Category: Recipes

  • Old-Fashioned Squash Casserole

    Old-Fashioned Squash Casserole

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    This is the side dish that shows up on our table more than anything else in July, mostly because it’s the one that uses up whatever the garden handed us that morning. No fuss, no recipe card needed after the first time you make it. Meatless and every bit as satisfying as anything with meat in it.

    Prep
    20 min

    Cook
    35 min

    Serves
    8

    Category
    Side dish

    Ingredients

    • 2 lbs yellow squash, sliced into rounds
    • 1 zucchini, sliced into rounds
    • 1 sweet onion, diced
    • 3 tablespoons butter, divided
    • 2 large eggs, beaten
    • 1/2 cup sour cream
    • 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar, divided
    • 1 sleeve buttery round crackers, crushed
    • Salt and pepper, to taste

    Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 baking dish.
    2. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the squash, zucchini, and onion together about 6-8 minutes, until just tender.
    3. Drain very well, pressing out as much water as you can. This part matters, skip it and you’ll end up with soup instead of casserole.
    4. In a large bowl, combine the drained vegetables with the eggs, sour cream, 1 cup of the cheese, and a good pinch each of salt and pepper.
    5. Pour into the prepared baking dish and spread even.
    6. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and toss with the cracker crumbs. Scatter over the top along with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese.
    7. Bake 30-35 minutes, until set in the center and golden on top.
    8. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

    This one’s forgiving. Short on squash, use more zucchini. Short on zucchini, use more squash. It’ll come out right either way. Want to grow your own? Check our guide for zucchini.

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  • Fried Green Tomatoes with Buttermilk Herb Dip

    Fried Green Tomatoes with Buttermilk Herb Dip

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    Y’all, there’s a reason this one’s a Southern staple and not just a Hollywood movie title. A green tomato off the vine before it ripens has a tartness that holds up beautifully to a cornmeal crust and a hot skillet. We make a batch of these most weeks the tomatoes are coming in heavy, just to have something to do with the ones that got picked too soon.

    Prep
    20 min

    Cook
    15 min

    Serves
    4

    Category
    Appetizer

    Ingredients

    • 4 medium green tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
    • 1 cup buttermilk
    • 1 cup cornmeal
    • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
    • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
    • Vegetable or peanut oil, for frying
    • 1/2 cup mayonnaise (for the dip)
    • 1/4 cup buttermilk (for the dip)
    • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or parsley (for the dip)
    • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives (for the dip)
    • 1 clove garlic, minced (for the dip)
    • 1 teaspoon lemon juice (for the dip)
    • Salt, pepper, and a dash of hot sauce, to taste (for the dip)

    Instructions

    1. Whisk together all the dip ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate while you fry the tomatoes.
    2. Soak the tomato slices in the 1 cup buttermilk for 10 minutes.
    3. In a shallow dish, stir together the cornmeal, flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne.
    4. Pour oil into a cast iron skillet to about 1/2 inch deep and heat over medium-high to 350°F.
    5. Lift each tomato slice from the buttermilk, letting the excess drip off, and dredge in the cornmeal mixture, pressing gently so it sticks.
    6. Fry in batches, 2-3 minutes per side, until deep golden and crisp. Don’t crowd the pan.
    7. Drain on a wire rack or paper towels and salt immediately while hot.
    8. Serve right away with the chilled dip alongside.

    Best eaten standing up at the stove, straight out of the skillet, before anyone else gets to them. Want to grow your own? Check our guide for tomatoes.

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  • Summer Tomato Pie

    Summer Tomato Pie

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    This is the pie that means summer’s really here. We wait on it until the tomatoes are at their absolute best, heavy and warm off the vine, because a pie this simple lives or dies on what you put in it. It’s rich, it’s a little decadent, and it’s gone the same day we make it, every single time.

