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Basil Pesto

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups basil leaves (fresh, rinsed and patted dry)
  • 1/4 c. nuts (pine nuts or walnuts, or try cashews)
  • 1 Tbsp. garlic (about 2-3 cloves, minced)
  • 1/4 c. olive oil
  • 1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 salt (regular, kosher, or sea salt)
  • Pepper

In a food processor, add basil, pine nuts, garlic, salt, pepper, and pulse until combined but not smooth. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while pulsing. Add parmesan cheese and pulse to combine. If you don't have a food processor, try a smoothie machine or finely hand-chopping and pressing and mixing, but the mixture will be less uniform.

Use immediately OR store in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to a week OR put in an ice cube tray/silicone muffin pan and cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 3 hours then pop them out and store in a freezer bag for future use.

The bright green color darkens quickly when exposed to air, so add a little lemon juice or lime juice for appearance or flavor. Experiment with more or less olive oil, or adding different herbs.

Try adding to any kind of cooked pasta or vegetables; or omit the cheese and add it to the frying pan to saute eggplant, mushrooms, or meat/seafood; or brush it on chicken or salmon before baking in the oven, or pop a frozen pesto cube into soups all winter. Layer onto or next to cream cheese and diced sundried tomatoes for a colorful spread for crackers.
 

Garden Tomato Soup

For when you have too many tomatoes but don't want to waste them.

Ingredients:
  • Tomatoes, cut into chunks (you may skin and deseed them but that's optional)
  • Peppers, roughly chopped (e.g. green, red, hot to taste)
  • Onions, cut into chunks (e.g. white, green, and/or the top greens)
  • Garlic, lightly chopped
  • Herbs, lightly chopped (mainly basil and oregano, but try rosemary, thyme, parsley)
  • Olive oil, 1 Tbsp
  • Seasonings (salt and pepper to taste)
  • Optional: milk or almond milk, brown sugar
In a crock pot, coat the bottom with the olive oil. Add all ingredients, using mostly tomatoes. If using less juicy tomatoes (such as paste tomatoes) you can add water or broth. Do not overfill. Cook on low setting overnight or at least 8 hours. Allow the pot to cool and refrigerate. Once cold, puree the mixture using a food processor, or immersion mixer, or in batches using a smoothie machine. Transfer puree to a large pot and heat. 

If the soup is too acidic for your taste, try adding whole milk, or cream, or almond milk, or sour cream, or plain yogurt while the puree is still cold. You might also add brown sugar or sugar.

Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and fresh basil. Serve with toast points or grilled cheese sandwiches.

Vegetarian with vegetable broth. Vegan with almond milk.

 

Zucchini Special

Great for August and September produce, it uses lots of zucchini and tomatoes.

Ingredients:
  • Sausage (e.g. fresh Italian ground, or links of Italian sausage or smoked kielbasa cut into coins)
  • Onions, diced (e.g. white, yellow, or green onion tops)
  • Peppers, diced (e.g. green or red)
  • Garlic, minced
  • Zucchini, green and/or yellow, sliced or cubed (for huge zucchini, deseed)
  • Tomatoes, cut in chunks
  • Fresh or dried basil and oregano
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Mozzarella cheese (shredded or sliced)
Saute sausage, onions, peppers, and garlic in a large pot with olive oil. Add zucchini and tomatoes. Scrape the bottom with a spatula to bring caramelized bits on the bottom into the liquid. Once the zucchini softens and a bubbling broth forms, transfer to a baking dish. Sprinkle/layer the top with mozzarella cheese, and bake in a 375-degree oven until the cheese melts and begins to brown.

Can be made ahead and rewarmed, just be careful to not overbrown the cheese. If you have other garden produce coming in, other vegetables can be added, such as green beans, yellow beans, spinach, or peas. For a non-red meat dish, omit sausage and add cubed or shredded chicken. For vegetarians, omit sausage and add sauteed firm tofu. For vegan, omit sausage and cheese.

Experiment with other herbs (e.g. rosemary, thyme) and different kinds of cheese (e.g. cheddar, swiss, feta.)
 

Jerk Chicken

*You can substitute habanero peppers instead of Scotch bonnet
 

Walnut Sage Pesto

An alternative to the traditional basil and pine nut sage, but much stronger.