Baked Eggs with Summer Vegetables and Capers

Adapted from TheKitchn blog.

Baked Eggs with Summer Vegetables and Capers
Makes 2 hearty servings

Ingredients
2 cups yellow straightneck squash and/or zucchini (green or gold) and/or patty pan squash, cut into ½-inch pieces
⅔ cup chopped tomatoes
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 teaspoons capers
⅓ cup fresh mozzarella cut into 1/2-inch pieces
6 large fresh basil leaves, cut into long, thin strips and divided
4 eggs
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Heat 2 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add squash/zucchni and tomatoes. Season with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in capers. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the vegetables are just tender.
3. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in 4 large fresh basil leaves, cut into long, thin strips, and fresh mozzarella. Divide the vegetable mixture between two ramekins. Crack two eggs into each ramekin, taking care not to break the yolks.
4. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake until the whites are almost cooked, 7 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle each serving with 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Bake for 2 additional minutes, or until the white are cooked and the yolks are still soft.
5. Sprinkle each serving with remaining fresh basil and serve immediately.

Honey Zucchini Bread

This recipe comes from Food.com and it's only sweetened using honey!

Honey Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
3 eggs
1 cup honey
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups grated unpeeled zucchini
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup chopped walnuts or 1 cup pecans (optional)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Butter two 8- by 4-inch loaf pans.
3. Beat eggs well.
4. Add oil, then honey (put honey in measuring cup after oil because the oiled cup will allow the honey to drip out more easily) and vanilla.
5. Stir in zucchini.
6. Mix dry ingredients together.
7. Stir into zucchini along with nuts.
8. Pour into the prepared loaf pans.
9. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until tested done.
10. Cool in pans for 15 minutes before turning out.

Raw Zucchini Salad with Red Onion

This is a Martha Stewart creation. She writes, “Raw zucchini, sliced into ribbons with a peeler, is mild-tasting; a short soak in vinegar and oil mellows and softens the onion but leaves enough bite to keep it interesting.”

Raw Zucchini Salad with Red Onion
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
coarse salt and ground pepper
½ small red onion, very thinly sliced
4 small or 2 large zucchini (about 1½ pounds total)

Directions
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together vinegar and oil; season with salt and pepper. Stir in onion, and let stand 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, using a vegetable peeler, slice zucchini into paper-thin ribbons, avoiding seeds. Add to bowl with dressing, season with salt and pepper; toss to combine.

Sausage-Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Caps

Adapted from The Food Network.

Sausage-Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Caps
Ingredients
3 Portobello mushroom caps (1 package)
1 teaspoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
12 ounces hot and/or sweet Italian sausage
¼ cup finely chopped onion
¼ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
⅛ cup finely chopped celery
1 teaspoon minced garlic
¼ cup plain bread crumbs
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan
⅛ cup plus 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoons spice mix (see recipe below)
1 egg, lightly beaten
Balsamic vinegar, for drizzling

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Using your hands, lightly rub mushroom caps with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
3. Cook the sausage in a medium skillet until browned, about 4 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat.
4. Transfer sausage-vegetable mixture into a food processor. Add half of the bread crumbs and grated Parmesan, ⅛ cup parsley, spice mix, and the remaining teaspoon of olive oil. Pulse until mixture is finely chopped and comes together slightly, about 30 seconds. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, add the egg, and stir until well combined.
5. Divide the filling among the mushroom caps, about ½ cup for each mushroom. Place the filled mushrooms on a baking sheet. Combine remaining bread crumbs Parmesan in a small mixing bowl. Divide the bread crumb mixture evenly among the tops of the mushrooms. Bake until golden brown on top and the mushrooms are tender, about 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Garnish with remaining tablespoon of parsley, drizzle with olive oil and vinegar and serve warm or at room temperature.

Spice Mix (The Food Network’s Creole Seasoning): 2½ tablespoons paprika, 2 tablespoons salt, 2 tablespoons garlic powder, 1 tablespoon black pepper. 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, and 1 tablespoon dried thyme.

Tomato Okra Soup

The following recipe comes from Coffee&Cornbread blog.

Tomato Okra Soup
Ingredients
6 to 8 okra pods, sliced
4 large ripe tomatoes, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, diced
3 to 4 cups chicken broth
dash of red pepper to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
chives, for garnish

Directions
Place all ingredients but chives in a stock pot. Bring to boil and then simmer until okra is tender, about 20 minutes. Garnish with chives.

