Beat the Heat with These Peachy Pops!

I have been loving the fresh, local peaches coming in my share! I had yet to use the popsicle making gadget I received for my birthday, so though a juicy peach concoction might be just the thing to try out. Of course, a good, old-fashioned popsicle stick (or spoon) in a paper cup will do just fine, as well, although there are a lot of these quick-freeze pop makers in stores right now that are kind of nifty.
Here's a quick peachy pop recipe...I bet it would be delish with mango, as well!

Flesh of two medium peaches, peeled and roughly chopped
Two tablespoons water
One tablespoon agave nectar
Two teaspoons lemon juice (Lime would be delish, as well!)

Combine ingredients in a blender until completely smooth...pour into popsicle molds, freeze, and enjoy! My recipe made three largish popsicles, but of course it depends on what you are using as a mold.

Marinated Tomatoes

From: Pioneer Woman

This is a good recipe for all the summer tomatoes that are starting to come in, from the garden and the farm share. You can use any kind of tomatoes - large, small, red, yellow, etc. A few ideas on how to use them: as a side dish for a grilled dinner, on top of sliced mozzarella with cracked black pepper and sliced basil, piled onto slices of toasted baguette for bruschetta (or, top toasted baguette with the tomatoes, add sliced mozarella, pop into the toaster or under the broiler to melt the cheese), add to a green salad, or spoon over some quinoa or cous cous for a summer side dish.

Ingredients

1 cup Canola Oil (I used less, and substituted olive oil)
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
4 Tablespoons Sugar
1 teaspoon Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
3 whole Green Onions, Sliced
1/4 cup Chopped Parsley
18 whole Basil Leaves (chiffonade)
1/4 teaspoon Ground Thyme
2 cloves Garlic, Minced Finely
2 pounds Tomatoes, Cut Into Quarters (if Big) Or Halves (if Small)
1 whole Baguette, Sliced, optional
1 clove Garlic, Peeled, optional

Combine all ingredients except tomatoes in a large glass bowl. Whisk to combine, then add tomatoes. (You can increase the quantity of tomatoes if need be.) Use regular red tomatoes, or a mixture of red, yellow, heirloom, etc. Use different sizes of tomatoes, too--pretty!

Allow to marinate for at least 3 to 4 hours, several hours if possible. Tomatoes will give off liquid as they marinate.

Use leftover tomatoes to make bruschetta: slice baguette and brush slices with olive oil. Grill on a skillet or grill pan until golden. Rub slices with garlic cloves. Top with tomatoes, allowing juice to drip on the bread.

Roasted Summer Vegetables with Feta

Roasted Summer Vegetables with Feta

makes one serving (you can easily double, triple, etc. this recipe for additional servings)

2 T olive oil

1 T balsamic vinegar

1 T brown sugar

1/2 t dried rosemary

1/2 t kosher salt

1/4 t freshly ground black pepper

6 cherry tomatoes, halved

1 small zucchini, diced

1/2 red onion, cut into quarters and chopped

1/4 C feta cheese crumbles

1 C cooked quinoa or grain of your choice

1. In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

2. Add the chopped and diced veggies to the bottom of a glass baking dish.

3. Pour the vinaigrette over the veggies. Gently shake the dish to make sure all the veggies are evenly covered by the sauce. Flip any tomatoes so that they are cut-side up.

4. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and gently toss. Roast for an additional 10 minutes, then gently toss again. Let roast for an additional 10 minutes, then remove from the oven.

5. Serve the roasted vegetables over a bed of quinoa (or couscous, rice, etc.) and top with feta cheese crumbles.

Rustic Onion Tart

Adapted from: Simply Recipes

While it does take awhile to caramelize the onions, you don't need to stand over the stove stirring them. You can walk away and just give the onions an occasional stir while you go about doing other things. Once the onions are caramelized, this is a very quick dish to throw together. Just pie crust, cheese, onions, fold up and bake. It looks great when it comes out of the oven, too (see the photo on the original blog). Great vegetarian dish, too!

