Baked Tomatoes, Squash, and Potatoes

Serves 8

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 small tomatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 medium yellow summer squash, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 medium Yukon Gold potato, sliced 1/4-inch thick
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Heat oil over medium and cook onion until tender and lightly golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Arrange the onion on the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Overlap tomato, squash, and potato on top of the onion. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with thyme and Parmesan, and drizzle with more oil. Bake covered for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until golden, 30 minutes more.

Source

Pesto Pasta with Collard Greens and Roasted Summer Squash

Serves 6
1 lb pasta (whole wheat penne is often our choice - easy for little fingers to pick up)
1 or 2 summer squash, washed and cut into bite-size pieces
one bunch (about 5 leaves) collard greens, rinsed and cut into ribbons*
handful walnuts
two garlic cloves
two big handfuls of fresh basil (and/or parsley)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon of salt, to taste
couple twists of fresh ground pepper
1/8 to 1/4 cup of olive oil
Bring large pot of water to a boil, and then add pasta and cook for about 10 minutes. Add greens to boiling water when 8 minutes of cooking time remains. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400. Place squash in a baking dish. Lightly drizzle with oil and salt and pepper to taste. Roast at 400 for about 20 minutes, until tender. Turning once halfway through roasting. Place remaining ingredients (except olive oil) in a food processor. Immediately drizzle oil into processor while it purees. Stop adding oil until you reach your preferred consistency. I like to add about 1/4 cup of the pasta's cooking water to stretch the pesto out a bit and make it smoother for the babes. When all is done cooking, lightly toss pasta and greens with the pesto and roasted squash. Serve immediately.
*I pull the greens off the vein and then pile them on top of each other. I then roll them like a tight burrito and then cut down the roll to create ribbons.
Source

Summer Squash and Kale Saute

Serves 2
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound yellow squash, diced
1/2 cup onion diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups kale
2 roma tomatoes, diced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add squash, onion and garlic and sauté 5 to 7 minutes or until slightly tender. Add kale and remaining olive oil, stirring constantly, 2 minutes more or until kale is wilted. Add tomatoes, lemon juice, salt and pepper, stirring well 2 minutes more. Serve immediately.
Source

Smothered Summer Squash with Basil

Serves 4
Smothering is a Cajun cooking term that refers to browning anything from meat to vegetables in oil, then braising it in a small amount of liquid, tightly covered, until tender.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 lb medium yellow squash, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then add half of squash and sauté, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer browned squash to a bowl, then heat remaining tablespoon oil and sauté remaining squash in same manner. Return squash in bowl to skillet. Add garlic and sauté, stirring occasionally, 1 minute. Add water, salt, and pepper and simmer briskly, covered, until squash is tender and most of liquid is evaporated, 6 to 7 minutes. Stir in basil.
Source

Summer Squash, Onion, Bell Pepper and Tomato Skillet

1 yellow onion, sliced very thin
2 garlic cloves, minced 
1 large patty pan squash (or a medium size Italian Zucchini), thinly sliced
1 medium size yellow crookneck squash, thinly sliced
5 roma tomatoes, halved, seeds removed and them sliced in 1/2" pieces
2 tablespoons rehydrated red bell peppers, finely diced (1/4 cup of fresh peppers would work as well)
Olive oil
Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Drizzle olive oil into a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and then onions and stir to coat with oil. Let the onions cook without stirring for a few minutes to brown them slightly. Stir them and continue cooking until done and then remove to a small plate. Add a little bit more olive oil to the skillet and then add the squash. Allow it to cook without stirring for a few minutes while it browns slightly. Then stir and turn as needed while it cooks to your desired doneness. We like our squash with a good bite, not at all soggy or wilted. Once the squash is almost done, add the tomatoes and the bell peppers to the skillet and stir to mix. Allow the vegetables to cook until the tomatoes and peppers are warm, but not overcooked at all. Serve with the onions on top or you can add the onions back to the skillet and toss to make sure everything is warm. I served it with the onions on top and didn't notice that they were any cooler than the other vegetables. My intent was to warm them again, but I inadvertently skipped that step. Enjoy!
Source