Ground Cherry Salsa

Thank you to CSA member Rebecca for sharing her adaption of the following Cook's Illustrated recipe! She writes, "As long as it adds up to 3 cups, you can vary the proportion of ground cherries and tomatoes."

Ground Cherry Salsa
Ingredients

1 pound ripe ground cherries, halved or smaller (about 2 cups)
½ pound Roma or cherry tomatoes, diced (about 1 cup)
1 large jalapeno, seeds removed and finely minced
½ red onion, minced
1 small clove garlic, minced
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
½ teaspoon salt pinch ground pepper
2 to 6 teaspoons lime juice (1 to 2 limes)
sugar to taste (up to 1 teaspoon)

Directions

Place chopped tomatoes in a colander and let drain for 30 minutes. As they drain, layer ground cherries, jalapeno, onion, garlic, and cilantro on top. Shake colander to drain off excess juice; discard juice. Transfer to a bowl and add salt, pepper and 2 teaspoons lime juice. Toss to combine, taste, and add more lime juice and sugar to taste.

This salsa can be made 2 to 3 hours in advance, but hold off adding the salt, lime juice, and sugar till just before serving.

Easy Peanut Butter Chard

Easy Peanut Butter Chard
Ingredients
1 bunch chard, stems removed and cut into thin strips
1 clove garlic, minced
1 half onion, finely chopped
1 bell pepper, seeds removed and chopped
1 tomato, diced
1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon peanut butter (depending on preference)
salt and pepper, to taste
olive oil pinch
crushed red pepper flakes, optional

Directions
Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. When hot, saute the garlic and onion until onion is translucent. Add bell pepper and tomato and saute a few minutes more until soft. Add chard and saute to your liking. When the dish is just about ready, add peanut butter and seasonings. Serve hot and enjoy!

Quick Pickles with Dill

This is a Rachel Ray recipe from The Food Network.

Quick Pickles with Dill
Ingredients
½ cup white vinegar
2 rounded teaspoons Organic evaporated cane juice sugar
1 teaspoon mustard seed
1 teaspoon salt
1 clove cracked garlic
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
1 bay leaf
4 pickling cucumbers, cut into 1-inch slices

Directions
Heat small saucepan over medium high heat. Add vinegar, sugar, mustard seed, salt, and garlic to the pan and cook until it begins to simmer and sugar dissolves. Toss the dill, bay leaf, and sliced cucumbers together in a bowl. Pour the simmering liquid over the cucumbers and stir to evenly coat. Allow to cool to room temperature or chill before serving.

Roasted Tomatoes

Roasted Tomatoes
Ingredients
tomatoes, cut into ¼-inch slices
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
red wine vinegar
garlic, minced
chopped fresh herbs (basil, parsley, oregano, etc.)
salt
pepper
breadcrumbs

Directions
Mix olive oil, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, garlic, and seasonings together in a bowl. Arrange tomato slices on a baking sheet and pour olive oil/vinegar mixture on top. Top with breadcrumbs. Broil in the oven until lightly browned. Serve hot – this is a tasty side dish that pairs well with pasta, steak, or chicken.

Red Beet Risotto with Rosemary, Goat Cheese, and Pistachios

Red Beet Risotto with Rosemary, Goat Cheese, and Pistachios
Ingredients
1 onion, finely chopped
3½ tablespoons butter
1 half cup white wine
2½ cup Arborio rice
6 cups vegetable stock
3 to 4 red beets, peeled, boiled, and diced into small cubes
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
goat cheese, crumbled
pistachios, chopped

Directions
In a large pot, heat butter over medium-low heat. Add onion and saute for a few minutes. Add rice and stir to coat with butter for a few minutes more. Meanwhile, heat wine and vegetable stock in separate pots. Add white wine to the rice and stir until absorbed. A half a cup at a time, add the vegetable stock. Stir until absorbed before adding the next helping. If you run out of vegetable stock, you can add hot water. Make sure to stir rice constantly. When the dish is nearly done, add beets and rosemary, as well as salt and pepper to taste. The rice will turn a beautiful pink/magenta. Serve topped with crumbled goat cheese and chopped pistachios.