Ingredients

1 flat pie crust dough (pre-packaged or make your own)
3 medium sized red onions (use 4-5 if your onions are small)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
Salt
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 cup (not packed) roughly grated Gruyère Swiss cheese

Method

1 If you are making a crust from scratch, prepare the dough and let it chill in the refrigerator while you are cooking the onions.

2 Peel and slice the onions.

3 Heat olive oil and butter in a large, heavy-bottomed sauté pan or Dutch oven on medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the onions and sprinkle a little salt over them. Cook, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes, until the onions have softened and are translucent. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook for an additional 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are well browned. Add balsamic vinegar and cook for 10 minutes more, until onions are completely caramelized. Remove from heat.

4 Preheat the oven to 450°F. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let stand for 5 minutes before rolling it out. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a 10-inch diameter. Remove the crust dough to a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

5 Place all but a couple tablespoons of the cheese in the center of the dough. Spread to within 1 1/2 inches from the edges. Add the caramelized onions, layering them on top of the cheese. Fold the edges of the crust dough over so that a small circle of onion is still showing in the center of the tart. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top of the tart.

6 Place in the oven on the middle rack. Bake for 10 minutes at 450°F. Reduce the heat to 350°F and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 4

Raw Slaw

Another variation on slaw from Raw Food Nation. Enjoy!

Raw Slaw
Ingredients
5 to 6 cups shredded cabbage
½ cup of shredded carrots
½ cucumber, chopped
¼ cup or 1 handful sliced raw almonds
1 tablespoon raw agave nectar
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 to 3 tablespoon raw tahini (if you are not 100% raw, use a spicy hummus of choice)
seasonings: salt, pepper, ground cayenne pepper, and fresh chopped cilantro

Directions
1. Chop up cabbage into small long pieces and place into a bowl. Add shredded carrots, agave nectar, and olive. Stir to coat ingredients.
2. Add raw tahini or spicy hummus, and a pinch of salt, a dash of pepper, cilantro and cayenne to taste. Mix ingredients well.
3. Slice up your cucumbers and lay them out on your plate in a half circle. Pour mixed ingredients onto your plate, slightly overlapping the cucumbers. Top with sliced raw almonds.

Crispy Picnic Slaw

This recipe is courtesy of The Runaway Spoon blog. The author writes, "Because of the vinegar dressing, this slaw holds very well in a cooler or on a picnic table. The salt water soak keeps the vegetables crispy and mellows the bite of the onions and the dressing is sweet-tart with the tang of vinegar and mustard seeds."

Crispy Picnic Slaw
Serves 8

Ingredients
1 head green cabbage
2 bell peppers
1 medium onion
2 tablespoons salt
1½ cups apple cider vinegar
1½ cups organic evaporated cane sugar
½ tablespoon mustard seeds
½ tablespoon dill seed

Directions
1. Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage, cut it in half and remove the core. Cut the halves in two, then shred the cabbage. Remove the seeds and thick ribs from the peppers, cut into quarters, and slice thinly like the cabbage. Peel and quarter the onion and finely slice like the cabbage and peppers. Toss everything together in a very big bowl.
2. Dissolve the 2 tablespoons of salt in 8 cups of water. Pour the salted water over the vegetables in the bowl and stir to distribute everything. Soak the vegetables for 3 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Leave the bowl on the counter while doing this.
3. Meanwhile, stir the vinegar, evaporated cane sugar, and seeds together in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for two minutes, then set aside to cool.
4. Drain the vegetables, shaking out as much water as possible. Transfer the mix to a clean tea towel, roll it up and ring out as much water as possible from the cabbage. Rinse and dry the big bowl, then return the cabbage mix, separating it and fluffing it up with your hands. Pour over the vinegar dressing and toss to coat all the vegetables. It may look like a lot of dressing, but that’s fine. Cover the slaw with plastic wrap and refrigerate. The slaw can be eaten as soon as it is cold, but will stay crispy in the fridge for several days. Serve with a slotted spoon to drain off excess dressing.

