While in Chicago last weekend we roamed their Farmers Market.  I saw such unusual produce.  An oval yellow cucumber!  Unusual zucchini.  Garlic scapes.  I could have bought it all!  To me it was like being a kid in a candy store.  I loved the vibrant colors and massive displays of beautiful produce!  I am back home in Columbus and can’t wait to hit tomorrow’s Farmers Market.

The other night I wanted to make a special dinner for our anniversary.  Since we just returned from eating out all week on vacation, a home cooked meal sounded wonderful.  I stopped at a local produce stand and found some fabulous tomatoes and cucumbers.

Tomato and Cucumber Salad

The one vegetable that shines the most in summer is the tomato.  Delicious juicy red tomatoes.

My tomato and cucumber salad is so easy to pull together.  Layer sliced cucumbers, sweet onion and tomatoes in a serving dish.  Drizzle a good quality olive oil on top and fresh squeezed lemon juice.  Add some slices of fresh mozzarella.  Season with fresh basil, salt and pepper.  You want to keep the dressing simple and not mask the fresh flavors.  D e l i c i o u s!!!

Farmers Market Recipes

Whether you hit up the farmer’s market in your area or are lucky enough to have a vegetable garden in your own backyard, sometimes you need a little inspiration on what to do with all that produce.  Following are some recipes to consider making with your summer produce.

Zucchini and Goat Cheese Tart

Need to use up your extra zucchini?  Visit M Loves M for this Zucchini and Goat Cheese Tart.

Heirloom Tomato Galette with Honey & Thyme

This Heirloom Tomato Galette with Honey + Thyme from Half Baked Harvest looks delicious!  

Rosemary Fingerling Potatoes with Lemon Garlic Aioli

Design Love Fest has solved what to do with those summer Fingerling Potatoes.  Instead of using them as a side dish, create this Rosemary Fingerling Potatoes with Lemon Garlic Aioli as an appetizer.

Simple Skillet Green Beans

Sometimes you just want to keep it simple.  This recipe for Skillet Green Beans with Fresh Garlic from Healthy Seasonal Recipes fits the bill.

More Produce Inspiration

You may also like these recipes I have previously shared.

Italian Stuffed Peppers

These Italian Stuffed Peppers are one of our summer favorites.  They make a great appetizer or if serving as a dinner, just add a salad.

Delicious Summer Tomato Recipes

In this post I share several Delicious Summer Tomato Recipes including my Oven Roasted Tomatoes.   The tomatoes caramelize and become so sweet and delicious, it’s hard to stop eating them!

Salty and Sweet Jalapeño Poppers

If you love salty and sweet flavors you will love these Jalapeño PoppersJalapeño poppers.  Make a batch of them with your extra jalapeños and freeze them for football season tailgating!

What is your favorite thing to make with Farmers Market produce?