Summer Fruit

Wow...it has been a long time since I posted. Sports have finally ended for the season, school is out, and Saturdays are once again perfect to go to the Farmers Market. We have been the last three weekends and the bounty is incredible! It would not seem so with the drought and the heat but these conditions must be ideal for I have never seen so much harvest. This weekend we got a gigantic watermelon and several super-sweet cantaloupes from Orange Blossom Farm. We have been enjoying them all week as a side. We also got eggplant and prepared our favorite recipe Grilled Eggplant Sandwiches with Red Onion and Aioli with eggplant and red onions from Johnson's Backyard. Tonight we will be eating Grilled Portobello, Bell Pepper, and Goat Cheese Sandwiches for dinner with mushrooms from Texas Pride, bell peppers from Johnson's Backyard, and goat cheese from Pure Luck Farms. I don't know why because I should know better but once again I am surprised by how much cheaper it is to buy our food at the market. The reason? No matter how expensive it is to produce organic food, loading up on mainly local fruits, vegetables, and cheeses will always be cheaper than eating processed foods and/or expensive meats. Make a point this weekend to visit your local Farmers Market!

Cast Iron ROCKS!

I know I might be the last person on the planet to buy a cast iron skillet but I was one of those people brainwashed into believing that cooking with non-stick was better for me. You see, 11 years ago, after I had my last baby, I had some pounds to lose. I bought an issue of Cooking Light and made the decision to start cooking my own meals. Most Cooking Light recipes call for non-stick cookware so that is what I bought and used.

In the last few years and one at a time, I have made several changes that I believe are for the better (for my family and the planet). First our family started recycling what was picked up in our neighborhood (aluminum, paper, #1 and #2 plastics). Then we moved to recycling everything we could, even if we had to drive it to a recycling center (glass, #3-7 plastics, styrofoam). Then we started making decisions about what we bought based on the packaging (not buying products in non-recyclable or non-degradable containers when we could). We don't buy any conventional products if possible. We garden organically. But here we were, still cooking with non-stick cookware!

Last month, I decided to make one more change: switch over to cast iron. I just can't believe that it took me this long! In the past week I have made several amazing dishes using ingredients from our local farms, of course, all in my new cast iron pots. Cleaning has NEVER been so easy and the dishes have been awesome. I am including one of my favorites here, from Cooking Light, which in this case actually called for a cast iron skillet. Note: I used what I had on hand. Substituted corn for lima beans, tomatoes for tomatillos, and I used Bison from Thunder Heart Bison farm instead of beef:

Green Chile Tamale Pie