Caramelized Carrots

The following recipe is adapted from The Organic Foodie blog.

Caramelized Carrots
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 bunch carrots, scrubbed but not peeled (if any are very fat- half 'em)
1½ teaspoon butter
2 teaspoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon fresh or 1/2 tsp dried tarragon (or more, to taste)
1 tablespoon honey
⅓ cup water
fresh pepper, to taste

Directions
Heat a fry pan on medium high add in your butter and olive oil. When hot, add carrots. Brown (not burn) on all sides. When all sides are browned, add salt, honey, and tarragon. Stir to coat carrots (the honey will caramelize quickly). Add water and cover for 3 to 5minutes, or less if you like your carrots crisper. Remove the lid, stir once more and season with pepper. Enjoy immediately.

Fresh Corn Salad

This is a really simple and delicious summer salad that can be adapted as needed to use up share items. What are some of your variations?

Fresh Corn Salad
Ingredients
3 ears sweet corn, shucked and kernels cut off, close to the cob
1 large red tomato, diced
1 half fresh red, yellow, or sweet onion
1 half bell pepper, seeds removed and diced
splash sweet balsamic
splash red wine vinegar
splash olive oil
salt and fresh ground pepper
chopped fresh herbs, such as basil or cilantro

Directions
Toss and enjoy! Best eaten fresh.

Stuffed Cabbage

This Ina Garten recipe is recommended to us by our CSA Manager, Evan. It's a delicious way to prepare green cabbage, and many of the ingredients can be purchased along with your CSA share through the LFFC Buying Club.

Stuffed Cabbage
Ingredients
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1½ cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
2 cans crushed tomatoes or 6 to 8 large slicing tomatoes, diced
¼ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup brown sugar, lightly packed
½ cup raisins
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large head green cabbage, including outer leaves

Filling Ingredients
2½ pounds ground beef
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup finely chopped yellow onions
½ cup plain dried breadcrumbs
½ cup uncooked white rice
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves (can substitute with dried)
½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions
1. For the sauce, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, add the onions, and cook over medium-low heat for 8 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the tomatoes, vinegar, brown sugar, raisins, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil.
3. Remove the entire core of the cabbage with a paring knife. Immerse the head of cabbage in the boiling water for a few minutes, peeling off each leaf with tongs as soon as it s flexible. Set the leaves aside. Depending on the size of each leaf, you will need at least 14 leaves.
4. For the filling, in a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, eggs, onion, breadcrumbs, rice, thyme, salt, and pepper. Add 1 cup of the sauce to the meat mixture and mix lightly with a fork.
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
6. To assemble, place 1 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a large Dutch oven. Remove the hard triangular rib from the base of each cabbage leaf with a small paring knife. Place ⅓ to ½ cup of filling in an oval shape near the rib edge of each leaf and roll up toward the outer edge, tucking the sides in as you roll. Place half the cabbage rolls, seam sides down, over the sauce. Add more sauce and more cabbage rolls alternately until you've placed all the cabbage rolls in the pot. Pour the remaining sauce over the cabbage rolls. Cover the dish tightly with the lid and bake for 1 hour or until the meat is cooked and the rice is tender. Serve hot.

Rhubarb-Almond Bars

This recipe is courtesy of Chow.com.

Rhubarb-Almond Bars
Ingredients
1½ pounds rhubarb stalks, cut into ½-inch pieces (about 6 cups)
2 cups organic evaporated cane sugar
2⅓ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
⅛ teaspoon fine salt
2 sticks (8 ounces) frozen unsalted butter
2 large egg yolks
⅔ cup whole unsalted almonds, toasted

