Friendly chatter, cheery farm stands, bushels of produce, baskets of fruit and Mason jars overflowing with just-picked blooms...the farmers' market is in full swing!
With everything in sight locally grown, there's just no better place to find the absolute freshest foods...this amazing selection available right in our neighborhoods was our inspiration for Farmers' Market Favorites.
We've selected 6 recipes from this nationally bestselling cookbook for our latest Menu of the Week...you can mix & match 'em all week long! Even if your local market isn't open yet, you'll still find plenty of ways to use grocery-fresh produce too.
Follow us on Twitter and get an additional recipe EVERY DAY this week too! Click over to our Online Recipe Box for LOTS more from Farmers' Market Favorites!
Berry-Picker’s Reward Muffins
Shared with us by Nancy Porter of Fort Wayne, Indiana, this recipe is just as yummy with blueberries and strawberries too. Use your favorites and give your family their own rewards!
1/2 c. margarine, softened
1-1/4 c. sugar
2 eggs, beaten
8-oz. container sour cream
1 t. vanilla extract
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1 c. raspberries
3 T. margarine, melted
With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat softened margarine for 30 seconds. Add sugar; beat until combined. Blend in eggs, sour cream and vanilla. Use a spoon to stir in dry ingredients until just moistened; fold in berries. Spoon batter into paper-lined or greased muffin cups, filling 2/3 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick tests clean. Brush tops of hot muffins with melted margarine; sprinkle with topping. Cool in pan for 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Makes 20.
Topping:
2 T. sugar
1/4 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.
Savory Stuffed Mushrooms
Sent to us by longtime contributor, Francie Stutzman of Dalton, Ohio, these are perfect for parties but make a delicious side dish for big family get-togethers too! She writes, "Oh, are these so good! Depending on the size of the mushrooms, this makes 40 to 50."
1 lb. whole mushrooms
1/4 c. oil, divided
1/4 c. onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 lb. cooked ham, ground
1/2 c. dry bread crumbs
2 T. grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 T. fresh parsley, chopped
1 t. fresh oregano, chopped
1/2 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
Remove mushroom stems and chop enough to equal 1/2 cup. Set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet over medium heat; add mushroom caps and stir to coat with oil. Remove and set aside on paper towels to drain. Add chopped stems to skillet with onion and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat for 10 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and add remaining ingredients. Spoon mixture into mushroom caps. Arrange on an ungreased baking sheet; drizzle tops with remaining oil. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Makes 40 to 50 stuffed mushrooms.
Town Square Favorite
Tiffany Brinkley of Broomfield, Colorado shared this recipe with us. She writes, "A visit with friends for the weekend took us to a terrific farmers’ market on the town square. We filled our baskets to overflowing with veggies, herbs, sunflowers, even cheese…what a day! That same day, we made these yummy open-faced sandwiches for dinner."
3 T. butter
1-1/2 c. sliced mushrooms
1/2 c. red onion, sliced and separated into rings
2 zucchini, thinly sliced
1 t. dried basil
1/2 t. garlic, finely chopped
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
4 bagels, split
8-oz. pkg. shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
2 tomatoes, sliced
Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in all ingredients except bagels, cheese and tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 4 to 5 minutes. Arrange bagels on an ungreased baking sheet. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese over each bagel half. Bake at 375 degrees for 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven; top each with one slice tomato. Spoon on vegetable mixture; top with remaining cheese. Continue baking 4 to 5 minutes longer, or until cheese is melted. Makes 4 servings.
Honey-Garlic Steak
Athena Colegrove of Big Springs, Texas shared this tweaked-to-perfection recipe wiht us. She writes, "The honey-garlic sauce is the secret...what a blend of flavors!"
1-lb. boneless beef steak
6 T. honey-garlic barbecue sauce, divided
2 T. olive oil
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 c. mushrooms, chopped
1 c. green pepper, sliced
1 c. onion, sliced
2 T. soy sauce
cooked rice
Brush each side of steak with one tablespoon barbecue sauce; set aside. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat; stir in remaining ingredients, except soy sauce and rice. Sauté 10 minutes, or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Meanwhile, grill steak over medium-low flame for 15 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking time. Add soy sauce and remaining barbecue sauce to vegetables; reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 15 minutes. Transfer steak to a serving platter, cover with aluminum foil and set aside 5 minutes. To serve, uncover steak, slice and spoon vegetables over top. Serve with rice alongside. Serves 4.
Tangy Summer Slaw
This coleslaw recipe was shared with us by Myra Tunanidis of New Cumberland, West Virginia. It's bursting with fresh flavors...you must give it a try!
1 head red cabbage, shredded
1 head green cabbage, shredded
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
1 onion, finely chopped
1 green pepper, finely chopped
16-oz. bottle red wine vinegar & oil salad dressing
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. sugar
1 T. Dijon mustard
1 t. caraway seed
salt and pepper to taste
Toss together vegetables in a large serving bowl; set aside. Combine remaining ingredients; pour over vegetables. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Toss before serving. Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Peach Flip-Overs
This new twist on hand-pies was shared by Melissa Luck West Plains, Missouri. She writes, "I had so many peaches from the farmers’ market, that I popped the extras in the freezer. Try them with peach ice cream…perfect for this recipe!"
2 to 3 peaches, pitted, peeled and sliced
2 t. butter
1/4 t. nutmeg
1 t. cinnamon
2 to 3 T. pumpkin pie spice
1 t. brown sugar, packed
1/4 c. sugar
1 to 2 t. vanilla extract
8-oz. tube refrigerated crescent rolls
ground ginger to taste
Garnish: powdered sugar, cinnamon
Add peaches, butter, spices, sugars and vanilla to a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for 10 minutes; reduce heat to low. Separate and arrange crescent roll dough on a lightly greased baking sheet; sprinkle with ginger. Bake at 375 degrees for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and top each with one tablespoon peach mixture. Roll into a crescent; secure with a toothpick. Return to the oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until golden. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and cinnamon. Makes 8 servings.
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and the portions were PLENTY big. (Truth be told the Brownie Pan is one of my favorite portion control tools 
).
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