Five Minute Beets

4 beets, about 1 lb
1 Tbsp butter
salt and pepper to taste
lemon juice or vinegar to taste
2 Tbsp chopped parsley, tarragon, dill or other herb
Grate the beets into coarse shreds. Melt the butter in a skillet, add the beets, and toos them with 1/2 salt and pepper to taste. Add 1/4 cup water, then cover the pan and cook over medium heat until the beets are tender. Remove the lid, and raise the heat to boil off any excess water. Taste for salt, season with a little lemon juice. Taste for salt, season with a little lemon juice or vinegar and toss with the herb.

Gorgeous Beet and Apple Salad

Another favorite from Rolling Prarie Cookbook by Nancy O'Conner

4 to 5 medium sized beets, cooked, cut into cubes
1/4 cup slivered red onion
1 Tbsp oil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 Tbsp minced shallots
1/4 tsp sugar or honey

Toss beets, apples, and red onions together. Mix remaining ingredients to create dressing. Pour over vegetables. Pour over vegetables, mix well and serve chilled.

'The only way to eat zucchini' pancakes

3 to 4 zucchini, grated and pressed to remove some of the water
1 egg
1 heaping Tbsp flour
2 heaping Tbsp grated parmesan cheese
small handful of minced herbs (chives, parsly, basil)
freshly ground black pepper

Beat the egg with flour and add all the other ingredients and stir lightly.
Melt a bit of butter in a pan that is lightly coated with olive oil. Drop the batter in the pan as you would regular pancakes. Brown on both sides. Salt after the cakes cooked as salt will cause the batter to be watery. Serve the cakes with a tad of butter, a sprinkle of parmesan and a smile!

Fruit Platz

A traditional Russian Mennonite dessert using plentiful summer fruits

1 cup flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 tsp bakin gpowder
1/4 tsp salt
combine

1/2 cup oil or melted butter
1/2 cup milk

Mix in butter or oil until crumbly. Add milk. Mix with fork until a ball of soft dough forms. Press into 9x13 baking pan.

4 cups of assorted fruits cut into large chunks: peaches, plums, apricots, nectarines, cherries, gooseberries, blueberries, raspberries
1 cup of sugar (more or less depending on the sweetness of the fruit.
mix and spread over dough.

3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup flour
1 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Mix and spread over fruit. Bake in preheated oven at 375 for 30 to 45 minutes. Best served the day made.