Last weekend I popped into Cronig’s for a head of cauliflower. As I whizzed down the produce aisle, I passed the Brussels sprouts and noticed they were giving me the cold shoulder. Turns out they were miffed, out of sorts, feeling neglected — basically not happy about all the attention butternut squash has been getting lately. And cauliflower? Really? Couldn’t you just give us some love?

I averted my eyes and tried to keep walking. Yet I had to admit, they had a point. Not wanting to hurt their feelings, I stopped to scoop up a pound or so on my way out. (You’ll have to let it slide than I am actually talking to vegetables now. It IS February. On Martha’s Vineyard. In the middle of a pandemic.)

At home, I threw together a quick Brussels sprouts stir-fry with shiitakes and garlic chips. Then I spied a couple cups of cooked farro in the fridge and, not willing to leave well enough alone, went merrily down the path of a warm salad. I combined the stir-fry, the warmed farro, some baby spinach, and a homemade peanut vinaigrette for pizzazz. I had some Mermaid Farm pea shoots on hand (my winter favorite) for garnish, and the whole go-green thing made me a little hopeful about spring.

That was before the temperature went down to 16 degrees. Oh well. You should try this Warm Salad of Farro, Brussels Sprouts and Spinach with Cilantro and Peanut Vinaigrette anyway.

Now these Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Smoky Tomato Rub are a whole different story, an idea I got from Ottolenghi — sort of. Except that I didn’t have half of the ingredients he called for and I didn’t feel like blanching my cauliflower! But I’m pretty darn happy with the streamlined results. And that is all I have to say about vegetables this week for fear of offending chickens and cows.

The weather calls for braising I think. If you’ve time to go low and slow, Braised Lamb Shanks, Hunters' Style are the answer. Something quicker for the family? How about Sarah Waldman’s Braised Dijon Chicken with Root Vegetables?

Or you could get take-out. Jefferson Munroe is cooking fried chicken to go at the Larder (@thelardermv) three days this week (Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.) since it's school vacation week.

We’ve got a busy week at our house, which always means eggs for dinner at least one night. Either Baked Eggs Pizzaiola or Potato, Leek, Herb & Goat Cheese Frittata.

With the kids on vacation, you might want to make something special for breakfast like French Toast with Maple-Berry Syrup or Streusel-Topped Ginger Pear Coffee Cake. Or something sweet for snacking like Bakeshop Oatmeal Cookies, Apple brownies, or Make Ahead S’mores.

Treat yourself to Instagram. My favorite feed right now is @tonitiptonmartin, award-winning author of Jubilee and The Jemima Code, who is highlighting a different African-American cookbook each day of February for Black History Month. And please follow us @cookthevineyard if you haven’t yet. You wouldn't want to miss the highlights from our recent Vineyard Gazette staff (virtual) pandemic food contest, now would you?

Happy Cooking!