Not only do we have lovely Summer fruits and vegetables to enjoy, some of the Fall season favourites are starting to arrive.

So, let’s chat September recipes and a final garden update for you!

Did you grow a herb or vegetable garden this year?

If you’ve been following along with my what’s in season posts you’ll know we had both of our small container garden’s growing along with some small herb pots. We had mixed results throughout the summer, I think due to the lack of heat in the beginning. However, it was still a pretty good harvest!

Here’s what the backyard garden grew

Beets: We grew golden and striped beets, both of which I am harvesting over the next few days. I like to remove the beet greens (which you can sauté and are delicious), clean them and store them in the fridge. Beets should be good for about a month or so.

Radishes: We planted and harvested radishes twice throughout the summer. I’ll definitely grow them again because they grow fairly quick!

Carrots: FINALLY the carrots are ready! They are absolutely delicious and took the summer to grow; I will 100% grow them again.

Mesclun Lettuce Mix: This lettuce mix was a ‘cut and come again’ type which meant we had salads for daysssss throughout the summer. I love this mix because you could literally cut what you needed about every 1.5 weeks and it just kept growing back again. Towards the last week of August it was definitely done though as the lettuce leaves turned quite bitter.

Jalapeno Peppers: After many successful summers growing jalapeno peppers this time was not meant to be. The peppers took FOREVER to grow and honestly I think we have one that’s worth using. I’m going to leave them longer through September because I think we’re in for more sunny, warm weather so might as well see what happens.

Baby Kale: Another leafy green I’d definitely grow again. Sort of like the lettuce I talked about above, I was able to harvest it many times. But next year I’ll definitely sow the seeds closer together for more kale.

Tuscan Kale: I planted this too late and in the shadow of the very large broccolini plants so it really didn’t have a chance. I plan to sow these seeds earlier next year.

Broccolini: Speaking of broccolini, this was a fun experiment. I think it would have worked better had I known how tall these plants would really get. I might try them in their own planter next year so they can take up as much space as they need to grow. We did grow a few broccolini stems though!

Herbs: Our more sturdy herbs like rosemary, thyme and oregano did really well. Unfortunately the more delicate ones like cilantro, dill and parsley didn’t yield much. So, I think for next year I’ll change up where they were planted.

If you want extra info on how-to store or use fresh herbs in recipes, check out all of my tips here.

And, one of my favourite ways to make those fresh herbs last longer once harvested is to freeze them! Fill an ice cube tray half-full with washed and diced fresh herbs; then fill the rest of the way with olive oil or melted butter and freeze. Store the herby ice cubes in the freezer for the cool season. Some of my favourite combinations are:

• Parsley & Oregano in olive oil: Use this as a base when starting to sauté onions to make a tomato sauce.
• Rosemary & Thyme in olive oil: Toss on a sheet pan and warm in the oven for a few minutes. Then toss potatoes in the herb and oil mixture before roasting.
• Rosemary, Oregano & Thyme in butter: Place in the roasting pan when roasting a chicken, then as it mixes with the juices use to baste the chicken.

So with all this talk of garden vegetables and harvesting, here are some September recipes to make:

Apples: Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Muffins

Carrots: Honey Butter Roasted Carrots & Radishes

Pears: Spiced Oatmeal with Honey Pears

Peppers: Peanut Chicken Power Bowl

Tomatoes: Quick Green Salad

Zucchini: Zucchini & Prosciutto Pizza

I’m excited to start cooking many of these recipes as we transition seasons; I’m especially looking forward to cooking allll the apple recipes! How about you!?

And if you’re looking for an easy weeknight dinner as we head back into more of a routine, my Pesto Baked Chicken is where its at. Plus, these Turkey Meatballs from Ambitious Kitchen are absolutely delish too!

Until the next cooking adventure,
Jess

The post What’s In Season – Recipes to Make in September appeared first on Cooking in my Genes.

Garden centres are open which has allowed me to start planning our vegetable gardens.

