Papa Spuds Rocks My Socks

About a month ago I was eating dinner with my girlfriends, when one of them said, "I would not be able to LIVE without Papa Spuds!"  She then went on to describe this wonderful world where garden-fresh fruits, veggies, meats, and dairy products are delivered right to her door.  This piqued my interest, so I asked, "What's Papa Spuds?"  My girlfriends looked at me like I had not been LIVING for the last 28 years, so I knew it was something good.  Turns out, they were right! 

Papa Spuds is a local produce delivery system.  You go online (http://www.papaspuds.com/), sign up in 3 easy minutes, and then select your preferences for veggies, fruits, and a myriad of other food items.  You pay weekly, per delivery, and each delivery is $23 for a party of 2, or $40 for a party of 4.  Each different-sized box comes with a pre-selected number of credits (the small boxes come with 20 credits), and you pick exactly what you want until you've reached all of your credits.  Then, every Tuesday, I come home to a box of delightful freshness on my doorstep!!  Oh, and did I mention that if you're going on vacation, you can put and order on hold and not get charged for the week?  It's really quite marvelous, and I'm more than mildly obsessed.  PS also sends recipes with each delivery, so you can order things that you've NEVER eaten before, and know what to do with it.  I ordered quail eggs my first time, and I made a quail egg quiche; it was da bomb!!  I am such a snob about the freshness of my fruits and veggies, and I hate how quickly grocery produce spoils.  It's wonderful to have fresh produce in my house now.  Tomatoes for my salads, bok choy, raspberries for my cereal or greek yogurt, squash, lettuce, mushrooms..........PS even has pork chops. 

One of my deliveries!

Here are some of my favorite creations with my recent PS loot.  As I draw closer and closer to contest prep, I might have to start getting the $40 box so I can stock up on sweet potatoes and asparagus.  And I think contest prep (ie more veggies for me) will be MUCH better with fresh stuff to eat.  Until then, I shall enjoy all the jams, breads, fruits, and cheese to my heart's content!!

And for those of you in the Triangle, if you sign up for Papa Spuds, put me down as your referral and I'll get extra credits on my next order. Thanks in advance for keeping me fat and happy.

Parmesan Roasted Broccoli (cut out the cheese and nuts and sub PAM for oil during prep)

4 cups broccoli florets
3 T olive oil
3 garlic cloves, sliced
salt/pepper
1/2 lemon, zested
1/2 lemon, juiced
3 T toasted pine nuts or sunflower seeds
1/4 c grated parmesan cheese
1 T fresh basil leaves, chopped

Toss broccoli pieces on a large sheet pan with the sliced garlic and drizzle with 2 T evoo.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake at 425 for 20-25 minutes.  Remove from oven and toss with 1 T evoo, lemon zest and juice, pine nuts, cheese, and basil.  Serve immediately.

Honey Ginger Green Beans (make without the honey during prep, and skip the pecans; sub PAM for evoo)

4 T olive oil
1 lb fresh green beans
6 oz mushrooms (I used portobellas since that's what I got from PS)
1/4 c soy sauce
1 T minced garlic
1 shallot, chopped
1 T honey
2 t minced fresh ginger (I used powdered, tastes the same)
3 T chopped pecans (optional)

Heat oil in a skillet until hot.  Reduce to medium and add green beans and mushrooms.  Saute until crisp and tender, about 5 minutes.  Add soy sauce, garlic, honey, ginger, and shallot.  Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until sauce thickens slightly and coats the beans.  Sprinkly with chopped nuts and serve.

Oven Roasted Potatoes (I make these all during prep by subbing PAM for evoo)

6-8 red potatoes, cut into quarters
2-3 T olive oil
parsley
onion powder

Heat oven to 350.  Mix all ingredients in an oven-safe pyrex dish and bake for 50-55 minutes.