Baked Pasta with Zucchini, Corn, Tomatoes, and Basil

As today is officially the first day of autumn, I thought we'd say farewell to summer with this great end-of-summer pasta. It uses lots of fresh garden veges, includes a bit of melty cheese, and reminds us just how great the summer produce is. 

Until next year, dear Summer!

P.S. I'm so excited, though. Autumn is my favorite (!!!) season. Bring on the pumpkins, crispy leaves, and corn mazes!

Notes: I've adjusted the proportions in this recipe from the original because 1) it didn't make enough for us, 2) we like tomatoes and garlic, and 3) we also like cheese. Mmmm....

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma 

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Toasted Barley Salad with Tomato, Zucchini, & Caramelized Corn

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With autumn just around the corner, I've been frantically using up the glorious summer bounty our garden has so graciously shared this season. The kitchen counter is practically overflowing with squash, green beans, tomatoes, corn, zucchini, bell peppers, basil, raspberries, and other such lovelies.

The bounty of summer is hard to under-appreciate. Nothing compares to biting into a freshly picked, deep red, juicy tomato. Really, nothing quite does. Likewise, an ear of grilled corn slathered with butter and sprinkled with a bit of salt epitomizes summer. All of this and the long, lazy summer evenings on the back porch surrounded by great company are the things I will miss most. 

This end-of-summer salad was inspired by that abundant harvest of fresh produce consuming the kitchen counter. It's kind of like summer on a plate - fresh and bright. I hope you'll enjoy it as we begin our farewells to this wonderful, generous season.

Notes: This kind of salad is the perfect dish for a picnic or a long, lazy summer lunch because it gets better as it sits and marinates in the dressing. Serve it with grilled meats or fish as a side dish, or with plenty of lightly cooked vegetables as a vegetarian main course. The salad is also very open to  adaptations based on what the garden is producing. Feel free to even add some toasted nuts for a bit more crunch.

Adapted from here