Recipes of Summer

Public service announcement: If you hate it when bloggers write on and on about their inspiration or narrate stories before actually giving you a recipe, this is your opportunity to scroll down to the first photo of ingredients, pick up a fork and dive right in!

Follow me on social media and you well know that I’m coocoo for Cocoa Puffs over our local farmers and farmer’s markets. I adore this glorious season of fresh fruits and vegetables from nearby farms!

I partnered with Root Bound Farm in Crestwood, Kentucky for a sample of their weekly CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). A CSA is a perfect way to not only assist your local farmer, but also take advantage of the great deals on the freshest produce available. Root Bound Farm is certified organic and allows you to tweak your weekly bounty with veggies your family most prefers. There’s also a vacation hold.

I love getting creative in the kitchen and there’s no better way than to open up a big box of fresh goodies. My mind immediately starts dreaming of all the great things I can create. And if I get stumped, a world of ideas are at my fingertips on my laptop.

My latest CSA box contained garden-fresh kale, broccoli, yellow squash, napa cabbage, radishes, snap peas, leaf lettuce, and leeks.  Before I start on the recipes, I just want ya’ll to know that trying to keep track of what I put into a dish is not an easy task. I am normally a fly-by-the-seat-of-the pants type of cook: tasting, breathing in the heavenly scents, adjusting ingredients and improvising as I go along.  So bear with me.

Owners Ben, Bree and their children.

My first recipe incorporated the most ingredients in the form of Crasian Asian Cabbage Wraps. I love the spicy goodness of this dish that you will find low in carbs as the cabbage serves as the boat. I just eat these with my hands and used a couple of the veggies as a crunchy topper.  Please note, as with any of my ideas (recipes), make it your own. Use my notes as a guideline and taste your way through it to create whatever you want with whatever you have.

Crasian Asian Cabbage Wraps

1 lb turkey or beef burger

1-2 yellow squash, chopped (substitute zucchini if preferred)

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

Several washed leaves of napa or regular cabbage or bibb lettuce

¼ cup Hoisin sauce (I only had Gyoza dipping sauce from Trader Joe & it worked just fine!)

2 cloves fresh garlic, minced

1t sesame oil

1T rice wine or apple cider vinegar

2t pickled ginger or 1 knuckle fresh minced

Garnish:

2 stems green onions, minced

1 radish, thinly sliced or 1 can sliced water chestnuts

5 snap peas, sliced diagonally

2T dry roasted sesame seeds

Chili flakes to taste

Crunchy toppers made from minced radish, snap peas and green onion.

Get to cookin’

1. Saute burger until brown and drain excess fat into a jar

2. While burger is cooking, sauté chopped onion and yellow squash

3. Once all are cooked, toss them into the biggest pan and add the Hoisin sauce, sesame oil, ginger and garlic

4. Place raw sesame seeds in a dry skillet and roast until golden brown

5. Once it’s all hot and partying together, scoop spoonfuls into cabbage leaves

6. Top with garnish veggie and sesame seeds- eat up!

Street Corn Named Desire

6 fresh corn on the cob

4 T mayo or a lighter version is 1 T mayo +3 T fat free yogurt

Fresh lime + zest

¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro, save a little for garnish

Cayenne pepper

Salt & pepper to taste

1. Start by charring your corn on a gas stove top or grill. You can also microwave it but leave it in the husks and chop off the bottom. Ear of corn will squirt right out after cooking in microwave!

2. Zest your lime and finely chop it up. Halve your lime. You’ll use the juice from half in the mix and then cut the other half into 4 pieces to serve on the side of your corn.

3. Mix yogurt, mayo, lime juice, lime zest and cilantro together. Spoon it over the hot corn. Sprinkle with cilantro and cayenne to taste. Enjoy!

Wanna be the hit of the party? Click here for my Street Corn Bar Blog to learn how guests can customize their own savory or sweet corn!

Southwest Chicken Scramble

2 chicken breasts boiled

6 farm fresh eggs

½ cup chopped zucchini and/or yellow squash

¼ cup chopped leek or onion

2 large leaves of chopped kale

½ red bell pepper chopped

¼ cup cottage cheese

Taco chicken seasoning pack

Salt & pepper to taste

Salsa, shredded cheddar & sour cream for garnish

Get Crackin’!

1. Boil chicken breasts until cooked, chop into small cubes and season according to packet directions. Sautee the veggies until just under done. Whip up the eggs with the cottage cheese and salt/pepper. Spray muffin tins and fill just over half way with the veggies. Pour egg mixture to just under the top. You may need to use a spoon to get equal parts cottage cheese in each tin as the cheese will sink to the bottom of the egg mixture. Make a boat from aluminum for ease of cleaning just in case it bubbles over.

2. Bake for approximately 20 minutes at 425 degrees, checking after 15 minutes. Tops should be just golden. A toothpick should come out clean when stuck in the middle.

3. Let cool slightly and sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Drizzle with salsa and add a small dollop of sour cream. These are great for any meal and easy to take along to work.

Grilled Watermelon

This is a super simple recipe that is great for a light dessert or side item.

6 slices of watermelon

2T Stuartos lemon infused olive oil

Fresh basil & mint ribbons

Goat or feta cheese

1. Brush watermelon with 1 T lemon oil and toss onto a very hot outdoor or stove top grill. You just want to make grill marks on one side so this will only take a few seconds.

2. Remove melon, plate and drizzle with the other 1T lemon oil. Crumble cheese on top and sprinkle with ribbons of fresh mint and basil.

I would love to know if you try any of my recipes, please tag @BluegrassBlog in your post or leave your comments below.