Dinners from the Farmers Market

Hi everyone! It's the weekend, time to relax, make some delicious, fresh and healthy summer suppers straight from the farmers market!
August is harvest time for small vegetable farms....

Each week I stock up on heirloom tomatoes.

I can't get over the colors.

And inside! So sweet, so red and juicy....very little seeds, just warm rosy beefsteak for slicing thin.

Corn is a must-have too. I always want to buy dozens of ears, to celebrate one of my favorite treats! But actually corn is best fresh picked and so I restrain my enthusiasm, buy a few fresh ears each time.

Too perishable to be photographed in the hot sunshine...here on the counter I have fresh ricotta, from Brooklyn!

...homemade cheese ravioli, French sourdough loaf, more tomatoes, lemons....

One lazy weeknight I just made classic grilled cheese sandwiches with this amazing chewy tasty bread---thinly sliced tomatoes, American cheese and mozzarella, all layered with Dijon mustard, and gently grilled in a non-stick pan. Yum! Serve with a fresh greens salad and homemade pickles....

Another night I made Chicken BLT salad for the late comers-home-from -the beach: This salad is just what it sounds like. NOT for diets or lo-cal.
Shredded chicken breasts (I poach Traders Joe's or BJ's frozen chicken breasts in the microwave); diced Farmers market tomatoes, crumbled bacon, chopped romaine lettuce and mayo. Grind some fresh black pepper. Toss lightly. Serve it with the French sourdough bread or on a bed of more romaine.

And last, Friday supper, yummy yum yum!

The homemade Italian market ravioli...boiled for 4 minutes, drained well. Toss with juice of 2 lemons; a little butter; two yellow summer squashes, sliced very thin, steamed ahead in microwave; toasted walnut bits, a dash of Riesling, lots of pepper, herbs from the deck garden, shaved parm. Dot with a few teaspoons of the ricotta and serve hot and perfect. So good.

(So we don't waddle on down to the beach, I serve a large plain dark green salad and small portions of the ravioli dish. And the rest of the cheapo Riesling, lol.)

Oh! What did I do with the rest of the ricotta?

First let me say fresh handmade ricotta is a food for gods!
I whipped it gently with a fork, added a LOT of Splenda, vanilla extract, a dash of vodka (or rum or brandy); stir in  a few chocolate chip bits, fresh but frozen raspberries/ blueberries (if you freeze them after washing and blotting dry, they don't disintegrate when stirred into the heavy cheese...). Sprinkle more toasted walnut bits on top. Chill. I serve this dessert in tiny cups  witha few berries and a sprig of mint on top.
Very rich, a little goes a long way!
For dinner parties/ fancy, you can tuck a small fragrant sugar cookie in the side of each bowl.
Any summer favorites cooking in your kitchens? I hope so! Enjoy!

love

      lizzy

          

........ gone to the beach