Zucchini Bread - Fresh from the Garden

3 eggs

3 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup oil

2 ½ cups sugar

2 cups grated zucchini

3 cups lightly filled flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

3 heaping teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup nuts (optional

Preheat oven to 325F. Grease and flour two loaf pans. Combine flour, salt, soda, baking powder and cinnamon in bowl; set aside. Mix together eggs, vanilla, oil and sugar; stir in the zucchini. Add the flour mixture and the egg mixture together until well combined; stir in nuts. Bake in the 325 degree oven for about an hour, or until done.

Use very small zucchini for a sweeter tasting bread. If the zucchini are large, I don’t feel you get a very good tasting bread.

Sue’s Chocolate Zucchini Cake (Taste of Home) - Fresh from the Garden

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

½ cup dark baking cocoa

1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

¾ cup reduced fat plain yogurt

¼ cup canola oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups shredded zucchini

For the frosting...

1 can (5 ounces) evaporated milk

1 cup sugar

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

¼ cup butter, cubed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13x9 inch baking pan. In a large bowl, whisk the first seven ingredients. In another bowl, whisk eggs, yogurt, oil and vanilla until blended. Add flour to mixture, stir just until moistened. Stir in zucchini.

Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake 25-30 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

For frosting, place evaporated milk, sugar and vanilla in a blender jar, cover and process for 30 seconds. In a microwave, melt chocolate and butter, stir until smooth, stopping to scrape blender jar as needed. Spread frosting on cooled cake and serve.

Stuffed Jalapenos - Fresh from the Garden

6-8 jalapenos

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

Cheddar cheese

Flavoring of choice (such as buffalo sauce)

Bacon (optional)

Slice jalapenos long ways and remove seeds. Combine cream cheese with cheddar and flavoring of your choice. Fill pods with cream cheese mixture and top with more cheddar cheese or wrap with bacon. Bake at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes or grill if desired until bacon is done or cheese is bubbly and golden brown.

Great with ranch or blue cheese dressing.

Red Cabbage and Carrot Slaw - Fresh from the Garden

For the salad...

1 small head red cabbage, shredded

4 large carrots, shredded

4 green onions, thinly sliced

For the Apple Cider Vinaigrette...

1  Tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 garlic clove, minced

⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup organic apple cider vinegar

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 Tablespoon honey

¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon chili powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Place shredded cabbage, carrots and green onions in a large salad bowl. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the dijon mustard, garlic, oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, honey, vanilla, chili powder, and salt and pepper until well combined.

Pour dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss to combine. Taste for seasonings and adjust accordingly. Place in refrigerator for 15 minutes, then add parsley and serve.

Mini Garden Lasagnas - Fresh from the Garden

Oil

Lasagna or spaghetti noodles

Ricotta or cottage cheese

Choose from:

• Slices tomatoes
• Broccoli
• Mushrooms
• Spinach
• Diced onion
• Garlic

For the sauce...

Roma tomatoes

Diced onion

Garlic

Basil

Oil or Pam empty muffin tins. Make a nest with lasagna or spaghetti noodles. Season to taste. Layer your choice of sliced tomatoes, broccoli, mushrooms, spinach, diced onions, garlic or other ingredients.

To make sauce, saute sliced roma tomatoes, diced onion, garlic, basil together.

Sprinkle mozzarella on top and bake at 375F for 20-25 minutes until cheese is golden brown and bubbly.

Grilled and Chilled Vegetables with Garlic Aioli - Fresh from the Garden

You can use any vegetables you like for this recipe, I just find that this variation on a veggie tray is a nice swap from raw vegetables.

Zucchini

Yellow Squash

Red Onion

Portobello Mushrooms

Carrots

Asparagus

Cut all vegetables on the bias, into thick slices.  Toss with olive oil, salt, and fresh cracked pepper.

Grill until just tender, or al dente. They will continue to cook a bit after you remove them from the grill so keep that in mind.

Let cool and serve with Garlic Aioli

Garlic Aioli (makes about 1 cup)

1 cup olive oil

3-4 cloves garlic, pressed/minced

Juice from half a lemon

½ tsp salt

2 egg yolks

Whisk egg yolks with lemon juice, salt, and garlic. Starting drop by drop add in olive oil while continuing to whisk. When aioli is emulsified, continue the olive oil in a thin stream, all the while whisking. Do this until the olive oil is completely blended into the egg mixture.

Enjoy!

