IMK August 2025

Take a peek at what's been going on IN MY KITCEN- I'm joining Sherry and other bloggers at Sherry's Picking for the monthly IN MY KITCHEN share. Why not follow the link join us? 

Summer’s Bounty & a Breath of Fresh Air

Summer is in full swing, and it shows in the abundance of fresh produce everywhere. After a big storm rolled through last night, the weather has taken a dramatic turn. This morning greeted us with a crisp 64 degrees, and we’re only expecting highs in the 70s—a refreshing change from the sweltering 100-degree heat just two days ago.

Zucchini from my son's garden. 

This delicious jar of za'atar is from the Museum for Tolerance in California.  They sell Middle Eastern products in their gift shop. Do you use za'atar? It's a spice from middle eastern cultures that has become popular in the United States in recent years.  We love sprinkling za'atar on sliced tomatoes. Here is one of my recipes using za'atar on crunchy baked (GF) tortilla chips  with za'atar for an appetizer! 

za'atar, a blend of spices, is usually gluten free-
but some brands add roasted wheat.. You must read the ingredients to be sure. 

Cabbage, Soup, and a Pleasant Surprise

My son gifted me a beautiful whole green cabbage (oy- more cooking), so I decided to make a hearty cabbage sauerkraut soup. Despite the summer heat, both my husband and I really enjoyed it—comforting, tangy, and full of flavor. The next day, I ate the leftover soup cold, and to my surprise, it was tasty chilled!

Canasta At My House

I hosted our weekly canasta game one afternoon at my place—just four of us women. We played around ny kitchen table. I set out a few light snacks including a large bowl of fresh red grapes that I added after snapping the photo. No one seems to be snacking much anymore, and they travel with their own water bottle-so as usual, everything was left over- but you still have to offer!!! (I ended up putting it all away).

We are enjoying salad since the weather has been HOT and HUMID!! I like salads with or without lettuce such as the one below with hearts of palm, avocado, red pepper and black beans with the traditional cucumber and tomato and red onion.

Garden-Grown Oregano 

Last season, my son planted a small oregano plant in his garden. This year it came back bigger and stronger than ever. I harvested a generous bunch and set it aside to dry for use in the fall and winter months. After a simple rinse, I laid the sprigs out on a screen to air dry. Once fully dried (about 3 days), I’ll strip the leaves from the stems, crumble them by hand, and store the fragrant oregano in a jar—perfect for soups, sauces, and entrees later in the year.

Hydrangeas from my yard. 

They were light blue last year from the same bush, and this year a beautiful bright pink???

A Trip Down Memory Lane in the Catskill Mountains in Pennsylvania. 

I recently came across a book (that my friend Sharon shared) based on the era when the Catskill Mountains was a popular vacation scene. It brought back so many memories. As a teenager growing up in New Jersey, my parents and I would spend a week each summer getting out of the heat at a hotel in the Catskill Mountains. 

Last week, we took that 2 and half hour drive to visit my grandson at his sleep away camp ( on visiting day) which is in the Pennsylvaia Mountains. It was my first time back there in many many years, and it felt like stepping into a time capsule.

I remember hotels such as Brown’s, Stevensville, Concord or Kutsher’s—classic all-inclusive resorts nestled in the beautiful mountains and  filled with activities, amazing food, and top name entertainment. In fact, many comedians got their start in the Catskills such as Jerry Lewis, Mel Brooks, Jerry Seinfeld, Woody Allen, Billy Crystal, Joan Rivers, etc. These types of mountain resort hotels have now faded in the Catskills, replaced by cruise ships and other modern vacation trends.

Did anyone else vacation at those Catskill resorts? I'd love to hear your memories!

Summer fresh green beans from my friend's garden. 

This is a tasty green bean and almond salad. 

My friend Vicki gave me 2 cucumbers from a mutual friend's garden. Cucumber salad is always one of my favorites in the summer.

We have been enjoying summer cherries which have been sweet and delicious from the markets ( although expensive) 

Holding On or Letting Go? + A Delicious Summer Recipe

Holding On or Letting Go?

A personal reflection on clutter, memory, and making space

“Less is more.”
“Does it bring you joy?”
“Do you use it—or have you just been storing it for years?”

