A Taste of Summer

Summer A TASTE OF

Easy Recipes from the Garden

Skinny WATERMELON MARGARITA On The Rocks

BREAD BUTTER & PICKLES ZUCCHINI TURKEY BURGERS FRESHMINT ICE CREAM P. Allen Smith’s

GARDEN TOMATO SALAD bonnieplants.com

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1 | Summer recipe book

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what’s

GrowinG W

hile the tomato is botanically considered to be a fruit, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled it to be a vegetable in 1893. Today, it is one of the most celebrated vegetables in American history.

Along with its popularity, the tomato has also managed to gain some pretty interesting names through the years. Can you guess which five of the following are real tomato variety names?

Itsy Bitsy Bush Goliath Apple Blossom Yellow Pear Spartacus Mr. Stripey Blushing Bride German Johnson Super Fantastic

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a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i.

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hoose

Check out our online Bonnie Tomato Chooser and find your perfect tomato.

4 | Summer recipe book Answers: b, d, f, h and i

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According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Americans eat between 22 and 24 pounds of tomatoes per person, per year. bonnieplants.com

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W arm S eason Vegetables

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fter the threat of a frost has passed, it’s time to plant your summer garden. Choose your favorites from this list and follow the links shown here to get growing guidelines for each vegetable and herb. You’ll be enjoying the rewards of a summer garden before you know it.

1. Beans 2. Squash 3. Cucumbers 4. Okra 5. Eggplants 6. Corn 7. Peppers 8. Pumpkins

9. Cantaloupes 10. Sweet potatoes 11. Watermelons 12. Tomatoes 13. Basil 14. Dill 15. Mint 16. Oregano

Click an image to learn more from Bonnie Plants.

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7 | Summer recipe book

Skinny watermelon

Margarita on the rocks

PREPARATION ombine the first four ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and pour over ice in margarita glasses. Garnish with a thin shaving of watermelon.

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INGREDIENTS

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4 parts Herradura Silver tequila

1 part organic blue agave nectar

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juice of ½ lime

Foliage is key. Check your vines to be sure you have healthy leaves—a requirement to grow a sweet melon.

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4 parts watermelon puree (watermelon chunks pureed in your blender or food processor)

If you’re making a large batch of this recipe, consider using a juicer for the limes to save time.

Jenny Peterson of J. Peterson Garden Design is a garden designer, blogger and author living in Austin, Texas. She began writing three and a half years ago with her blog, J. Peterson Garden Design. Here, she shares design tips, DIY projects, healthy living ideas and recipes from the garden. She loves to make gardening accessible, and is passionate about using it as a way of connecting to the world around her. Her recent creation, the Herb Tower Container Garden, was a winning entry in an edible container garden challenge held by P. Allen Smith and Bonnie Plants.

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Bread Butter Pickles

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Bread Butter PickleS PREPARATION ix cucumbers and kosher salt together in a large bowl. Place in the refrigerator for an hour. Meanwhile, in a stockpot, combine sugar, white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, mustard seeds, celery seeds and turmeric, and bring to a boil over medium heat.

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Remove cucumbers from refrigerator and rinse off kosher salt. Combine the cucumbers, sliced onions, and dill in a large bowl and pour the hot mixture over them. Set aside for about an hour or until the pickles are cooled to room temperature.

After pickles are at room temperature, place in canning jars, pouring the liquid to the top of the jar. Secure the lids onto the jars and refrigerate for 24 hours. Makes 2 pintsized jars that can be refrigerated up to 2 weeks.

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3 cups sliced pickling cucumbers 1 ½ tablespoons kosher salt

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1 cup sugar Q

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1 cup white vinegar ½ cup apple cider vinegar

A wide-mouth funnel makes transferring pickles to canning jars a breeze.

Check out this video to train cucumber vines along a trellis.

¼ cup brown sugar

½ cup sliced white onions

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⅛ teaspoon turmeric

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½ teaspoon celery seed

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1 ½ teaspoons mustard seed

UNCLE MIKE’S EGGPLANT TAPENADE

3 dill sprigs

Do you have extra eggplant?

Watch this video for another great party dish.

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Corn,

tomato pepper salsa

PREPARATION ix all ingredients together in one large bowl and set in refrigerator for at least 10 minutes for all the flavors to blend. Ser ve with tortilla chips or alone as a side dish.

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2 ears of fresh corn, steamed and removed from cob

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1 seeded and chopped large tomato 1 chopped red bell pepper

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1/3 cup chopped red onion 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro salt and pepper to taste

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2 tablespoons olive oil

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1 seeded and finely chopped jalapeño

Available at kitchen and houseware stores, a Santoku knife has a wide blade.

Not only does that allow you to chop vegetables quickly, but also provides a large enough surface to act as a scoop, helping you transfer the small pieces to a mixing bowl with ease.

When you work with jalapeños or other hot peppers, be sure to wear gloves to protect your hands. To easily remove the seeds from a jalapeño, first slice off the tip. Using that end as a flat stand, slice strips off of the pepper until all that remains is the center seeded portion, which can then be discarded.

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13 | Summer recipe book

P. Allen Smith’s

GARDEN TOMATO SALAD

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P. Allen Smith’s garden

Tomato Salad PREPARATION ombine the vegetable oil, vinegar, parsley, green onions, garlic, salt, dill, basil, and pepper in a small bowl or a jar, and whisk or shake until well mixed. Cut the tomatoes into ½-inch thick slices and arrange them in a serving dish. Pour the dressing over the top. Cover and chill for two hours, basting occasionally, before serving.

