In The Next 30 Days

A 30-Day Challenge Closer to Brighter, Shinier, & Happier.

Archive for the ‘30 Days | Dinner Simplified’ Category

April 21st, 2012 by Anna Hartman

So So Easy Silver Turtle Chicken

My father is a master chef over the campfire. I mean he can make gourmet dinners with nothing more than a skillet and some logs. I love that. And when I was a kid and on our family camping trips, silver turtles were a family favorite. I was looking at our pile of veggies the other night when it hit me. Silver turtles would be perfect combination of easy and healthy and fun.
Here’s what I did: I put a little bit of salad dressing (I used Italian, but I think honey mustard would taste good too) on some aluminum foil. Then I put a chicken breast on top and another little bit of dressing on top of the chicken. Next I just piled the chicken up with our veggies: carrots, peas (in the pods), and onion. I baked these in the over at 350 for 30 minutes, and then served them with a slice of tomato.
Of course the silver turtles of my childhood were more like steaming shepherd pies with hamburger and potatoes, but consider this the healthy, grown-up version. And next time, I’m going to use some of the CSA greens in there too.
Or if you don’t like the adult approach, you could always Julia-tize dinner and polka-dot your tomatoes with your peas.
April 18th, 2012 by Anna Hartman

Local Okra

This okra was grown on Johns Island (right next door to me). I found it at a local market yesterday and it was a part of tonight’s dinner.

Isn’t it beautiful?

April 3rd, 2012 by Anna Hartman

(Mostly) Local Shrimp and Grits

Before last night, I would’ve told you that it doesn’t get any more Charleston than shrimp and grits. But now, I might tell you that it doesn’t get any more Charleston than shrimp and grits made from local ingredients.

I adapted this Shrimp and Gravy recipe to fit some ingredients that I had or had just purchased from Stono Market on John’s Island. Of my ingredients, the primary flavor grabbers-the grits (Geechie Boy Mill from Edisto Island), shrimp, and onion and carrots (grown by Farmer Pete on Ambrose Family Farm)-were all local. But I also used tomato (a Florida native, but purchased from Stono Market), green pepper, butter, chicken stock, flour, and salt and pepper.

This dinner was so delicious. Julia happily declared it, “The best dinner I ever eat,” huge compliments coming from the mouth of my picky two year old. We all loved it and cleaned our plates. Everything tasted fresh. And maybe it is knowing that it’s a local meal, but it was easily the best shrimp and grits I’ve ever made. This was an amazing kick off to Eat Local Month, and a meal that deserves repeating.
pixel (Mostly) Local Shrimp and Grits