Still plenty of summer squash

And the winner is. . . . .Patty Pan!!!  By far the most prolific squash in our garden this summer has been the Patty Pan.  Without fail our one and only plant has supplied us with more squash than we can eat.  I pick at least 2 - 3 Patty Pan each day. We also grow a light green zucchini and one that is dark green and shaped like a ball, which is my favorite, but the chore this summer has been keeping up with those little yellow flying saucers.  I'm a little sorry to report that things seem to be winding down in the garden, all of the squash are showing signs of mildew on the leaves, but still, they just keep on producing.  I think I'm headed for another round of Chocolate Zucchini Cake tomorrow.

Last week it was cool, rainy, and really felt like winter.  This week we are blessed with sunshine and temperatures in the 80's.  I was sure that our summer harvest was about over, but Mother Nature has fooled us again.  I may be lucky enough to get a few more cucumbers and tomatoes. Today I harvested the last of my rhubarb, and braided some of our garlic that had been drying in the garden shed. Oh, and picked the Patty Pan.

We had a simple, but tasty dinner of pasta with three kinds of squash, barely cooked in olive oil with garlic.  You may want to try this one.  It is so easy and very good.

Susan's Pasta with Squash Trio

1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, sliced
spaghetti
three summer squash, cut into match sticks (about 3 - 4 cups)
(I used patty pan, round courgette, and light green zucchini)
2 Tbsp pine nuts
large bunch of  fresh basil
2 Tbsp of crumbled feta cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Place olive oil and garlic in a medium-large saute pan over low heat.  Allow to cook very gently while  you prepare the vegetables and cook the spaghetti. Prepare the squash and set aside to be cooked at the last minute.   Place 2 TBS of olive oil and 1 Tbsp chopped basil  in a small dish, set a side, it will be tossed with the pasta later. Start heating the water for the pasta.  When the pasta goes into the water, add pine nuts to the olive oil/garlic pan and saute until lightly toasted.  Just before the pasta is done, raise the heat on the oil/garlic/pine nuts to medium-high and toss in the squash.  Stir in 3 TBS of slivered basil.  Cook until the squash is tender, but mostly still firm.  Drain pasta then toss it with the reserved olive oil and basil.  To serve:  Cover each plate with pasta then top with squash mixture, sprinkle with feta, then add salt and pepper to taste.  Alternately, the pasta could be tossed with the squash, however I find that the squash and pine nuts tend to migrate to the bottom of the bowl, making it more difficult to serve.

 Allowing the garlic to slowly flavor the olive oil gives the squash a subtle yet rich taste.  We really enjoyed this dish. In fact, Reyn said that he couldn't remember eating anything this good. . I know that he loves Patty Pan squash, but I think he must have an awfully short memory. I hope you like it.

Summer Squash Conundrum

What to do with all those zucchini?  I say, "Let them eat cake."  Chocolate cake, to be exact.  I have found no better use for an excess of zucchini than Chocolate Zucchini Cake.  It is so moist, and so delicious, most folks would never guess that it's filled with squash.  It's definitely right up there with the best of the comfort food. It also freezes well.  It really doesn't need any kind of icing, perhaps just a sprinkling of confectioner's sugar.  I love taking a loaf of Chocolate Zucchini Cake out of the freezer in the middle of winter.  Already baked, still moist and yummy.  It's like a  little prize for suffering through all those gray cold days.

Given the strange weather we experienced this summer, we did not have an over abundance of summer squash.  I try to keep up with the plants by picking the squash while they are still very small and we were able to eat most of our harvest as we went.  We did give some to friends and deliver a few to the local senior center, but we have not had piles of squash on every surface of the kitchen.  That said, I have been able to score a couple of oversized squash for chocolate cake.  My challenge this year has been to search out new recipes, and analyze my old ones in an effort to make a cake that is lower in fat.  After a little trial and error, I've come up with a good one.  It is pictured above adorned with the last of our summer raspberries and a little vanilla yogurt.  Very nice.  The low fat part of this recipe (actually there is fat, but it's good fat), comes from using oil along with just a touch of butter for flavor.

