Peach Sorbet

Sorbet is a frozen dessert made with sweetened water and flavored with juice or pureed fruit; in finer restaurants it is served between courses as a palate refresher.

What better dessert during the hot and humid days of summer than a fruity sorbet, and the best part is this is a treat low in fat and calories. For a look at some more cool summer sorbets, stop by and visit with Ben and Sarah at Heights Eats.

Peach Sorbet

Recipe:

Place metal mixing bowl in freezer to chill
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 cups pureed peaches
Scant Tbsp. lemon juice

Combine sugar and water in small saucepan, bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and chill completely. Add pureed peaches and lemon juice, blend well. Pour into pre-chilled mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set in freezer. Stir occasionally, I stirred it about every 30 minutes for the first two hours.

Lemon Squash

We have arrived at that time of year when Ohio-grown summer squashes are abundant. This is just one way to enjoy your grilled squash, add some lemon flavor. The sprig of Oregano is from my urban container garden.

Lemon Squash

Recipe:

1 zucchini squash
1 yellow squash
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. butter
1 Tbsp. dried Oregano
Salt & Pepper, to taste
Fresh Oregano sprig

Slice squashes and grill till crisp tender.
Combine broth, lemon juice, cornstarch, butter
Oregano and salt and pepper in a small saucepan
over medium heat; cook stirring constantly until
slightly thickened.

Pour over vegetables, toss gently. Garnish with
Oregano sprig.

Loosely adapted from "Cooking Light" (1995)

Note: This is also the time of year when you want to store away produce for the cold months ahead. I grate zucchini and store it in 2 cup containers (or freezer bags) for muffins, cakes and fritters, that way I can enjoy locally grown produce year round.

Garlic Scapes & Frittata

I missed going to the Coit Road Farmers Market yesterday, but my daughter went and picked up some Garlic Scapes and farm-fresh eggs. Scapes are the flower stalks of hardneck garlic. They are cut off the plant so that the garlic bulbs will grow bigger.

Since I had the scapes, some zucchini and green and red peppers I decided to make a Frittata for Sunday brunch. A frittata is an Italian dish made of eggs, vegetables and cheese.

Frittata

Recipe:

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 cups garlic scapes, chopped
1 small zucchini, chopped in small pieces
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
Salt & Pepper, to taste
6 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic scapes, zucchini, peppers, basil and oregano. Sautee for about 5 minutes. Set aside.

Beat eggs in medium size bowl, add sauteed vegetables, cheese and salt & pepper, blend well.

Wipe the skillet well and return to stove top. Heat the other 1 Tbsp. olive oil in same skillet over medium high heat. When oil is hot, pour in the egg mixture and cook for 3 or 4 minutes, until eggs are set on the bottom.

Transfer the skillet to a preheated broiler and broil for about 3 minutes of until Frittata is firm in center and lightly browned.

Cut into wedges and served hot, warm or at room temperature.

Urban Vegetable Garden

When life gives you concrete and you want to garden, improvise. Living in an apartment building in the city can be challenging for a would-be gardener, but I was born to challenge life. Walking out the backdoor of my building, you step onto the roof of our underground garage, which provided me with the perfect platform for a container garden.

I bought my vegetable and herb plants at the Coit Road Farmers Market, so with high hopes and found and bought containers I was ready to plant.

Early Morning June 1st

Good organic soil, organic plant food and blessed with good rains the garden is thriving. I planted Big Bertha peppers, Mortgage Lifter heirloom tomatoes, Sweet Baby Girl cherry tomatoes, oregano, thyme, basil and parsley. Notice the oregano in the right hand corner, that was one little sprig when I planted it.

One month later ...

There was one small incident with a renegade neighborhood rabbit, who mistakenly thought I planted my parsley for his enjoyment, even though he ate it down to the nub there is new growth. Wonder if he has ever heard of rabbit stew?

Basil tucked in with the tomatoes ...

Look close, see the little bitty tomato?