Directions
1. Place the rhubarb and 1 cup sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stir to combine, and cook until the rhubarb releases some juices, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb is soft and just starting to fall apart, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove to a bowl and let cool.
2. Combine the flour, remaining cup sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Grate the butter on the large holes of a box grater, add it to the flour mixture, and rub between your fingertips until the ingredients just hold together when squeezed, about 3 minutes. Add the yolks and combine until the dough forms large, fist-size chunks when squeezed, about 1 minute (the dough will be crumbly). Shape the dough into a flat disk, cover in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
3. Heat the oven to 375 degrees and arrange a rack in the middle. Coarsely chop the almonds and set aside.
4. Evenly crumble the chilled dough over the bottom of a 13-by-9-inch baking dish, then firmly press it into the dish using your fingers or the bottom of a measuring cup. Sprinkle the chopped almonds over top and press them lightly into the dough. Using a slotted spoon, evenly spread the cooled rhubarb over the base. If you have any remaining syrup, pour up to ⅓ cup over the top. Bake until the dough is brown and the rhubarb mixture is bubbly around the edges, about 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting into 2-inch bars.

New Red Potato Salad

LFFC New Red Potatoes

This recipe is adapted from the Food Network's Paula Deen. A great way to use up three items that are abundant in the shares right now - new red potatoes, green bell peppers, and fresh onions.

New Red Potato Salad
Serves 6

Ingredients
4 cups new red potatoes, cut in small pieces
½ cup green bell pepper, finely diced
¼ cup red onion, finely diced
3 scallions, diced (optional)
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon mayonnaise or vegenaise
salt and fresh pepper

Directions
1. Boil potatoes in salted water until soft, approx 10 minutes. Drain and let cool.
2. While the potatoes are boiling, combine red onion, green pepper, mustard, olive oil, vinegar and mayonnaise and season with salt and pepper. Mix well and let the flavors marinade while the potatoes cook. Once the potatoes are done and cool, mix into the bowl and add scallions and additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve room temperature or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Lambs Quarter Greek Salad

Lambs quarter is a new item in some of the shares this week! This wild edible is also known as goosefoot for the shape of its leaves and its flavor is often compared to spinach or chard. Lambs quarter can be steamed, cooked, or eaten raw. Enjoy this simple salad recipe adapted from Phoenix Farms blog.

Lambs Quarter Greek Salad
Salad Ingredients
2 cups of lambs quarters greens
2 white cucumbers, diced, or 1 slicing cucumber, diced
2 tomatoes, diced
2 green onions, chopped or 2 heaping tablespoons red onion, minced
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1 clove garlic, minced
⅓ cup olives, chopped
2 teaspoon dried oregano (if possible fresh)

Dressing Ingredients
1½ tablespoons lemon juice
1½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ cup olive oil
¾ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon fresh herbs or 1 tablespoon dried (dill, parsley, oregano, etc.)
¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

Directions
Blend together dressing ingredients until smooth. Coat salad before serving.

To Die For Blueberry Muffins

This recipe comes from AllRecipes.com.

To Die For Blueberry Muffins
Ingredients
1½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup organic evaporated cane sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
⅓ cup vegetable oil
1 egg
⅓ cup milk
1 cup fresh blueberries
½ cup organic evaporated cane sugar
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup butter, cubed
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter muffin cups.
2. Combine 1½ cups flour, ¾ cup organic evaporated can sugar, salt, and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.
3. To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together ½ cup organic evaporated cane sugar, ⅓ cup flour, ¼ cup butter, and 1½ teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.

Zucchini Feta Chopped Salad

This recipe comes from the Family Fresh Cooking blog. The author recommends enjoying this salad as soon as you prepare it as it tends to get watery when stored in the refrigerator.

Zucchini Feta Chopped Salad
Ingredients
2 large zucchini cut into quarters
1 chopped bell pepper
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
handful chopped cherry tomatoes
handful of chopped Kalamata olives
splash garlic olive oil (or plain extra virgin olive oil)
pinch of ground black pepper
some fresh or dried dill

Directions
Julienne zucchini in food processor. Put in medium bowl and gently toss with the rest of the ingredients.

Green Bean Casserole

This recipe is an adaption of chef Joaquin Baca's (The Brooklyn Star), published in the November 3, 2009 edition of The New York Times. It can be adapted to make a smaller dish by halving the amounts.

