Farm-fresh favorites for each and every meal

Farm-fresh faves for every meal

Nestled amid outbuildings near a barn and silos stands a white tent - its tables brimming with blueberries, tomatoes, melons and more. Signs direct drivers to stop for some summer bounty. And they do – cramming a small gravel pull-off, cash in hand.

It’s a familiar scene on back roads from West Chester to Wayne, Limerick to Lansdale and Paoli to Pottstown. While the season may be short, there’s no shortage of recipes to make the most of local produce.

Sample a few favorites from the Digital First archives, starting with zucchini-chocolate chip muffins. These moist, tender crowd-pleasers consistently turn out well.

Got peppers? Stuff them with quinoa, zucchini and onion for a gluten-free, vegetarian meal. Another option: grilled ratatouille - perfect with halibut or pearl couscous.

And keep those coals hot! For dessert, grilled peach melba always shines.

Zucchini-Chocolate Chip Muffins INGREDIENTS

4 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups sugar 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons baking soda 2 teaspoons baking powder 4 teaspoons cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground cloves 1 cup baking raisins (or soaked to plump)

12 ounces chocolate chips (1 bag) 4 eggs 2 cups sour cream (16 ounces) 1 cup vegetable oil 1 tablespoon vanilla 3 cups shredded zucchini

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl combine all dry ingredients, being sure to sift together. Add raisins and chocolate chips, and toss gently. In another bowl combine eggs, oil, sour cream and vanilla. Add zucchini and then dry ingredients, mixing only until moistened and thoroughly combined. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar and bake 20 to 25 minutes until toothpick comes out dry. Yield: 24 to 30 muffins (depending on muffin size) RECIPE COURTESY OF BAUSE CATERED EVENTS

Roasted Vegetable Stuffed Peppers

(vegetarian and gluten-free)

INGREDIENTS

4 large peppers 3 cups vegetable broth 1 ½ cups prewashed white quinoa Olive oil 1 carrot 1 small red onion 1 small zucchini (yellow squash could also be used instead)

4 ounces shredded mozzarella-provolone blend (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Boil a pot of water large enough to easily fit the peppers. Cut the tops off of the peppers and set aside. Clean out the seeds and the white membranes while being careful not to break the peppers. Blanch the peppers for about 7 minutes until softened and drop them into cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain and then set aside. Pour quinoa into boiling vegetable broth with 1 tablespoon olive oil, stir in and reduce heat to a low simmer. This takes about 20 minutes until all liquid is absorbed, stirring every 5 minutes or so. When it is cooked, pour into a bowl and set aside.

Cut carrot and the red onion into medium dices (about ½inch squares.) Sauté these in just enough olive oil to coat the pan until they are softened and then add medium-diced zucchini, continuing until soft. The zucchini takes less time than the other vegetables, and we don’t want it to be overcooked and disintegrate. Finally combine the cooked quinoa with the vegetables and season to taste. We usually just use salt, pepper and a little garlic granulated. Fill the peppers. We usually top them with a shredded mozzarella-provolone blend as a garnish. At this point, these could be refrigerated until guests or dinner is to be served. To finish, bake in the oven for about 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

Any extra stuffing is a bonus. It can be served as a side for a meal (hot or cold) or sprinkled over greens for a wonderful salad, even dropped into a soup like chicken vegetable instead of rice.

*Quinoa is much lower in carbohydrates than rice, potatoes, or pasta and also much higher in protein. It is also a gluten-free product. RECIPE COURTESY OF DIFABIO’S MARKET & TAP

PHOTO BY EMILY RYAN Grilled ratatouille easily transforms from an appetizer to an entree.

PHOTO BY EMILY RYAN These gluten-free stuffed peppers include quinoa.

PHOTO BY EMILY RYAN White peaches give this Venetian Bellini its beautiful color.