Besides my herbs, tomatoes and kale have been our top producers this season from our garden, we have given away so much kale and it’s still growing! It’s been so nice to walk out to the garden, pick something and then create a meal around it. Cold weather and winter comes too soon here so I’m savoring every last bit of summer.

What’s summer without fresh sliced tomatoes simply dressed with olive oil, basil, salt and pepper? Sometimes I add fresh mozzarella or fresh ricotta or even just plain, it doesn’t matter as long as there’s some good crusty bread alongside, it’s a meal in itself!

Vine ripened cherry tomatoes roasted and tossed in pasta is good plain or with any kind of seafood, topped off with crunchy breadcrumbs and fresh herbs enhances the flavors.

How about a zucchini ricotta pie? You can add tomatoes, grated cheese, onions, garlic, lemon zest and fresh herbs, with or without a crust, either way it’s a great summer meal with a salad.

I have really grown to love kale this year and the fact that it’s so good for you is a bonus!

Pasta with sauteed kale, garlic, roasted tomatoes and cannellini beans graced our table a few times this summer, shave a little pecorino romano on top and you have a nice healthy meal.

Of course everything is cooked with heart healthy extra virgin olive oil, is there really anything else?

I wanted to make ricotta gnocchi, so instead of adding spinach like I normally do, I thought why not try it with kale, I just chopped it up small, sauteed it for a few minutes and folded it right into the ricotta.

This was so good tossed into a light marinara sauce and so quick and easy to make. It’s hard to believe September is right around the corner. Hope you’re enjoying every last minute of your summer!

Buon Appetito!