Green Bean Casserole
Serves 8

Ingredients
1 pound button mushrooms, sliced
2 small red onions, chopped
1 cup butter
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (can substitute with dried, using a lesser amount)
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup vegetable stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds green beans, trimmed
¼ cup sliced toasted almonds
½ cup fine dry bread crumbs
½ cup vegetable oil
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
6 pearl onions, thinly sliced (can substitute using fresh or dried medium to large yellow or white onions)

Directions
1. In a food processor, combine half of the mushrooms and onions (red and pearl). Purée to form a paste, and set aside. In a large, wide saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and add remaining mushrooms. Stir, increase heat to high, and sauté until mushrooms release their liquid, then become golden and begin to crisp around edges.
2. Add garlic and thyme, and stir for about 30 seconds. Add mushroom-onion paste and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring constantly, 10 to 15 minutes. Add cream and stock, and season with salt and pepper to taste. At this point mushroom mixture may be cooled, covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and set aside a large bowl of ice water. Add beans to boiling water and cook until bright green and barely tender, about 1 minute. Drain and immediately plunge into ice water. Drain well.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine green beans, mushroom mixture, almonds and ¼ cup breadcrumbs. Transfer to a baking dish 9 by 12 inches by 2 inches high, patting down to compact and level mixture. Sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup breadcrumbs. Bake, uncovered, until beans are tender and top is lightly browned, about 35 minutes.
5. To garnish, place oil in a small skillet and heat until it simmers. Place flour in a mixing bowl and season lightly with salt and pepper. Add sliced pearl onions, toss to coat and fry until golden, 30 to 45 seconds. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle on casserole.

Dill, Beet, and Potato Salad

This recipe comes from D.C. CSA Shareholder Steph, who has her own blog - 321delish. Along with triathlon-training updates, she features some pretty tasty recipes using items from her weekly share. Check it out!

Dill, Beet, and Potato Salad
Ingredients
5-6 small red potatoes, chopped
1 large beet handful of baby carrots, sliced (or 2 small carrots, sliced)
½ small onion, finely chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1 can sweet peas
3 dill pickles (more or less, to your liking)
1/3 cup chopped fresh dill
juice of 1 lemon
olive oil
salt and pepper
shredded cabbage, optional

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Wrap the beet in a piece of foil and roast in the oven for about an hour. While the beet is roasting, boil the potatoes and carrots. Be sure not to over cook, or they’ll get mushy!
3. Let all vegetables cool completely. Peel the beet, and roughly chop it into bite-sized pieces. In a bowl, add the onion, green onions, peas, pickles, dill, and shredded cabbage (optional). Stir in the potatoes, beet and carrots. Dress with the juice of one lemon and a drizzle of olive oil. Salt and pepper to your taste.

Refreshing Cilantro and Cucumber Salad

This recipe is a creation of CSA shareholder Jenna from Philadelphia.

Refreshing Cilantro and Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

1 head of bibb lettuce, torn into small pieces

1 bunch of cilantro (1 cup or more) 1 cucumber
½ cup feta cheese

1 green onion, sliced thinly (you can leave out the darker tops of the onion)

juice of 1 lemon (or more, to taste)

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a bowl, top with lemon, oil, salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Cabbage and Apple Casserole

This recipe was submitted by CSA shareholder Jamie, from Wilmington, DE, from one of her favorite cookbooks - The Vegetarian Cookbook, edited Nicola Graimes and published in June of 2007.

Cabbage and Apple Casserole
Ingredients

1½ pounds red or green cabbage

3 onions, chopped

2 fennel bulbs, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons caraway seeds

3 large tart eating apples or 1 large cooking apple (Jamie prefers granny smith apples)

1¼ cups plain yogurt

1 tablespoon creamed horseradish

salt and pepper

crusty rye bread to serve

Directions

1. Preheat Oven to 300 degrees.

2. Shred cabbage, discard tough stalks. Mix with onions, fennel and caraway seeds in a large bowl Peel core and chop the apples and add to cabbage mix. Transfer to a casserole dish and set aside.

