Summer Cookin'

It's official...summer is gone. We had rain today and the forecast is calling for more starting Thursday, so we can truly say goodbye. I would be more sad if I didn't love Fall so much, but I am feeling a bit melancholy to say adieu to summer cookin'. I'm not much of a cook. I do it more out of necessity than desire, but when you have a great crop from your garden and berry patches just down the street, you can't help but have a small place in your heart for the culinary art. Plus, when the produce is fresh, it makes anyone look like a good cook, including me. For instance, I've had several requests for my spaghetti sauce recipe which in reality is just veggies from my garden coupled with italian sausage. I thought for posterity's sake and as a tribute to good 'ol summer cookin' I would post some of my favorite summer recipes.

Spaghetti Sauce

( modified from a recipe given to me by Gabe Jensen)

You can use whatever veggies you want, but this is what I typically use:

1 thinly sliced medium zucchini

1 thinly sliced yellow squash

1 thinly sliced small white onion

4 cloves of garlic finely diced garlic

Sautee the above vegetables in 2T of olive oil and then add 1 lb. browned and drained ground Italian sausage.

Add 1 large can of crushed tomatoes and 1 can of diced tomatoes. Add 2 T of balsamic vinegar and 2 T of sugar. Mix well, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Marionberry Cobbler

(given to me by Marcy Leonard)

Cream together 1/4 cup butter and 1/2 cup sugar until fluffy.

Sift the following:

1 cup flour

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

Stir in sifted ingredients alternating with 1/2 cup milk.

Beat until smooth. Pour into 2 quart casserole dish. Spoon 3-4 cups of cleaned marionberries over dough. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup sugar. Pour 1 cup of juice from a can of peaches over the top. Bake @ 375 for 45-50 minutes.

Tres Leches Cake

(after we pick our strawberries we usually make strawberry shortcake that night, however this year, we have found this recipe to be our favorite to couple with our fresh pick)

1 yellow cake mix (with pudding) baked as directed in 13x9 inch pan

For topping mixture:

1 can evaporated milk

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 pint heavy whipping cream

Mix well.

To finish:

whipped cream, to cover cake

Poke holes in the cake with a fork all over. Pour topping mixture over cake. Let mixture absorb completely in refrigerator ( a couple of hours or more). Cover with whipped cream and serve with lightly sweetened fresh strawberries or peaches.

Zucchini Bread

(given to me by Heidi Janeway)

3 eggs 1/2 c. sour cream

1/2 c. apple sauce

1 c. sugar

2 c. grated zucchini 1 tsp. vanilla

3 c. flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

3 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. allspice

Beat eggs. Add oil and sugar and beat well. Beat in zucchini and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and beat until mixed thoroughly. Bake in two greased loaf pans at 350 for 45 minutes-1 hour.

Well, there are a few of my favorites. On the grill we always enjoy salmon grilled on cedar planks, chicken and steak kabobs and skewer our zucchini and brush it with olive oil and seasoned salt. Oh yeah, I almost forgot my version of bruschetta:

4 diced tomatoes

finely diced half of small onion

finely diced 3 garlic cloves

hand torn into tiny pieces, a handful of fresh basil

Combine in bowl with 1/4 cup olive oil and 1/8 cup balsamic vinegar

spoon onto thinly sliced baguette and then sprinkle with shredded parmesan. Bake on cookie sheet for 10 minutes at 350.