I have been talking with some of you about our favorite ways to cook a few items. They are included at the end.  Well, the cucumbers, eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, and beans are enjoying this sunshine heat. The lettuce…not so much. Great cucumber and bean harvest this week. There will be a break in the lettuce until the next planting is ready. Those of you that received boxes on Tuesday already know what was harvested but the rest of you don’t know yet so here it is.

Possibilities for Week#8 – items and quantity varies between large and small share and what is available for the daily harvests.

Cucumbers, Cherry Tomato, Eggplant, Basil, Parsley, Garlic, Tomato, Beans, Summer Squash, Peppers, Hot Peppers, Potato – Red Norland & Yukon Gold,

Our Favorite way to eat beans – I saw this in an old cookbook a few years back – we all love this one.

Herbed Beans: Beans, Garlic, Butter, Basil – garlic press, sauce pan with a lid

Rinse and drain beans- prepare by snapping of small stem and snap into bite size pieces; add butter and pressed garlic cloves to sauce pan medium/low heat; cook for just a few minutes, you don’t want garlic to brown, add finely chopped or sliced fresh basil or dried, a little salt and pepper, and beans to the pan; cover and cook until beans are just slightly tender; don’t over cook; if your pan seems to be too hot or your garlic is browning add just a touch of water; stir, cover, when the beans are tender to your preference remove from heat. YUM!

We grow smaller varieties of eggplant – Japanese style and a mini italian style. These smaller eggplants do not require peeling. We enjoy them grilled.

Grilled Eggplant: Slice eggplant into 1/2 inch coins or chunks mix in bowl with small amount of olive oil just to coat, 1-4 pressed garlic cloves, salt and pepper to taste. Preheat grill to medium – add them to a grill basket and cook until they are tender. You can also cut lengthwise and place directly on the grill. I prefer the basket with our grill.It doesn’t take too long. I just check under the lid after 5 minutes or so and remove when done.

Refrigerator Pickles:  I usually make some of these each year. soaking cucumbers overnight in cold water helps keeps them crisp after pickling. I never write down the recipe and head to google each year to find one that I want. I basically do a garlic pickle sometimes adding dill seed a hot pepper and black peppercorns. I kind of wing it but keep to the ratio of vinegar, salt and water recommended. I usually cut cucumbers into 1/2 inch slices and have used both types of cucumbers that we grow. You can slice or chunk, or spear whatever you want.

Here is link that seems to have enough info to pass on to you – it is for kirby cukes but you can do this with any cucumber or vegetable.  Have fun!