3. Mix the yogurt with the creamed horseradish. Stir the yogurt and horseradish mixture into the casserole, season with salt and pepper and tightly cover.

4. Bake for 1½ hours, stirring once or twice during cooking.

5. Serve with rye bread.

Cucumber Salad with Peanut and Lime

This cool summer salad is an adaptation by FamilyStyle Food blog, and was originally published in How to Cook Indian by Sanjeev Kapoor (April, 2011). Karen of FamilyStyle Food blog writes of this recipe, "I love the utter simplicity of this salad. With just a few spices, a hit of citrus, toasty peanuts and a sweet exotic touch of coconut, cucumbers are transformed into something complex and unordinary. Be warned, it’s a slightly addictive little salad."

Cucumber Salad with Peanut and Lime
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 slicing cucumber, cut into ½-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
1 Serrano pepper or 2 jalapenos, finely chopped
½ cup roasted unsalted peanuts, finely chopped or pulsed in a food processor
¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon organic evaporated cane sugar (can substitute with honey or agave)
2 tablespoons roasted peanut oil (or olive oil)
½ teaspoon brown mustard seeds
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

Directions
1. Put the cucumber, chile pepper, peanuts, 2 tablespoons of the coconut, lime juice and sugar in a large bowl.
2. Heat the oil in a small saute pan. Add the mustard seeds. When they start to sizzle and pop, stir in the cumin, salt and remaining 2 tablespoons coconut. Turn off the heat.
3. Pour the mustard seed mixture over the cucumbers and toss everything together. Taste to make sure it's salty-sweet enough for your taste.

Sweet-n-Spicy Barbecue Sauce

Though the long ingredient list may seem daunting, don't let it scare you off! It actually is quite easy to put together and beats the bottled stuff full of unpronounceable this and unpronounceable that. This sauce is an excellent accompaniment to pulled pork, barbecued chicken, or grilled tofu.

Sweet-n-Spicy Barbecue Sauce (adapted from this Food and Wine recipe)

makes about 3 cups

1 T organic canola oil

3 fresh garlic cloves, chopped

1 white onion, chopped

fine sea salt

1/4 C Bacardi Rum [optional]

1 1/2 T chili powder

1/2 T ground black pepper

1/4 t ground allspice

1/4 t ground cloves

1/2 C light brown sugar

1 C water

1 C organic ketchup

1/4 C organic molasses

1/4 C organic yellow mustard

1/4 C organic cider vinegar

1 T hot sauce [use less if you prefer less of a kick]

1. Heat a tablespoon of canola oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.

2. Add in the chopped onion and garlic along with a pinch of salt. Cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.

2. Pour in the rum, and simmer for two minutes. If not using alcohol, skip immediately to next step.

3. Add in the chili pepper, black pepper, allspice, and cloves. Cook for about 3 minutes, or until the spices become fragrant.

4. Stir in the brown sugar, water, ketchup, molasses, mustard, cider vinegar, and hot sauce. Reduce the heat to low/medium-low and simmer for about 30-45 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.

5. After the sauce has thickened, use an immersion blender to puree the sauce. (Alternately, use a blender, but allow the sauce to cool a bit first before pureeing, and puree in batches.)

6. Use immediately, or refrigerate for up to two weeks.

Blueberry Pie

This delicious blueberry pie recipe comes from A Hint of Honey blog.

Blueberry Pie
Ingredients
1 Pie Crust (the author suggestions a sweet all-butter double pie crust)
4 cups fresh blueberries (Don’t have enough blueberries? Try substituting black raspberries!)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ teaspoon lemon zest
¾ cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling on top (optional)
3 tablespoons cornstarch
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into tiny pieces
1 egg + 1 tablespoon water, whisked (for the egg wash)

Directions
1. Prepare the pie crust. Roll out half of the dough into a large round and place in the bottom of the pie pan. Set in the refrigerator while preparing the filling.
2. Toss the blueberries and the lemon juice in large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk to combine the lemon zest, sugar, cornstarch, salt, and cinnamon. Sprinkle over the blueberries and toss to coat. Transfer to the dough-lined pan. Dot with butter.
3. Roll out the second half of the dough into a large round and place on top of the filled pie. Trim the edges, leaving about 1 inch of overhang. Crimp the edges to seal. Cut several small slits in the top for steam to vent. Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes or until the dough is firm.
4. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Before placing the pie in the oven brush the top with the egg wash and sprinkle with sugar (optional).
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 45-60 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour before serving.

