Green Tomato Pie

2 cups sliced green tomatoes 1 1/2 cups sugar 5 tablespoons flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Dough for a double pie crust Preheat oven to 350 degrees F Combine ingredients in bowl, toss to make sure sugar and flour are mixed well with the tomatoes. Pour the mixture into the bottom pie crust, top with bits of butter and seal on the top crust, cutting a vent in the top. Bake for about one hour or until crust is nicely browned. Cool and serve.

Spanish Gazpacho

Gazpacho, a much-loved cold summer soup. We have it for lunch or supper, with sandwiches or zucchini fritters, with sweet corn from the garden or just with chips like salsa. It's a great way to use excess produce from the garden (or from your CSA). It takes only minutes to fix, can be kept in the fridge for 3 or 4 days, although it's unlikely to last that long because it is such a refreshing treat on a hot day.

Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, no need to peel or seed About 2 cups tomato juice, or I like 1 cup juice and 1 cup of Zing-Zang bloody mary mix 2 medium cucumbers, cut in chunks Half a red bell pepper, cut in large pieces Half a medium onion, cubed, or 3 green onions 1 small jalapeno, seeds removed 1 garlic clove 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 lime, juiced 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 1/2 teaspoon toasted, ground cumin 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Chopped cilatro for garnish Place everything in a food processor in batches and chop fine, leave some tiny chunks for texture. Chill at least 2 hours or overnight. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt, if desired, and some chopped cilantro on top.

Cold Cucumber Soup for Summer

Cold Cucumber Soup I learned this recipe from the late Billy Joe Tatum many years ago. I've made cucumber soup half my lifetime but Billy Joe's method completely changed my method. Ingredients 3 or 4 medium to large cucumbers Half of one average-sized onion, sliced 3 tablespoons butter 3/4 cup plain yogurt 1 1/2 cups buttermilk 3 cups chicken broth Fresh dill Salt to taste Start with 3 or 4 medium to large cucumbers. Peel if the skin is bitter, otherwise peel or don't peel. Remove the seeds if they are large. Slice cucumbers and set half aside. In a skillet, melt about 3 tablespoons butter, then add in HALF of the sliced cucumbers and the onions. Simmer about 5 to 7 minutes. Add approximately 2 cups chicken broth (canned or fresh, whatever you have on hand). Continue simmering for another 5 to 8 minutes, just until the onion is nearly transparent. Working in batches, put the simmered cucumber and onion in a blender with another 1 cup chicken broth and the remaining fresh cucumber slices. Add the fresh dill, yogurt and buttermilk and blend well. Chill several hours or overnight before serving. Add a dollop of yogurt or sour cream and some diced cucumber and dill as garnish on top.