Summer Squash Cobbler

Serves many!
8 Cups peeled chopped squash
1 Cup lemon juice
1 Cup packed brown sugar
2 heaping teaspoons cinnamon
Heaping ½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup raisins
4 Cups all-purpose flour
1 Cup white sugar
1 Cup brown sugar
1 ½ Cups butter, chilled (3 sticks)
¾ Cups Oatmeal
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease a 10 x 15” baking dish.
Cut the squash into halves and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Remove seeds, scoop out flesh and chop into small pieces. In a large pan, cook squash in lemon juice until tender. Add 1 cup brown sugar, 2 heaping t. cinnamon, nutmeg & cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat. Add raisins.
In a large bowl, combine flour, brown and white sugars, oatmeal and cinnamon. Cut in butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir half of dry mixture into squash. Press half of remaining dry mixture into bottom of prepared pan. Spread squash over bottom crust, and sprinkle balance over the top. Sprinkle top with cinnamon.
Bake 35-40 minutes or until top is golden. Serve warm with ice cream.
Source

Summer Squash Hummus

3 cups peeled, de-seeded and chopped summer squash (I used patty pan, but other varieties of summer squash can be used.)
1/3 cup lemon or lime juice
3 tablespoons good quality olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup tahini
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
3 tablespoons almond flour (optional, for added texture)
a few shakes of smoked paprika
a few shakes of cayenne pepper

Add all the ingredients to the food processor except for the tahini.  Blend well, until smooth.  Add tahini and blend for several minutes until the hummus is very smooth, scraping down the sides occasionally.  Adjust seasoning, to taste.  I think that allowing it to mellow in the refrigerator for a while improves the texture and taste.  Serve drizzled with more olive oil or sprinkled with a little paprika.

Source

Summer Squash Casserole

Serves 6

1 medium zucchini, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 medium yellow zucchini, ribbons
Fresh cilantro or basil or dill, chopped (or all 3)
2 cups cheese
3/4 cup pesto
1/2 red onion, sliced
3 medium tomatoes, sliced
Salt and pepper
Opptional: 2-4 cups rotisserie chicken, or tofu sausage, chopped

Preheat oven to 400. Grease or spray a 9×13 pan. Layer the bottom with sliced squash. Spread 1/2 the pesto over the sliced squash, 1/2 of the chopped chicken, 1/2 of the zucchini ribbons (use a potato peeler to make these), 1 cup of cheese, 1/2 of the fresh herbs, and salt and pepper. Repeat above step, ending with sliced tomatoes on top. Place a large piece of foil over the pan to seal. Bake at 400 for 35-40 minutes, until squash is tender but not overcooked. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Source

Zucchini with Tomatoes

Serves 4
2 medium zucchini (or summer squash)
2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, peeled and mashed
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
4 Tbsp butter
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. pepper
Peel tomatoes, by dipping them into boiling water with a slotted spoon, for about 5 seconds each. Cut in half around the equator, hold tomato half in the the palm of your hand and gently squeeze out the seeds. Cut ends off of squash, slice into quarters lengthwise and slice thinly. Mix with sea salt and let stand about an hour. Rinse in a colander and pat dry. Saute squash in butter and olive oil in batches over medium-high heat until golden. Set aside. Saute onion in butter and oil until tender. Add tomato, raise heat and saute a few minutes until liquid is almost all absorbed. Add zucchini, garlic, thyme and pepper. Saute about one more minute until flavors are amalgamated. Don't let squash overcook!

From "Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon, page 411

Zucchini Pancakes with Carrots and Basil Chive Cream

Makes 8 p'cakes 

For Basil Chive Cream
¾ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt (may use low-fat)
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Salt to taste
For Pancakes
2 zucchini, grated
2 carrots, grated
1¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup almond flour*
½ teaspoon sugar*
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 egg whites
olive oil
*If you only have all-purpose flour, use same amount of flour but increase sugar to 1¼ teaspoon.
 
Make Basil Chive Cream
In a bowl, combine sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, chopped basil, chives and salt (I used about ⅛ teaspoon). Store in fridge until ready to serve.
Make Pancakes
Shred zucchini and the carrots. Place together in a colander and toss with 1¼ teaspoon of salt.
Let sit 20 minutes so moisture can release from veggies. After 20 minutes, take a handful of the zucchini and carrot mixture and squeeze hard to remove all the liquid. Transfer the drained veggies to a large bowl and combine with flour, sugar and pepper. Using a stand mixer, beat egg whites into stiff peaks (Tip: Did you know if you get even a tiny bit of egg yolk into your whites, they will never beat stiff enough?). Fold beaten egg whites into zucchini and carrot mixture until well combined. In a non-stick or cast-iron pan, heat approximately 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Once oil is shimmery, add about ¼ cup zucchini-carrot mixture and immediately press flat with spatula. Cook until golden on each side, approximately 2-3 minutes per side. Cook’s note: I personally like them on the darker side for added crispiness, but experiment to your taste. Transfer cooked pancakes to paper towel to drain excess oil. Serve hot with a dollop of Basil Chive Cream.

