Giddy with Anticipation

Something very exciting is happening this week.  Tomorrow marks the beginning of May, which means a great deal of things.  It is my birthday month after all and boy have we got some good plans for celebrating this year.  But alas, this blog isn't about me so much as it is about food and my cooking.  So the thing about May is its the beginning of MARKET SEASON!!!!  That's right, Thursday is opening day at my local farmers market and Saturday is the first of the summer Saturday markets.  Although the Saturday market traditionally isn't all about food, my favorite regional florist grows more than just amazing bouquets.  I was so excited, that I spent last night going through a few of my favorite recipe books and pulling out new recipes to try with spring goodies.  I don't know  quite what to expect given its the first week, but I am hoping that since we've had an early spring in my region there will be a good enough supply to last the night (sadly I have to work late and can't get to the market until 90 minutes after opening-tragedy!). 

These mini loafs are so fun! One for me and one for a friend!

I've got exciting plans for things like asparagus, rhubarb, spinach and leeks.  I know there will be greens, but I've got plenty of those.  My rhubarb is only in year two so its still too small to harvest and somehow I can never get leeks to grow fatter than a green onion (though I'm not giving up-I've got a short row in the garden already).  Spinach is a plenty in my garden, but I haven't been able to harvest enough of it at one time to make the spinach pie my boyfriend keeps requesting. And as far as asparagus goes- well that's a whole other story that's worthy of sharing at another time.  Boy am I thankful for the market!  I can't wait to share the tasty things I try- my sister is excited to because she's my guinea pig for new recipes.

I think they call this meat + 3 in the South.

Enough of the excitement.  Since market season is coming, I'm desperately trying to use up last years stores to make room for in season items and next winters saving grace.  A few recent meals included short ribs with a spicy rub and Chipotle cherry BBQ sauce (my own recipe which I'll share in July when I'm canning it) which included garlic roasted green beans (frozen last summer), cheesy garlic bread from a homemade egg loaf (still getting TONS of eggs every week), and white rice.  Another quick but yummy meal included orange honey Dijon glazed chicken legs (free range of course) with buttery sweet corn (frozen last summer).  Lastly, I had some butternut squash left over from ravioli making (actually I just ran out of ham pieces and Gorgonzola) so I made winter squash (recipe actually called for pumpkin) and peanut butter bread which I'll post on the recipe page later this afternoon.