'Tis the season for everyone to go on vacation. We may have perfectly delightful weather and sunshine here, but we feel the need nevertheless to trade all that sun and blue sky for a place with sun and blue sky and air-conditioning.
And maybe some sand [Photo by Jerry Kiesewetter on Unsplash
But if you haven't left town -- or if someone has decided to visit you -- great food at the Market continues. Nay, even increases in bounty.
It's the time of year for every fruit you could possibly want, for making jam, pies, cobblers, crisps, for freezing, for grilling, for canning, for just eating out-of-hand. Our farmers have discovered that, if they plant varieties of strawberries that last into August, we will buy them.
And salad fixings have never been better, especially if you want to take a break from greens to go with a chopped salad. Peas, green beans, cucumbers, potatoes, tomatoes, corn, melons, onions -- they were all there last week.
This is Paula Deen's recipe, as we enjoyed it last night, and, for once, my pic looks better
Or how about a baked potato bar? The Market has those potatoes, cheese, scallions, and bacon. And, if you do the potatoes in the crock pot, it doesn't heat up the house.
If you're reading this, celebrate your staycation with another al fresco meal. Take those friends and family to the Market after you pick them up at the airport on Thursday. Grab dinner there and grab Friday's and Saturday's dinner fixings as well!
Crock-Pot Baked Potatoes
Scrub potatoes well. Dry. Prick them with a fork several times. Then rub each potato with some butter and place them in the slow cooker. Cook on LOW for several hours, depending on the size of your potatoes and how many you stuffed in the pot. I had four decently-sized potatoes, so I put them in at lunchtime and they were very ready by 6pm.
Split and serve with butter, sour cream, shredded cheese, bacon bits, and chopped scallions. On the side, serve a chopped salad and sliced, fresh melon.
