It’s September and fall is making her presence known here in New England. We’re sleeping with the windows open and enjoying what we know will be some of the last hot sunny days before Jack Frost comes once again.
This week’s farm pickup included all the best things about late summer food: mounds of cauliflower, eggplant, red peppers and peaches. This week I’m embracing the final days of summer with every meal we eat.
Summer Week 12: What We Brought Home
basil, carrots (with greens), cauliflower, cherry tomatoes, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, green bell peppers, kale, okra, onions, peaches, red bell peppers, red lettuce, tomatillos, watermelon, zucchini
Meal Ideas for the Week
For breakfast, the Kale and Egg Taco will make its return every day this week. The cooler mornings make me appreciate the heartiness of kale and this meal always gives me the energy I need to push through the homeschool morning. I’m also making a batch of Pumpkin Zucchini muffins because the girls like to eat as soon as they wake up and I can’t think about food that early in the morning.
Our week is full of homeschool lessons, the return of afternoon activities, a new writing class, church meetings, and a new job for my husband so I am looking at fast and easy meals. Lunches will largely be grab and go sandwiches, snack plates or leftovers.
We returned home from vacation on farm pickup day, so I threw together a riff on these Cauliflower Quesadillas. I roasted cauliflower, red pepper and onion for 20 minutes or so at 450, then stuck it in a tortilla with some cheese and toasted it. I served them with peach salsa I canned a few weeks ago and it was a terrific welcome home meal.
Labor Day makes me want one final cookout for the year. I think I’m going to make Lamb & Veggie Kebabs using eggplant, zucchini, and onions with Grilled Flatbread to go with it. I may also make this Grilled Pepper Panzanella because it is my absolute favorite way to eat in the late summer.
Speaking of Panzanellas, this is a great week for this Late Summer Panzanella. Or if you want a chop and go option, this Summer’s Last Hurrah is also fantastic.
I want to make Red Beans & Rice this week with Fresh Corn Cornbread to go with it. It’s an easy meal that uses green peppers and onions and everyone likes the leftovers for lunch, so it’s a cook once eat twice kind of meal.
This sheet pan gnocchi and tomatoes looks incredible, as well as fast and easy. And the ultimate easy meal for this week is this Eggplant Puree with Pasta. Sneak that eggplant where you can for one more week before it disappears until next summer!
I’m just about done with canning for the year, but I’m hoping to make a batch of this Peach Jalapeno Jam with some of this week’s peaches. I think it will be delightful on toast in the cold winter months - or even on a sandwich riff off the monte cristo.
I hope you have a wonderful final few days of summer filled with the very best foods that late summer has to offer. Happy eating my friends.