Fresh Sweet Cherry Salsa

This savory-sweet cherry recipe comes from SeasonalChef.com.

Fresh Sweet Cherry Salsa
Ingredients
1 cup pitted fresh sweet cherries
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons finely chopped green peppers
1 teaspoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon each Worcestershire sauce and grated lemon peel
⅛ teaspoon salt
dash bottled hot pepper sauce

Directions
Chop cherries in food processor or manually. Combine all ingredients; mix well. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Fresh Sour Cherry Crisp

This recipe is adapted from AllRecipes.com.

Fresh Sour Cherry Crisp
Ingredients
4 cups pitted sour cherries
1½ cups organic evaporated cane sugar
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine cherries, sugar, and 4 tablespoons flour. Pour into 9x13 inch baking dish. In a medium bowl, combine flour, oats, and brown sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over cherries.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until topping is golden brown.

Double-Fennel Pork Chops

One more Fine Cooking favorite for the day - this one is adapted from the October 2008 issue. Author Lori Longbotham writes, "There's a reason why fennel pairs so well with everything from pork and fish to apples. It's sweet anise flavor elevates everything around it and fills the kitchen with a smell you just can't beat. In this dish, both fennel seed and sautéed fresh fennel bring big flavor to simple pork chops." Enjoy!

Double-Fennel Pork Chops
Serves 2

Ingredients
1 teaspoon fennel seed
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 1-inch-thick center-cut bone-in pork loin chops, trimmed
1½ tablespoons unsalted butter
1 fennel bulb, trimmed, cored, and cut into ¼-inch-thick strips
⅜ cup chicken broth
1½ tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions
1. Lightly crush the fennel seed in a mortar and pestle or with the bottom of a small skillet. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in salt and pepper. Season the pork chops with the spice mixture.
2. Melt the butter over medium heat in a 12-inch skillet. Stir in the fresh fennel, two thirds of the broth, and the remaining spice mixture. Cover the skillet, increase the heat to medium high, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fennel begins to soften and brown, 8 to 10 minutes (reduce the heat if the fennel browns too quickly).
3. Uncover, reduce the heat to medium, and add the remaining broth and 1 tablespoon of the parsley. Cook, stirring frequently and scraping up any browned bits, until tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper, and transfer to a medium bowl.
4. Wipe out the pan, add the oil, and heat over medium-high heat. Add the pork chops and cook, turning once with tongs, until well browned and cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. (To check for doneness, make a small cut near the bone and look inside.the pork should still have a hint of pinkness.) Serve the pork chops with the fennel.

Summer Cabbage Salad

Another summer cabbage salad recipe, from Food.com.

Summer Cabbage Salad
Ingredients
2 cups shredded fresh cabbage
½ cup finely chopped red onion
½ cup finely chopped green onion
3 apples, unpeeled, finely chopped
½ cup raisins
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons apple juice
2 tablespoons salad oil
½ teaspoon salt
1 dash ground cloves
1 dash black pepper

Directions
1. In a large salad bowl, combine the cabbage, red onion, green onion, and apples. Add raisins.
2. For dressing, combine the remaining ingredients. Stir to blend. Pour dressing over salad ingrdients. Stir to coat.
3. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Sesame Cabbage Salad

We've been seeing lots of green cabbage in the shares lately (one of my favorites!). I've been searching for new summer cabbage recipes, and this one caught my eye - adapted from GroupRecipes.com.

