August 31st, 2011

Hi! My name is Bonnie Stoilkovich and I have been in the Food & Beverage industry for over 15 years. I LOVE to cook and I love to teach others how to be a success in the kitchen. In my life, there is nothing more satisfying than creating a healthy home cooked meal (from the heart) and watching my family enjoy it.

When I became Executive Chef of VODA in Santa Monica in 1999, my real love of food began. I was lucky to be among a handful of female chefs who were able to work in the industry we loved. It did help that my husband owned the restaurant, but his attention to detail kept my creative juices flowing, always trying to please the toughest critic! I am now a stay at home mom with a beautiful six year old daughter and a husband who is my guinea pig in the kitchen! I love every minute of it! I have also created a line of herb rubs, available in the Out of the Box Collective online store, or through my website: http://www.zumaorganic.com/ Cooking provides me an amazing creative outlet, where I am free to explore to my heart’s content. For many people, cooking is stressful and time consuming, especially with kids running around! I want to encourage you to learn simple, carefree meals, that are not only healthy and delicious, but easy and non-threatening! I look forward to sharing my love of food in this mealplan!

Enjoy this week’s Box!! Eat the Love!

BONNIE’S BACK ON SCHEDULE BOX | AUGUST 31ST, 2011

Roots Vegetables Fruit • Red Potatoes (Mike Dixon) • Elephant Garlic with flowers

(Shepherd) • Torpedo Onions (Shepherd)* • Carrots (Shepherd) • Leeks (Rancho Cortez)

• Brandywine & Purple Cherokee Heirloom Tomatoes (Lane Farms)

• Cucumbers (Rancho Cortez) • White Corn (Lane Farms) • Eggplant (Peacock) • Money Beans (2 Peas in a Pod)

• Strawberries (Shepherd) • Flavor Grenade Pluots (Burkdoll) • Fuji Apples (Rancho Sta. Cecilia) • White Peaches (Regier) • Figs (Earthtrine)*

Leafy Greens Extra Fruit ** Meat & Eggs • Salad Mix (McGrath) • Green Kale* (Earthtrine)

• Extra Strawberries • Yellow Raspberries (Cortez) • Blueberries (Cortez) • Oranges (Earthtrine) • Lemon (Earthtrine)

• Whole* or ½ Chicken (Dey Deys) • Ham Hocks or Bacon* (Rocky Canyon) • Ground Beef (Rancho San Julian) • 1 dozen Dare to Dream Eggs

Herbs Dairy Regional Specialty • Lemon Basil (Earthtrine) • Syrian Marjoram (Earthtrine)* • Rosemary (Earthtrine)

• Butter* (Organic Valley) • 1 Year Old Cheddar Cheese (Fiscalini)

• Avocado Honey (S. Marcos)

Juice Grain/ Pulse Nuts, Seeds or Dried Fruit • Orange Juice – Friends Ranch • Organic Oats (Bob’s Red Mill)

• Walnuts (Avila)

Fair Trade Catch of the Week ** New Customer/ Referral Gift

• Coffee (Green Star) • Baja Yellowtail (Kanaloa Seafood) • Bouquets (Garden Of…)

* Not included in the Couple’s Box ** This category is an ‘Add-on’ option. Please go to www.outoftheboxcollective.com if you are interested

NOTE: The avocado blossom honey is a rare treat! : ) Rich like molasses. I have waited almost a year for Anne, from S. Marcos, to agree to sell us a few cases, as they don’t have much and save it for the markets. Enjoy!!

THIS WEEK’S RECIPES!

• Roast Chicken 101 with Honey Carrots • Easy Meatloaf with Roasted Potatoes • Slow Cooker Beans with Ham Hocks or Bacon • Broiled Yellowtail with Cucumber Salad • Vegetable “Quiche” • Dairy-Free Pesto • Mocha Coffee • Berry/Peach/Apple Crumble

ROAST CHICKEN 101 WITH HONEY CARROTS • Whole or ½ Chicken • Salt • Pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wash your chicken, and pat very dry with paper towels. Salt and pepper chicken, adding other seasonings like Zuma Organic

Poultry Blend, or Syrian Marjoram if desired. Roast for 45 minutes. It does NOT need to be on a rack of any kind!

Thermometer, inserted in thickest part of thigh meat – not touching bone - should read 165-170 degrees or slightly higher. Check this when you take it out at 45 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to stand 15 minutes before serving.

I know, it sounds SO simple.. .and it is...

Be sure to save the chicken carcass for a soup!. Keep the bones in a freezer-safe zip lock until ready to use.

For the Honey Carrots:

• 6 large carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch rounds • 3 tbls ghee or butter • 2 tbls agave nectar or honey • 2 tbls lemon basil & 1 sprig Syrian Marjoram - chopped • salt & pepper to taste

While the chicken is cooking, melt butter or ghee in a skillet and add the carrots. Cook at a medium heat for about 8 minutes. Add the agave, parsley, salt & pepper. Toss to coat. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. A nice brown coating should form on the carrots. Turn off heat and set aside until ready to serve. Below there is a recipe for Roast Potatoes, or you could also serve with simple rice or even a salad!

