My Farmer's Market Adventure

So, the real reason I haven't been posting much this week is because I have discovered the joys of bread. Yes, bread. My diet has mainly consisted of cheddar sourdough and fresh banana bread and spicy raspberry-chipotle preserves that I bought at the farmer's market last week, with some fresh mozzarella thrown in for good measure. I tell ya, it's the ultimate snack food. Perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and light enough for a midnight snack. So. Good.

What makes it great, though, is the jam. It's made by a company called Piper's Peck and it's sold at local PA farmers markets and online at http://www.piperspeck.com/hot_pepper_jellies.html. My favorites are the raspberry-chipotle preserves and the Cayenne Pepper Jelly. There's just spicy enough to cut the sweetness, but not enough to send you running for the hills. She also makes spicy chocolate fudge and a line of salsas that I've been meaning to try.

Another great local find is Fasta Ravioli & Co., affectionately called "Fasta Pasta" in our house. Last Friday was free pasta day and Brian and I each snagged a free pound of fettucini - mine was egg and his was wheat. It's all fresh pasta that's made on-site at their downtown State College location. Fasta Pasta has actually become a tradition for Brian and I - we've had their ravioli and vodka sauce on almost every special occasion for over a year, including our birthdays, Christmas (he's not Jewish), my college graduation, our anniversary, Valentine's Day, and a few times just because it was Tuesday. We always love seeing what they're going to come up with next!

We decided to turn Brian's whole wheat pasta into Chicken Picatta a la this recipe from Rachel Ray: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/chicken-piccata-pasta-toss-recipe2/index.html Now, most people who know me know of my incredible dislike for Rachel Ray, so it's a pure coincidence that this recipe is from her. To be honest, the only reason we used it was because somehow, without planning for it, we managed to have everything we needed on the ingredient list (except shallots, but we didn't miss them).

Grilled chicken with a crispy crust

Brian coating the chicken in sauce

The finished product

I never would have found any of this if I hadn't gone to the famer's market. Which is my way of telling all of you that farmer's markets are the best part of cooking in the summer and you should definitely make sure that you don't miss out!