We got our hands on some fresh herbs that we’ve already been cooking with AND they’ll eventually get planted once it warms up just a bit more. So with that in mind, let’s chat what’s in season and May recipe inspiration!

The first gardening I really did was planting herbs each summer. I love that I can go outside and grab some parsley for the finishing touch to a recipe when I need it. Or, any other herbs for that matter!

I started small by planting a round planter of herbs each summer just like my Mom did (& still does) to this day. I find it’s the easiest way to grow them when you don’t have a lot of space too.

How to Use Fresh Herbs in Recipes

Parsley:

We use parsley as a garnish a lot. However, it’s so great mixed into fresh summer pastas – think baby tomatoes, parsley, parmesan cheese, garlic and squeeze of lemon. YUM!

Thyme:

Fresh thyme is delicious in my Sweet Potato & Cheddar Drop Biscuits. These are great for Spring weekend breakfast or brunch.

Rosemary:

Chop fresh rosemary and mix with olive oil, salt & pepper for the perfect potato ‘marinade.’ Bake chopped potatoes with this mixture at 425F for about 40-50 minutes for a crispy & delicious side.

Basil:

One word – pesto. I basically harvest all of my basil, make a batch of pesto & freeze it. Then, wait for the basil to grow back to start this process all over again! Pesto is SO versatile; I love it on pasta or in pasta salads. Also, basil is a delicious herb to use in cocktails.

Dill:

I love making my own yogurt-dill dip using fresh dill, garlic and a squeeze of lemon. Plus don’t forget pinches of salt & pepper! Delicious with salmon or on sandwiches. You could also try adding some fresh dill to this yogurt dip that goes with my parsnips fries; just limit the garlic a bit so that the dill flavour comes through!

Cilantro:

If you’re on ‘team cilantro,’ it is so fantastic for tacos and asian-inspired dishes.

In general, whether you’re buying fresh herbs from the grocery store or market or pulling them from the garden, take a little extra time when you bring them home so they last longer in the fridge.

Tips for Storing Fresh Herbs

• Soft herbs like parsley, basil, cilantro and dill have ‘soft’ stems so store them like you would fresh flowers. For parsley, cilantro and dill, cut about 1 inch off the stems, place in a jar with water, cover with a plastic produce or ziploc bag and store in the fridge. Keep in the fridge and replace the water every couple of days. These can last about 2 weeks so when ready to use, take the amount you need, wash and they’re ready!
• Basil is a bit of a tricky one as it’s very delicate. If purchased from the grocery store, it’s like grown in a greenhouse and comes already packaged. I usually leave this at room temperature and use within a couple of days. If I’m cutting basil from the garden, I’m generally going to use it right away. However, you could follow the same instructions as the soft herbs BUT leave it in the water at room temperature.
• Hard herbs like rosemary, thyme and sage store well when wrapped in a slightly damp paper towel, then wrapped in plastic and put in the fridge. They will last 1-2 weeks. My best tip for these herbs is to
• Mint is technically a hard herb because of it’s stem, however, I’ve found I can store either way mentioned above and it still does well.
• And, the best way to clean any herbs that you’re using is get a bowl of cool water and dunk the herbs in a couple times so that any dirt sinks to the bottom. Refresh the bowl with clean water before moving on to another herb.

With all of this fresh herb talk, let’s get to the recipes to make in May! Many of which feature some favourite herbs like mint & basil:

Cucumbers – Minty Cucumber Gin Spritz

Fresh Herbs – Easy Basil Pesto

Radishes – Spring Toast with Radishes, Pea Shoots & Feta

Rhubarb – Rhubarb Cake

Strawberries – Easy Strawberry Jam

Tomatoes – Roasted Tomato, Arugula & Halloumi Salad with Pesto

I hope that the Spring season reaches you wherever you are if it hasn’t already! And, that these recipes inspire you in the kitchen this season.

Until the next cooking adventure,
Jess

The post What’s In Season – Recipes to Make in May appeared first on Cooking in my Genes.