Chorizo Burgers
recipe by: Scott Reston - print this recipe

Ingredients:
1lb ground beef
1/3lb chorizo
1 tomato
4oz tomatillo salsa
1 onion
pepper-jack cheese
4 kaiser rolls


Method:
Heat grill on high. Cut onion into 1/4-inch slices and put them on a cookie sheet with a little olive oil. Put them on the grill while it's heating. Remove the onions from the grill when they're soft. Carmelize them if you'd like. The cooking time for the onions may overlap with the cooking of the burgers. Combine the ground beef and chorizo and mix well by hand. Split into 4 equal portions and form burger patties. Turn grill down to medium and grill burgers for 3-4 min. Flip and top with some pepper-jack cheese. Cook for another 3-4 min depending on how well you want them cooked. Toast the kaiser rolls on the grill. Assemble burgers on rolls with sliced tomato and grilled onion. Top with the salsa.

Delicious Summer Salad
recipe by: gc - print this recipe

Ingredients:
Salad Mix - about 6 cups
Avacado - 1
Grape or cherry tomatoes - 1/2 pint
Green Onion - 2 or 3 (or 2 slices medium red or white onion)
Cucumber - 1 or 2
Roasted Sunflower seeds - optional
Shredded cheddar cheese - optional
Dressing - your favorite to taste

Method:
Rinse greens thoroughly, drain in colander, then on paper towels or in salad spinner. Trim the root end of the onions, cut off the tips of the tops, and discard. Rinse the remaining onion and chop it into 1/4 in pieces and add to the greens in a large salad bowl. Rinse the cucumber (peel if it's waxed) then quarter it, and chop into 1/4 in chunks. Rinse the tomatoes, cut them in half and add to the salad Cut around avacado lengthwise, twist the halves to remove one from the pit. Tap the pit with the knife and twist to remove the pit, Cut the halves to quarters, and slip your thumb under the peel to separate it. Cut the free avacado into bite size chunks, and add to the salad.

Extra Information:
Lightly sprinkle sunflower seeds and shredded cheddar on individual servings. Lightly dress with your favorite salad dressing, and season to taste with coarsely ground pepper. It's best to add avacado to the salad immediately before serving so that it doesn't darken. For a light heathful dressing, use a few sprinkles of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Walnut pieces toasted about 10 min at 250 F are a tasty alternative to sunflower seeds.

Peach Gelato
recipe by: Gary B - print this recipe

Ingredients:
Recipe for 6 qt freezer:
10 pounds ripe peaches
1 lime
2/3 cup sugar
dash of salt
1 pint heavy cream or creme fraiche


Method:
Remove sections of the peaches from the pit and put them in a blender with part of the lime juice. Puree peaches in 3 portions, then push the puree through a strainer using a spatula to remove the peach skin. This will yield about 2.5 to 3 quarts of puree. Stir sugar and salt into the puree, and chill the puree in stainless steel bowls in the refrigerator for about an hour. Transfer the puree to the freezer containter, and add the heavy cream. Follow freezer manufacturer's directions to freeze the peach mixture.

Extra Information:
Gelato contains less sugar and butterfat (6% vs 12%) than ice cream. Because it's mostly fruit, the flavor is more intense. Since gelato is more dense than ice cream, I prefer to serve the gelato a bit on the soft side. Creme fraiche flavor compliments peach flavor very well - I think it's worth the extra day or so needed to convert the heavy cream to creme fraiche.

Early Summer Berry Turnover
recipe by: Johannah Maynard Edwards - print this recipe

Ingredients:
1 qt. (or so) strawberries
1 handful blueberries
1/2 c sugar
2 t. vanilla extract (I use Trader Joe's Bourbon Vanilla for excellent
flavor)
small pinch of salt
1 T cornstarch
1 store-bought frozen pie crust, or, by all means, make your own
(I use Trader Joe's)
1 egg, beaten
optional: a few spoonfuls of turbinado sugar for dusting the top of
turnover

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Defrost pie crust. Slice strawberries and add to blueberries in a mixing bowl. Add sugar, vanilla, and salt. Stir to combine and get the juices going. Sift cornstarch or mix with fork before adding to reduce lumps. Place piecrust on parchment lined baking sheet. (I recommend using a rimmed baking sheet in case there's some leaking.) Spoon filling over one half of piecrust. Stretch piecrust over filling to cover and seal edges with some of the egg and use fork to crimp. Brush eggwash over the top of the turnover and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar. Bake until top is golden (about 20 minutes) and let cool for ten minutes before slicing. Enjoy by itself or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and let the taste of summer wash over you! Variation: Make individual or mini turnovers instead of one big one.

Extra Information:
I created this recipe with my Papa Spuds bounty last week. My husband and I couldn't BELIEVE the intense berry flavor. It's quick and easy to do and will make you vow never to eat an out of season berry ever again!