Susan's Chocolate Zucchini Cake

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon

3/4 cup canola or olive oil
1 tbsp softened butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp grated orange peel (optional)
2 - 2 1/2 cups grated summer squash
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Set oven at 350F. In a large bowl, stir together and set aside flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.  Beat together the oil and sugar until light, add softened butter, eggs, and vanilla, and orange peel - beating after each addition. Stir in grated squash.  Add dry ingredients alternating with buttermilk.  Stir in walnuts.  This recipe makes enough for one tube or bundt pan or two loaf pans.  I usually make it in loaf pans because they store so well in the freezer.  Bake for about 45 - 50 minutes, until done in the center.  Cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then turn out onto cooling rack.  Enjoy!

Garden-Fresh Vegetable Soup

It seems like ages since I was able to sit down at my computer to let you know what's cooking. We spent a few great days at the coast with our eating and wine-drinking buddies - see photo. The weather was nice, but a little cool at night, thus all the winter clothing. We stayed in our little Airstream dream and shared dinner responsibilities with our friends. I must say, the food was fantastic, as was the cycling and walking on the beach.

To follow that up Reyn and I rented our favorite vacation house in Yachats, Oregon for another week. You may think that was a nice idea, as did we when we made the reservations, but we were soon proved wrong. September is usually one for the best months for weather on the Oregon Coast. Predictably sunny, warm, and wind free. HA! Not this year. On our first day we enjoyed a long pleasant bike ride up the Yachats River Road, then returned to a heavy fog shrouding the coast. The fog turned into cold wind and rain that stayed with us the rest of the week. Day and night, night and day. Day after day. Really.  As the week went on we watched the passing whales and sea lions, read books, ate too many snacks, and even watched a football game on TV, all the while becoming more and more disappointed and depressed. Not what I think of as my ideal vacation. Thankfully, we have now made it back home. The weather is not perfect here either, but I may never leave home again.

The garden survived our absence and is still producing. It was raining at home while we were gone so unfortunately many of the tomatoes have split. The plants are still producing, and more ripen every day, but we will not have enough to put in the freezer this year. We are still harvesting beans, cucumbers, three kinds of squash, swiss chard, carrots, basil, and several varieties of salad greens. Our first head of cauliflower is ready to be picked, and I have spotted a few broccoli spears. So, it looks like we'll continue to have good, garden-fresh meals for a while. Here is the just-picked inspiration for tonight's dinner, a garden fresh vegetable soup.  
It all began with a beautiful leek.  Reyn planted a large patch of leeks early in the spring.  I've been watching them all summer, but haven't picked any until today.  Many of them are still pretty thin, but some are reaching maturity.  We have such mild winters here that our plan is to leave them all in the ground until they are needed, one or two at a time -  our version of cold-storage. The leek proved the perfect base for a delicious fresh vegetable soup.  I was working toward a flavorful soup that would be full of vegetables, but would allow each to retain it's own character - in flavor, texture, and color.  Here's what went into the soup pot along with the leek:
 
Garden-Fresh Vegetable Soup
 

1 leek, sliced
1 stalk of celery, sliced
4 peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 chicken breast, bone-in
water to cover
2 carrots, sliced
1/2 pound, or so, of green beans, trimmed

3 small summer squash, cut in chunks
3 tomatoes, blanched, peeled, and quartered
4 leaves of swiss chard, sliced, stems removed
salt and pepper to taste
 
For Pesto
4 sprigs of fresh basil
2 tbsp pine nuts
1 clove garlic
2 - 3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp parmesan
 
Wash leek and separate the tender white section from the green ends.  Chop the leek greens into large pieces.  In a soup pot add oil and saute leek greens and chopped celery for about 5 min.  Add peppercorns, bay leaf, chicken breast and enough water to cover, then bring to a boil.  Simmer gently for about 15 minutes.  Remove chicken and set aside to cool.  Strain broth, reserving liquid.  Deposit cooked celery, leek greens, etc in the compost bucket.
 
