South Mountain Creamery: Help Yourself Help the Environment

If you are working long hours, feeding more than two people in your household, grocery delivery is key to making it work. Even better than Peapod (although I LOVE Peapod) is South Mountain Creamery--a source of local milk, cheese, yogurt, poultry and many other products delivered right to your front door.

Tips: Hang in there—it takes a while to figure out how much milk you drink on a regular basis and a while to change your grocery store habits; I now just work our meals around the delivery and either trip to the farmer’s market or

Jill’s List

Weekly:
eggs
milk
4 vanilla yogurts
honey wheat bread

Every other week (you can choose week 1 or 2):
chocolate milk
maple turkey breakfast sausage
orange juice
chicken breast
pound dark ground turkey
1 pound white ground turkey
Once/month:
parmesan cheese
whole chicken

On occassion:
city cured ham slices
whole ham for new year's day
chevre
dill & garlic butter (served over roasted white fish)
vegetable cream cheese (delicious)
clover honey
cranberry orange marmalade (served alongside poultry)

I've tried these and don't like:
pre-made meals-- I've tried two, one was great and one was a bust
flavored yogurt and yogurt drinks—we love it but kids don’t so we don’t get it that often

Pros: Great user interface on website (better than Peapod and Safeway because you can have a standing order and select weekly v. monthly v. bi-weekly), competitive prices, easy to put on “hold” for vacation, cuts down on BIG grocery store trip, good for environment—supporting local food producers, reducing trips to the grocery store, reusing milk bottles, minimal packaging for meat which is green and makes for easy defrosting—a 1 lb bag of chicken defrosts in a bowl of warm water in 30 minutes! Cons: You don’t select your regular day (I know Georgetown is Tuesday), you have to have someone home to check the delivery box or receive it in person, you must have changes on the website 2 nights before delivery day

GROUND TURKEY: we eat this once/week for the obvious tacos but also: turkey meatballs; turkey burgers on wheat or served with vegetable; the Smyth’s ground turkey/red wine marinara sauce); mix white and dark together for richer flavor,

CURED HAM SLICE: one slice works for a family of 4-5; defrost and broil 4 minutes on each side and serve cut pieces with pasta, peas, parmesan and butter and a salad; serve with a veggie side, or side salad and bread. Great last minute meal as it defrosts quickly and a little meat goes a long way in terms of flavor!

WHOLE HAM: use for entertaining then use leftover ham hock to make split pea soup--directions on dried split peas--they are high in iron and delicious in cooler months

Green Bean Salad With Feta and Lemon

Source: From columnist Stephanie Witt Sedgwick, The Washington Post, July 1, 2009

4 servings

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon salt, for the cooking water
1 pound green beans (ends trimmed), cut into 1 1/2- to 2-inch long pieces
2 ounces good-quality feta cheese, crumbled
Fronds from 2 stems dill, chopped (2 tablespoons)
1/2 medium sweet onion, cut into small dice, such as Vidalia (1/2 cup)
Grated zest of 1 lemon (2 teaspoons)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper


Directions:
Have ready a large bowl of ice water. Bring a 4-quart pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the salt and the beans; cook for about 6 minutes, until the beans are tender. Immediately transfer them to the ice-water bath. Let the beans cool for 5 minutes, then use clean dish towels to drain and dry the beans.

Transfer the beans to a large bowl; add the feta, dill, onion, lemon zest, oil and pepper to taste, and toss to combine. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Allow the salad to come to room temperature before serving.


MAKE AHEAD: The salad may be assembled and refrigerated up to 3 days in advance. Squeeze fresh lemon just before serving for added zing!

Chicken Parmesan and Apricot Sauce

Adapted from Crescent City Collection: A Taste of New Orleans, published by The Junior League of New Orleans

Yield: 4 servings 

CHICKEN: 

2 tablespoons butter 

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 

1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs 

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts 

APRICOT SAUCE: 

1/2 jar apricot preserves 

1 tablespoon soy sauce or coconut aminos 

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 

PREP

Melt the margarine in a saucepan. Mix the parmesan cheese and bread crumbs in a bowl and remove to a plate. Rinse the chicken breasts and pat dry. Place breasts in ziplock and pound the thick side to make them even thickness. Dip the chicken in the melted butter and then coat in the bread crumb mixture. Line a baking sheet with parchment; place on parchment. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until cooked through. While chicken is baking, mix together the apricot preserves, soy sauce, and balsamic vinegar. Let sit in bowl. Serve the chicken with the Apricot Sauce. 

VARIATIONS

Substitute plum preserves for apricot (kids prefer apricot) 

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Something green: steamed broccoli, asparagus, sautéed spinach, or a lightly dressed salad 

NOTES

• The recipe elevates the chicken nugget for adults, and is therefore a good family meal when kids are young. 
• REAL parmesan cheese is worth the money. 
• To make Italian bread crumbs: add some dried parsley, basil, thyme to plain breadcrumbs.
• Use organic/free range meats and poultry when possible.
• Save those leftover Chinese takeout soy sauce packets for when you need 1 tablespoon of soy sauce.

CHEATER SUGGESTIONS

Use Bell & Evans or Trader Joe's breaded chicken breasts and serve with the sauce.