I picked up my CSA bag today.  Oh man—does it all look good.  It’s like going into a material or craft store.  My mind went wild with what I could make!  I received corn, cucumbers, onions and tomatoes.  Fresh corn on the cob sounds great, and then I will use the rest for corn fritters.

Ripe tomatoes—that’s like finding the Holy Grail of summer!  Hmm…sliced on sandwiches, and tomato bread salad for sure.  All my favorites!  There are millions of ideas out now on what to do with fresh produce!  You can’t go very far in the press, magazines, emails, or TV without seeing great ideas.  I find a lot of my ideas from Pintrest and the FoodNetwork.  About.com has some great ideas too!  There seem to be a lot of talented cooks out there!  Wherever you find your recipes—give fresh produce a try now.  The snow will be here before we know it.  After this many 100 degree days—bring it on!!!!!

Panzanella (Tuscan Bread and Tomato Salad)

Serves:4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 large vine ripened tomatoes, cut into large cubes or wedges
• 1/2 pound stale country-style Italian bread, crusts removed and cubed (about 8 cups)
• 1 1/4 cups thinly sliced red onions
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup Italian extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 bunch fresh basil, stems removed, washed and spun dry, turn into pieces
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, bread, and onions.

In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, vinegar and oil. Pour the dressing over the bread salad and let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature. Add the basil and salt and pepper, to taste, and toss to combine. Serve.

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Corn Fritters

By Molly Watson, About.com Guide

These easy Corn Fritters are sweet and delicate – a great way to use sweet corn once you’ve eaten your fill of corn on the cob. Serve with a spicy Salsa Fresca or Cilantro Mint Chutney (as pictured here) or other kicky sauce to highlight their sweetness.

Feel free to double this recipe, for more fritter fun.

Ingredients:

• 4 ears sweet corn or 2 cups corn kernels
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• Vegetable or canola oil for frying

Preparation:

1. Cut corn kernels from cob into a large bowl. (Note: For a creamier fritter, cut kernels off 2 cobs and use a large-hole grater to grate the kernels off the other 2 cobs.)
2. Add the egg and beat it with a fork. Combine corn and egg. Sprinkle mixture with flour and salt and stir to combine thoroughly. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
3. Heat a generous layer of oil (about 1/4 inch deep) in a large frying pan or pot over medium-high heat to 350 – 375. A bit of batter dropped into the pan should sizzle immediately.
4. Put generous spoonfuls of batter into the pan and flatten a bit with the back of the spoon. You should be able to fit about four fritters in the pan at a time. Cook until fritters are browned on one side, flip, and cook until they are brown on both sides. Transfer fritters to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and repeat with remaining batter. Serve immediately.

Makes about 8 Corn Fritters.