Reflections on Week 2 and Garlic Scape Time!

So finishing Week 2 and beginning to think about Week 3, I have had some time to see how a weekly CSA fits into our weekly dining plans.  Just a reminder of what was in last week's share:

Lettuce

Baby Carrots 
Broccoli

Sugar Snap Peas

Spinach

Burdock Root

Cilantro

Oregano

As you can see the early season brings lots of herbs and greens, which means lots of salad.  This is the first time we actually had to throw away some items, which I HATE to do.  The first item I had to toss was the burdock root.  Apparently the burdock root needed to be refrigerated, the root doesn't do to well being left out on the counter. The other thing we ended up tossing was part of the spinach, as we had just too much.  I need to get better about taking things into work and sharing with my co-workers.

I used a few sprigs of oregano fresh when making chickpea pasta the other night.  

The remaining was dried in the oven and will be used as a dried spice, which was already used to season frozen pizza.  Drying herbs in the oven is a very easy process, while the herbs may not be as favorable as if they were dried naturally for a few weeks, I think the extra flavor doesn't justify the extra work.  To dry fresh herbs in the oven set your oven on the lowest setting and place them in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour.  After the baking time, turn off the oven and leave the dried herbs in the oven overnight.  When finished place the dried herbs in a airtight jar. 

So what about Week 3; what surprises will be in the share this week?

Lettuce (2 Heads; 1 Small and 1 Large)

Radishes
Snow Peas

Dill

White Knob Onions

Garlic Scapes

Beets (Although I exchanged the beets for another bunch of garlic scapes)

So what in the world is a garlic scape?  Garlic scapes are the shoots that are removed right before a bulb of garlic divides into cloves.  Garlic scapes have a mild garlic flavor and can be used in anything that calls for garlic.  The scapes can also be used to make a pesto without basil or other herbs.  Garlic scapes are a fleeting favorite for garlic lovers!