Fresh Corn and Black Bean Salad

Fresh Corn and Black Bean Salad 

makes about 8 servings

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Chill time: 30 minutes

3 ears organic sweet corn

1 organic red pepper, chopped

1 organic red onion, chopped

1 18 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 C fresh cilantro leaves

1 C organic grape or cherry tomatoes, halved or whole

juice from one lime

1-2 avocados, cut into small chunks [optional]

1. To prep the corn, shuck each ear, and cut each cob in half.

2. Place the prepped corn cobs in a large pot of boiling water, and boil for 3-5 minutes, or until the corn is tender. [Alternately, you could skip this step and use raw corn kernels.]

3. Remove the corn from the water and let cool until you can safely handle them. (Since I was in no rush, I let the ears cool in the fridge overnight.)

4. After the corn has cooled, use a sharp knife to carefully cut the kernels from each cob.

5. Place the kernels into a large serving bowl.

6. Stir in the chopped red pepper, red onion, and black beans.

7. Add in the tomatoes and stir to combine.

8. Stir in the fresh lime juice.

9. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

10. Place in the fridge and let chill for at least half an hour. Give it a stir before serving.

11. If you want to take it up one more notch, top with chunks of avocado just before serving.

12. Serve the corn and black bean salad by itself or over a bed of quinoa.

Eggplant Parmesan

This is a SimplyRecipes.com take on a classic favorite.

Eggplant Parmesan
Ingredients
1 Italian eggplant
Kosher salt
4½ cups peeled tomatoes, chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup fine dry breadcrumbs
4 large eggs, beaten
1 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced into ¼-inch rounds
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ to 1 cup fresh basil leaves

Directions
1. Cut eggplants lengthwise into ¼-inch slices. Arrange one layer in the bottom of a large colander and sprinkle evenly with salt. Repeat with remaining eggplant, salting, until all eggplant is in the colander. Weigh down the slices with a couple of plates and let drain for 2 hours. The purpose of this step is to have the eggplant release some of its moisture before cooking.
2. While the eggplant is draining, prepare tomato sauce. Combine tomatoes, garlic and ⅓ cup olive oil in a food processor. Season with salt and pepper to tasted and set aside.
3. When eggplant has drained, press down on it to remove excess water, wipe off the excess salt, and lay the slices out on paper towels to remove all the moisture. In a wide, shallow bowl, combine flour and breadcrumbs. Mix well. Pour beaten eggs into another wide shallow bowl. Place a large, deep skillet over medium heat, and pour in a a half inch of olive oil. When oil is shimmering, dredge the eggplant slices first in the flour mixture, then in the beaten egg. Working in batches, slide coated eggplant into hot oil and fry until golden brown on both sides, turning once. Drain on paper towels.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In the bottom of a 10- by 15-inch glass baking dish, spread 1 cup of tomato sauce. Top with one third of the eggplant slices. Top eggplant with half of the mozzarella slices. Sprinkle with one third of the Parmesan and half of the basil leaves.
5. Make a second layer of eggplant slices, topped by 1 cup of sauce, remaining mozzarella, half the remaining Parmesan, and all of the remaining basil. Add remaining eggplant, and top with the remaining tomato sauce and Parmesan.
6. Bake until cheese has melted and the top is slightly brown, about 30 minutes. Allow to rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving.

Tomato and Watermelon Salad

This recipe is courtesy of Girl Cooks World blog.

Tomato and Watermelon Salad
Ingredients
2 cups halved or quartered small cherry tomatoes
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into ½-inch to ¾-inch cubes
1 cup chopped, seeded watermelon, cut into ½-inch to ¾-inch cubes
1 avocado, cut into ½-inch to ¾-inch cubes
½ cup finely chopped red onion
1 tablespoon of fresh basil, mint, or cilantro
¼ teaspoon ground coriander
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
1. In a large bowl combine the tomatoes, cucumber, watermelon, avocado, herbs, and coriander.
2. Just before serving combine the olive oil and balsamic vinegar and whisk to combine. Pour over the tomato mixture and add salt and pepper to taste. Be sure to add enough salt to make the flavors pop!

Cool Melon Salad with Hot Bacon

This recipe is courtesy of The Kitchn blog.

