The Co-op Pantry

BY MARY DELPH

It is hard to believe that it is time to think about ways to use up the late summer and early fall harvest’s bounty. Everything from apples to zucchini will be ready to cook or can in the next few weeks. Of course, in this column, we will check out several delicious recipes for eating well during this season. - Mary

Fruit Dip

2 (8-ounce) blocks cream cheese, softened 1 (7.5-ounce) jar marshmallow crème Juice of 1 orange (about 3 Tablespoons) Assorted fruit, for serving

In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat together cream cheese and marshmallow crème until no lumps remain, then stir in orange juice. Refrigerate until ready to serve, at least 1 hour. Serve with fruit.

Note from Mary: Good fruit for this recipe: apples, grapes, cantaloupe, pears and my favorite - strawberries. Of course, strawberries are at their peak in spring, but can usually be found in the produce section at your local market at any time. Pineapples, like strawberries, are usually available as well.

Zucchini & Cheese Drop Biscuits

¾ cup shredded zucchini 1 ½ teaspoons salt, divided 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour 1 Tablespoon baking powder ½ cup cold butter, cubed ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese ¼ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese 2 T ablespoons finely chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, patted dry 2 T ablespoons minced fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried basil 1 cup 2% milk

Heat oven to 425 F. Place zucchini in a strainer over a plate; sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt and toss. Let stand 10 minutes. Rinse and drain well. Squeeze zucchini to remove excess liquid. Pat dry.

In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and remaining salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in zucchini, cheeses, tomatoes and basil. Add milk; stir just until moistened. Drop by scant 1/3 cupfuls onto a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake until golden brown, 22-26 minutes. Serve warm.

Note from Mary: These go beautifully with breakfast, soup or just about anything you can think of. Best if served with a dab of butter on top while they are still hot.

Fried Green Tomatoes

½ cup vegetable oil 4 large green tomatoes 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 eggs, beaten Salt and pepper, to taste

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over a medium-high heat. Slice tomatoes ¼ inch thick.

Place flour in a small bowl. Dip tomatoes into the eggs, then dredge the tomatoes in the flour. Fry the tomatoes in the oil for approximately 2 minutes; flip the tomato and fry on the other side another 2 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Southern Cabbage

1 head of cabbage 2 Tablespoons butter 2 Tablespoons olive oil ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon seasoning salt Fresh black pepper 1 ½-2 cups chicken broth, may use water instead

Cut cabbage into quarters, removing the hard stem. Slice each quarter into 1-inch wide strips. In a large pot, add butter, olive oil, salt, pepper and cabbage.

Add in chicken broth and toss. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until cabbage is tender. Do not overcook.

Note from Mary: I strongly recommend that you use the chicken broth and not substitute water. It makes all the difference, bringing a recipe from good dish to an awesome one.

Honey Roasted Carrots

1 pound small carrots, peeled and trimmed 2 Tablespoons olive oil 2 Tablespoons honey Salt and pepper, to taste Cooking spray Optional garnish: chopped parsley

Heat the oven to 400 F. Line a sheet pan with foil and coat with cooking spray.

Place the carrots in a single layer on the baking pan. In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, honey, salt and pepper. Pour the honey mixture over the carrots and toss to coat.

Place in the oven and bake for 25-35 minutes or until carrots are tender and browned. Roasting time may vary depending on the size of the carrots. Remove from the oven and serve immediately, sprinkled with parsley if desired.

Pear Bread

3 large eggs, room temperature 1½ cups sugar ¾ cup vegetable oil 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 4 cups finely chopped, peeled ripe pears (about 4 medium) 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 cup chopped walnuts

In a bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla; mix well. In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; stir into the egg mixture just until moistened. Toss pears with lemon juice. Stir pears and walnuts into batter (batter will be thick).

Spoon into two greased 9x5-in. loaf pans. Bake at 350 F for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

2 pounds tomatillos, husks removed & washed 6 jalapeños 4 garlic cloves 1 medium-large onion 2/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves 2 teaspoon salt

Chop the onion in half, crush the garlic, and leave the jalapeños and tomatillos whole. Roast on a baking sheet in a 400 F oven for about 15 minutes, turning all o ver halfway through roasting time. Peel the garlic, deseed and rough chop the jalapeño, and peel and rough chop the onion. In a food processor, add all roasted ingredients, plus cilantro and salt, and pulse until all ingredients are chopped and desired consistency is reached.

Note from Mary: Tomatillos can be a bit sticky when husked, so you may want to put them in a bowl of warm water and let them sit about 5 minutes, then rinse thoroughly.

Squash Stuffed with Wild Rice

4 medium acorn squash (about 22 ounces each) 3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided 1 package (6 ounces) long grain and wild rice mix 2 1/3 cups vegetable or chicken broth 1 teaspoon rubbed sage 1 teaspoon dried thyme 2 celery ribs, chopped 1 medium onion, chopped ¾ cup dried cranberries ½ cup coarsely chopped pecan halves, toasted 2 Tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Heat oven to 400 F. Cut squash crosswise in half; remove and discard seeds. Cut a thin slice from bottom of each half to allow them to lie flat. Place on baking sheets, hollow side up; brush tops with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Bake until almost tender, 30-35 minutes. In a large saucepan, combine rice with contents of seasoning mix, broth, sage and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until rice is tender and liquid is almost absorbed, 23-25 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, fry celery and onion in remaining oil until tender. Stir in cranberries, pecans and parsley. Remove from heat. Stir in rice mixture. Fill each squash half with about ½ cup rice mixture. Return to oven, uncovered, until rice is heated through and squash is tender, 12-15 minutes.

Stir Fried Lettuce

1 teaspoon soy sauce 1 teaspoon sesame oil 1 teaspoon rice wine or dry sherry ¾ teaspoon sugar ½ teaspoon freshly ground white or black pepper 1 ½ Tablespoons peanut oil or other neutral oil 4 scallions, cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces, divided 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or smashed ½ medium head iceber g lettuce, cored, outermost leaves discarded Kosher salt, to taste

Core your lettuce and discard the outer leaves. Tear the inner leaves into 4-inch-wide pieces.

In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine or sherry, sugar and pepper; set sauce aside. Heat a wok OR 12-inch skillet over high heat. Add peanut oil, half of the scallions and garlic, and cook until garlic is golden, about 5 seconds. Add lettuce and stir-fry until lettuce softens slightly, about 1 minute. Drizzle in sauce and cook until lettuce is just coated with the sauce, about 1 minute. Season with salt, divide between 4 bowls while lettuce is just tender and still bright green, and garnish with remaining scallions.

Tomato Sandwich

Sliced white bread Sliced tomatoes Mayonnaise Salt and pepper

Put mayonnaise on your bread slices. Place sliced tomatoes on the mayonnaise, salt and pepper, eat and enjoy!

Note from Mary: This is about the most Southern thing that I can think of. I suggest serving with a nice glass of cold sweet tea. It is also simple to add lettuce and bacon, and turn it into a BLT.