Jolene's Recipe Journal

It's getting to be that time of year when everyone with a garden is overflowing with zucchini. I do not have a green thumb, but I know that I never leave the farm without 6 to 8 good sized zucchini in my shopping bag.   While I do enjoy some savory dishes made with zucchini, what really goes over best here is baked goods.

I found this recipe on the Taste of Home website, in a feature called 25 Ways to Use Zucchini. I believe I saved almost all of them to my recipe box!  I liked it because I had all the ingredients on hand.  I omitted the nuts due to allergies.  I had regular sized semi-sweet chips on hand, and I used a heaping half cup.   They would also be great with raisins, or cinnamon chips.   I definitely recommend doubling the batch and freezing some, and they make a great on-the-go breakfast or snack.   Thank you so much to Janet D for sharing her recipe!

Do you have an amazing recipe you'd like to submit to Taste of Home? Follow this link and learn how! Want to apply t…

#FarmersMarketWeek is coming to a close, but I know the inspiration I've taken from all the amazing recipes that have been shared will be improving my menus in the weeks to come!

Last up for me is this beautiful Grilled Basil Chicken and Tomatoes.  I didn't get my herb garden in this year, but I definitely will be planting basil next year.  Tomatoes at the farm are just coming in strong, and they are especially good this year.  The marinade comes together superfast using the blender, loved that!

I always overcooked grilled chicken until I started using a probe thermometer with a temperature alert.   I set it for 160º, and then I can mostly sit back and relax on the patio with a refreshing beverage while the chicken does its thing.  My guys can be picky about tomatoes, so I love that half of the ones in this recipe disappear into the marinade. I've made this twice, and it disappeared quickly both times.  I plan on freezing several packages of it to make on the indoor g…

I struggle to come up with side dishes when the temps rise.  The guys could eat corn every day, but I'm always looking for something different to try.  I found this recipe on the Taste of Home website, among some other great "make ahead" salad recipes.   No major changes to this one- I had prepped veggies for another dish, so whatever form they were in, that's how I used them- my red onion was diced, my carrots were matchstick, etc.

The title says it all on this one- crisp, spicy. I'll also add light and refreshing.   It was a great side to burgers, a perfect summer lunch topped with some grilled chicken. Thank you Alivia D. for sharing her recipe!

For even more ways to put your local veggies to good use, check out the links below.  My to-make list is getting long, time to hit the farm again!




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Crisp & Spicy Cucumber Salad by reviewed by Jolene's Recipe Journal August-10-2017 Great side dish for those hot summer days! Ingredients 2 small Englis…

I've only been grilling pizza for a few years, and I wish I'd discovered it sooner.   It's so simple, and anything that keeps me from having to turn on the oven and warm up the house during the summer is a winner in my book.

I made 4 individual sized pizzas so that people could customize their own. It comes together so fast, and you can really vary the veggies with anything you like.  I made it exactly as written this time, but this is a great "clean out the crisper drawer" meal.   Thank you to Terri R for sharing the recipe!

I hope you been enjoying the #FarmersMarketWeek recipes, I know I've been finding so many wonderful things to try from the other participants. Scroll down for links to their posts for today!





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Grilled Garden Pizza by reviewed by Jolene's Recipe Journal August-9-2017 Craving pizza but don't want to heat up the house? Grill it! Ingredients 2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced1/2 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt 1 pound…

Today is #National Zucchini Day!  I never leave the farm without at least a half dozen zucchini.   Though I've made some savory dishes, what I make most often is desserts.  This is the first time I've ever used it to make cookies, but it definitely won't be the last!

This makes a soft cake-like cookie. I left the zucchini unpeeled, and squeezed out some of the moisture.   If you don't like raisins, you could use dried cranberries or blueberries.  I'm going to try adding some quick cooking oats for the next batch, my son said chocolate chips would be great too. I lined my sheets with parchment, then moved them to nonstick baking racks.  

I know I say this a lot, but I wish I'd doubled the batch.   They'll make great lunch box treats!   





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Zucchini Raisin Cookies by reviewed by Jolene's Recipe Journal August-8-2017 Ingredients 1/2 cup shortening1 cup sugar1 egg1 cup shredded, peeled zucchini2 cups flour1 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon g…

One of the best parts of summer is the variety of local produce that's available.   We have a short growing season in New England, so we try to get out to the farms at least once a week.   I have a "never say no to a fruit or vegetable" policy with my son.  If he wants to try it, I'll buy it and fix it. 

Tomatoes are one of my favorite things to get, especially the heirloom and bite-sized versions.  I love the variety of shapes and colors they come in now.   And nothing goes better with tomatoes than fresh mozzarella and basil!  I could eat that combo every day and be a happy girl.

This is such a simple recipe, and is great as an appetizer, light lunch, snacking on the go. You can eat them after 3 hours, but I found them best if they marinated for at least 24 hours.  I've made them several times, and if I didn't feel like heating up the house for the bread, I used store bought Texas Toast croutons.     

So many great recipes coming your way this week, chec…