Shrimp Cocktail Gazpacho

Here's a starter for a summer dinner...cool, zesty and refreshing!

https://food52.com/recipes/30621-shrimp-cocktail-gazpacho

What To Do With Huge Zucchini

If you grow zucchini in your summer garden, you know where I'm coming from here.  At least one gets the best of you...you find this HUGE squash hidden under the leaves.  What to do with it?  Stuff it!
This isn't really a recipe but might give you some ideas...I had a zucchini that was fat and about 14 inches long.  I sliced it lengthwise and scooped out the seeds and some of the flesh, brushed the cut sides with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper  Then into the oven to bake and soften that baby up for about 20 minutes. (about 350F)

Then I browned ground beef, onions, green pepper and garlic and added a couple of small diced tomatoes and about a cup of tomato sauce. Season with whatever herbs you like...I added dried basil, oregano, salt, black pepper and some crushed red pepper flakes.  I let the mixture cool a bit and then stirred in some olives and shredded mozzarella.

Pile the zucchini boats with the ground beef mixture and bake, covered, for about 30 minutes.  Uncover and place some provolone slices on top and return to the oven, uncovered, to let the cheese melt.  Dinner's ready!

Pictured is just before going in to the oven.

Summer Vegetable Chowder

Take advantage of beautiful summer produce!

See the recipe here:

https://food52.com/recipes/30443-summer-vegetable-chowder

Chilled Cubanelle Soup

I turned a pepper salad into soup!  See it here...

https://food52.com/recipes/30321-chilled-cubanelle-soup

Sweet Mini Peppers

I bought a 2# bag of sweet mini peppers the other day and took next door neighbor Jim's advice and skewered them with sirloin cubes for beef kebabs.  He was right!..They were sweet and succulent!  Today I'm roasting what's left and turning it into a delicious side:


Makes about 4 side servings or 2 mains

1  1/2 pounds sweet mini peppers, stemmed and sliced vertically
4 Tbl olive oil
1 tsp salt
5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp dried oregano
One 2.25 ounce can sliced ripe California olives
1 Tbl capers
About 5 ounces dry pasta (rigatoni or penne)
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine the peppers, oil, salt, garlic, red pepper and organo in a small baking pan and roast at 350F for about 30 minutes until the peppers soften.
Transfer the peppers to a large skillet and add the olives and capers.
Cook the pasta per directions, saving a little pasta cooking liquid.
Heat the vegetables in the skillet and add the drained pasta, adding a little of the cooking liquid if needed.  Salt and pepper if desired.