Fresh produce favorites

What are best buys of fresh fruits and vegetables (grown in the USA) today? Here are some recipes that feature some of the available produce. Take care and I’ll be seeing you around …Agnes

Blueberry Cobbler:

Place berries in a baking dish and sweeten to taste. Dot with butter and sprinkle with a dash of cinnamon. Top with your homemade crust or with a bought one, put a few slits in the top for steam escape and bake at 325 degrees until done.

Strawberry/Spinach Salad: Fresh young spinach leaves; washed fresh strawberries, hulled and if very large cut into halves or fourths; walnuts, lightly toasted in large pieces and tossed with a few drops of honey while hot. Toss with poppy seed dressing and serve.

Old Timey Blackberry Pie:

Pastry for 2 pie crust. Line a deep pie plate with crust. Combine 1 ¼ cups of sugar, ¼ cup all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch and a pinch of salt. Mix well and gently toss with 4 cups of blackberries. Pour into the pastry lined pie plate. Add top crust. Seal edges and cut slits in top for steam to escape. Spread ¼ cup melted butter on top and sprinkle with ¼ cup sugar. Bake in preheated 400-degree oven for 45 minutes. NOTE: When using a glass or corning ware pie plate, reduce heat 25 degrees.

Stewed Apples: Peel, core and quarter 6 apples. Place in a sauce pan and add 1 cup water, ½ to 1 cup sugar, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally until apples are tender and breaking apart. Serve warm.

Harvard Beets:

In a double boiler stir until smooth the following:

½ cup sugar

1 tablespoon corn starch

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup cider vinegar

Pinch of cloves (ground)

Cook and stir until the sauce is clear. Remove from heat and add 3 cups of cooked, peeled beets. Cover and let sit over hot water for at least 30 minutes. Just before serving, heat, but do not boil and add 2 tablespoons butter. Serve as is or toss in one thinly sliced sweet onion and/or 1-2 tablespoons orange marmalade.

Broccoli Slaw:

Peel the stems of the broccoli and grate on the coarse side of the grater. Grate some carrot and add to the broccoli. Add a little chopped green onion, 1 tablespoon cider vinegar, salt to taste, 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 tablespoon parsley flakes and toss together. Add enough mayonnaise, original Ranch dressing or cabbage slaw dressing to resemble cabbage slaw. Serve as you would slaw or as a side dish.

Scalloped Cabbage:

Chop 1small head of cabbage and cook in a little salt water until almost done (tender). Make about 1 ½ cups of white sauce and pour over cabbage. Dot with butter and sprinkle with 1 cup grated cheddar cheese. Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

Copper Pennies:

1 pound bag of carrots, peeled and sliced. Gently cook in salted water until barely tender. Drain and put in the following mixture to sit overnight. It is delicious served over a wedge of iceberg lettuce:

½ cup vinegar

½ cup sugar

½ cup vegetable oil

1 can cream of tomato soup

Use a whisk to mix all well. The next day add one small green bell pepper, cut in strips and one small sweet onion sliced in rings. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Boiled Corn on the Cob:

Put 4 to 6 ears of fresh corn that has been husked and the silks removed in a pot. Add boiling water to cover and ½ teaspoon salt and 1 to 2 tablespoons of sugar. Cover and bring to a boil and boil rapidly for 4 to 10 minutes. The time depends on the size of ear and age of corn. Serve hot with plenty of butter.

Cucumber and Onion Salad:

Wash young cucumbers, peel and slice. Slice equal amounts of Vidalia Onions. Put in a serving container. Add lots of salt and pepper and pour vinegar over to almost cover. Stir. Serve on greens, as is, or with a dollop of sour cream.

Eggplant Sandwich:

Peel and slice one eggplant. Sprinkle with salt and let it set in a colander for 30 minutes to drain. Coat in a little seasoned flour. Dip in a mixture of 1 egg beaten with ½ cup of milk. Remove and coat in the seasoned flour or some seasoned bread crumbs. Fry in about ½ inch of hot oil in a heavy skillet. Turn once. Set aside to drain.

To assemble the sandwich: Spread bread with a mixture of ½ cup real mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon catsup and 1 tablespoon mustard. Turn spread side of half the bread up and layer eggplant slices, very thin slice of sweet onion, thin slices of ripe tomato, lettuce and remaining slices of bread, spread down. If you like, add bacon. Cut in half and serve immediately.

Fresh English Peas and Dumplings:

4 cups good flavored chicken broth

½ to ¾ package of potato dumpling (Gnocchi)

1 ½ cups fresh English peas

1 can cream of chicken soup

¼ tablespoon parsley

6 hardboiled eggs, sliced

Black pepper to taste

Salt to taste

Have the broth boiling, drop the dumplings into the boiling broth a few at the time and cook until all are done. Add more broth if needed. Stir in fresh shelled English peas and cream of chicken soup. Cook over low heat, stirring, until peas are tender and soup is evenly distributed. Stir in parsley and adjust salt and pepper. Stir in sliced boiled eggs. This will be creamy and delicious. I don’t normally put chicken in mine, however, it is delicious with the cooked chicken chopped in it.

Cooking Green Beans:

In a large heavy pot add a small piece of salt pork and a quart of water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat and cook for 30 minutes. Add 1 quart or more of fresh prepared beans and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook till done. Remember, add water if necessary, but in small amounts. The least amount of water you use the less salt will be required.

Potato and Kale Soup with Sausage:

1 bunch kale washed and coarsely cut up. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter with 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot and add 1 package of Italian sausage sliced in ½ inch slices, 1 rib of celery, minced, and 1 small sweet onion, minced. Cook until the sausage is almost done. Add 4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed and 2 quarts of water. Cook until potatoes are done. Stir in kale and add a little thickener to the soup, if needed. Cook until kale is tender (about 10 to 15 minutes). Stir in 1 large can of evaporated milk or 1 pint of half-and-half. Adjust seasoning and serve hot with grated mozzarella cheese on top and cornbread.

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