Yesterday clouds and scattered showers brought some welcome relief from the record high temperatures. We are thankful for the drop, but let's face the truth - it's still hot! Even laying hens are protesting, unfortunately leaving us with an egg shortage.
I am not writing to bring doom and gloom - I'd like to bring you some:
"Beat the Heat" Solutions
If you are like me, I dread firing up my oven and heating up my house. The best solution: cold, stove top or crock pot meals.
We often pull out the crock pot in the fall and winter for heart warming meals, but it is a great alternative to heating up your house in the summer! Some crock pot ideas include:
- Slow roast a pasture raised chicken. Place a whole chicken or chicken leg quarters (thawed) in your crock pot, sprinkle with kosher or sea salt, fresh cracked pepper, sprigs of fresh rosemary or basil, fresh minced garlic, sliced onion and lemon slices. (chicken, garlic and onions available at Local Yocal) Cook on low for several hours until meat thermometer inserted in breast or thigh reads 170 degrees.
- Beef pot roast. Place roast in crock pot, sprinkle with kosher or sea salt, an Herbs de Provence blend, fresh cracked pepper, then ad fresh minced garlic and thick sliced onions. Fill crock pot with water half to three quarters of the depth of the meat. Cook on low heat for 4 to 5 hours until cooked to 140 (medium) - 160 (well) degrees . Enjoy warm or refrigerate overnight and thin slice the following day for roast beef sandwiches. (Get premium grass fed or all natural Wagyu Beef roasts at Local Yocal)
- Enjoy a cold or grilled sandwich! Local Yocal currently has juicy smoked pasture raised and all natural deli ham available! Enjoy this ham on a cold sandwich with one of our raw milk cheeses from Veldhuizen or Texas Daily Harvest. Luscombe Farm Pepper Jelly is a perfect way to take your everyday ham sandwich to a new level. Or enjoy a hot ham and cheese with grilled onions on Village Baking Co Sourdough!
- Other sandwich ideas: 1* Use your left over crock pot roasted chicken to make chicken salad, perfect on Village Cranberry Walnut bread. 2* Lightly saute summer squash and onions and layer on Village Sourdough with Three Happy Cows Yogurt Cheese. Grill to light golden brown. 3* Pair Luscombe Farm Pepper Jelly with your favorite peanut butter - don't knock it until you try it, you'll thank me when you do!
Village Baking Company
This local Dallas jewel has a prominent presence at farmer's markets all over the metroplex. Local Yocal is proud to carry their artisan line of breads, made locally with organic flour! We consistently carry wheat hamburger buns, hot dog buns and country sourdough. Each week we order several other items we think will appeal to our customers. If you have a favorite Village product, please let us know and we will include it on our order and hold it just for you!
Weekend Grilling Special
Luckily we may have better grilling weather on the horizon this weekend (sub-100 degrees finally). This Friday and Saturday enjoy Sirloin Kabobs for $8.99/lb. Kabobs will be made with the best cuts of either All Natural Wagyu or Grass Fed Beef Sirloin Steak and local, organic peppers and onions from Wolf Creek Farm in Tioga, Texas.
We look forward to seeing you soon! Be blessed and join us in praying for rain - our farmers and ranchers are in great need!
Local Yocal Farm to Market - 213 N. Tennessee Street - McKinney, TX 75069
469.952.3838 - www.localyocalfarmtomarket.com
Open:
Tuesday - Friday: 10:00 am - 7:00 pm
Satrday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm