Earlier this year, I got a half farm share from Create Common Good, a completely mind-blowing, forward-thinking, and soul-stirring organization in Boise that employs and trains refugees in creative, sustainable ways that center on food. I savvily purchased during a limited-time employee-wedding 10% off sale, so my total cost for 10 weeks of fresh-picked local organic produce (grown with deep purpose) was $247.50 (or $24.75 a week). Cheep!

Brunch by Dan, also mind-blowing and soul-stirring, and made using only ingredients from this past week’s Create Common Good basket, save the bacon and bread.

POTATOES with Mustard Green Stems, Chives & Flat Leaf Parsley

Cook bacon first, set aside, then cook potatoes and company in rendered bacon fat.

FRESH CORN MEDLEY

fresh corn (cut off cob)
cherry tomatoes (cut in half)
green pepper
basil, regular and purple
flat leaf parsley
tanned onion

Bring sauce pot of water to boil. Blanch corn, green pepper and cherry tomatoes, drain, mix with herbs, onion, salt, pepper, lime juice, and cinnamon.

OPEN-FACED SANDWICH with Bacon, Mustard Greens, and Raspberries

Deglaze cast iron with butter and olive oil. Stir in mustard greens and turn down heat. Season with mongolian fire oil, seasoned rice vinegar, and red wine vinegar.

Serve atop bacon on toasted marble rye, garnished by raspberries.

Total time: 45 minutes (includes cleaning up the countertop mess)

Dude, this chef rocks.

Dan wears a shirt from Boise Urban Garden School, another amazing organization focused on fresh food, and teaching kids how to grow it then eat it. BUGS sometimes opens a farm stand near their community garden space just a few blocks from us, and I love buying veggies (and an occasional Dan-shirt) from the kids.

Dan is drinking from a recycled wine bottle glass by Sustainable Futures. We got an entire set (32 glasses that retail at $5 a piece. Cheep!) for volunteering at the wedding of friends a few years ago. Dan now volunteers at Sustainable Futures, also just a few blocks from our house, by bringing in fancy glass bottles from the venues he plays at, then decapitating them for the future generation of beverages.

Bon appetit, Cheep.