Garden Goodies: 25 Recipes to Extend Summer

Posted by Deb Puchalla

Part of me is wistful and wants summer to last. ("Come back," she cried.) This is in part because parent board meetings and soccer debuts and packed lunches have me bananas, but it's also thanks to Mother Nature and the market—they aren't completely done with summer, either.

The local grocery store brags of its bright-red New York tomatoes, and the farmer's market is overflowing with zucchini and yellow squash and leafy greens and bunches of herbs and baskets of fruits, all the beginnings of delicious meals for another couple of weeks. My Twitter friend Diane is still enjoying fresh blueberries sprinkled over pancakes, but it's cool up by garden maven Kathy's, and she's already posting ideas for grapes—you should see the incredible color of her pie! I'm percolating about what we might do with winter squash and apples soon. But before we take a full-on run at the veggies and fruits that will carry us through autumn, I wanted the summer fun to extend a little longer.

Over the past few months, we've made so many new friends: Welcome! If you're having that make-it-last feeling like me, we've got herbs and green beans and zukes and cukes and tomatoes and corn covered. We know you like our handy tips and tricks and lists, so I've gone back and picked a bushelful of recipes we've shared in our everlasting garden festival with Margaret at A Way to Garden to remind you that you don't have to think too much about dinner—we can help. Once more with feeling, right? You'll find the list after the jump, along with a one-click poll so we know what get-together was, ahem, most fruitful (or veggieful) for you.

25 RECIPES TO MAKE SUMMER LAST

Sauteed Corn, Bacon, and Scallions
Black Bean Tostadas with Corn Relish
Basil Pesto
Lighter Pesto
Stewed Green Beans with Tomatoes
Tangy Green Beans with Cider Vinaigrette
Emeril's Green Bean Salad
Green Beans with Almonds
French-Cut Green Beans with Dill Butter
Grilled Green Beans and Red Onion
Grilled Tomato Bruschetta
Shrimp, Tomato, and Basil Pasta
Grilled Steak with Three-Tomato Salsa
Cucumber Salad
Ratatouille
Zucchini Bread
Cucumber Watermelon
Salad
Asian Steak Salad with Cucumber and Napa Cabbage
Quick Pickled Cucumbers
Sauteed Cucumbers
Zucchini Ribbons
Zucchini Lasagna
Zucchini Quesadillas
Salmon and Zucchini in Parchment

I hope you'll continue to visit us here and on Twitter.

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Comments

[Cate O'Malley]

My favorite extend-the-summer dish is Panzanella ... perfect to take advantage of juicy ripe tomatoes and fresh basil. Yum.

[Elyssa]

Thanks Deb! Love the end of summer recipes - I think we'll try the lighter pesto and the three tomato salsa this week. Speaking of extending the season (which is a little easier here in So-Cal), I'm the garden mom for our class - I'm thinking a "pizza garden" - bell peppers, basil, tomatoes, etc. - too bad you can't grow pepperoni.

[carole]

HI! Deb: And to think I was wondering what to do with all of these tomatoes in the garden!Thank you for the varied websites.