Source

Rachel's Stewed Summer Veggies

Serves 3-4
~1 T. extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 large onion, diced
4 small potatoes, chopped into bite size chunks
1 yellow squash (or zucchini)
3 cups of tomatoes (I used a combo of whole cherry tomatoes & chopped larger tomatoes)
1 T. white wine vinegar
3 stalks of kale, torn off the rib and into pieces
1 cup of water or veggie broth
1 can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Salt & pepper
Seasoning salt
Smoked paprika

Pour EVOO into a large tall-sided skillet or sauce pan and heat on medium heat. Add onions & a dash of salt and saute for about five minutes. Add potatoes, squash, tomatoes, water or broth, and vinegar. Reduce heat to med-low, cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in kale and gently mash the tomatoes so they release their juices. If it needs more liquid, you can add another cup of water or broth. Gently stir in the beans and season to taste with seasoning salt (like Lawry’s or Tony’s), smoked paprika (use just a pinch for a nice smokey flavor) and a little salt and pepper if it needs it.

Source

Herbed Summer Squash and Potato Torte

1 cup green onions — thinly sliced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
5 Yukon Gold potatoes — unpeeled,scrubbed and cut into thin rounds
4 yellow summer squash — cut into thin rounds
Olive oil cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray two 8-inch-diameter cake pans. Set aside 1/4 cup sliced green onions. Toss remaining green onions, cheese, flour, thyme, salt and pepper in medium bowl to blend. Layer 1/2 of potatoes in concentric circles in bottom of pans, overlapping slightly. Layer 1/2 of squash in concentric circles atop potatoes. Spray well with cooking spray oil. Sprinkle with 1/2 of cheese mixture. Repeat with potatoes, then squash and cooking spray oil. Sprinkle with cheese mixture and press gently to flatten.
Cover pans with foil. Bake until potatoes are almost tender, about 40 minutes. Remove foil; bake uncovered until tortes begin to brown and potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes longer.
Invert onto serving plates and cut each torte into wedges. Sprinkle wedges with 1/4 cup green onions; serve.

Source

Roasted Beet and Summer Squash Salad with Figs, Chevre, Cucumber Relish and a Balsamic Reduction

Serves 4-6

2 beets
3 flying saucer squash
4 figs, halved
1 lemon cucumber
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
Chevre, or cheese of your choice
2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon lavender
olive oil for frying
salt and pepper to taste
ROASTED BEETS - Preheat oven to 450 F. Rinse beets, remove leaves, and wrap in foil. Place on a baking sheet and roast for an hour until the beets are tender through. Let cool until you can handle them. (Tip: wear gloves or place a plastic baggie over your hand to protect your fingers from getting stained.) Using a paring knife, peel the skin off the beets. It should come off easily. Slice into ¼ inch rounds. Set aside. FIGS & BALSAMIC REDUCTION - Heat a small saucepan to medium-high heat. Sear the fig halves, flat side down for a few minutes, just until the surface caramelizes a bit. Remove and set aside. In the same pan, lower the heat and add the balsamic vinegar and sugar. Let simmer until the sauce becomes thick and syrupy. Set aside. CUCUMBER RELISH - Cut the cucumber into a fine dice. You can leave the skin on if you’re using lemon cucumbers since their skin is softer than regular green cucumbers. Mix with rice vinegar, a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and set aside. FRIED SUMMER SQUASH - In a deep frying pan, heat 2 inches of oil to right below smoking point. I like the taste of olive oil (don’t use the expensive stuff), but you can use vegetable oil if you prefer. Prepare your assembly line: squash sliced into ¼ inch rounds, egg wash, dish filled with bread crumbs seasoned with lavender and a pinch of salt and pepper. I prefer panko because of its extra crunch, but you can use regular dried breadcrumbs as well. Dip each slice of squash into egg wash, then coat with breadcrumbs. To test the oil, drop a little piece of eggy breadcrumb into the pan. If it just sinks, the oil is not hot enough. If it burns quickly, the oil is too hot. If it starts to bubble right away and floats, it is just the right temperature and you’re now ready to start frying up your squash. Let the fried squash drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with a little salt while they’re still hot. Set aside. CHEESE - You can use any cheese you’d like, however, fresh goat cheese and beets are a traditional pairing. If you’re like me though, and have an aversion to goat cheese (I know, one of my great downfalls as a foodie, I disappoint myself in this respect time after time), try a gooey burrata, or Cowgirl Creamery’s buttery Mt. Tam, or a ricotta salata for something sharper and firmer. Now you’re ready to assemble and plate. Layer beets, cheese, squash, repeat, and top with the cucumber relish. Garnish with the figs and balsamic reduction. Enjoy!
 
