I love my job, I really do. I work at an amazing school with wonderful faculty and students and I often think I don’t know how I got so lucky to work where I do. That being said the transition back from summer is always a tough one. It is the time of year where I spend hours at school in a crazy frenzy and then come home and convince myself that a beer, some toast, and the last pickle in the jar is a suitable dinner. I was sad to miss Leadville with Rob but it was definitely one of my busiest times and I wasn’t able to get away. I also have had to give Run Rabbit Run a miss as I settle into the school year. It pains me that the wonderful last days of summer with all their garden bounty glory are such a crazy time. The market is brimming with wonders and my little garden finally starts to pay dividends. With all that beauty I try and find at least some time to celebrate the produce and also do a little preserving for the winter. These two recipes celebrate the season and each was a send off for Rob to travel to his races.

Beet Tacos ( I LOVE beets)
The idea for these came from a spring break ski vacation last year in Salt Lake City. My friend took me on a couple of amazing tours in the Wasatch and one day we finished up at a great new taco shop that had sprung up since I had visited last. They had some wonderful unique options. One was a beet, pear, and blue cheese concoction. I put my own spin on it including some crunchy bits of tempeh “bacon”, roasted beets and their greens, some sweet onions and salty local feta. This was Rob’s sendoff to Leadville!

• 3 medium beets roasted (see directions here), skinned and cut into bite size chunks
• 1 medium onion sliced thin
• 4 pieces tempeh bacon (optional)
•  1 bunch beet greens roughly chopped ( 1 bunch chard or spinach)
• 1-2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1/2-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 package corn tortillas
• 1/2 cup shredded feta

The sauce:

• 1 cup greek yoghurt
• 1 teaspoon salt
• zest and juice of 1 lime

1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet
2. Saute onion until very soft and wilted, push to the side of the pan
3. Fry up the tempeh bacon until crisp ( if using), remove from the pan and chop into small pieces
4. Meanwhile in a small bowl mix together sauce ingredients
5. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan and warm over medium heat
6. Add the greens and saute until coated with oil and beginning to wilt
7. Add the garlic, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes and cook until greens are wilted
8. Add roasted beets, and tempeh and heat through, adjust seasoning
9. Warm tortillas in a frypan, microwave, or oven
10. Fill each tortilla with filling, top with feta and sauce
11. We served these with some refried pinto beans

Grilled Summer Squash Salad
I have a couple of heirloom squash plants in the garden that have been producing like crazy. I love grilling summer squash and this salad combines a pile of squash, some ripe cherry tomatoes, and fine shavings from my new favorite cheese of the summer. Add a little crunch with some toasted almonds and some walnut oil and it is dynamite! It has become my favorite new dish to take to a BBQ or potluck.  It tastes great hot, cold or room temperature and travels extremely well.

• 4 medium or 6 small summer squash sliced into planks (we used crookneck, yellow zucchini and an heirloom striped zucchini)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half
• 8-10 kalamata olives halved
• 1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds
• shavings of a hard aged cheese – I love this with an aged manchego or with parmesan

Dressing:

• 3 tablespoons walnut oil ( Flora makes a great one)
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon honey or agave nectar
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Brush squash with oil and season with salt and pepper
2. Grill for 5-8 minutes on each side, until softened with grill marks
3. Pile squash on a platter
4. Top with tomatoes, olives, parsley, and almonds
5. Drizzle with dressing, top with cheese shavings and adjust seasoning