Weekly Update for July 24: Free Grilled Samples, Downtown Location

Bring your appetite to this week's market. The Master Gardeners will be grilling up some tasty buffalo meat and assorted vegetables. If you haven't yet tasted buffalo, it will be worth your time to come downtown and see what you've been missing. And yes, we will be downtown again this weekend, even though it is fair week.

As an added bonus, our wonderful Master Gardeners also just finished production on a great recipe book. Now, you can not only get the ingredients to make delicious meals, but you can also find out how to make them.

What else you may find at the Farmers Market this week: Tomatoes, Cherry Tomatoes, Sweet Corn, Red, All Blue, and Yukon Gold Potatoes, Onions, Cucumbers, Green Beans, Beets, Cabbage, Peppers, Eggs, Breads, Zucchini, Squash, Jams and Jellies, Buffalo Meat, Dried Flowers, Flavored Vinegars, Smoked Brisket, and much, much more!

We hope to see you there. Bring a friend with you!

Weekly Update for July 24: Free Grilled Samples, Downtown Location

Bring your appetite to this week's market. The Master Gardeners will be grilling up some tasty buffalo meat and assorted vegetables. If you haven't yet tasted buffalo, it will be worth your time to come downtown and see what you've been missing. And yes, we will be downtown again this weekend, even though it is fair week.

As an added bonus, our wonderful Master Gardeners also just finished production on a great recipe book. Now, you can not only get the ingredients to make delicious meals, but you can also find out how to make them.

What else you may find at the Farmers Market this week: Tomatoes, Cherry Tomatoes, Sweet Corn, Red, All Blue, and Yukon Gold Potatoes, Onions, Cucumbers, Green Beans, Beets, Cabbage, Peppers, Eggs, Breads, Zucchini, Squash, Jams and Jellies, Buffalo Meat, Dried Flowers, Flavored Vinegars, Smoked Brisket, and much, much more!

We hope to see you there. Bring a friend with you!

Summer Squash Recipes and Ideas

Every year I hear the following comment, "What do you do with Zucchini or Summer Squash?" There are lots of different things you can do with summer squash. One of the quickest and easiest ways is to use the grill. Here is what you do.

Turn on your gas grill, charcoal will work too but the cooking times may differ. Wash and cut up your favorite kind of squash. I like to cut it into 1/4 inch slices. Any size will work, just try to keep them all about the same size. Take a large piece of foil and place your squash on the foil. Add 3-4 pats of butter or margaine. Add any spices you like, I prefer salt and pepper. Next add 1/4-1/2 cup of water. It differs on the amount of squash you use. Finally fold up the foil and seal it into a packet. Place the packet on the grill for 10-15 minutes. Take off grill, watch out for the steam, and enjoy.

Another way is Zucchini Lasagna.

Zucchini Lasagna
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 5 medium zucchini, (about 1 1/2 pounds) sliced lengthwise, 1/4-inch thick Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup heavy cream*
1 cup grated mozzarella **
1 cup grated fontina
1/4 cup grated Romano
1 cup plain dried bread crumbs
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Coat the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with extra-virgin olive oil. Arrange zucchini slices on the bottom of the dish and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Evenly pour 1/3 cup of the heavy cream and sprinkle with 1/3 of a cup of mozzarella, 1/3 cup fontina and 2 tablespoons of the Romano. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup of the bread crumbs. Repeat layers, ending with the bread crumbs. Cut the 4 tablespoons of butter into 1/2-inch cubes and sprinkle over the top of the dish. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, place the baking dish on top and bake for 40 minutes until bubbling and the top is golden brown.

*I substituted half and half and it turned out fine.
**I used a bag of the "mixed shredded Italian cheeses" instead.

Have fun with your Squash!