Source

Shaved Summer Squash Salad with Blossoms

2 pounds small yellow zucchini or other summer squash
1/2 pound ricotta salata cheese or mild feta
12 squash blossoms (petals only)
Salt 
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Juice from half a lemon
 Using a mandoline or sharp thin-bladed knife, cut zucchini into very thin slices lengthwise; put in a large, shallow bowl. Season zucchini lightly with salt and pepper; toss gently. Drizzle with olive oil, then add juice from lemon. Taste and adjust the seasoning. On top, scatter cheese, then blossoms. Serve immediately.

Source

Potato, Squash, and Goat Cheese Gratin

Serves 6
2 medium yellow squash, about 1/2 pound
4 small to medium red potatoes, about 1 pound
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces goat cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup whole milk
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon thinly sliced basil or thyme leaves
Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 1 1/2 to 2-quart casserole dish with a drizzle of olive oil.
Use a mandoline or chef's knife to slice the squash and potatoes into very, very thin slices, 1/8-inch or less. Toss the sliced vegetables with the 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large bowl.
Place 1/3 of the squash and potato slices in the bottom of the dish — no need to layer them squash-potato-squash; just spread evenly — then season with salt and pepper. Top with half of the goat cheese, scattered evenly in large chunks. Repeat with another 1/3 of the vegetables, seasoning again with salt and pepper and topping with the other 1/2 of the goat cheese. Finish by layering on the final 1/3 of the vegetables and seasoning with salt and pepper.
Pour the milk over the entire dish. Top with the parmesan cheese. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake 15 more minutes, until the top browns. Scatter on the fresh basil, if using.
Source

Provencal Summer Squash and Potato Gratin

This dish is based on a traditional Provencal dish called a tian, the perfect baked dish for showcasing summer vegetables. Try swapping rosemary for thyme or oregano, or adding thinly sliced summer eggplant to the mix.
Cooking spray
1 medium yellow summer squash (about 8 ounces)
1 medium zucchini (about 8 ounces)
1 small Yukon gold potato, about 4 ounces, scrubbed and thinly sliced
1/4 small sweet onion, such as Vidalia, thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup (1 1/2 ounces) freshly grated Manchego cheese
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly mist a shallow 2-quart baking or gratin dish with cooking spray.
Thinly slice the squash, zucchini, potato, and onion 1/4-inch thick with a mandolin or by hand. Shingle the vegetables in the prepared baking dish in one layer. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the rosemary leaves and drizzle with olive oil. Cover with foil and bake until the potatoes are tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the foil; sprinkle with the cheese. Bake until the cheese is browned and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 45 minutes more. Let stand at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Source

Calabacitas con Nopalitos

A super simple way to use several of your CSA veggies this week, and versatile enough to accommodate any number of variations to suit your taste and/or mood!

Calabacitas is Spanish for "little squash" or really, little pieces of squash, and the same applies to the nopalitos (little pieces of nopales). While the nopales can get a little slimy while cooking (not unlike okra), the sliminess tends to wane the longer you cook them, and also, if you keep the mixture relatively dry (as in roasting or sauteing rather than in a stew).

• 2 medium-sized summer squash--any variety works, and a mix is great, too
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1-2 roasted green chiles or 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 2 small or 1 large nopal paddle, chopped
• 1 cup corn kernels
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• Salt & Pepper

Garnish:

• 1/2 lemon or lime
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1.2 cup shredded cheese or crumbled queso seco/ricotta salata (optional)

Optional ingredients:

• Diced tomatoes
• Green onions
• Chopped greens (spinach, quelites, etc.)
• Red chile
• Splash of Cream
• Splash of Tequila

For the Calabacitas, start with bite-sized pieces of summer squash--. If your squash are rather big and full of big seeds, you can opt to remove them first. For zucchini and yellow squash, usually half-moons or quartered slices works well, but you can cube the squash instead, though it may need slightly more cooking time. Heat a few tablespoons of butter or oil in a large skillet until very hot. First add onions, stirring to cook one minute or so. Add garlic, chile pepper, squash, nopalitos & corn. Saute on medium-high heat for 5-10 minutes or so, until vegetables start to brown slightly. Add remaining ingredients, including optional ingredients if using, and cook several minutes more, until everything is cooked to your taste. Squeeze lime or lemon juice over veggies and garnish with cilantro & cheese (if using) to serve.