Helping Hands in the Kitchen: Summer Produce

July 12, 2022

It’s that time of year when the warm weather is with us and the Spring rains have helped our local fruits and vegetables to grow and flourish. I love when our local produce is ready to pick! The quality, health benefits, and tastes are at their peak! There are several ways to enjoy our produce Fresh, and if you would like to enjoy it throughout the winter months, we can freeze, dehydrate, preserve, and can almost anything. Stay tuned for how to freeze, dehydrate, and preserve.

Example of Honey Glazed Carrots

HONEY GLAZED CARROTS

I made these for lunch at church, and they were such a big hit I have made them many times since. The honey adds to the natural sweetness of the carrots!

Ingredients

  • 1 pound of baby carrots (or use larger carrots cut into more bite-size)
  • Salt
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 2 Tablespoons honey (any flavor of honey works well; it changes the taste of the carrots)
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • Fresh ground pepper
  • Chopped flat leaf parsley for garnish and flavor

Instructions

  1. Wash and prepare carrots – if trimming.
  2. In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil.
  3. Add salt and carrots and cook until tender, about 6 minutes, test for doneness.
  4. Drain the carrots and put them back into the saucepan with butter, honey, and lemon juice.
  5. Cook until a glaze coats the carrots, about 5 minutes.
  6. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with the parsley.
Example of Marinated Vegetable Salad

MARINATED VEGETABLE SALAD

Use your best judgment on quantity and which vegetables to use, be creative and suit your tastes.

Ingredients

  • Cauliflower, cut bite-sized
  • Broccoli, cut bite-sized
  • Onions or scallions, cut bite-sized
  • Green beans, cut bite-sized
  • Celery, sliced and cooked 10 minutes to tender them, cool
  • Grape tomatoes, halved
  • Baby Carrots, cut bite-sized
  • Squash, cut bite-sized
  • Eggplant, cut bite-sized
  • ¼ cup salad oil
  • 1 Tablespoon sugar (adjust to taste)
  • Dash of hot sauce
  • 2/3 cup cider vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons water

Instructions

  1. Combine vegetables in a bowl.
  2. Combine dressing and mix well. Pour over the vegetables.
  3. Cover vegetables and marinate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. 
  4. Taste before refrigerating – adjust to suit your tastes.
Example of Roasted Radishes

ROASTED RADISHES

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces radishes
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • ½ lemon, juiced

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 deg F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
  2. Halve the radishes or make them more bite-sized. Toss with olive oil, and season with salt/pepper.
  3. Transfer radishes to the prepared baking sheet and bake until tender, about 20 minutes. They should be slightly golden.
  4. Sprinkle with the lemon juice on top and serve immediately.
Example of Quiche Lorraine

QUICHE LORRAINE

Quiche Lorraine is a French quiche. You can use any vegetables (and/or meats). Spinach is delicious, pimento peppers, any seasonal vegetable is good. If they are crunchy like celery or carrots, etc. be sure to boil them until almost tender before adding or they will be very crunchy crisp in the quiche pie. For this recipe, I often use a 9″ pie pan, if larger or smaller, adjust ingredient quantities.

Ingredients

  • 1 plain pastry
  • 4 slices of bacon (optional)
  • 1 cup (4 oz) shredded Swiss cheese (or other cheese)
  • 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • Dash ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup milk or half and half
  • 2 beaten eggs
  • Herbs of your choice

Instructions

  1. Prepare the pastry fresh or frozen.
  2. Preheat the oven to 450 deg F.
  3. Bake the pie shell for 5 minutes. Set aside.
  4. Lower the oven to 325 deg F.
  5. Cook bacon until crisp. Drain and crumble.
  6. Sprinkle the bacon in the bottom of the partially baked pie crust if using.
  7. Top with cheese and any vegetables you are using – remember not to put RAW vegetables in if you are using carrots, celery, onion, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.
  8. Mix flour, salt and nutmeg, stir in milk and eggs.
  9. Carefully pour over the filling ingredients in the pie shell.
  10. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Test, bake until a knife inserted in center comes out clean – no milk. Should be 5-15 minutes, check.
  11. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
Example of Impossible Zucchini-Tomato Pie

IMPOSSIBLE ZUCCHINI-TOMATO PIE

Ingredients

  • 2 cups chopped zucchini
  • 1 cup chopped tomato
  • ½ cup chopped onion
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 ½ cups milk
  • ¾ cup Bisquick baking mix
  • 3 eggs
  • ½ teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 400 deg F.
  2. Grease a 10” quiche or pie plate.
  3. Sprinkle the filling ingredients in the pie plate.
  4. Beat the milk, Bisquick, eggs, and seasonings until smooth, 15 seconds in a blender on high or 1 minute with hand beater.
  5. Pour into the plate.
  6. Bake until knife inserted in center comes out clean. About 30 minutes. Test. Cool 5 minutes before cutting. 6 servings.

Simple! No making a pie crust and any leftover vegetables work! Again, just make sure they are tender before using them here.

Example of carrot cake

CARROT CAKE

I prefer to bake this carrot cake in a 9×13” pan, top with the cream cheese frosting.  It my also be made as layer cakes, cupcakes, Bundt cakes, loaf pans or any shape you desire.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup oil
  • ¾ cup buttermilk
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 cups shredded carrots
  • 8-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained
  • 1 1/3 cup flaked coconut (optional)
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts or almonds

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 350 deg F.
  2. Mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
  3. Whisk oil, buttermilk, and eggs in a large bowl until blended.
  4. Add sugar, carrots, pineapple coconut, and nuts to the flour mixture. Mix well.
  5. Bake 40-45 minutes.

FROSTING:

Ingredients

  • 8-ounce cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup margarine, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 pound powdered sugar

Instructions

  1. Mix together and frost the cake.
Example of zucchini cake

ZUCCHINI CAKE

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 ½ cups oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups grated zucchini
  • 4 squares chocolate bar
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups chopped nuts

Instructions

  1. Beat eggs and sugar.
  2. Add oil, melted and cooled chocolate, and vanilla.
  3. Sift all dry ingredients and add.
  4. Next add zucchini and nuts. Blend well.
  5. Bake 350 deg F. preheated oven for 1 hour in a floured and greased pan 11×13” or a Bundt pan.
  6. Check about 1 hour if using a Bundt pan. It needs to be tested with a toothpick or cake tester for doneness.
  7. Let cool a few minutes. Invert on platter and when cool, dust with powdered sugar.

Bon Appétit
With Love,

Granni K

Download the recipes here.