Topic: Home Cooking Kitchen Tips

It’s about that time of year when we’re starting to salivate at the thought of eating our way through the holidays. In celebration of this annual benchmark, we’ve compiled a list of side dishes, some traditional, some a bit unorthodox, for you to try out as you create your menu or your contribution to the potluck.

Fall is a time of great abundance and the traditional harvest season in New England. Fruits and veggies that sprouted under the summer sun reach their peak ripeness as the weather cools off.

Homemade always seems to taste better than the stuff you buy at the store. It's true with cookies, it's true with pickles, and it's definitely true with hummus.

Our new Hummus Meal Kit makes it easy for you to create a tasty, healthy snack that will impress all your party guests and might even encourage your kids to eat more vegetables!

The Hummus Meal Kit includes:

• Organic Garbanzo Beans (1 lb.)
• Garlic (1/4 lb.)
• Lemon (1)
• Recipe Card

The kit does NOT include olive oil, but you can always purchase Pons Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil as a separate add-on. If you purchase a new bottle, you're sure have plenty of quality Spanish olive oil left for stir-fries, pastas, and salad dressings!

Never made your own hummus before? Don't worry! The kit includes a recipe card that walks you through each step of the process so you'll be making hummus like a pro in no time.

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Boston Organics + Farmers Markets = A Match Made in Food Heaven!

Farmers market season is on the horizon, and we know everyone is excited to see what local farms are bringing in from the fields. While you might feel like you need to drop your Boston Organics account to take advantage of the market, we think there can be a pretty neat symbiotic relationship between our deliveries and the goodies at the farmers market.

Our Dogma Box includes produce sourced as close to Boston as possible throughout the year. Similar to a CSA, this box is filled with the best organic produce from local and regional farms.

We had a fantastic employee appreciation breakfast yesterday! This company-wide breakfast featured dishes made by Boston Organics employees, including plenty of our organic fruits and veggies. We enjoyed freshly squeezed organic OJ, whole wheat pancakes with VT maple syrup, cheese grits, apple bread, hash browns, and veggie frittatas galore!

Last week we launched our 2013 Customer Survey so we can learn more about your Boston Organics experience and figure out ways to improve our service. We have already received a lot of insightful information and we look forward to reviewing everything! This week’s vegetable boxes will be getting a taste of spring with some Swiss chard, sweet potatoes, and bok choy! Check out this week's newsletter!

The Dogma Box includes produce sourced as close to Boston as possible. Similar to a CSA, this box is filled with the best organic produce from local and regional farms.

With New Year's approaching, many of us have goals and resolutions for the upcoming year. Learning to cook is a great way to knock out 2 of the most common resolutions – saving money and getting healthier. If learning better kitchen skills are on your to-do list, we’ve got an opportunity for you!

Enter our “Wanna Be a Top Chef?” promotion for a chance to win a free 12-month membership to Top Chef University! You’ll learn new techniques and perfect your existing skills through hundreds of video cooking lessons from Top Chef contestants, all from the comfort of your own kitchen. Students will become proficient in professional cooking techniques and food preparation methods, from basic knife skills to advanced French techniques.

Courses focus on a wide range of subjects including:

• Stocks, Soups, Sauces & Salads
• Cooking Techniques 1: Sauté, Broil, Grill
• Cooking Techniques 2: Roast, Braise, Fry, Confit
• Vegetables, Eggs & Dairy
• From the Ocean
• Global Cuisine
• Just Desserts

These online cooking classes are a great way to improve your everyday cooking and learn techniques that will help you create delicious meals with all of your fresh, organic produce.

So, what do you have to do?

We want to know 2 things:
1. What is your biggest challenge in the kitchen? (Is it time? Coming up with new ideas? Fear of knives?)
2. If you could study with a professional chef, what is that one thing you would want to learn or improve upon, and why?

All you have to do is share your home cooking challenges with us on our Facebook page, Twitter (@bostonorganics), or email us at marketing@bostonorganics.com

We are looking for a few paragraphs at most (roughly 150-200 words). One winner will be chosen.

Deadline to Enter:
Email or post your response by the end of the day on Sunday, January 6^th. We will pick a winner and contact them by Friday, January 11^th.

Note: You must be a Boston Organics customer to be eligible for this promotion.

Happy New Year!!