Recipe Monday for September!

Here are some recipes we've been enjoying recently:

Apple-Cherry-Ginger Cake with Caramel Frosting

For the apple cake recipe go to the Apple-Rhubarb Cake recipe here (Just scroll down a bit - it's the second recipe in that entry). Substitute 2 cups of chopped apples for the 2 cups of chopped rhubarb, and substitute dried cherries for the dark raisins.

Here's the frosting recipe (adapted from The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion:

6 TBS butter
1/8 tsp salt
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 oz. milk (this can be estimated)
3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

Melt the butter in a heavy 2-quart saucepan. Stir in the salt and brown sugar and heat the mixture to boiling, stirring constantly. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, until the sugar is totally dissolved. Stir in the milk and return to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and cool to lukewarm. Stir in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the powdered sugar. Adjust consistency with a little more milk, if necessary.

Eliane's Chunky Zucchini (or Summer Squash) Gratin

Adapted from The Provence Cookbook by Patricia Wells

1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
4 plump cloves of garlic, peeled and halved
1 lb. zucchini, summer squash or patty pan squash, trimmed and cut into chunks
3 TBS light cream
good salt
freshly ground pepper
1 oz. grated French Gruyere cheese

1. Preheat the broiler.

2. In a large skillet, heat the oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Ad the garlic and zucchini and brown for about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until soft, about 10 minutes more.

3. With a slotted spoon, transfer the zucchini to a gratin dish or baking dish. Drizzle the cream all over. Season to taste with the salt and peepper. Sprinkle with the cheese. Place under the broiler and broil until the cheese is melted and golden - 2 -3 minutes.

4 servings. Serve with good, crusty bread and a lively salad for a lovely summer meal.

Summer Squash Pudding - This is an old family favorite - we can't have Thanksgiving without it. It's from Elegant but Easy Cookbook by Marian Burros and Lois Levine

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Boil (or microwave or steam), drain and mash
4 large summer squash

3. Add
2 beaten eggs
2 TBS sour cream
1 TBS sugar
1 TBS butter
salt and pepper to taste

4. Place in casserole. Spread top with buttered bread crumbs.

5. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Makes 4 - 6 servings.

Roasted French Bean Salad with Pine Nuts and Parmesan adapted from Angela Tedesco of Turtle Farm from From Asparagus to Zucchini: A Guide to Cooking Farm-Fresh Seasonal Produce by Madison Area Community Supported Agriculture Coalition

1 quart haricots verts or thin green beans, washed and dried
2 TBS olive oil, divided
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp salt
pepper to taste (and more salt if you want it)
1 TBS wine vinegar
1/8 cup toasted pine nuts
1/8 cup freshly shredded parmesan (preferably parmigiano reggiano)

1. Heat oven to 425.
2. Toss beans with 1/2 TBS olive oil. Spread them in one layer on a baking sheet; and roast on the top shelf of the oven for about 15 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking time.
3. In the meantime, mash the minced garlic with the 1/4 tsp salt. Add the vinegar. Whisk in the 1 1/2 TBS olive oil.
4. Toast the pine nuts in a frying pan. Make sure they don't burn or they'll be bitter.
5. Remove the beans from the oven when roasted; put them on a serving platter, sprinkle them with the pine nuts and the parmesan. Drizzle dressing over everything and toss. Serve warm or at room temperature.