With all the goodness spilling over from gardens and farm stands, I feel a menu  in my heart…

Maestro, cue Porgy and Bess: Summertime, and the cookin’ is easy / Bacon’s fryin’ and the corn is high / ‘Maters burstin’ and zucchini’s good lookin’ / Set your pretty table / Company’s nigh.

Okay that was dorky. But the menu is grrrreat, trust me. Recipes below.

Peanuts and pickled okra are my go-to hors-d’oeuvres. (go-d’oeuvres?) I order Aunt Ruby’s peanuts  from North Carolina because they are the best in the solar system. The okra is Talk o’ Texas from the grocery store.

My mother said heavy hors-d’oeuvres were a sign of insecurity. 

The soup you make ahead, and yes you can freeze it. The pasta you prep ahead and assemble last minute, no big deal.

Make a simple lettuce salad with homemade vinaigrette. Take the cheese out early so it is room temp when served. I do one firm, like Gruyère or Cantal; one gooshy brie or triple-cream; and a goat or sheep’s cheese. Slice a baguette and that’s that.

Use store-bought ice cream bars or popsicles to lend a certain I-have-nothing-to-prove charm.

Cold Cucumber Soup

2015-08-03 13:21:48

Serves 6

The bell pepper, jalapeno, and fresh herbs make this ol' cucumber soup tangy and bright. It's a lot of ingredients but really so simple. This is one of those recipes you can experiment with--as I did with Emeril Lagasse's original.

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Ingredients

1. 5 pounds cucumbers (about 5 cucumbers) peeled, seeded, coarsely chopped (10 cups)
2. 1 yellow bell pepper, stemmed and seeded, coarsely chopped
3. 4 green onions, chopped
4. 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
5. 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
6. 1 tablespoon chopped mint
7. 1 tablespoon chopped dill
8. 2-3 garlic cloves, mashed to a paste with 1 teaspoon salt
9. 1 teaspoon salt
10. 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
11. 2 cups plain yogurt
12. 2 cups sour cream
13. 1/2 cup buttermilk (or substitute*)
14. 3 tablespoons olive oil
15. 2 teaspoons wine vinegar
16. 2 tablespoons chives, minced

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except chives and puree by batches in blender. Chill at least 2 hours, then taste and adjust the seasonings. Serve sprinkled with chives.

Notes

1. To substitute for buttermilk, add 1/2 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice to regular milk. Unsweetened almond or soy milk work, too.

By Frances Schultz

Adapted from From Emeril Lagasse, via FoodNetwork.com

Adapted from From Emeril Lagasse, via FoodNetwork.com

Frances Schultz https://www.francesschultz.com/

Pasta With Bacon, Corn, Tomatoes, and Zucchini

2015-08-03 14:26:29

Serves 6

Bursting with summer goodness and easily adapted to what vegetables and herbs you have on hand, give or take. Use what you have and don't worry about it. Any short pasta will do--cavatappi, campanelle, conchiglie, farfalle, whatever-i. Pictured is "calamari" similar to paccheri.

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Ingredients

1. 12 ounces uncooked pasta
2. 6 pieces of bacon
3. 2 tablespoons olive oil
4. 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
5. 2 garlic cloves, minced
6. 1 1/2 cups fresh corn (about 3 ears)
7. 1 - 2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
8. 2 small zucchini, cut lengthwise into quarters and sliced
9. 1/2 cup slivered black or green pitted olives (if desired)
10. 1 cup Parmesan or Feta cheese, divided
11. 1/2 cup chopped basil, loosely packed
12. 1 tablespoon chopped mint
13. 1 tablespoon chopped tarragon

Instructions

1. Cook pasta by package directions for al dente.
2. Meanwhile, in large skillet over medium high heat, cook bacon until crisp. Remove to drain but keep drippings in pan. Add oil to drippings.
3. Add onion and garlic to pan and saute 2 minutes.
4. Add zucchini and cook about 3 minutes.
5. Stir in corn, tomatoes, and olives (if using), and cook about 5 minutes, until tomatoes start to burst.
6. Add pasta to vegetable mixture and stir to heat through, about a minute.
7. Remove from heat and add half the cheese, herbs, and salt and pepper, and toss to combine.
8. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Notes

1. I also tried this adding olives and substituting crumbled feta for Parmesan. The saltiness of these two balanced the sweetness of the corn and tomatoes, and to my palate, made a good thing better.

Adapted from From a recipe for Cavatappi With Bacon and Summer Vegetables via CookingLight.com

Adapted from From a recipe for Cavatappi With Bacon and Summer Vegetables via CookingLight.com

Frances Schultz https://www.francesschultz.com/