    Prep
    30 min

    Cook
    35 min

    Serves
    8

    Category
    Main

    Ingredients

    • 1 (9-inch) pie crust, blind baked and cooled
    • 3-4 large ripe tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced
    • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish
    • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
    • 1 cup shredded mozzarella
    • 3/4 cup mayonnaise
    • 1 clove garlic, minced
    • Black pepper, to taste

    Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
    2. Lay the tomato slices on paper towels or a wire rack, sprinkle both sides with the salt, and let sit 20-30 minutes to draw out the moisture. Pat dry with more paper towels, a soggy tomato pie is nobody’s friend.
    3. Layer the tomato slices and onion in the baked pie crust, scattering the basil between layers as you go.
    4. In a bowl, mix the cheddar, mozzarella, mayonnaise, garlic, and a few grinds of black pepper.
    5. Spread the cheese mixture evenly over the top, all the way to the edges of the crust.
    6. Bake 30-35 minutes, until golden and bubbling.
    7. Cool at least 15 minutes before slicing, it needs that rest to hold together.

    Slice it while it’s still warm, and don’t skip the fresh basil on top. It’s what makes the whole thing sing. Want to grow your own? Check our guides for basil and tomatoes.

    Explore More Fresh Ingredients

    Every recipe in this book starts with something we grew ourselves. Real seeds from our own garden beds, the same ones behind every dish here.

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  • Skillet Garlic & Herb Kale

    Skillet Garlic & Herb Kale

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    Most old family recipes for cooked greens lean on a ham hock simmering in the pot all afternoon, and that’s just not a road we go down here. So we had to figure out how to get that same deep, savory backbone without it, and it turns out smoked paprika and a good stock will get you most of the way there. A splash of vinegar at the end wakes the whole thing back up.

    Prep
    10 min

    Cook
    30 min

    Serves
    6

    Category
    Side dish

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
    • 4 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
    • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
    • 2 bunches kale (about 1 lb), stems removed and torn into pieces
    • 1 cup good vegetable or chicken stock
    • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
    • Salt and pepper, to taste

    Instructions

    1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat.
    2. Add the onion and cook 5-6 minutes, until soft and just starting to turn golden.
    3. Stir in the garlic, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes, and cook 1 minute until fragrant, this is where a good bit of that deep flavor comes from, so don’t rush it.
    4. Add the kale in batches, letting each addition wilt down before adding more.
    5. Pour in the stock, bring to a simmer, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the kale is tender. Add a splash more stock if the pan looks dry.
    6. Stir in the vinegar and thyme, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
    7. Serve with a little of that pot liquor spooned over top.

    Don’t skip spooning that liquid over the top when you plate it up. That’s where all the good stuff ends up.

    Explore More Fresh Ingredients

    Every recipe in this book starts with something we grew ourselves. Real seeds from our own garden beds, the same ones behind every dish here.

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  • Cucumbers and Onions

    Cucumbers and Onions

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    This one doesn’t get a recipe card in most Southern kitchens because it doesn’t need one, you just know it by feel after the first time or two. Thin-sliced cucumbers, sweet onion, and a tangy vinegar bath, sitting in the icebox waiting on supper. We make this all summer long with whatever cucumbers are coming in fastest.

    Prep
    15 min (plus 1 hour to chill)

    Cook
    No cook

    Serves
    6

    Category
    Side dish

    Ingredients

    • 3 medium cucumbers, thinly sliced
    • 1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
    • 1 cup apple cider vinegar
    • 1/2 cup water
    • 1/3 cup sugar
    • 1 tablespoon salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill (optional)

    Instructions

    1. Combine the cucumbers and onion in a large bowl.
    2. In a separate bowl or jar, whisk together the vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and pepper until the sugar and salt dissolve.
    3. Pour the brine over the cucumbers and onion, and toss to coat everything evenly.
    4. Sprinkle in the dill, if using.
    5. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, though it’s better after 4 hours, and better still the next day.
    6. Give it a stir before serving straight from the fridge.

    Keep a jar of this going all summer. It just gets better the longer it sits. Want to grow your own? Check our guide for cucumbers.

    Explore More Fresh Ingredients

    Every recipe in this book starts with something we grew ourselves. Real seeds from our own garden beds, the same ones behind every dish here.

