Author: Suzanne Welander

Stir Fry Okra and Tofu

This recipe from the fine folks at Moore Farms and Friends, and it’s given in their own words. (No peppers in this week’s box, but you could add some of those little tomatoes instead.)

Feta-Pecan-Stuffed Cucumbers

Combine pecans and parsley in blender or food processor and pulse until powdery in texture. Add cheese, milk, garlic, paprika, and ground red pepper and puree until smooth. Fill cucumbers with mixture, patting into place with fork or spoon. Slice into wedges and lightly sprinkle tops with a little extra paprika.

Grilled Potato Rosemary Cake

As long as you’ve got the grill going to smoke those tomatoes (or grill anything else), how about using it to cook up a potato cake? Wouldn’t they taste great using that same smoking mixture as you’re using for the potatoes?

Cathy Conway’s Collards with Smoked Tomatoes and Cornmeal Dumplings

Chef Cathy Conway is the founder/executive chef of Avalon Catering – completely dedicated to local food. I do not remember how I got this recipe from her, but it’s delicious. I’m just loving dumplings these days.

Do you have some Riverview cornmeal leftover from last year’s boxes? Then you’re all set.

Chicken and Fresh Melon Salad

Use any seasoning mix you have in your pantry. This is just a reminder that poultry and melon are a really nice salad combination. If you still have some blueberries, throw them in. Store-bought or your favorite homemade dressing and you’re done. I wouldn’t add tomato, but a cucumber would be nice. And something for a little crunch.

Baked Corn Pudding

You may also be looking for ways to eat more corn. Atlanta chef Virginia Willis created this recipe. The amount of corn can expand or contract as much or as little as you like.

Potato Tacos

Maybe you’re already on to potato tacos, but I don’t think I’d had one until this year. We’ve had a bounty of potatoes this season, so you might be looking for some different ways to use them up. Cook up the potatoes ahead of time – maybe make a bigger batch so you have some cooked, seasoned potatoes for potato salad – and then brown the potatoes just before you’re ready to eat.

Eggplant Un-Parmesan

The plethora of eggplant we’ve been receiving can be as daunting to some as a weekly small bag of okra. This recipe from Mark Bittman can be served as is, or over cornmeal mush or polenta if you still have some Riverview ground corn in your freezer from last year.

Oven Roasted Okra

Not everyone welcomes okra the way I do. But this recipe from Freedom Farmers Market is easy and turns the okra crisp instead of slimy. A very simple way to use up the okra in today’s box. No thyme? Just skip it. What other fresh herbs do you have? Or have you been collecting, like I have, all these “new” smoked peppers like Urdu and Aleppo peppers? They’re easy to become addicted to – now I have to ration myself when I visit Savory Spice at the intersection of Virginia and Highland.

Chicken and Onion Tagine

Are you overwhelmed with onions? I can’t imagine such a state, but I hear it happens to some folks who wonder what in the world to do with all those onions. Here’s a recipe from Saveur magazine,