EASY MEATLOAF WITH ROASTED POTATOES • 1 lb. ground beef • 2 tomatoes – diced small • 2 eggs • ½ cup oats • handful of chopped Marjoram & Basil • 1 onion or leek – chopped fine (optional) • 2 tbls worstershire sauce (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Mix the above ingredients in a large bowl. Place on top of a foil-lined cookie sheet sprayed with coconut oil or canola oil. Shape into a two inch high loaf and coat the top with ketchup or smashed tomatoes, to create a savory topping that’s gooey and delicious when done baking. Cook uncovered, for about 30-40 minutes. The internal temperature should read 160 degrees when you remove it from the oven. Let the loaf sit for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

For the Potatoes:

Quarter 1 – 2 lb. potatoes (peel on)

Place the potatoes in a large bowl and add the following...

o 2 tbls olive oil

o salt & pepper to taste

o Bonnie's Tasty Herb Rub (optional)

o OR 1 sprig rosemary, chopped Syrian Marjoram, thyme or dry basil

o 3 cloves whole garlic

Toss this together and pour it all out onto a baking sheet. Bake for 20-30

minutes at 450 degrees, until potatoes are crispy and tender. Toss the potatoes at about 10 minutes to ensure even cooking

Serve Meatloaf with Roast Potatoes and a tossed salad.

SLOW-COOKER BEANS WITH HAM HOCKS AND BACON

Put the following ingredients into a slow cooker (crock pot) on HIGH for 6-8 hours. This is best done in the morning (or night before and stored in the refrigerator!). A super easy meal that’s ready when you arrive home from a long day! If you do not have a slow cooker, you can use a dutch oven (or large soup pot) and cook it covered on the stove for about 3 hours. The only difference is you need to be around to stir a bit here and there…but still quite delicious and easy.

• ½ lb. dried money beans (or any dry bean) – no need for soaking! • ¼ cup vegetable oil • 2-3 strips bacon or a pack of ham hocks • 1 medium onion – rough chopped • 2 garlic cloves, minced • 1 chopped tomato • ½ cup packed light brown sugar – or ¼ cup honey • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard or regular mustard (optional) • 4 ½ cups water •

Add 1 teaspoon of coarse salt AFTER the beans are finished – but always taste it first!

I like to eat this with corn tortillas and a green salad. But on it’s own with a good whole grain bread is fantastic too.

BROILED YELLOWTAIL WITH CUCUMBER SALAD

Ingredients:

• Fillet of yellowtail (salmon, seabass & sole are also great substitutions) • 1 leek, chopped small • 1 tomato, diced • 1 tbls olive oil • salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place all of the above ingredients into a piece of 14 X14 foil (approx). Wrap fish up like a present, rolling the top for east access.

Bake on a baking sheet for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven (check for doneness) and let stand five minutes. Cook at five minute intervals if you need to pop it back in the oven.

Open carefully. For the Cucumber Salad:

• 1 cucumber - peeled & sliced thin • 1 tomato, seeds removed - chopped • 2 tbls olive oil • 1 tbls vinegar (umi plum or apple cider) • salt & pepper to taste

Mix together and let sit for one hour (if you can stand it!). Serve chilled.

DAIRY FREE PESTO

Ingredients:

• 2 large handfuls of fresh lemon basil • 2 cups raw walnuts (roasted walnuts will not be as creamy, but will still be delicious) • 2 garlic cloves • 1 cup olive oil • 1/3 cup water • salt & pepper

In a Vitamix or food processor, add the above ingredients and blend until the desired consistency. Pour over pasta, and serve with salad. Can also be used as a spread or dip.

MOCHA COFFEE Ingredients

• 1 cup hot brewed coffee • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder or chocolate syrup (optional) • 1/2 tablespoon honey • 2 tablespoons milk Pour coffee into mug and add the cocoa powder or syrup and the rest of the ingredients. Mix to combine. A sprinkle of cinnamon on top is also one of my favorites!

VEGGIE BREAKFAST “QUICHE” Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Makes 1 large Quiche in a 9 X 12 baking dish which has been coated with butter or coconut oil 1 bunch kale – chopped small 1 leek – chopped small 2 ears corn – shucked 1 eggplant – peeled and chopped 2 tbls ghee, butter or coconut oil 1 garlic clove - minced Place the above ingredients in a large sauté pan and cook for about 7 minutes. Take off of the heat and set aside to cool. In a bowl, combine… 8 whole eggs or 10 egg whites 3/4 cups heavy cream or half & half salt & pepper 2 cups (or more!) grated cheddar cheese Take the sautéed veggies and put them in the baking sheet. Add the egg mixture, then top with cheese. Bake on a cookie sheet (for drips) for about 40-50 minutes. Once center is firm, it’s done! Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. This is not only great for breakfast (all week!), but makes an excellent vegetarian dinner. Serve with some greens and a dollop of the walnut pesto!

BERRY, PEACH, APPLE CRUMBLE

Ingredients:

• 1 basket of strawberries – tops removed and cut into thirds • 2 peaches, chopped into small pieces • 2 apples, peeled and chopped (core removed) • 2 cups flour (reserve half for the topping) • 3 tbs honey • 8 tbls butter - COLD • 1/4 cup brown sugar or honey • 1 cup walnuts • juice from ½ a lemon (optional) • 1 tsp cinnamon • 1 cup oats

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and place your rack in the center of the oven.

Place berries, apple & peaches in a bowl and mix in 1 cup of the flour and honey. Pour in

to a baking dish.

Place the rest of the ingredients, plus the 1 cup of flour into your food processor* - don't be

scared!! Pulse the crumble about 15 times...just until mixed...it will look like a large blob of

rough dough! Remove it and press it onto the fruit - not hard, but making sure it covers

most of the top.

Place it in the oven and cook uncovered for about 40 minutes. It's done when the top

gets a bit browned.

Let cool for about 10 minutes, enjoy!

*If you do not have a food processor, place all crumble ingredients into a large zip lock

bag and squeeze it around until all blended (kids love doing this!). You will need to chop the

nuts before you do this. Once blended through, you can follow the same instructions.