Fabulous produce are still at markets – your chance to make something spectacular right now. Enjoy these essential Three End Of Summer Recipes!
Includes Tomatoes, Corn and Zucchini
This is SO hard for me to Pick Just Three!
So here are three recipes… and three honorable mentions!!!
The last day of summer 2026 is September 21st – yet much of fresh, locally grown produce is still available a few weeks longer.
The PERFECT time to stock up on your favorites… mine are: Corn, Tomatoes and Zucchini!!
1. Corn Pudding with Cheddar and Chipotle Crust
Absolutely the best Summer Corn Pudding! Use just picked corn for a side dish that is healthy, light & delicious! Print the recipe – you will make over and over again. Whether you use Silver Sweet (white) or Butter & Sugar (yellow & white) -my favorite varieties, get your corn this week while it is still plentiful and just picked from the field. Tip for freezing: cut kennels off the ear, blanched briefly first to lock in sugars, cool and freeze – will lose some crisp firmness, but still fine.
HONORABLE MENTION:
A Velvety Cool Corn Soup is light and refreshing! Minimum ingredients so you have lots of Pure-Corn-Flavor. Roasted Pepper with Jalapeño and EVOO adds just the right punch of interest and texture. THE Summer soup to make right now!
2. How To Dehydrate Cherry Tomatoes (oven recipe too!)
Savor Summer and learn how to dehydrate all those fabulous tomatoes!
I save some for adding to many recipes ~ layer others in jars and cover with olive oil and thyme branches. Dehydrated Tomatoes are Sweet! A refreshing burst of sweetness!
I have an ABUNDANCE of Cherry tomatoes still in my garden – I pack some in oil, and some to add immediately into recipes.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Ripe Heirloom Tomatoes team with Garlicky Toasted Bread and Plenty of Basil Leaves. Top with my Zesty “Shaken” Italian Dressing(recipe) and scatter some thinly sliced Red Onions and cubes of Cucumber.
Also SEE: Gluten Free Summertime Panzanella Tomato Salad
3. Karen’s Spaghetti alla Nerano: Zucchini & Pasta Lightened-Up
A total Ode to Stanley Tucci’s CNN “Searching for Italy” series which he shed light on this terrific dish in a hotel kitchen on Italy’s Amalfi Coast.
I have ROASTED Zucchini instead of fried… and added lots to the final dish! Easy, economical and one you should master!
Zucchini is fabulous bought locally in summer.. although a great recipe to make all year long!
HONORABLE MENTION:
A delicious and moist Gluten Free Zucchini Quick Bread using Maple Syrup three ways ~ in the bread, glaze and glazed walnuts. Not too sweet with healthful ingredients. Easily made vegan. (Can use regular flour too!)
Soon it will be time to transition from Summer to Fall Cooking.
I do look forward to cozy warm meals and soup-making days (although summer is my favorite season.)
Enjoy these End – Of – Summer Recipes (savoring Summer just a little longer!)
Karen
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Dehydrated Heirloom Tomatoes Packed in Olive Oil and Thyme
Ingredients
- 4 pints cherry tomatoes, (I used heirloom colorful ones)1 1/2
- 1 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 medium fresh thyme branches
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasonings
- extra virgin olive oil, for filling jars; approximately 1 cup
Instructions
- Wash, dry and cut cherry tomatoes in half. Add them to bowl to fit and gently toss in the olive oil, salt and seasonings. (I do not like too many seasonings – prefer a natural tomato flavor.)
- Add the tomatoes halves cut side up on mesh trays of the dehydrator and set in the machine. Give each a little space. Add thyme branches to a tray.
- Set temperature to 140 degrees. Set time to 4 hours. (I've used a Magic Mill Dehydrator.)
- Tomatoes are done when the edges have curled, the tomatoes have somewhat dried – but still a little "meaty." Dehydrated Tomatoes are Sweet! A refreshing burst of sweetness!
Layer in Jars:
- Place the dried tomatoes halves in little sterile glass jars, cut side up. Cover with extra virgin olive oil to submerge. Top with dehydrated thyme. Close tightly and place in the refrigerator, will last a few weeks.
To Oven Dry:
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Add the cut tomatoes with the oil, salt and seasonings to a parchment paper lined rimmed baking sheet. Give each a little space. Cook/dehydrate for 2 hours, or until somewhat dried and wrinkly. Depending on your oven and the original moisture of your cherry tomatoes, the total amount of time they spend in the oven may vary.
For a quick room temperature Tomato sauce:
- Scoop out some dried tomato halves with some olive oil their packed in – to a small bowl. Add grated garlic to taste, salt and freshly grated pepper and a good dash of aged balsamic vinegar. Add fresh herbs and let macerate for a half hour. I topped fresh grilled salmon off the grill with this sauce. Great too over pasta!
Notes:
- I like to dehydrate my tomatoes until somewhat dry and chewy. These are not very dry tomatoes. They still have tomato texture with dry edges.
- These tomatoes freeze well, just wrap carefully and diligently.I save some tomatoes for tossing into recipes in the next few days – and add the rest to jars submerged in oil.
- 4 Pints of tomatoes of cherry tomatoes yields approximately 6 cups sliced in half. Dehydrated: yield about 3 cups.
Notes
This oil can be used as part of a salad dressing, or drizzle on good bread. This recipe may not be reproduced without the consent of its author, Karen Sheer.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
- BETHANY
Wow this was some recipe! I did the dehydrated method and 2 hours initially did not seem like enough time, but it was. Dried but with some body, not typically sun dried tomatoes, chewier consistency.
I packed into 3 one cup canning jars with evoo and the thyme. Maybe next time I will add some cracked pepper. Yes, so many uses, really enjoying them
Thanks Karen for this wonderful recipe.
REPLY- KAREN SHEER
Thank you Bethany for your review and thoughts! 😀Karen
- KAREN SHEER
- LYN KRAFT I always like to try new things.
REPLY
2.KAREN SHEER
Great Lynn!
😀Karen - ROBERT
Love this recipe. I set my oven to the lowest setting 200 degrees. They were nicely wrinkled and dehydrated in 2 hours, I was watching carefully!
Cooled them and added to jars as you suggested covered in oil and thyme.
The next day I spooned some in a small bowl, heated some sourdough bread and slathered it all over. Was delicious. Appreciate this recipeREPLY - KAREN SHEER
Thanks Robert for you review. Love using the dehydrated tomatoes with its olive oil for slathering bread. The oil with thyme really is flavorful!
😀Karen
Wow this was some recipe! I did the dehydrated method and 2 hours initially did not seem like enough time, but it was. Dried but with some body, not typically sun dried tomatoes, chewier consistency.
