. Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper and Parmesan. Roast at 450 for 10-12 minutes.

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Recipe key | Bold ingredient = Produce Box item | Asterisk ingredient* = Leftover item

BONUS #1: After dinner, pick your chicken and refrigerate leftovers. I get 3-4 meals out of one chicken.

BONUS #2: Don’t throw out your chicken carcass! Use it to make stock.
Cover it with water in a pot and throw in some celery, carrots, onion, garlic cloves, salt, peppercorns and herbs. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Let simmer uncovered until liquid reduces and reaches desired color. Strain and put in fridge. Once stock is chilled, skim the fat off top. Strain again before use.

Hubby thought of the name for these short rib Bibb lettuce wraps. I converted shredded beef left over from a restaurant meal to an Asian-style wrap. The key: Soy sauce, sesame oil and lots of ginger.

I should also note that all of the recipe ingredients (that aren’t Produce Box or leftover items) are things from my pantry. That’s the point of weeknight dinners — cheap and quick! If you don’t have one or two of the ingredients, no worries.

The McBibb

6-8 whole Bibb lettuce leaves, washed and patted dry

Olive oil

1 leek, sliced and rinsed

2 cloves garlic, minced

Approximately 1 cup shredded cooked beef* (ground beef or pork would work, too)

Sesame oil

Soy sauce

1 inch piece ginger

1 grated carrot

Crispy rice noodles

1 cup rice (I used instant white)

1 cup beef stock*

Rice wine vinegar

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add leeks and saute until translucent. Add garlic and saute another minute. Add beef and warm through (if using raw, obviously cook completely). Once beef is done, add splash of sesame oil and soy sauce. Grate in half of the ginger. Remove from heat.

For instant rice: Bring beef stock and splash of rice wine vinegar to a boil. Stir in rice and cover. Remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes. Fluff rice with fork and grate in remaining ginger.

To serve: Put beef and rice on top of Bibb lettuce leaf. Top with grated carrot and crispy rice noodles.

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Recipe key | Bold ingredient = Produce Box item | Asterisk ingredient* = Leftover item

No photo for this one, folks! Mornings are hard …

Sweet potato leek scramble

1/4 cup diced sweet potato*

2 tbsp. sliced leeks*

Butter

2 eggs

Salt, pepper

Rub nonstick pan with butter. Saute veggies over medium heat.

Reduce heat to low.

Whisk 2 eggs, salt and pepper. Add to pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until eggs are almost set. Remove from heat and serve.

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Recipe key | Bold ingredient = Produce Box item | Asterisk ingredient* = Leftover item

They deliver N.C.-grown produce (and sometimes other products, such as bread) right to my workplace. I split the box with a couple at work, and it costs me $11 per week. That’s $11 well spent, as I will prove in the coming posts …