In soup pot heat 1 tbsp of olive oil.  Slice white part of leek and saute until soft and translucent, then add carrots and about half of the reserved broth.  Cook gently until carrots are just beginning to soften, then add green beans.  Continue simmering for about 3 - 4 minutes, then add squash and tomatoes. Cook until beans are tender, perhaps 3 minutes longer, then add the chard.  Simmer briefly, then remove from heat and serve.  The chard and green beans should still retain their vibrant green color.  Be sure to remove the soup from the heat before these greens turn to overcooked yellowish green color. My goal with this soup was to have each vegetable cooked, but not overdone. 
 

Pesto
To make the pesto, simply put pulse all ingredients in a food processor until blended, but not perfectly smooth.
 
To serve:  fill soup bowls and top each with a dollop of pesto, a sprinkling of parmesan cheese, and a dash of freshly ground pepper.  We loved this soup - so much that it bacame the basis of our dinnertime conversation.  Mostly, Mmmmmm, and Ahhhhh.  The flavors were rich and the vegetables spoke clearly of the bountiful earth.  Very satisfying.    I served it with a rustic loaf of bread, a salad of garden greens, and a nice bottle of red wine.

Tomatoes At Last!

Ah, Tomatoes. Finally. Enough to eat. As many as I want, anytime I want. Tiny ones and great big ones. Orangish ones, red ones, and pinkish ones. I've been waiting for this week, and I don't mind telling you that it has been a long time coming this year. There have been times when it seemed that we would end up totally tomatoless. Thank goodness, that isn't the case. Today I ate a tomato with my breakfast, because it's really a fruit, of course. My mid-morning snack was two tomatoes with some cottage cheese. For lunch I had slices of tomato on my sandwich, and for dinner we had pasta with my favorite fresh tomato sauce. I can't wait to start over tomorrow.

This sauce is the essence of tomatoes. Of course, it's best made with fully ripe tomatoes, ripened on the vine. The tomatoes are chopped and their flavor enhanced by a few other ingredients. There is no cooking involved, except for the pasta. I like to make the sauce as the first step in my dinner preparation so that the ingredients can sit and get to know one another while I prepare the rest of the meal. When you are ready to serve the meal, simply toss the sauce with freshly cooked pasta. I prefer to use a small pasta that will hold onto the sauce. Here is my recipe. I hope you like it.

Susan's Summertime Fresh Tomato Sauce

3 large tomatoes, cut into 1/2" dice
2 - 3 cloves of garlic, minced

10 - 12 kalamata olives, pitted and quartered
1 Tbsp capers, drained of brine
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt to taste
2 - 3 Tbsp fresh basil, sliced

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and allow to sit for at least 20 minutes. Toss with freshly cooked pasta, adjust seasonings, and serve. If you are a cheese eater, you may also add fresh mozarella or bocconcini.

This is really a summertime sauce.  So easy and so delicious, but vine ripened tomatoes are a must. 

Yet Another Berry Tart

Try, try again - This time I think I've got it.  As some of you may know, in the quest for lower cholesterol, I have changed my eating habits - and thus, my cooking habits.  I've all but given up eating cheese, butter, and any dairy products that are not fat free. I've lost interest in beef and eat only small amounts of chicken and pork, and I use olive oil with abandon.  I don't consider myself vegetarian, but eating vegetables and grains seem to make me feel the best.  The biggest problem with my transition to a healthier diet has been my sweet tooth,  and coming up with desserts that satisfy my life-long love for pastries, pies, cakes, and cookies.  That's a hard one. 