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  • Roasted Rainbow Carrots with Herb Butter

    Roasted Rainbow Carrots with Herb Butter

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    There’s something about pulling a bunch of rainbow carrots up out of the ground, purple and orange and yellow all tangled together, that makes you want to do right by them in the kitchen. High heat and a little patience turns them sweet and caramelized, and a pat of herb butter melting over the top at the end does the rest of the work for you.

    Prep
    15 min

    Cook
    30 min

    Serves
    6

    Category
    Side dish

    Ingredients

    • 2 lbs rainbow carrots, scrubbed and halved lengthwise if large
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • Salt and pepper, to taste
    • 4 tablespoons butter, softened
    • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
    • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
    • 1 clove garlic, minced
    • 1 teaspoon honey (optional)

    Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
    2. Toss the carrots with the olive oil, salt, and pepper on a large sheet pan, spreading them out in a single layer.
    3. Roast 25-30 minutes, turning once halfway through, until tender and caramelized at the edges.
    4. Make the herb butter. While the carrots roast, mash together the softened butter, thyme, rosemary, garlic, honey, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl.
    5. As soon as the carrots come out of the oven, transfer them to a serving dish and toss with the herb butter while they’re still hot, so it melts and coats everything.
    6. Serve right away.

    Simple as it sounds, this is the dish people ask us about at every gathering we bring it to.

    Explore More Fresh Ingredients

    Every recipe in this book starts with something we grew ourselves. Real seeds from our own garden beds, the same ones behind every dish here.

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  • Garden Gazpacho

    Garden Gazpacho

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    On the hottest days of the year, the last thing anybody wants is a hot bowl of soup, and that’s exactly when this one earns its keep. It’s nothing but ripe tomatoes, cucumber, and pepper blended up cold and bright, the kind of thing that tastes like the garden in a bowl. We started making this the summer the tomatoes came in faster than we could keep up with, and it’s stuck around every year since.

    Prep
    20 min (plus 2 hours to chill)

    Cook
    No cook

    Serves
    6

    Category
    Starter

    Ingredients

    • 2 lbs ripe tomatoes, cored and roughly chopped
    • 1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
    • 1 bell pepper, chopped
    • 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
    • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
    • 1 slice day-old crusty bread, torn into pieces (optional, for body)
    • Salt and pepper, to taste
    • 1 jalapeno, seeded (optional, for a little heat)
    • Fresh basil, for garnish

    Instructions

    1. Combine the tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, onion, and garlic in a blender or food processor. Set aside a small handful of diced cucumber and pepper for garnish.
    2. Add the olive oil, vinegar, torn bread, and jalapeno (if using).
    3. Blend until smooth. If it’s thicker than you like, thin it out with a splash of cold water.
    4. Season with salt and pepper, and taste, it should be bright and a little punchy.
    5. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, though it’s even better made the night before.
    6. Ladle into bowls, drizzle with olive oil, and top with the reserved diced vegetables and torn basil.

    Serve it cold, straight from the fridge, with a spoon and nowhere to be for a little while. Want to grow your own? Check our guides for basil, bell peppers, cucumbers, jalapenos, and tomatoes.

    Explore More Fresh Ingredients

    Every recipe in this book starts with something we grew ourselves. Real seeds from our own garden beds, the same ones behind every dish here.

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  • Garden Herb Deviled Eggs

    Garden Herb Deviled Eggs

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    Oh, honey, everybody’s got a deviled egg recipe, but ours leans on whatever’s fresh out back instead of the shaker jar. A big handful of our own chives and parsley folds right into the yolks and turns an old standby into something folks ask us for by name. These are the first thing gone at every potluck we’ve ever taken them to.

    Prep
    20 min

    Cook
    12 min

    Serves
    12 (24 halves)

    Category
    Appetizer

    Ingredients

    • 12 large eggs
    • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
    • 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
    • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
    • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
    • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
    • Pinch of black pepper
    • Paprika, for garnish

    Instructions

    1. Boil the eggs. Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan and cover with an inch of cold water. Bring to a boil, then cover, remove from heat, and let sit 11 minutes.
    2. Drain and transfer eggs immediately to a bowl of ice water. Let cool 10 minutes, then peel.
    3. Slice eggs in half lengthwise and gently pop the yolks into a bowl, setting the whites on a platter.
    4. Mash the yolks smooth with a fork, then stir in the mayonnaise, mustard, and vinegar until creamy.
    5. Fold in the chives and parsley, and season with salt and pepper.
    6. Spoon or pipe the filling back into the whites, mounding it up a little proud. Dust with paprika.
    7. Chill at least 30 minutes before serving so the flavors settle in.