Green Beans with Lemon and Walnuts - Fresh from the Garden

12 ounces fresh green beans, trimmed

¼ cup chopped walnuts

¼ teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel

1 Tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

1 teaspoon lemon juice

In a medium saucepan, cook beans covered, in a small amount of boiling salted water for 5 to 10 minutes or until crisp & tender; drain.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add walnuts and ginger; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until nuts are toasted. Remove from heat, stir in lemon peel and lemon juice. Stir nut mixture into cooked beans.

Fried Ratatouille - Fresh from the Garden

Zucchini (sliced in rounds or sticks)

Green tomatoes

Squash

4 tomatoes

½ onion, chopped

Minced garlic

Oregano to taste

Mozzarella cheese

Fry zucchini, sliced green tomatoes and sliced squash until crisp on outside. Saute sliced tomatoes with onion, garlic and oregano. Serve vegetables and sauce with bread; garnish with mozzarella cheese.

Faux Caviar Aka Faux Pate de fois gras (Eggplant Spread) - Fresh from the Garden

1 eggplant (about 2 lb)

1 whole head clove California garlic

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 lemon squeezed for fresh lemon juice

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander

1 baseball size fresh tomato deseeded

1 tsp celery salt

Slight 1 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground dill

Salt & pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 F. Prick eggplant skin in several places, and put on ungreased baking pan. You can roast the whole head of garlic at same time in same pan. Bake until eggplant is soft and collapsed, 50-60 minutes.

Remove from oven. Cut open eggplant and scrape out the pulp. Discard skin. Peel out the garlic cloves. Let cool for about 30 min, drain off excess liquid and reserve.  Add all ingredients to a food processor and puree. Cover and refrigerate. Best if made a day ahead to let flavors mellow together. Serve with rye bread or sesame crackers.

Drop Biscuit Peach Cobbler - Fresh from the Garden

½ cup sugar

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon nutmeg

4 cups peeled, sliced fresh peaches

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 cup all purpose flour

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons shortening

½ cup milk

Mix ½ cup sugar, cornstarch and nutmeg in 2 quart saucepan. Stir in peaches and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute. Pour into ungreased two-quart casserole dish.

To make the biscuits, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in shortening and milk.

Drop 6 spoonfuls of dough, well-spaced, onto hot fruit. Bake in 400 degree oven for 25-30 minutes, until biscuits are golden brown. Serve warm.

Cucumber Salad - Fresh from the Garden

3 cucumbers, sliced

½ tomato, sliced

½ sweet onion, chopped into pieces

4-5 ounces sour cream

8 ounce Greek yogurt

Dill and seasoning to taste

Mix cucumbers, tomato, and sweet onion together. Mix sour cream, yogurt, dill and seasoning. Add yogurt mixture to vegetables.

Corn & Zucchini Fritters - Fresh from the Garden

1 ½ lbs zucchini (about 4 medium

Kosher salt and pepper

1 cup fresh corn kernels (from 1 ear)

Zest of 1 lemon

4 scallions, finely chopped

1 large egg, beaten

½ cup flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

3 Tablespoons olive oil

Grate the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater and transfer into bowl. Toss with ½ teaspoon of salt and let sit for 10 minutes. Squeeze out as much moisture as possible and transfer back into the bowl.

Add the corn, lemon zest, half the scallions and ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper; toss to combine. Add the egg and mix to combine. In small bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Add zucchini mixture and mix to combine.

Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Drop 4 spoonfuls of the zucchini mixture (about a scant ¼ cup of each) into the skillet, then use the back of the spoon to gently spread out. Cook until golden brown, 2-3 minutes per side and transfer to a rack. Add 1 Tablespoon oil to the skillet and repeat with the remaining zucchini mixture.

Black Bean and Corn Succotash - Fresh from the Garden

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained 

1 cup fresh or frozen corn

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 medium red onion, diced (about 1 cup)

1 red bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup)*

2 garlic cloves, minced

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

pinch cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar

Can add 1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup fresh or frozen corn

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook onion and red pepper in 2 tablespoons hot oil for 3 minutes, or until they just start to soften. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 to 60 seconds, until the garlic is fragrant and just tender. Stir in corn, black beans, salt, black pepper and cayenne. Cook, stirring occasionally, until corn is just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat.

Stir in vinegar and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add cilantro and adjust seasoning to taste. Serve warm or room temperature or chill, covered, up to 3 days.