Pico de Gallo - Fresh Salsa

This is one of my favorite ways to make a lot of tomatoes and peppers disappear fast. Since salsa is thought of as more of a snack food instead of a health food, just about anyone will eat it; including kids. I also love taking a big bowl of this to parties or to work for a treat.

Approximately 20 medium tomatoes - under ripe orange tomatoes that are still firm taste the best

1 large onion

3-4 cloves garlic, crushed

2 large bell peppers or the equivalent in whatever mild peppers you have. I also like to use Sweet Banana Peppers

2 large Anaheim peppers or the equivalent in medium peppers

2-3 jalapeno peppers, seeded and deveined and minced (optional)

Juice from 2 limes

1 bunch cilantro

Salt to taste

Finely chop tomatoes, peppers, onion, and cilantro. Crush garlic. Juice limes. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl with salt. Mix thoroughly and allow to sit for at least 15 min. for the flavors to develop. Serve with tortilla chips or as a topping for burritos, tacos, or chili.

Garden Vegetable Soups

Summer garden vegetables lend themselves well to fresh soups that can be eaten right away, sent to work as lunches, or frozen for later. I like to make big batches of soup so I can have leftovers. Most of these soups taste better the next day.

Taco Soup: This is a family favorite that is requested by my nieces and nephew every time they visit. I love that the vegetables and spices alone give this soup it's wonderful flavor. It is especially good when served with hot corn bread or quesadillas.

Ingredients:

1 large yellow onion chopped

2-3 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon canola oil

6 cups pureed tomatoes - overripe, slightly mushy, tomatoes provide the best flavor. (If you like, you can also add some chopped tomatoes). Or 2 cans crushed tomatoes plus water to make 6 cups

1 large bell pepper cut into long strips (or the equivalent in other mild peppers that you have on hand).

1 cup fresh chopped green beans or one can green beans

1 crook neck or yellow paddy pan squash, chopped

1 can black beans or 2 cups cooked black beans

2-3 tablespoons dried oregano or one bunch fresh oregano chopped

2-3 tablespoons cumin

1 tablespoon salt

1 cup fresh corn kernels or one can corn

Saute the onions and garlic with the canola oil in the bottom of a 6 quart sauce pan over medium heat until the onions are translucent and slightly brown around the edges. Add the rest of the ingredients. Stir thoroughly. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for about 30 min or until the green beans are tender. Serve topped with cheddar cheese or sour cream.

Tip: Garden tomatoes can be more acidic then canned. If the soup turns out to acidic, add 1-2 tablespoons of sugar to tame.

Tip 2: Sometimes pureed garden tomatoes can be a little short on flavor when cooked into a soup. If your soup doesn't have a strong tomato base, add one can tomato sauce.

Fresh Garden Chili:

1 large yellow onion, chopped

5-6 cloves garlic, crushed

1-2 tablespoons canola oil

6 cups pureed tomatoes - overripe, slightly mushy, tomatoes provide the best flavor. (If you like, you can also add some chopped tomatoes). Or 2 cans crushed tomatoes plus water to make 3 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed

2 large bell peppers, seeded, deveined, and chopped

2 anaheim peppers, seeded, deveined, and chopped

2 jalapeno peppers; seeded, deveined, and chopped

1 bunch fresh oregano, finely chopped, or 4-5 tablespoons dried oregano

2 bunches fresh cilantro, finely chopped, or 4-5 tablespoons cumin

2 tablespoons salt

2 cups corn kernals or one can corn

Saute the onions, garlic, and canola oil in the bottom of a large stock pot over medium heat until the onion are translucent and slightly brown around the edges. Add the tomato puree, peppers, oregano, salt, and cilantro. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover and reduce to medium low heat and simmer for approximately 4 hours until the pinto beans are done. Add corn and simmer for 10 minutes more until corn is done. At this stage, taste the chili and add more spices if necessary.

Serve the chili topped with cheddar cheese, sour cream, shredded chicken, chopped tomatoes, chopped peppers, chopped avacados, pico de gallo, lime slices, or hot sauce. Serve with tortilla chips, tortillas or fresh corn bread.

Tip: Garden tomatoes can be more acidic then canned. If the soup turns out to acidic, add 1-2 tablespoons of sugar to tame.

Tip 2: Sometimes pureed garden tomatoes can be a little short on flavor when cooked into a soup. If your soup doesn't have a strong tomato base, add one can tomato sauce.

Summer Garden Veggie Pastas

There is one dish that my family can't get enough of: Pasta. Over the years, I have come up with some fun and delicious pasta recipes using fresh produce from my garden.

Pomodoro: This fresh and fun pasta sauce is one of my favorites to eat in the summer, especially when I can get fresh tomatoes from the garden still hot from the summer sun.