These are just a few of the questions worth asking when clutter begins to feel overwhelming. It's not just about organization—it’s about creating space for calm, clarity, and intention.  It's not that my house is messy, but I just keep a lot of stuff I no longer want or need. 

How an Overgrown Zucchini Turned Into The Perfect Summer Recipe

 

This summer my son planted a vegetable garden in his yard. Like many gardeners, he had a surprise or two along the way. His zucchini plants got a late start, but once they began producing, they didn’t hold back. He missed checking on them for just one day or two days—and suddenly, he had two giant zucchinis-  almost the size of baseball bats- ok not quite. 

He kept one of those zucchini and kindly handed the other over to me. The only question was: what do you do with a oversized, tough skinned zucchini?

My daughter-in-law mentioned she used hers to make ratatouille, but I was craving something simple and soothing. I decided on soup—a great way to soften up that firm flesh and let the flavors shine. But I had no intention of eating hot soup! So- read on...

Ratatouille 

I used half of the zucchini (and peeled it because the skin was tough), scooped out the enormous seeds, and chopped up the zucchini. Then I built a base with onions, celery, potatoes, and white beans, finishing it off with a generous amount of freshly squeezed lime juice and a blend of seasonings.

The result? A light, creamy, and comforting vegan soup with a gentle flavor—perfect as a starter for lunch or dinner. And here’s the bonus: it tastes just as good chilled, making it ideal for warm summer days such as tomorrow when temps will read 97 degrees here in Philadelphia area. 

Turn the vegetables into a side dish: 

 **Here's another bonus: I like this combination of vegetables. If you don't want soup- just make the sauté and omit the liquid. It's a great vegetable side dish perhaps over rice or quinoa. 

Whether you choose to make zucchini soup (hot or chilled)  or a vegetable sauté, if you’ve got an oversized squash on your hands, give it a try—you might be surprised at how delicious simplicity can be.

Ingredients :

zucchini-4 cups chopped in bite-size pieces ( peel the skin if it is tough)

onion - 3 cups of sliced 1/2 moons
potato- 2 cups of diced potato 

celery-1 cup of diced celery 

cannelloni beans-1 can, drained and washed

salt and cracked pepper to taste

3 cups water

4 cups broth  

1/4 teaspoon of cumin or herbs de province (choose one of your preference)

Juice of 1 lime

Directions: 

Sauté the onions in your Instant Pot ( or Dutch oven pan) for about 5 minutes, stirring to prevent burning. Add remainder of vegetables and continue to sauté for about 8 minutes (adding 2 tablespoons of water to prevent sticking if needed). Add the beans, seasoning, water and broth.If using an Instant Pot, secure lid, turn off saute function, and set to pressure cook for 5 minutes.(If using the stove top method add remainder of ingredients, cover with lid, bring to a boil and then reduce heat and cook on low-medium heat for about 20-25 minutes. 

Using an immersion blender, blend to desired consistency (chunky or completely smooth) Wait at least 2 hours before eating or serving, giving ingredients an opportunity to mingle and the flavors t9 enhance. 

Taste, and add additional salt and pepper if needed. OR CHILL OVERNIGHT and enjoy chilled the next day which is what I did!!

My Notes: 

1. I do not use added oils, so I sauté my vegetables entirely in a small amount of water (about 1/2 cup for all these veggies) . I think it tastes great and does not add extra calories. If you don't think so, then sauté in oil. 

2. I use an electric coffee grinder to grind seeds to powder- such as cumin seed. I like to add my cumin powder to the soup after cooking the soup. 

3. I like cannelloni beans the best in this soup, but you can substitute any white bean such as butter beans or chickpeas. 

4. Of course this recipe is naturally gluten-free, vegan, and parve.

Hot or cold it's a good way to use up and enjoy zucchini!!

How is your zucchini doing? What are you making with zucchini ? 

The Bees and The Wasps Need Some Love

Do you love flowers but hate bees and wasps? 

Flowers are blooming everywhere during the summer, and the markets are full of fresh fruits and veggies. It’s such a vibrant, colorful time of year. But while we’re enjoying all that beauty and flavor, most of us aren’t exactly thrilled to see bees and wasps buzzing around.

Still, here’s the thing — without them, we wouldn’t have nearly as much to enjoy. 🐝 and they are in danger. Why?