    Set these out first at your next gathering, and don’t be surprised if the platter’s empty before you’ve had one yourself.

    Explore More Fresh Ingredients

    Every recipe in this book starts with something we grew ourselves. Real seeds from our own garden beds, the same ones behind every dish here.

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  • Southern Pickled Eggs

    Southern Pickled Eggs

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    There’s a jar of these in our refrigerator door pretty much year-round, ever since the habit got passed down through the family. That pink brine turns plain hard-boiled eggs into something you can’t stop picking at, and it’s a good way to use up the last of a jar of beets before they go to waste.

    Prep
    15 min

    Cook
    10 min (plus 3 days to pickle)

    Serves
    12

    Category
    Preserve

    Ingredients

    • 12 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
    • 1 (15 oz) can whole beets, drained, juice reserved
    • 1 cup apple cider vinegar
    • 1/2 cup water (plus reserved beet juice to make 1 cup liquid total)
    • 1/2 cup sugar
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 small sweet onion, thinly sliced
    • 1 teaspoon whole allspice berries
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 1 jalapeno, sliced (optional, for a little kick)

    Instructions

    1. Slice the beets and set aside with the eggs.
    2. In a saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, reserved beet juice, sugar, salt, allspice, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
    3. Pack the eggs, sliced beets, onion, and jalapeno (if using) into a large clean jar or two smaller ones.
    4. Pour the hot brine over everything, making sure the eggs are fully submerged.
    5. Let cool to room temperature on the counter, uncovered, then seal and refrigerate.
    6. Let the eggs pickle at least 3 days before eating, a full week is even better. They’ll keep in the fridge about 3 weeks.

    Slice one open at day five and you’ll see that beet color’s worked all the way to the yolk. That’s when you know they’re ready. Want to grow your own? Check our guide for jalapenos.

    Explore More Fresh Ingredients

    Every recipe in this book starts with something we grew ourselves. Real seeds from our own garden beds, the same ones behind every dish here.

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  • Kale & Herb Garden Frittata

    Kale & Herb Garden Frittata

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    This is our answer to a fridge full of greens and not enough plans for them. Kale, spinach, whatever herbs are looking good that morning, all folded into eggs and baked till it puffs up golden. We make this most Sunday mornings, and it reheats just fine come Monday if there’s any left, which there usually isn’t.

    Prep
    15 min

    Cook
    25 min

    Serves
    6

    Category
    Breakfast

    Ingredients

    • 8 large eggs (duck eggs work beautifully here too, if you’ve got them)
    • 1/4 cup whole milk
    • Salt and pepper
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1/2 sweet onion, diced
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 2 cups chopped kale, stems removed
    • 1 cup baby spinach
    • 1/3 cup shredded cheddar or crumbled feta
    • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (a mix of basil, parsley, and thyme is nice)

    Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
    2. Heat the olive oil in a 10-inch oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook 4-5 minutes until soft.
    3. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds, until fragrant.
    4. Add the kale and cook, stirring, about 3-4 minutes until wilted. Add the spinach and cook 1 more minute. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
    5. In a bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, herbs, salt, and pepper together.
    6. Spread the greens evenly across the bottom of the skillet, pour the egg mixture over top, and sprinkle with cheese.
    7. Cook on the stovetop 2-3 minutes, just until the edges start to set.
    8. Transfer to the oven and bake 15-18 minutes, until the center is set and the top is lightly golden.
    9. Let rest 5 minutes before slicing into wedges.

    Good hot off the stove, good cold out the fridge standing over the sink. We won’t judge either way. Want to grow your own? Check our guide for basil.

    Explore More Fresh Ingredients

    Every recipe in this book starts with something we grew ourselves. Real seeds from our own garden beds, the same ones behind every dish here.

    Visit the Seed Center