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INGREDIENTS

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²/₃ cup vegetable oil Tool

¼ cup red wine vinegar 2 teaspoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh dill leaves

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1 minced garlic clove

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2 thinly sliced green onions, white and green parts

Here’s a new use for those leftover canning jars: Combine all of the dressing ingredients for this recipe in a large jar, screw on the lid and shake to mix. A mason jar is also a great way to store leftover dressing.

To help discourage diseases and make harvesting easier, stake your tomatoes using either a tomato cage or trellis that will keep the plants off the ground.

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh basil leaves ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 4 medium tomatoes (a colorful variety, if available)

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Zucchini Turkey burgers

PREPARATION ay heavy-duty aluminum foil on the grates of your grill (to prevent bits of the patties from separating and falling through), and then prepare the heat for burgers.

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While the grill heats, combine zucchini, green onions, cilantro, garlic, cumin, salt, pepper and cayenne in a large mixing bowl. Add in the ground turkey, and when well mixed, separate to form into four patties.

Place the patties on the grill and cook until well done. Serve with your favorite type of hamburger bun and condiments.

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1 lb. ground turkey Tool

3 grated medium sized zucchinis

1 minced garlic clove 1 teaspoon cumin

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2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

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3 chopped green onions

Save time and energy with an easy-to-use mandoline—the perfect way to slice fruits and vegetables.

3 Ways to Grate Zucchini: 1) Mandoline with a comb-like blade attachment 2) Boxed grater 3) Food processor with grating attachment

1 teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

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17 | Summer recipe book

18 | Summer recipe book

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Fresh Mint Ice Cream PREPARATION ombine milk, half-and-half and mint leaves in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat. Heat until tiny bubbles form around the edge.

Do not boil. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for ten minutes, giving the mint flavor time to steep.

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Uncover and pour the mixture through a colander into a medium-size mixing bowl. Gently press the mint leaves inside the colander with a large spoon to release all the flavor. Discard the leaves and pour the liquid back into your pan.

In a new bowl, combine sugar, salt and egg yolks. Stir with a whisk until the mixture is pale. Gradually add half of the milk mixture to the egg mixture, while stirring constantly with a whisk. Pour this egg/milk mixture back into the pan with the remaining portion of the milk mixture. Cook over medium-low heat for about two minutes, stirring constantly.

Pour the mixture into a new freezer-safe bowl, and stir in the vanilla extract.

Place the bowl in the fridge until the mixture cools completely, stirring occasionally.

Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. *To turn this recipe into a treat kids will love, stir in chocolate chips before putting the mixture into your ice cream maker.

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4 cups 2% milk 2 cups half-and-half

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For this recipe, a mesh colander is an easy way to keep the tiny bits of mint leaves from seeping into your mixture.

50 fresh mint leaves, bruised

1 teaspoon of salt 4 large egg yolks 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

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1 ½ cups raw sugar

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to release the oils

To keep mint from spreading and taking over your garden, plant the herb in a small pot , then plant that pot in the ground. Or, simply give mint an above-ground container of its own.

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19 | Summer recipe book

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Grilled Pizza easy peasy

PREPARATION tart grill and place a pizza stone on the grill to heat. In a bowl, combine yogurt and 1 cup of flour to create a dough, sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of flour on the counter and knead the dough for 5 minutes.

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Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out evenly on a floured work surface. Brush the dough with olive oil and sprinkle sea salt over olive oil. Dust the pizza stone with cornmeal to prevent sticking and slide the dough onto to pizza stone. Grill for 5 minutes.

Mix the oregano into the pizza sauce and coat the crust with the sauce.

Next, place sliced cherry tomatoes on the sauce and sprinkle the shredded cheese over the tomatoes. Cook an additional 10 minutes on the grill or until the cheese has melted. Remove the stone from the grill, sprinkle with basil and serve immediately.

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1 cup plain Greek yogurt 1 ½ cups self-rising flour

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1 tablespoon chopped oregano 1 ½ cups pizza sauce

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1 tablespoon sea salt

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2 tablespoons olive oil

A porous pizza stone creates crisp, flavorful crust in the oven or on the grill.

Plant kid-sized vegetables, including cherry tomatoes and baby bell peppers, to make harvesting the garden fun for all ages.

1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half 8 oz. package fat-free shredded mozzarella cheese 2 tablespoons chopped basil cornmeal for dusting pizza stone

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Ingredient Checklist Watermelon Margarita Herradura Silver tequila watermelon organic blue agave nectar lime

Garden Tomato Salad tomatoes green onions garlic fresh flat-leaf parsley fresh basil fresh dill vegetable oil red wine vinegar

Zucchini Turkey Burger ground turkey medium sized zucchini green onions fresh cilantro garlic cumin cayenne pepper kosher salt coarse ground black pepper

Fresh Mint Ice Cream 2% milk half-and-half eggs mint leaves raw sugar pure vanilla extract bonnieplants.com

Bread & Butter Pickles medium sized cucumbers white onions kosher salt brown sugar sugar white vinegar apple cider vinegar mustard seed celery seed turmeric dill sprigs

Corn, Tomato & Pepper Salsa ears of corn large tomato red bell pepper jalape単o olive oil fresh limes red onion fresh cilantro

Grilled Pizza Greek yogurt self-rising flour olive oil sea salt cherry tomatoes oregano fresh basil pizza sauce shredded mozzarella cheese 23 | Summer recipe book

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