Recipes for June 16th 2007:

Serving tips:
You don't need a fancy steamer to enjoy steamed broccoli. It will do just fine thrown into a covered pot with a shallow layer of boiling water for about 5-7 minutes.
Don't toss the stems! Remove the tough outer layer with a peeler and you can steam them too, or grate it into your favorite cole slaw recipe for an added boost of nutrition.

Dress your cooked broccoli with lemon and butter:
2 tablespoon melted butter
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated lemon zest
Ground black pepper to taste
Combine melted butter, lemon peel, and pepper. Drizzle mixture over cooked broccoli. Serve hot. Will season appx. one head of broccoli.

Broccoli Salad
Combine in a bowl:
5 cups fresh broccoli florets
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, chopped into small chunks
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup sunflower seeds or chopped walnuts
1/2 cup cooked, crumbled bacon
1/4 cup of red onion, chopped
1 cup of raw peas (if out of season, try chopped celery, sweet pepper or another raw veggie with crunch)

Make dressing and toss with above, chill thoroughly before serving:
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons vinegar
1/2 cup sugar, less to taste if desired

Marinated Zucchini
Good as a side dish when grillin'

2 medium zucchini or yellow squash, washed, peel if desired
Juice of 1 large lemon, more to taste
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1-2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt & Pepper
2-3 tablespoons fresh basil or fresh parsley, chopped

Slice as thinly as possible. (Using a peeler to slice lengthwise will work well, and fast, if you don't mind not having the round slices you get by cutting across the zucchini.)
If you are not sure if your metal bowls are non-reactive, use a glass or ceramic bowl to be safe.
Toss the thinly sliced zucchini with the lemon juice, garlic, olive oil; salt and pepper to taste.
Cover and refrigerate 4-8 hours, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the fresh herbs just before serving.
Season to taste.