Cool Melon Salad with Hot Bacon
Serves 2 to 4

Salad Ingredients:
4 to 5 strips bacon, cut into 3-inch pieces
1 small, sweet melon, such as canary melon or cantaloupe
several small mint leaves, torn if big
a small handful of arugula or spicy cress, washed and dried well (optional)

Dressing Ingredients:
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)

Garnish Ingredients:
freshly ground pepper a few mint springs

Directions
1. Slice the melon in half, scoop out the seeds and cut into wedges. Cut the skin off the flesh and the flesh into large cubes. Place the cubes in a bowl and chill in the fridge.
2. Whisk together dressing ingredients and reserve.
3. Cook and drain the bacon. Toss the melon, arugula/cress (if desired) and mint with a drizzle of dressing. Serve immediately.

Stuffed Bell Peppers with Beans and Rice

The following recipe is adapted from Health Food Lazy People blog.

Stuffed Bell Peppers with Beans and Rice
Ingredients
4 bell peppers
3 cups cooked rice
1 half can black beans
2 ears corn, shucked and kernels cut off the cobs (or can use ¾ cup frozen)
½ onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1¾ cups crushed tomatoes 1
cup cheese (your choice, but cheddar is delicious!)
¼ cup diced jalapenos (optional)
½ cup water
seasoning

Directions
1. Cook rice and set aside.
2. Cut the tops off of the bell peppers and scoop out the seeds. They need to be softened before being stuffed, so either steam them for a few minutes or boil them for about 8 minutes. They should soft but not floppy, able to stand up by themselves and hold their shape, but not crisp.
3. In a small fry pan, sauté the onions and garlic in a little olive oil until the onions become translucent.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked rice, sautéed onions, garlic, jalapenos, black beans, corn, seasoning, and a ½ cup of cheese. Mix well.
5. When the peppers are softened, stand them upright in a baking dish and fill them with stuffing mixture and top with the remaining ½ cup of cheese.
6. Pour a ½ cup of water in the bottom of the dish around the peppers.
7. Set the oven to 350 degrees, and bake covered for 20 minutes. Remove cover and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese on top is golden brown.

Stuffed Bell Peppers with Brown Rice and Ricotta

The following recipe is adapted from the food section of Michigan Local News.

Stuffed Bell Peppers with Brown Rice and Ricotta
Ingredients
2 bell peppers
1 teaspoon lime juice
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoons chopped mint
1 minced clove of garlic
½ onion, chopped fine
¾ cup long-grain brown rice, prepared
¼ cup ricotta cheese
salt and pepper, to taste
mozzarella, if desired

Directions
1. After preparing the brown rice, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Wash the bell peppers thoroughly and cut them in half length-wise. Remove the seeds and ribs inside the pepper, but leave the stem, as this will help them maintain their structural integrity.
3. In a bowl, mix the lime and lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, mint, garlic, onions, brown rice, and ricotta. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Grease a small baking pan. Place the cut peppers hollow side up in the pan and fill each pepper-half with a quarter of the prepared mixture from step three. Top with shredded mozzarella, if desired.
5. Fill the bottom of the baking pan with about a ¼-inch of water. This will help the peppers to cook thoroughly.
6. Place the peppers in the oven for 15 to 25 minutes. The baking time will vary, but the peppers will be done when they feel tender.

Summer Corn Chowder

From Corey, LFFC CSA Shareholder...

Don't know what to do with all the corn that is so bountiful right now? This is a delicious recipe that will not disappoint. It is creamy, a little spicy, and chock full of delicious summer vegetables. You can check out more photos and recipe ideas on my blog, IntheOrganicKitchen.com.

Summer Corn Chowder

3 ears fresh corn, kernels cut off
2 small potatoes, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes -- or to taste
1 handful fresh herbs -- oregano, parsley, chives
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup heavy cream
pepper -- to taste
salt -- to taste

Place onion, carrot, green pepper, in bottom of soup pot with a little bit of olive oil or butter. Cook until onion is translucent. Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook about 1 minute more. Add potatoes and corn and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring and making sure mixture does not burn. Add chicken stock and chopped herbs.

Cover and cook for about 1 hour, until vegetables are very soft. Blend half the mixture in blender or by using immersion blender. Add cream and salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!