Summer

Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

This is our go-to mac and cheese recipe for larger crowds. The cauliflower is optional but unobtrusive, so why not?

Laryn Kragt Bakker
Goat cheese, spinach and grape tomato spaghetti

This spaghetti has a fairly subtle (but good) flavor. The kids didn't expect to like it because of the cooked spinach but they all enjoyed it.

Laryn Kragt Bakker
Almost-instant Soft Serve

This is a really quick and tasty dessert treat. It's a variation of a recipe we found in a Food & Wine magazine. We first tried it as part of Reuben's 7th birthday festivities.

Laryn Kragt Bakker
Plum Frangipane Tart

I made this for the first time while we were staying with Jon & Erika for a couple of weeks in the summer of 2010. It's great for late summer or fall, when you can find plums that are ripe to the point of being wrinkly.

'Frangipane' refers to the filling made with almonds.

Matt Bakker
Carrot-Raisin-Mint Salad

I was weeding the flower bed by the mint patch and remembered this delicious salad. I thought I'd share the recipe. (Best to make it just before eating it)

Gert Bakker
Kohlrabi Salad

We got this recipe with our CSA share when the kohlrabi came in. It's a nice side dish.

Matt and Erica
Chicken and Black Beans (serves 4)

This is Erica's dad's specialty. We love it, and it's good even if it gets cold.

Matt and Erica
Bruschetta Fresca

This was the suggested pairing to the Mushroom Pork Loin in the supermarket sample booth. Both were very good and this one doesn't take a lot of preparation.

Laryn Kragt Bakker
Dill Cucumber Soup

We made a version of this at a family get-together and tried it again the other day. The cayenne is good but make sure to add it according to your taste. The original recipe calls for tamari to taste as well, but we didn't use it. (I think tamari is a particular kind of soy sauce).

Laryn Kragt Bakker
Carrot Soup

We got this recipe from the back of a children's book we took out of the library and adapted it a little. Alleia ate it quite well after all the excitement of making it.

Laryn Kragt Bakker
David Dawson's Kale and Black Beans on Rice

"I cooked some black beans last night for a lunch burrito today...and made sure there was enough left over for this. I hadn't flavored the beans while cooking yesterday. After cooling and pouring off all the water, except just barely enough to cover them, I added garlic powder, onion powder, olive oil, balsamic and oregano. Today, after they'd been marinating for a while, they were so delicious that I could have had them over some white rice and called that dinner. Instead..."

Laryn Kragt Bakker
David Dawson's Whole Wheat Chick Pea Salad

From a friend: "Here's an original that I made a few months ago. Definitely takes some planning ahead for all the soaking that you have to do but well worth it. It's filling and fun to try out whole wheat - something that I don't think I'd had before. Don't forget - salt well only after it's fully tender. There's something with salt which prevents beans from every getting soft."

Laryn Kragt Bakker
Broccoli Salad

This salad can be prepared in many ways. Perhaps Bev is including her recipe that she shared with us when we visited John and Gena in 1985. I used memories of that and the recipe Nellie Ann shared with at our Christmas 1992 to mix up a version we enjoyed for dinner at Lyle’s apartment in Sioux City, on the day of his graduation from Morningside College. We also made a similar salad for Sunday dinner at Lisa and Lana’s apartment after helping them move in Iowa City. On that occasion I enjoyed an early morning walk about 12 blocks each way to get sunflower seeds and dressing.

Elda Vander Schaaf