A few years ago, the star in my garden was the zucchini. You know how it is -- suddenly you have dozens of giant zucchinis from one small seedling. Naturally, that has led to a need for zucchini recipes. Here is one I found for a zucchini bread that was handed down from a friend's grandmother. I made the bread today for a potluck at the community garden and it turned out great (very moist), so enjoy! You can find more (including a recipe for Sicilian stuffed zucchini) on the recipes tab.

Ingredients
3 eggs beaten
1 cup oil
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups zucchini, unpeeled and grated
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. nutmug
1 cup chopped pecans

Mix together eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla. Add zucchini and crushed pineapple. Combine dry ingredients and add them to zucchini mixture. Mix well. Add pecans. Pour mixture into two greased and floured 9x5x3 inch loaf pans. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees. Cool 10 minutes in pans. Very moist. Will last a week or two in refrigerator. Freeze well.

While I enjoyed many delicious dishes during a recent stay at Travaasa Austin, one in particular stood out -- a raw blackberry tart from Executive Chef Benjamin Baker that had a rich, nutty crust that was pure summertime on a plate. I devoured it at a patio table under swaying oaks and within view of a striking canyonlands sunset, but it's sure to be just as tasty at your table.

Chef Ben's Raw Blackberry Tart
Serves 6

For the crust:
2 cups Medjool dates, pitted
2/3 cup almonds
2/3 cup pecans
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Blend all ingredients in a food processor. Divide mixture into six small pieces and mold into little concave tart shells. (The mixture should be very pliable and easy to shape.) Chill.

For the filling:
3-4 cups farm fresh blackberries
One Texas grapefruit, juiced
Agave nectar to taste
Fresh mint

Macerate the blackberries in grapefruit juice and sweeten with agave nectar. Fill the pre-chilled tart shells with the blackberry filling. Garnish with mint to serve.

Anyone who’s grown orchids knows how, let's say, sensitive they can be. Try growing one that only blooms one day a year and has to be hand pollinated. That, my friends, is the Vanilla Panifolia Orchid, from which we get the spice vanilla. Those interested in learning more about what goes into growing vanilla can do so at the Hawaii Vanilla Company on Hawaii’s Big Island. The farm not only offers tours but also has a shop filled with vanilla-infused goodies and the ability to have lunch or tea in their restored coffee mill (above). (For more on what's offered at the lunch, see the article I wrote for FarewellTravels.com).

The Hawaii Vanilla Company is owned and operated by the Reddekopp family: Jim’s the farmer and guide, Tracy’s the chef and the kids serve as kitchen help and servers. Tracy’s working on a cookbook and was kind enough to share this recipe with us for frozen peanut chocolate chip pie – perfect for the upcoming holiday season. (Click "read more" for recipe.)

INGREDIENTS

For the cobbler:
1 egg
1/3 cup Vanilla soy milk
½ t vanilla extract
1/3 cup agave
¼ cup unbleached white flour
¼ cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 t baking powder
Non stick butter spray
6 1T scoops of SoyDream Vanilla Ice Cream

For the filling:
2 large ripe fuju persimmons
1 t lemon juice
30 dried cranberries, soaked in warm water for 20 minutes, drained and towel dried
½ t whole wheat pastry flour
2 t agave

PREPARATION

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. For the cobbler, place all wet ingredients into a bowl and whisk for 1 minute. Slowly add the unbleached white flour, whole wheat pastry flour and the baking powder and mix until smooth, scraping the sides as needed, for about 2 minutes. Refrigerate until baking.

2. For the filling, place the two large, ripe fuju persimmons, peeled and cut into medium dice, into a large bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients to the fuju persimmons and fold together gently with a spoon to combine.

3. Generously spray 6 3oz ramekins with the Nonstick butter spray and place them on a cookie sheet. Spoon 1 rounded Tablespoon of the filling into each ramekin. Then ladle 1oz of the cobbler batter on top of the fuju persimmons and bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.

4. Let cool for 5 minutes and finish 1 Tablespoon vanilla soy ice cream and 5 cranberries per cobbler.

Yields 6 servings / Serving size 3 ounces
CAL 190 / FAT 3g