Zucchini Muffin Recipe

So many zucchini from the Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA I don't know quite what to do with it all.  Found a spiced muffin recipe we liked to use a zucchini.  The boy even likes them.











Zucchini Muffin Recipe

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• small bit of grated ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground clove
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 grated zucchini

In a mixer, combine eggs, sugar, oil and mix until smooth.  Add dry ingredients and mix until incorporated.   Fold in the zucchini if you like it chunky, otherwise add it with the dry ingredients if you like it smooth.

Bake 20-25 minutes at 350 F, done when testing with a toothpick in center comes out clean.

Having some lemon basil from Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA leftover from the pesto recipe decided to try my hand at basil ice cream.  Turned out pretty well, but not as green hued as I thought it would be.

Lemon Basil Ice Cream Recipe

• 1 cup lemon basil
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 egg yolks

In a double boiler, bring the milk, cream, sugar and basil to high heat (170 degrees F) for ten to fifteen minutes to steep the flavor of the basil in the milk.  You can either blend in the basil, with a hand blender, or not depending on how strong a flavor you like.  Whisk about 1/2 cup of the hot milk into the egg yolks to temper, and then whisk the yolks into the milk.  Cook at 170 degrees F for three minutes or until the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon.  Strain into a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap directly on the liquid to keep a skin from forming while you chill in the fridge for four to six hours.  

Strain while pouring into the ice cream maker.  I like to run it in my ice cream maker for thirty to thirty five minutes and eat right away.  You can let it set in the freezer if you like it firmer before eating.

2 Day Refrigerator Pickle Recipe

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2 Day Pickles

A bunch of pickling cucumbers arrived from the Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA.  Taking a look at some of the pickle recipes, canning and waiting two weeks for pickles sounded like too much work and wait.  So I thought I'd try my own two day recipe, and it turned out much better than I thought, with no cooking.

Two Day Pickle Recipe

For the pickling mixture:

• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp whole allspice
• 2 tbsp dill
• 2 tbsp mustard seed
• Add up to 1/2 cup water to cover pickles

Quarter the cucumbers and add to the pickling mixture.  Keep in the refrigerator, but don't taste them until at least two days have passed, preferably three or four because they might taste a little bitter.  

Lemon Basil Pesto stuffed Tomato Recipe

Lemon Basil Pesto stuffed tomatoes

Got a bunch of great Lemon Basil from Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative.  Usually I use pesto from a jar, but there was a lot of the lemon basil so I made a pesto, mixed it with orzo and fontina cheese and stuffed some tomatoes.

Lemon Basil Pesto Stuffed Tomato recipe

• 2 cups lemon basil leaves
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/3 cup pine nuts
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• salt & pepper
• 1 cup cubed fontina cheese
• 1 cup orzo pasta
• 4 ripe tomatoes

Cook the orzo following directions, approximately seven or eight minutes.

While cooking, make the pesto, pulse the basil, garlic, pine nuts, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper in the food processor six times.  Turn it on and pour in the olive oil until finely chopped and creamy.   Set aside.

Cut a hole in the top of the tomatoes and use a small spoon or melon baller to scoop out the inside of the tomatoes. 

When the orzo is done, mix together the orzo, pesto and cubed cheese.  Spoon the orzo into the tomatoes, drizzle the top with olive oil, and place remaining orzo and tomatoes covered in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes to chill.   Serve chilled tomatoes on reserved orzo.