What's For Dinner?

I am the mother of a 9-year old boy. (I wonder how that would rank in the lists of “best opening lines"?) Nearly every evening I answer his question - “What's for dinner?" Usually by the time he asks, I know the answer and am midway through the preparations. But the question often rattled around in my head much earlier in the day and I had to sort through the possibilities and implications. (Implications = how much work it'll be and whether or not the 5-year old will eat it.)

We live in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. Our first CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) box of the season arrived on our doorstep yesterday. It was filled with lettuces, bok choi, cilantro and green onions. These are the foods of Oregon in Spring. As our CSA farmer says, “This is the beginning of what Oregon grows....basically leaf and stem!"

What's for dinner? Tonight - leaf and stem. I love the CSA program for many reasons. One is because though we have vegetable gardens in our front yard AND our back yard, there are many items I'm not as familiar with or don't bother growing. The CSA box drops those items on my doorstep. And so I have to figure out What's for Dinner?

Yesterday's CSA box not only brought leaf and stem and questions about dinner, but also inspiration for this blog. As the oldest of 4 children, I am an experienced project manager (self-designated). In the coming days, you shall find that I am good at my job. I have enlisted several fine cooks, thinkers, and eaters to bring this blog to life. We live in and write from a variety of locations, situations, and seasons of life. Without further ado, I bring you.....Seasonal Food and Thought.