Straight from the farmers market to your kitchen table

Summer produce is coming in, and the crop is plentiful. If you have a garden, you know the benefit and reward of growing your own. For some of us, the farmers markets and gifts from friends are how we obtain our fresh produce.

Today, I have two recipes using fresh vegetables and a couple of chicken recipes, both using bacon as an ingredient, then a cool refreshing dessert recipe with which to finish.

Grilled Corn, Avocado and Tomato Salad

1 pint grape tomatoes

1 ripe avocado

2 ears fresh sweet corn

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

For the honey lime dressing:

Juice of 1 lime

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon honey

Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste

1 clove garlic, minced

Dash of cayenne pepper

To prepare the salad:

* Remove husks from corn and grill over medium heat for 10 minutes. The corn should have some brown spots and be tender and not mushy.

* Cut the corn off the cob then scrape the cob with the back of your knife to get the juices. Set aside and let cool.

* Slice the tomatoes in half. Dice the avocado and chop the cilantro.

To prepare the honey lime dressing:

* Add all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.

* Combine the sliced tomatoes, avocado, cilantro and grilled corn and honey lime dressing and mix gently so everything is evenly coated. Be careful not to mash the avocado.

* Let the salad set 10 to 15 minutes to let flavors combine.

Vegetable Tian

Tian is thinly sliced veggies topped with cheese and then roasted.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium yellow onion

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 medium zucchini

1 medium yellow squash

1 medium potato

1 medium tomato

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Salt & pepper to taste

1 cup shredded Italian cheese

* Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic. Sauté both in a skillet with olive oil until softened, about five minutes.

* While the onion and garlic are sautéing, thinly slice the rest of the vegetables. Spray the inside of an 8x8 square or round baking dish with nonstick spray. Spread the softened onion and garlic in the bottom of the dish.

* Place the thinly sliced vegetables in the baking dish vertically, in an alternating pattern. Sprinkle generously with salt, pepper, and thyme.

* Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, top with cheese and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown.

Bacon-Wrapped, Cream Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast

2 tablespoons cream cheese

1 tablespoon green onion, chopped

2 pieces bacon, partially cooked

* Pound out chicken breast so it is about 1/4-inch thick.

* Mix together cream cheese and green onions, and spread cheese mixture over one side of chicken breast. Roll chicken breast up to conceal cream cheese.

* Wrap partially cooked bacon around chicken breast and secure with toothpick.

* Place on baking sheet and bake about 30 minutes at 375 degrees. Broil for about 5 minute to crisp bacon.

Sweet and Spicy Bacon Chicken

4 chicken breasts cut in thirds (12 pieces)

Bacon slices

Salt and pepper to taste

Garlic powder

Chili powder

Brown sugar

* Cut each breast into 3 pieces, season all the chicken with the spices, then wrap a bacon slice around each piece, roll in brown sugar and place into a sprayed or oiled oven proof dish.

* Bake at 400 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and bacon is nice and brown and crispy.

* Delicious served with mashed potatoes with some of the gravy from the chicken drizzled on top. Also great on the grill. No juices to drizzle on anything, but still delicious.

Mini Key Lime Cheesecakes

1 muffin pan, 12 muffins

1 box vanilla wafers or you can choose to make the traditional graham cracker crust made with 2 cups crushed grahams and 2 tablespoons each of melted butter and sugar, then pack into pan or paper liner.

3 Key limes

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 (8 ounce) tub whipped topping, thawed

1 can refrigerated whipped topping

12 muffin pan liners

This recipe can make more than 12; if you have extra you can continue making until you have no more cheesecake mix.

* Prepare muffin pan by placing 1 liner in each muffin cup and then add 1 vanilla wafer or graham crust. Set aside.

* Squeeze the juice from 3 Key limes. Mix softened cream cheese, sugar and fresh Key lime together with hand mixer on low, until well blended. Taste the mixture to determine if there is enough lime flavor to your liking, you may need to add 1 teaspoon more of fresh Key lime juice.

* Gently, with a cake spatula, fold in the 8 ounce tub of whipped topping until all mixed in. Fill the lined muffin pans to the top. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

* Remove from fridge and remove cheesecakes from pan; you can repeat if you have leftover mix. Remove liners from the cakes and place on serving dish; add dollop of spray canned whipped topping and thin slice of the Key lime.

* If you aren't ready to serve you can still remove cheesecake from pan leaving liners on and wait until serving to remove liners and decorate.

Have a great week, and until next time, happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at news@semissourian.com or by mail at P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo., 63702. Recipes published have not been kitchen-tested by Southeast Missourian staff.