What's for dinner tonight

Does this question ever come up in your house? It sure does in ours... nightly.

With the abundance of summer produce in the height of the season, it's the perfect time to be visiting the Wednesday or Saturday Farmer's Markets in Downtown Green Bay and stocking up on produce to make your weeknights an enjoyable culinary experience. 

During August 2020, we featured a Cherry Tomato & Pesto Focaccia as part of our Baker's Series. We regularly do new features, and the Baker's Series is a time that we get to explore and experiment. These features allow a whole new world of bread recipes to open up. 

Here's a few ideas of recipes you can use with a focaccia, or most any of our breads depending on your tastes and what's in season.

1. Peach & Cheddar Grilled Focaccia 
2. Focaccia Panzanella Salad 
3. Gazpacho with Focaccia Fingers  

Peach & Cheddar Focaccia Sandwich

INGREDIENTS:

• Voyageurs Focaccia
• Pesto (Available for purchase in 6oz jars at the Bakehouse)
• Peaches
• Aged cheddar
• Tomato
• Basil or Greens (optional) 

METHOD:

1. Cut a square of focaccia about 3" by 3". (Make sure to keep the edges that you may cut off for other recipes.)
2. Slice the focaccia through the middle so you have a nice thickness on both the top and bottom for your sandwich. Best to use a serrated knife for this, and set one hand on top of the bread to hold it steady as you slice through the middle. 
3. Toast or grill your focaccia. This will help give it a bit extra sturdiness. 
4. Spread the pesto on one or both sides, and then layer the cheddar, peaches, tomato, and some basil or greens. 
5. Optional: Place in a cast iron pan with a weight on top to "melt" everything together.
6. Enjoy! 

Focaccia Panzanella Salad 

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 cups of Voyageurs Focaccia cut into 1 1/2–inch cubes
• 2 1/2 pounds of mixed tomatoes, cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 teaspoons (8g) sea salt, plus more for seasoning
• 10 tablespoons (150ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 small shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar (our preference) or white wine vinegar
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup basil leaves, roughly chopped
  
  Fun seasonal additions: 
• Watermelon or peaches 
• Other fresh summer herbs: tarragon or lovage are our favorites

METHOD: 

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F
    
2. Tomato Prep: Place tomatoes in a colander set over a bowl and season with 2 teaspoons (8g) kosher salt. Toss to coat. Set aside at room temperature to drain, tossing occasionally, while you toast the bread. Let the tomatoes drain for a minimum of 15 minutes. Make sure to have the bowl underneath the tomatoes, as you'll be using this liquid to make the dressing in step 4.
    
3. Focaccia Croutons: Cut your focaccia croutons into 1" to 1 1/2" cubes. Place them into a large bowl and with 2 tablespoons (30ml) olive oil. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until crisp and firm but not browned, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
    
4. The Dressing: Remove colander with tomatoes from bowl with tomato juice. Place colander with tomatoes in the sink or aside on the counter. Take your bowl of tomato juice and add the minced shallot, mustard, and vinegar. Whisk this well, and while continuing to whisk, drizzle in the remaining 1/2 cup (120ml) olive oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.
    
5. Combine: Combine toasted bread, tomatoes, and dressing in a large bowl. Add basil leaves and other optional ingredients. Toss everything to coat and season with salt and pepper. Let rest for 30 minutes before serving, tossing occasionally until dressing is completely absorbed by bread.

Easy Gazpacho & Focaccia Fingers

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup of Voyageurs Focaccia bread, torn into 1-inch chunks
• 3 pounds (about 4 large) very ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into rough 1-inch chunks
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 pound (about 1 small) cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into rough 1-inch chunks
• 1/3 pound (about 1 small) small red onion, peeled and cut into rough 1-inch chunks
• 1/3 pound (about 1 medium) green or red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into rough 1-inch chunks
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh oregano leaves
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled and smashed (or roasted for a more mild taste)
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar, plus more to taste
• Chopped herbs such as parsley, chives, or oregano for serving

METHOD: 

1. PREP MIXTURE: Place bread in bottom of a large bowl. Add half of the tomatoes in an even layer on top and season generously with salt and pepper. Add cucumbers, onions, peppers, and garlic. Sprinkle with oregano and season generously with salt and pepper. Add remaining tomatoes and sprinkle with more salt and pepper. Drizzle oil and vinegar over the top. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
    
2. BLEND: Toss all ingredients with a wooden spoon or by hand until they are evenly incorporated. Transfer half of the contents, including liquid at bottom of bowl, to a blender. Blend on high speed until completely smooth, about 3 minutes. Press mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl. Repeat with remaining soup (you may need to work in multiple batches). Season soup with salt, pepper, and vinegar as desired.
    
3. SERVE: Serve immediately, garnished with chopped herbs and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, or chill for up to three days before serving. You can also slice your focaccia into "breadsticks" to dip into this cold summery soup.

3 RECIPES & 3 DINNERS SORTED.

Whatever the season, look to see if you can find a local farmers market to pick up some interesting produce to help inspire your weekly dinners.

Click here to check out our MARKETS page where you can find up-to-date information about which markets we're currently attending.