Our garden produces an abundance of berries, and all summer I've been attempting to make a berry tart with a crust that would satisfy both my culinary desires and my wish for a low-fat dessert.  I've found out that it is not easy to make a tender pastry crust without using butter.  Actually, I think that's been known for a very long time, but I've been trying anyway.   I've devised a very good non-fat filling, but the crust has eluded me. . . . . . . . . until now.  I think I've finally succeeded.

I've been making low-fat oatmeal cookies using a small amount of olive oil and no butter.  They are good in both flavor and texture, so  I decided to try a variation of the cookie dough for a tart crust.  It worked. The curst is easily made in a food processor, then pressed into the tart pan and baked.  It bakes up tender and slightly crunchy, and doesn't get soggy when filled.  The flavor is nice and doesn't overwhelm the filling and berries.  This will definitely become one of my standard crust recipes.  You may want to try it.  Here's the recipe:

Susan's Oatmeal Cookie Tart Crust
for a 8" tart pan (quantities may be increased for larger pan)

3/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup mild flavored olive oil

Place oats, flour, sugar, soda and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until mixed.  Add the olive oil and pulse until the dough begins to come together.  It will be crumbly and begin to hold together.  Remove from bowl and press onto the sides and bottom of a lightly oiled tart pan with a removable bottom.  Bake at 375F for 12 - 15 minutes, until the dough is firm and is beginning to brown just a little.  Cool thoroughly before filling.

No Kidding, Delicious Non-fat Tart Filling

3/4 quart of Non-fat Vanilla Yogurt
2 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp Grand Marnier
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup fruit or berry jam

Drain the yogurt by placing it in cheese cloth or a coffee filter, suspended over a bowl for several hours.  The longer you allow it to drain the thicker it will become.  If drained overnight it will be about the consistency of cream cheese.  When ready to use the filling stir in sugar, Grand Marnier, and vanilla to taste. 

To assemble the tart cover the bottom of the tart crust, in the pan, with a layer of  jam  (I used strawberry-rhubarb) Follow by spooning the filling over the jam and carefully spreading it to cover the pan bottom.  Top with fruit and/or berries and sprinkle lightly with sugar.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

So sad to report that I picked the very last of our blue berries when making this tart.  I guess Fall is really knocking on our back door.

Friday again?

How did it get to be Friday already?  Another week has just passed me by, or so it seems.  Actually, it's been a great week.  We had three days of cool damp weather, which allowed me the opportunity to work in the yard again.  I have just not been willing to work outside in the heat this summer. Consequently, the front yard had once again turned into a jungle. This week I have weeded, weeded, and weeded.  My tendinitis is talking to me, but I feel much better about the front yard.  I wish that I could keep up with this work on a weekly basis, but it just isn't in my genes. 

We are now back to lovely warm days with cool mornings - just about perfect.  This week Reyn has been picking Blue Lake Beans and raspberries.  He has also harvested our beets and the last of the onions.  I forgot to weigh the beets, but we had a lot, I'd say at least 10 pounds.  We have been eating them every way possible for the last month, and now I have more to deal with.  Last night I roasted several and served them with a cumin, lemon vinaigrette. I also canned pickled beets with the smaller of our onions.  They look very nice, but we'll have to wait several weeks to give them a try.

I am so relieved that our tomatoes are finally ripening.  I was worried that I would not get my fill of tomatoes this summer.  I'm still unsure if there will be enough to roast and put in the freezer, but I'm going to enjoy as many of them as I can in the coming weeks.  There is not much that I like better than tomatoes and cucumbers just picked, and still warm from the sun.  Tonight's dinner included a very easy salad of fresh cukes and tomatoes. The cucumbers were crisp, juicy and tender; the Early Girl tomatoes, oh, so good.

Tomato Cucumber Salad

2 tomatoes, cut into 1/2 dice
1 long cucumber, diced
fresh chives, snipped, about 1 Tbsp.
fresh oregano, snipped, about 1 Tbsp
2 Tbsp lemon infused olive oil
juice from 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Toss tomato and cucumber together, drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, sprinkle with chives and oregano.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Let sit 10 - 20 minutes before serving.