January is the perfect time to cook with Fresh From Florida produce, thanks to peak-season fruits and vegetables grown right here in the Sunshine State. From crisp greens and sweet citrus to hearty root vegetables, Florida January produce is bursting with flavor, nutrition, and versatility. Using seasonal ingredients not only supports local farmers but also makes it easier to create fresh, affordable meals the whole family will love. In this post, we’re sharing easy recipe ideas using Fresh From Florida January produce to help you make the most of what’s in season—whether you’re planning healthy weeknight dinners, light winter lunches, or comforting homemade dishes straight from the Farm Stand.
Florida Beef with Zucchini, Tomato, and Olives
Ingredients
1 pound Florida ground beef
1 large Florida tomato, diced
1 medium Florida zucchini, halved and sliced
½ Florida lemon, juiced (plus slices, for garnish)
2 teaspoons Florida all-purpose seasoning blend
½ red onion, slivered
2 tablespoons fresh garlic, chopped fine
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup mixed olives, pitted
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped (plus sprigs, for garnish)
1 bunch scallions, rinsed and sliced into large pieces
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Preparation
Preheat a large cast-iron or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, using a spatula to break it up as it cooks. Season lightly with sea salt, fresh ground pepper and 1 teaspoon of the seasoning blend. Mix well. Once fully cooked, drain the beef and set aside.
Return the pan to medium-high heat and add the olive oil and red onion. Sauté for 2 minutes then add the garlic and zucchini. Cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
Add the cooked beef back to the pan along with the diced tomato, olives, scallions, chopped oregano and the remaining 1 teaspoon of seasoning blend. Stir to combine and cook until heated through.
Add the lemon juice and stir again. Taste and adjust seasoning with sea salt and fresh ground pepper.
Remove from heat and serve directly in the cast-iron pan or transfer to a large serving bowl. Garnish with lemon slices and oregano sprigs.
Serve with Florida lettuce leaves, hummus, salty cheese, rice and/or flatbread.
Florida Sweet Corn, Potato and Sausage Chowder
Ingredients
2 cups Florida potatoes, diced small
2 cups fresh Florida sweet corn kernels
½ cup Florida celery, finely chopped
1 cup onion, finely chopped
1 pound breakfast sausage
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 to 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons fresh herbs, such as thyme and/or parsley
½ teaspoon Florida hot sauce, optional
1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning (your favorite)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, for cooking
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Preparation
Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add butter, celery and onions and sauté for 5 minutes or until soft. Add sausage and cook for 5 more minutes. Sprinkle in flour and cook for 3 minutes to form a paste (blonde roux). Slowly incorporate broth and milk and stir to blend. Add diced potatoes, fresh corn, hot sauce, all-purpose seasoning, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and continue cooking for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Cover and reduce heat to low and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add heavy cream and fresh herbs in the last 5 minutes. Serve warm with crusty bread.
Taco Stuffed Florida Bell Peppers
Ingredients
3 large Florida bell peppers (your favorite color), halved lengthwise, seeds removed
1 pound lean ground Florida beef
2 cups Florida tomatoes, diced
1 cup Florida zucchini, diced small
1 cup Florida squash, diced small
1 cup onion, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 cups Colby jack cheese, shredded (or your favorite)
Olive oil, for cooking
Various toppings, such as tortilla chips, sour cream and cilantro
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Preparation
Preheat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Add olive oil to preheated sauté pan. Add chopped onion to pan and cook until translucent. Add garlic and ground beef to cooking onions. Brown ground beef and drain any excess fat. Add the lime juice, dry spices, tomatoes, zucchini and squash; stir to combine. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Add about half of the cheese to the beef mixture. Stir to combine. Evenly stuff each pepper half with the beef mixture. Top each stuffed pepper with the rest of the cheese. Place stuffed peppers on a cookie sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 15- 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Serve warm with chips, salsa, and sour cream.
Fresh tip: If you want your peppers to be softer, place them in simmering water for 5 minutes or place in preheated oven, unstuffed, for 5- 10 minutes before filling.
Florida Strawberry Fritters
Ingredients
2 cups Florida strawberries, diced
1 cup Florida orange juice
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
â…“ cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
ÂĽ teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of cardamom
Pinch of white pepper
½ cup sugar (for coating)
1 tablespoon cinnamon (for coating)
2 quarts (or more) oil, for frying
Preparation
In a medium bowl toss sugar and cinnamon together and set aside.
To prepare the batter, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and white pepper in a large bowl. Add the diced strawberries to the flour mixture and toss to combine. In a separate bowl whisk together the orange juice, vanilla, eggs and melted butter. Add dry ingredients (in 2 stages) to wet ingredients until fully combined. Set batter aside to rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, add at least 2 inches oil to cast iron pan or Dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat until 350 degrees. Using an ice cream scoop (or other high heat safe spoon) drop mounds of batter into hot oil, being careful not to overcrowd pan. Allow to fry at least 6 to 8 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until golden brown. Transfer fritters to paper-towel lined baking sheet to drain any excess oil. Immediately toss in cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat. Serve warm.
Fresh tip: Seasonal fruit (Florida blueberries or mangoes) can be substituted if desired.
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