Quick Classic Gazpacho (Perfect for Hot Summer Nights)

Materials:

• 2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes (I used Hunt's Petite Diced)
• 1/2 c. water
• 3/4 c. spicy V8 juice
• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 seedless cucumber, peeled and cut into 1/4" dice
• 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/4" dice
• 1 small onion, cut into 1/4" dice
• 3 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
• 2-1/2 Tbsp. lime juice (add more to taste)
• 3 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 3/4 tsp. cayenne
• 1 tsp sugar
• salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Methods:

1. Place 1/2 c. tomatoes, water, oil and juice in a bowl and use a hand blender to process.
   
2. Add in remaining ingredients and season to taste.
3. If too thick, use a few pulses of the hand blender to break up some veggies.
4. Refrigerate until serving (ideally a couple hours before serving)

Lemony Zucchini Goat Cheese Pizza (Thank you smittenkitchen.com)

Materials:

• 1 uncooked pizza dough
• 1 lemon
• 4 oz. goat cheese, softened
• Few leaves fresh basil, enough to sprinkle over pizza
• 1 medium yellow zucchini, sliced thinly (use the mandolin)
• 1 medium green zucchini, sliced thinly (use the mandolin)
• Drizzle Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper, to Taste
• Corn meal

Methods:

1. Preheat oven to 450F.
2. Cover pizza stone in corn meal and roll out pizza dough over. This tastes best when the dough is stretched quite thin in the middle.
3. In a small bowl, mix together goat cheese and juice of half the lemon and season with salt and pepper.
4. Spread the goat cheese over the pizza dough, covering as far up the edge as possible.
5. Roughly chop basil leaves and scatter slivers over pizza.
6. Arrange zucchini coins in concentric circles over the goat cheese spread, overlapping them slightly. You can alternate their colors, if you're feeling fancy.
7. Drizzle olive oil over the zucchini.
8. Squeeze the remaining half of the lemon over the pizza.
9. Season with salt and pepper.
10. Bake in preheated oven about 20-25minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the zucchini look roasted and starts to curl up at the edges.
11. Cool a couple minutes.
12. Wonderful served with a salad or gazpacho and a glass of crisp white wine.

Ukrainian Red Borscht Soup

Materials:

• 1 lb. pork sausage (I use sweet italian)
• 8 c. water
• 2 tsp. chicken bouillon powder
• 3 medium beets, peeled and shredded (or pre-roast and add at same time as cabbage)
• 3 carrots, peeled and shredded (the purple carrots look great)
• 3 medium baking potatoes
• 1 tsp. vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
• 3/4 c. water
• 1/2 medium head red cabbage, cored and shredded
• 1 (8 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 tsp. sugar, or to taste
• 1/2 c. sour cream
• fresh dill, for garnish

Methods:

1. Crumble the sausage into a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until no longer pink. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Fill a large pot with the 8 c. water (should be about half full), add bouillon,  and bring to a boil. 
3. Add the sausage and cover the pot. Return to a boil.
4. If beets uncooked, add to water and cook until beets have lost their color. 
5. Add the carrots and potatoes and cook until tender, about 15 minutes.
6. If beets already cooked, add them now, in addition to cabbage and the diced tomatoes.
7. Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, and cook until tender. Stir in the tomato sauce and 3/4 c. water until well blended. Add to pot.
8. Add the raw garlic to the soup, cover the pot and turn off the heat. Let stand for 5 minutes.
9. Taste and season with salt, pepper and sugar.
10. Ladle into serving bowls and garnish with sour cream and dill.

Zucchini Bread

Materials:

• 1-1/2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 c. sugar
• 1 c. finely shredded, unpeeled zucchini
• 1/4 c. cooking oil
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 tsp. finely shredded lemon peel
• 1/2 c. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

Methods:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Grease a 8x4x2" loaf pan.
3. In a small bowl, combine zucchini, oil, egg, sugar and lemon peel.
4. Combine remaining dry ingredients.
5. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and add in chocolate chips.
6. Combine just until moistened. 
7. Transfer into pan and bake 55 min, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
8. Transfer to wire rack in pan and let cool for 10 min.
9. Remove from pan onto rack and cool completely.