5-6 medium ripe tomatoes

1 Handful of fresh basil

1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed

salt

olive oil

Finely chop the tomatoes and basil. Mix together with crushed garlic, salt, and a drizzle of olive oil. Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes for the flavors to blend. Serve over hot pasta topped with parmesan cheese.

Pesto:

My basil plants always get out of control this time of year. The answer? Pesto. This fun sauce can be served at room temperature over hot pasta, as a zesty sandwich spread, or as a pizza sauce. I have also added a tablespoon to tomato soup to liven it up. I like to make my pesto with walnuts instead of the traditional pine nut. But, you can use pine nuts if you prefer.

2 cups fresh basil firmly packed

2-4 cloves garlic

1/2 cup walnuts

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1/4-1/3 cup olive oil

salt to taste

Remove large stems from basil and make sure you have a full two cups without stems. Pack basil, garlic, Parmesan cheese and salt in a food processor. Turn on the food processor on high and blend while drizzling in the olive oil. Allow food processor to run until the pesto reaches a smooth consistency. Enjoy!

Tip: I have found that my pesto will stay good in the refrigerator for months. Just allow to come to room temperature before using.

Fired Pasta: This is a family favorite dish inspired by Noodles and Company pasta dishes. This fun pasta works best when fired in a wok, but a large frying pan will do as well.

1/2 medium yellow onion

1-2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tbls. olive oil

6 cups fresh cooked pasta. I have found that penne pasta works best for this.

2-3 cups fresh garden veggies and herds: fresh tomato, fresh basil, fresh oregano, summer squash, eggplant, green beans, peppers, broccoli, mushrooms, olives, or whatever sounds good to you.

1/2 to 1 cup marinara sauce

Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and saute until they are translucent and slightly brown. Add the veggies according to cooking time. Add fresh pasta to the pan with veggies that take about ten minutes to cook. Toss pasta frequently, but allowing the noodles to toast a little. When the vegetables are fully cooked, add some of your favorite marinara sauce and toss to just coat the noodles. Enjoy.

Variations: Instead of adding marinara sauce, try roasted red pepper sauce, red wine vinegar, white wine or champagne vinegar, balsamic vinegar, or cream. Cream is a good complement to marinara sauce. But, don't use cream with vinegar.

Grilling with Fresh Garden Vegetables

Anyone who knows me knows that I love to grill. I have tried to cook just about anything that I can on my backyard barbecue. I love grilling in the summer, not only because it makes my food delicious, but it keeps my house cooler. But, one of my favorites is grilling fresh garden veggies. Here are some recipes:

Grilled Corn on the Cob: Alright, so I didn't grow my own corn. I bought it at the Downtown Farmer's Market. But, here is how I grill it: 1) Pull back the corn husks and remove the corn silk. Do NOT remove the husks. Instead, pull them back up. 2) Soak the husks fully immersed in water for at least 20 minutes. I find that I get the best results if I soak the corn for about 1 hour. 3) Remove the husks from the water and place on the grill without letting the excess water run out of the husks. Turn the corn about every five minutes. The husks will dry out, turn brown, and then start to burn. That is when they are done. 4) Carefully pull of the husks and enjoy.

Grilled Veggies: There are a wide variety of veggies that you can grill. I love to grill zucchini, crook neck squash, patty pan squash, mushrooms, peppers, onions, and eggplant. Here is how I do it: 1) Cut veggies into pieces that are large enough not to fall through the grill. For smaller veggies, it helps to kabob them or use a grill basket. 2) Brush veggies with italian salad dressing (Wishbone Italian Salad Dressing is my favorite) on both sides and place on the grill. 3) Grill for approximately 20 minutes or until done brushing occasionally with more salad dressing. 4) Remove from grill and enjoy.

Grilled Potato Wedges: I also got the beautiful potatoes pictured above from a little kid and his grandpa at the Downtown Farmer's Market. But, potato wedges on the grill can round out your grill cooked meal. Here is how I made them. 1) Wash and quarter potatoes. 2) Drizzle enough olive oil over them to coat. 3) Add salt, garlic powder, and paprika and stir to completely coat. 4) Place in grill basket on barbecue and stir frequently until potatoes are fully cooked (about 1 hour). 5) Remove and enjoy.

Happy Grilling!

Using your fresh garden produce.

Like many of you this August, my garden is running over with fresh produce. I have zucchinis, eggplant, basil, dill, carrots, about 10 types of peppers, green beans, chives, cucumbers, mint, peppermint, crook neck squash, and tomatoes, tomatoes and tomatoes. And that is just in the vegetable garden. I also have two red currant bushes and an apricot tree full of fruit. I have been pulling out old recipes and coming up with new ones to use my garden produce. So, I have decided to tell you what I am cooking to give you ideas on how to use summer's bounty.