Saturday dinner: Penne with summer squash

Penne with summer squash, tomato and parmesan. (And check out what the smoke did in the picture!!)

We got a nice assortment of summer squashes:



It was a very simple pasta recipe, but fresh and satisfying. Like most pasta sauces we cook, this recipe started with onion and garlic, but instead of chopping them up and starting with a saute, this recipe called for them to be halved, placed in the oil and allowed to sizzle gently for a few minutes. This gave the dish a different, less-developed onion flavor.

For dessert: Kefir-peach smoothies.



We bought kefir from Tonjes Farm at the greenmarket last week, on a whim. We did not, at the time, actually know what kefir was. As it turns out, kefir is a dairy product made with cow, goat or sheep's milk, which is inoculated with a specific culture and allowed to ferment. The resulting drink is somewhat like yogurt, but with a cheesier flavor. We didn't like it much plain, but blended with peach and some sugar it made a good smoothie. Like many things we eat, the recent macrobiotic craze has apparently been a boon for kefir, so if you keep an eye out you may find it at a grocery or farmstand near you.