One Teaspoon From Disaster

As we bid summer farewell, time is dwindling for you to take advantage of some seasonal produce, like peaches, strawberries, zucchini and jalapeños.

Here are a few suggestions for quick and easy recipes that feature this stuff. Yes, these are treats, but my logic is we have all fall to try entrée recipes. (A hint of what's to come: bbq chicken pizza, sweet potato wraps and cilantro bean salad. Are you looking forward to October, or what?)

For now, here's what I've got: peach frozen yogurt, quick chocolate dipped strawberries, chocolate zucchini bread and jalapeño jelly.

1. Peach frozen yogurt
Ingredients:
½ C. peaches, peeled and chopped into small chunks
1/3 C. peaches, pureed until smooth
2/3 C. fat-free strawberry yogurt
Directions:
Lightly stir pureed peaches, peach chunks and yogurt in a small mixing bowl. Cover and freeze at least four hours. You could also try these in popsicle molds, although I didn't.

2. Quick choco-dipped strawberries
Ingredients:
¼ C. semi-sweet chocolate chips
¼ C. milk chocolate chips
1 Tbsp. shortening
1 Tbsp. milk
a dozen strawberries
Directions:
In a small saucepan over medium low heat, melt chocolate and shortening, stirring constantly. Once melted, add milk (a little more may be necessary) and stir constantly over heat until smooth. Reduce heat, but leave on stove top for dipping. Place strawberries on wax paper for cooling. A tip: Make sure strawberries are completely dry before plunging in the chocolate.

3. Chocolate zucchini bread
Ingredients:
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
3 eggs
2 C. sugar
1 C. oil
2 C. zucchini, grated
1 tsp. vanilla
2 C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ C. chocolate (semi-sweet or milk)
Directions:
Microwave unsweetened chocolate squares until melted, stirring intermittently. In a large bowl, mix eggs, sugar, oil, zucchini, vanilla and melted chocolate. Beat well. Add dry ingredients. Mix well. Add chocolate chips. Pour batter into greased loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour, or until center isn't doughy. Delicious served warm.

4. Jalapeño jelly
Ingredients:
12 jalapeno peppers, stems cut off
4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1 green bell pepper
1 ½ C. apple cider vinegar
4 C. sugar
4 ounces liquid pectin
Directions:
Blend 12 peppers and bell pepper in a food processor until finely chopped. Put mixture in a medium-sized pot with the cider vinegar and bring to a boil. Allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Strain the mixture, saving the juice and discarding the pulp. (You'll end up with about 1 cup of liquid, although it won't seem like much.) Put the liquid back in the pot and stir in the salt and sugar. Bring to a boil. Allow to boil for one minute; reduce heat to medium-low then stir in the liquid pectin. Add the diced jalapenos and allow to cool before transferring to storage containers.