Great Recipes using the Garden's Bounty

[the simple life]

That zucchini bread sounds delicious, I can't wait to try it. Thank you for sharing.

 

[me&thegals]

Here's another one to use up all that mint. It's excellent! Anyone else have any tried-and-true recipes?

Black Raspberry/blackberry TeaThis tea has a wonderful color and flavor. Its a great summer treat with a minty refreshing aftertaste. Enjoy!

6 tea bags
4 cups boiling water
3 cups black raspberries/blackberries
pinch of baking soda (to preserve color)
-1 cup sugar (recipe actually calls for 1-, but I found this a bit too sweet)
2-1/2 cups cold water
cup chopped mint leaves

Mash berries. Mix berries, sugar, mint and soda. Make tea with tea bags and boiling water. Let steep 3 minutes (or longer). Remove tea bags and squeeze dry. Add fruit and tea together and let sit for 1 hour. Strain. Add 2-1/2 cups cold water to tea mixture.

 

[ticks]

hmmm. tea made out of blackberries. Sounds good.

 

[me&thegals]

These are really good!

Double Dark Chocolate Beet Muffinsfrom pinchmysalt.wordpress.com

1 C. whole wheat flour
1 C. all-purpose flour
2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 C. bittersweet chocolate chips
1/2 C. chopped pecans or walnuts
1/4 C. butter
2/3 C. bittersweet chocolate chips
3/4 C. packed brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 C. beet puree*
2/3 C. buttermilk
1 t. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line it with paper cups; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together first 5 ingredients until well combined. Stir in the half cup chocolate chips and nuts; set aside. In a small saucepan, melt the other 2/3 cup chocolate chips and butter over very low heat. Stir to combine and set aside to cool until lukewarm. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, brown sugar, beet puree, buttermilk, vanilla and melted chocolate. Pour the chocolate mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined. Dont over mix. Immediately spoon batter into 12 well-greased or paper-lined muffin cups. Batter should completely fill the cups. Place muffin pan in a preheated 375 oven and bake for 18-20 minutes. Muffins are done when they spring back when touched lightly in the center (or when a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean). Dont overbake! Cool muffins for 10 minutes in pan then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

*Canned beets may be used in this recipe but use fresh ones if possible. To prepare beets: Cut off the greens leaving about one inch attached. Dont cut anything off the root end. Gently scrub the beets being careful not to cut the skin. In a medium saucepan, cover beets with water, bring to a gentle boil and cook, covered, 30-45 minutes until tender. Drain and let sit until cool enough to handle. The tops should pull off easily or they can be cut off. The skins will slip right off. Puree beets with a little bit of the cooking liquid in a food processor until they are the consistency of applesauce.

 

[ticks]

Beets? I'm not sure I will try that one

 

[punkin]

Here's another one in case anyone is trying to use up zucchini. This also freezes really well:

Penzeys Chocolate Zucchini Bread (2 loaves)stores well in freezer

3 large eggs
1 cups sugar
1 cup veggie oil (or replace 1/2 with buttermilk/applesauce)
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp butter
6 Tbsp cocoa powder
2 cups zucchini, grated
2 cups flour (Replace all or half with whole wheat. Works especially well with whole-wheat pastry flour)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 t cinnamon
2/3 cup semisweet choc chips
2 tsp flour
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Combine first 4 ingredients. Mix until well blended. In small saucepan, melt butter. Add cocoa and blend until smooth. Set aside to cool. Grate zucchini. Add zucchini and cooled cocoa to the large mixing bowl and blend well. In separate bowl, mix together dry ingredients. Add to batter. Stir only enough to blend. In another small bowl, coat choc. chips with 2 teaspoons flour. Add to batter. Spoon into 2 generously greased and floured loaf pans. Bake 60-70 min or until done. Cool in pans 5-10 min. Remove from pans and continue to cool on a wire rack.

Love, love this! We tried it tonight and it's really good. The only thing I did differently was sub sugar twin for the sugar. I used the whole wheat pastry flour too. Fixing this is a win, win, win - use up zukes, fix a chocolate craving & maintain low sugar.

 

[me&thegals]

I'm so glad you enjoyed it!!!

 

[me&thegals]

I have this one steeping right now. Haven't frozen it yet, but I can tell just by the smell that it's going to be delicious!

Mint Ice Creambhg.com

3 cups whipping cream (I used 2 cups fat-free half and half)
1 cup sugar
1 cup fresh mint or basil leaves (about 3/4 oz.)
1 1/2 cups whole milk
Fresh mint or basil leaves (optional)

1. In a medium saucepan combine cream, sugar, and mint leaves. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture just begins to boil. Remove from heat; cover; steep for 1 hour. Strain, discarding mint leaves. Add milk to infused cream mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight until mixture is completely chilled.
2. Freeze cream mixture in a 1-quart ice cream freezer according to the directions of the manufacturer. Ripen ice cream according to manufacturer's directions. Scoop into dessert dishes. Sprinkle with fresh mint or basil leaves. Makes 1 quart.

 

[ticks]

Oooooh Ice cream.

 

[Woodland Woman]

I have made jam using lemon peel for pectin.