Guess what, I am going to do your grocery shopping AND cook you dinner. Sound good?
APRIL FOOLS!!
Seriously, though, I have been using two local business lately that help me with both my grocery shopping and cooking meals. You need to know about them!
La Cucina Pazza is a local Woodmoor business run by my friend and neighbor, Barb Enfantis. Barb cooks amazing meals (mostly Italian but many Greek dishes, as well) and freezes them. She puts out a menu every few weeks to let you know what she’s been cooking. All you need to do is swing by her deep freezer, drop off your check (or call ahead with your credit card), and pick up your meals.
On a busy morning, I take out a frozen lasagna ($12 that feeds our family of 4, easily) or a container of pulled pork ($8) and a side of mac and Cheese ($8) to defrost and know I do not need to think about dinner, again, until 5:30 pm. Here is an example of what Barb posted this week on her Facebook page, La Cucina Pazza: Baked Penne Lasagna Cannelloni w spinach and cheese
Eggplant Parm
Gemelli w sausage, peas, mushrooms
Pasta with Broccoli and Chicken
Greek Orzo
Italian Orzo
Mac N Cheese
Stuffed Chicken with Mortadella
Stuffed Chicken with Goat Cheese
Italian Stuffed Chicken
Chicken Cordon Blue
Chicken Parmesan
Chicken Piccata
Chicken Marsala
Greek Chicken
Bracioline Fritte (chicken cutlets)
Chicken Florentine
Meatballs
Pulled Pork
Pasta Fagioli
Meat Sauce
Shrimp and Grits
My other new favorite thing is Washington’s Green Grocer. Amazing produce, prepared meals, and (my favorite) “meal kits” delivered TO YOUR DOOR!
Here is how it works. You pick a size box you want delivered (for my family of four the “small” is just fine). They change the veggies and fruits, weekly, depending on what is fresh. You can opt for all organic, if you wish. You can add on extra fruit, milk, breads, meats, and dry goods. The “meal kit” we tried last week was the beef with chili’s over coconut rice.
You can have the service once a week, more than once a week, once a month, etc.
At 10 am on Tuesday a very nice man showed up at my door (I work from my home but if you don’t, you just leave a cooler out front of your house) with my box. I had everything I needed to chop, dice, stir fry and simmer into a great “new” meal for my family. Additionally, we have quite a few vegetables and fruits I would not have thought to purchase at the store had I been shopping. This gave us some great inspiration for some other meals during the week.
If this does not get you inspired to cook, well, order pizza. Again.
It’s Tuesday and that means my Green Grocer delivery is coming today!
