Thank You Farmers Market

So about a week and a half ago, Jared and I had a whole weekend to ourselves.  We were able to go to our favorite taco place Friday night and Saturday we woke up with an idea.  "Why not actually try making a weekly menu and go to the West Allis Farmers Market to find ingredients?" ...So often it gets late and we are wondering what to make for dinner.  We raid the fridge and make our own version of a recipe with what ingredients we can find.  We thought we would try "planning ahead".  It was quite the success!
New and great recipes + the most gorgeous autumn day you can think of + the farmers market + time together = a fabulous day. 
All the new, delicious ingredients + time in the kitchen together = a great week of food and love.
So here's what we were able to come up:

Saturday: Veggie Pizza

We made a delicious pizza with homemade crust and sauce.  The toppings came from the farmers market.  Peppers (red and green), yellow squash, fresh tomatoes, and olives (only veggie not from the market) made for our toppings.

Sunday: Sauteed Veggies
After a Fast Sunday we are always looking for something fast and easy.  Sauteed zucchini, red and green bell peppers, and grape tomatoes made a simple but tasty meal.  It also looked like Christmas on our plates.


Zucchini (we've also used yellow squash)
Yellow bell peppers (we used red and green)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Grape tomatoes
2 garlice cloves, smashed
Course salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

Cut zucchini and peppers. Add veggies and garlic to heated olive oil in a large skillet.  Season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing frequently, until veggies are crisp-tender (6-8 minutes).
Serve and enjoy!



Monday: Creamy Corn Soup
This one was so easy! Fresh Corn from the cob, Butter, Water, Course Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper.  Basically Corn on the cob in soup form.  We ate it with limes, tortilla chips, and sliced scallions.



           Tuesday: Chicken Stir-Fry Wraps
We used fresh onion and bell peppers from the farmes market for this one.  Add some chicken and other ingredients and...Presto! Delicious wraps.  We used Boston lettuce as the recipe recommended.  Never used Boston lettuce before, but now we know why they recommend it.  It makes that perfect cup-shape for the stir-fry. 

Wednesday: Broccoli, Chickpea, and Tomato Salad
This one was definitely a winner for us.  We loved it and it was so easy!
1 pound broccoli
1 pint cherry tomatoes (halved)
1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas (drained and rinsed).
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. red-wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 small red onion, minced
Course salt and freshly ground pepper

Steam broccoli florets.  In a large bowl, whisk together the mustard, vinegar, olive oil, and onion; season with salt and pepper.  Add the tomatoes, chickpeas, and broccoli; toss to coat.  Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Not ingredients we would have ever put together on our own, but it was really tasty.

Thursday night was busy for us with High Council meetings (for Jared) and Institute (for me), so we each grabbed something and ran.  No cooking this night.

Friday....Date Night!  Which included Chinese take-out and a movie at home.  It was so delightful to relax and enjoy Tim Burton's 'Alice in Wonderland'.  We've been meaning to watch it since it was in theaters, but thanks to Red Box Promo Codes, we got to watch it for free in the comfort of our living room.  (We really liked the movie too.)

Saturday: Grilled Tomato Linguine with Homemade Breadsticks

We thought about broiling the tomatoes since we don't have an outside grill.  Then Jared remembered a very nifty little grill that goes right on your stove he received from his mom a while back.  (Thanks Connie, this grill saved us and made great grilled tomatoes!)

 The breadsticks could have definitely used some perfecting in texture. (I'm going to learn how to make them even better.)  But the pasta was fabulous.  We added fresh basil to the tomatoes for an extra delicious flavor.  Simple and yet so delicious.


We definitely consider our experiement of "planning ahead" to be a success!!  We love the Farmers Market.  We found all of our vegetables for these recipes there. Plus we were able to pick up some delicious apples and fresh cider (from Jared's favorite apple people), a watermelon, and fresh flowers.  We had to do our shopping in two shifts that day, but it was totally worth it.  We had a great time strolling around enjoying the sunshine and atmosphere of the market.  P.S. We totally have to give credit where it is due.  We got all of these recipes (except the pizza) from a great Martha Stewart cookbook that Jared received from his sister-in-law.  Thanks Kristin!!!