Need to use up that CSA?

I have purchased shares in a CSA through work.  What's a CSA you say?

Community Supported Agriculture!

We get a box of organic veggies every week from now until October.  It is like a treasure chest of goodies!

This week we got radishes, carrots, arugula, green onions, red lettuce, butter lettuce, cilantro, parsley, rainbow swiss chard, kale and beets.

The big question becomes what shall I prepare?

The greens were easy; the lettuces got washed, dried, and made into salads for Ben and me today for lunch.  I added the radishes and some carrots along with some other vegetables I had from the fridge.

The kale is such an easy choice; I am making my favorite Tuscan Kale salad from True Foods in Arizona.  Nothing better than this!

The cilantro will go into avocado salsa.  I just chopped up a couple of avocados, cut up a couple of tomatoes, add fine dice of red onion, a jalapeno, juice from one lime, and chopped cilantro.  Delicious on a salad with some black beans tossed in too, or of course with chips.  Tasty with a margarita, too!

The beets. I didn't even have to think about it!  I immediately knew what I wanted to make.  No recipe to follow, but it came out great!

Pizza, of course! Specifically, Beet and goat cheese pizza with arugula salad.

When I came home last night, I scrubbed the beets, coated with a little olive oil, and wrapped in foil.  I cooked at 375 degrees for about an hour.  Let them cool, and then the skins peel right off.  I am a wimp by the way; I wear gloves when I handle them! They were ready to use tonight.

The pizza crust is one I have shared before; it is absolutely delicious.  Make it with white flour, wheat flour, wheat pastry flour; use whatever flour you want!  Just make it!

After work today, I headed to my favorite cheese shop, Surdyks; this happens to be attached to my favorite wine shop!  I sampled a couple of cheeses until I find the right goat cheese.  I wanted a semisoft and chose one from Spain.

Make the above dough, and drizzle with a little olive oil.  Slice the beets and place on the dough.  Cut, rather break up the goat cheese and scatter on the pizza.  I added some sliced green onion too.

I baked at 450 degrees for about 12 minutes.

In the meantime, I tossed the arugula in a tablespoon or so of olive oil and a pinch of salt.

When the pizza came out of the oven we sliced it, then topped it with the salad.

Here is the outcome!

Not thrilled with the lighting in my kitchen!

We dined on the "veranda" tonight.

It was so good!  In one recipe, I used the beets, the green onions and the arugula.  I also had another half slice without the arugula, and I have to tell you, it really is what made this pizza so good! The peppery bite of the arugula with the creaminess of the goat cheese, and the sweetness of the beets...looking forward to leftovers!

While we dined on the veranda, we talked about weekend plans.  I am headed out to go strawberry picking tomorrow, and sense a shortcake and some strawberry ice cream in my future!

Here are a couple pictures of Ben's flower pots; he has the green thumb in the family.  It really is nice to sit outside, enjoy our dinner, look at the flowers...oh, and watch cars not stop at the stop sign on the corner.  Just give me a badge.  I would make this town a mint.

I am now on twitter; not that I know what I am doing, but you can follow me!  Just look for kelbeaudoin and this picture!

Thanks for checking in!

Kel