The heat is on!

Yes, it is very hot outside right now, but my reference to it has more to do with the amount of veggies we receive this time of the year - we are close to the peak right now both for those items that are picked up at the barn and u-pick. The veggie list at this time of year doesn't change much, but the quantity is huge! So, I start working on making recipes that we can eat some and freeze some, or salads from veggies that will keep for a few days. Right now I have most of the eggplants from 2 weeks of harvest so I am planning to make some baba ganoush and try an eggplant salad - if it is as yummy as it sounds, I will share it next week.

With all the snap beans, I will make a large green bean salad, which is actually best starting on the second day. It will keep for over a week and I can have it for lunches or as a dinner side dish. I make a simple red wine vinaigrette for the salad - my "add-ins" can be some or all of the following: scallions, basil/parsley, chopped peppers, sliced celery, chick peas, feta cheese.

Speaking of snap beans, we have a couple of simple methods to get them ready for freezing. Last year at our "Now What" Seminar, a member said she had read that you don't need to blanch green beans before freezing, which has been the standard practice for many years. To do this, clean and dry them, then place on a cookie sheet and place in freezer. When frozen, place in good quality plastic bags or containers, and freeze. I have never tried this method myself, so someone who has done it and then eaten the beans later in the year, please let me know how well it works at lindadansbury@comcast.net

I also make slaw with my cabbages - again, large amounts so I can have it for a few days. To boost flavor and nutrition, in addition to using cabbage in my slaws, I slice Swiss chard or other greens thinly and add it to the mix.