Sesame Cabbage Salad
Ingredients
1 large cucumber
1 cup thinly slivered red onion
8 cups finely shredded cabbage (can mix red and green cabbage, if available)
⅓ cup thinly sliced green onions
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons roasted sesame seeds (stir in a frying pan over medium heat until golden, 5 to 6 minutes)
¾ cup Sesame Dressing

Sesame Dressing: ½ cup rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons organic sugar, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper.

Directions
1. Rinse and thinly slice cucumber. In a bowl, mix cucumber, onion, and sesame dressing. Cover and chill at least 1 hour or up to 1 day.
2. Up to 1 hour before serving, layer cabbage in a large bowl. Pour marinated cucumber mixture over the top. Sprinkle with green onions, cilantro, and sesame seeds. Just before serving, mix well.

Oven-Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic, Olive Oil, and Lemon Juice

This simple and delicious cauliflower recipe is adapted from The Food Network.

Oven-Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic, Olive Oil, and Lemon Juice
Ingredients
5 to 6 cups cauliflower florets, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter (from 1 medium cauliflower)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sliced garlic
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan (optional)
chopped chives, for garnish (optional)

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
2. Place the cauliflower florets in a large saute pan or a roasting pan. Drizzle the olive oil over the cauliflower, and season with the garlic, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Place the roasting pan in the oven and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even roasting. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with Parmesan and chives, if desired. Serve immediately while still warm.

Cheddar and Cauliflower Soup

I wouldn't usually be making soup in July, but it might be just right for these beautiful breezy evenings that we've been enjoying this week. This recipe comes the December 2008 issue of Fine Cooking. Author Allison Ehri Kreitler writes, "This creamy soup gets its body from pureed cauliflower, though some tender whole florets are added just at the end of cooking to add texture. Sharp cheddar and cayenne give the mellow flavor a little lift."

Cheddar and Cauliflower Soup
Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients
kosher salt
½ head cauliflower (about 1 pound), cored and cut into 1-½-inch florets
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, small diced
1 medium clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon packed, freshly grated nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon cayenne
2 cups chicken broth
½ cup heavy cream
3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups grated sharp or extra-sharp white Cheddar (about 14 ounces)
freshly ground black pepper

Directions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the cauliflower until tender, about 4 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly. Trim the stems from 18 of the cauliflower pieces and cut the crowns into mini florets about ½ inch wide; set aside. Reserve the trimmed stems with the remaining larger pieces.
2. Melt the butter in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, 10 to 12 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and cook until the aroma subsides, 2 to 3 minutes. Increase the heat to medium, add the flour, nutmeg, and cayenne and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Whisk in the broth, cream, and 2 cups water. Add the thyme and bring to a simmer. Stir in the cheese until melted and simmer for 5 minutes to develop the flavors.
4. Remove and discard the thyme stems and stir in the larger cauliflower pieces and reserved stems. Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender. Return the soup to the pot, season with salt and black pepper to taste. Add the mini cauliflower florets and reheat gently before serving.

Variations
To dress up this rustic soup for a special occasion, garnish with a combination of 3 tablespoons toasted chopped walnuts, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, and 1-½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest.

Baked Zucchini Fries

LFFC Green Zucchini

These Baked Zucchini Fries from The Comfort of Cooking blog look like the perfect treat for the upcoming holiday weekend. The author writes, "They are flavorful and crispy, easier than potato fries to perfect, and a tasty way to get you and your family a serving of vegetables." Enjoy!

Baked Zucchini Fries
Serves 6

Ingredients
3 medium zucchini, sliced into skinny sticks
2 large eggs, beaten
3 heaping tablespoon flour

½ cup bread crumbs (the author suggests using panko)

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
¼ tsp. garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, beat egg with a fork until frothy. In another bowl, place flour, and in a third bowl, place your bread crumbs. Toss the breadcrumbs with garlic powder and Parmesan cheese, and set aside.
3. Dip the zucchini sticks into the flour, then egg, and then into the bread crumb mixture. Make sure all sides get coated well. Place the sticks on the prepared baking sheet.
4. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Serve warm with Ranch dressing, marinara sauce, or just as is.