Oh and I just wanted to let anyone in the Boston/North End area know about this adorable Valentine’s Day idea from Mercado del Mare, it was too cute to not share! The idea is they provide all the fixings for home clambake so you and a loved one do not have to brave the weather and V-Day crowds by having a lovely evening at home.  So sweet! Check out their website for more details.

Now I’m in Boston and not getting as many scalloping opportunities as I’d like but I’m lucky enough to live right near Mercado del Mare, a local fish store that gets bays in stock. When I found out they were in last week I rushed down and bought a pound, half to eat and half to freeze (they do freeze extremely well). I went home and made this recipe which I found on Mercado’s website:

Scallops in a Snap

My favorite scallop recipes are like this one- only a few fresh, quality ingredients since their so sweet and flavorful on their own you don’t need anything overshadowing them. Just sauteed in butter, they are perfect. Some people even choose to eat them raw! I’m also a fan of wrapping one in bacon, sticking a toothpick in it and popping it in the toaster for a few minutes. Ahhh…heaven on a plate.

photo courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens

photo by Wendell Webber courtsey of Woman's Day

Some of these things look so delicious (or gross but that is the point) and it’s killing me that I do not have a kitchen in which to make them. Fortunately, one recipe featured is a “no bake” and I’m definitely going to try it out this week:

photo by Ralph Anderson courtesy of myrecipes and Southern Living

1. Take out. Get to know your local takeout places very well! Yelp, Menu Pages and Dining In are here to help. Some places even have weekly specials, like our local Hot Tomatoes who does a different pasta dish every day or Artu with their assorted vegetable platter that changes daily. This helps maintain at least some variety.

2. We are lucky enough to live in New England and have access to Stop & Shop’s Peapod.  I recently stocked up on all kinds of good and somewhat healthy frozen dinners and snacks. We still have access to some of our appliances including our friedge, microwave and convection oven, thank goodness!

3. Sign up for local delis, butchers, etc. email lists. I am on several email lists of local shops who send me specials they are running including pre-cooked dinner options. Our local fish market, Mercado del Mare, sends one out three times a week which is how I found out about their new tuna burgers. Popped it in the convection oven, set to broil, done in less than 10 min. Nice!

(photo courtesy of the Mercado del Mare website)

It’s definitely been a challenge even though we’re lucky enough to live in a neighborhood with lots of dinner options. I can’t said we’ve eaten healthy every night (we did do Chinese this week) but we’re trying. And hopefully we will be cooking once again by… Christmas? New Years? Memorial Day?…

However, I am definitely a fan of Korean bbq.  I love making my own little lettuce wraps with beef, rice, garlic, mushrooms and soybean paste.  Very tasty.  (Though to be completely honest, I was very excited to get home to my fresh, un-pickled farm veggies).

Here is a sampling of some of my favorite meals/snacks.

Noodle soup in a medieval bowl

Korean Bbq (think there are enough side dishes?)

Street food. Yum?

Green Tea Frozen Yogurt. SO GOOD.

Bar food, including octopus jerky.

Bibimbap (rice and a raw egg mixed in with a bunch of other stuff)

Fantastic pancakes- potato and leek respectively

Yes, those are corn flakes and coco puffs on frozen yogurt. And it was wonderful.

Iced persimmons and pomegranate tea- best afternoon snack.

He had about 5 large tomato plants plus chives, basil, parsley, etc.

Seth, Court and Franny on the roof

For food we kept it simple- fresh veggies cut up, tossed in olive oil/salt/pepper and skewered with marinated garlicky beef, lemon chicken and shrimp. Salad fixings from the farmers market at City Hall Plaza, corn on the cob and some wine/Dark ‘n Stormies. For such an easy, simple meal it was really quite heavenly.

Jamaica Plain’s newest Farmer’s Market is more than a place to buy local foods and produce.

This Sunday, July 12, from 10am to 2pm, and through Sunday, October 18, we’ll have local experts on hand to show you how to enjoy the summer’s bounty.

Community Servings will host the following farmers, food vendors and craftspeople:

• Silverbrook Farm, Dartmouth, MA:  Family owned since 1953, Silverbrook Farm will sell organic fruits, vegetables and flowering plants.
• Big Sky Breads, Newton, MA:  The bakery of choice for the area’s premier caterers and cafe owners, Big Sky primarily uses local organic ingredients for the breads and other goodies that will be available.
• The Greenest Bean, Bedford, MA: Proprietor Tricia Cowell, who operates her business out of her garage, will sell her small batches of organic, free trade coffee beans — which fans herald as ”fab fuel.”

• Helen Najarian, Cambridge, MA:  Helen Najarian will sell her handcrafted, fun and affordable jewelry and pottery.
• Eat Local Honey, Jamaica Plain, MA:  Mike Graney will sell honey made by honey bees he keeps in sites around Boston.

For more information about the Farmer’s Market, please contact Edith Murnane, Community Servings’ Social Enterprise Manager, at (617) 522-7777 x207 or emurnane@servings.org.

For more info on Laurie and her work, check out her Etsy shop and blog. Her blog features her artwork as well as day-to-day life on her farm in the Berkshires!