Quick Strawberry Ice Cream (6 qt)
recipe by: Em - print this recipe

Ingredients:
1.5 lb fresh ripe strawberries
1 c white granulated sugar
2 pints heavy whipping cream (NOT half & half)
3 c skim milk
1/4 teaspoon table salt

Method:
Wash, hull, and slice the strawberries, add 1 c sugar. Puree the strawberries in a blender, and chill the puree for 30 min in the refrigerator. Put 6 cups of strawberry puree, the 1/4 teaspoon of salt, the milk, and cream to the ice cream freezer cannister with dasher.Reserve any remaining puree for topping. Follow ice cream maker directions to freeze, typically 20 minutes for an electric motor freezer.

Extra Information:
This a relatively low sugar recipe; use an additional 1/3 cup sugar if you prefer a sweeter ice cream. Optional: Serve with sweetened sliced strawberries or strawberry syrup. To freeze a batch of ice cream in a 6 qt. electric motor ice freezer, a 20 lb bag of cracked ice is about right, along with about 5 lb rock salt. If you plan to 'ripen' the ice cream in the ice cream freezer for a firmer texture, more ice and rock salt will be needed. Recover undissolved rock salt and re-use the next time you make ice cream, and save a cup or two of the brine, which will speed up freezing. Take care to keep the salt and brine in plastic containers away from metal objects and electrical equipment; the salt causes corrosion to occur rapidly.

Hearty Kale & Lentil Soup
recipe by: Em - print this recipe

Ingredients:
2 tbs olive oil
1 c chopped onion
4 c broth
3 cloves garlic
1 c lentils
1 small carrot
2 bay leaves
3 c kale or other greens
1 c potato
1 c cooked sausage or ham
1 can tomatoes (14.5 oz)
1 t basil
1/2 t thyme
1/2 t freshly ground pepper

Method:
Saute onion in olive oil for 5 min. Add broth, garlic, lentils, carrot, bay leaves, bring to boil and simmer for 20 min. Add greens, potato, and ham, simmer 20 min. Add tomatoes, basil, thyme, pepper and simmer 10 min. Makes 5 large portions.

Extra Information:
Optional: Garnish with shaved parmesan and parsley.

Beet and Broccoli Salad
recipe by: Donna - print this recipe

Ingredients:
3 beets (tops and ends removed)
1 small bunch broccoli
1/4 red onion
1/4 cup light Marzetti Original Slaw Dressing
1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1/4 cup dried cranberries (optional)

Method:
Peel and slice beets. Cover with water in a 2 quart saucepan, bring to a boil, and cook until tender (20-30 minutes). Drain beets and dice. Chop broccoli and red onion. Mix beets, broccoli, and onion in slaw dressing. Stir in walnuts and dried cranberries. Chill for at least 1 hour.

Extra Information:
I am not a beet lover, but this salad is an excellent way to include this nutrient-rich root vegetable into your diet. For extra crunch, sprinkle rice noodles over each salad serving.

Pasta with Swiss Chard and Kielbasa
recipe by: Sarah Matejowsky - print this recipe

Ingredients:
3/4 lb Swiss Chard
1/2 lb Kielbasa, quartered lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/2"
pieces
2 tbls olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp dried hot red pepper flakes
3/4 lb penne or rigatoni pasta
1 lb finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/2 cup) + extra for
serving

Method:
Cut out center ribs from chard, wash thoroughly with leaves in cold water. Cut ribs crosswise into 1/4" pieces and coursely chop leaves. Cook kielbasa in oil in a large heavy duty pot over moderate high heat, stirring occasionally until golden (2-3 minutes) Transfer to boel with slotted spoon. Cook chard ribs and stems in fat stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring 1 minute. Add chard leaves, water and red pepper flakes and simmer, partially covered, until chard stems are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove lid and stir in kielbasa. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, then reserve 1/2 cup pasta water and drain into colander. Add pasta to chard mixture with cheese and salt to taste. Toss to combine. Thin with pasta water if needed. Serve with extra Parmigiano- reggiano cheese.

Vegetarian Collard Greens
recipe by: Heather Stewart - print this recipe

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 small onion (chopped)
2 garlic cloves (diced)
1 bunch of collard greens (chopped)
3 cups of vegetable stock
*optional dash of red pepper flakes for spice

Method:
In a large pot over medium heat, heat oil and butter. Saute the onions until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Then add the garlic. Red pepper flakes are also added here if spicy flavor is desired. Cook another minute. Add collard greens and cook another minute. Add the vegetable stock, cover and bring to a simmer. Cook until greens are tender, about 40 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Extra Information:
This recipe is adapted from a version by the Food Network. A family favorite is to splash a bit of apple-cider vinegar on the greens for an extra zing.

Grilled Okra
recipe by: Christy - print this recipe

Ingredients:
Okra- stems trimmed down just slightly
2 tablespoons of your preferred oil
coarse salt and pepper to taste
hot paprika to taste
grill basket or skewers

Method:
Toss okra with oil, salt, pepper and paprika. Place in grill basket or on skewers and add to a moderately flamed grill. Toss or turn frequently. Grill until slightly charred or the larger pieces of okra have a bit of give to them when squeezed with tongs. We usually have this with grilled steaks. Delicious alternative to fried okra!