squash and zucchini

Well.. now that you've got all this squash and zucchini... what are you going to do with it?  

I announced on Sunday that I had "put up" all the zucchini that I was going to put up for the winter.  Meaning that we would either have to eat or share the rest until the plant begin to go the other way.  Our zucchini has been producing like crazy.  Our squash on the other hand is just beginning.  I only had three crooked neck squash plant come up out of a dozen but the lemon squash (free seeds came with an order) plants all came up.  They are much smaller, about 4 slices per squash, but I am enjoying them and boy they are really starting to make.  

I have begun to recollect recipes that I had found over the winter and am making a mental note to have a special place in which to store "summer recipes" so I can find them once the garden is booming.  I remembered a couple of good ones that we have tried in the last few days.  Nothing like using what you've got while you've got it!  

Also, my method of freezing zucchini and squash to have for minestrone soup and chicken tortilla soup is simple.  Just chunk or cube cut your vegetables, sprinkle with salt, and place in the middle of a pre-ripped piece of heavy duty aluminum foil.  Bring up end to end and make a pouch, folding and pinching the sides to close.  Then place pouches in a freezer gallon size bag that you label and freeze.  Pretty simple.  It hasn't killed us yet.

Puttin Up the Zuke

When zucchini get too big, because it seems it can overnight, what do you do?  

Most throw it out because it can be tough or grainy.  I don't like to waste what I've grown even if it is too big.  Actually, squash casserole is perfectly fine using larger squash or zucchini.  But I put mine up in the freezer.  I simply chop in up into cubes and wrap up about a cup of chopped zucchini in heavy duty aluminum foil and place the packets into gallon size freezer bags.  I have a couple of soup recipes that I love to make during the winter and cold months that call for zucchini.  So I simply take out a packet and plop the frozen zuke right in the cooking pot of soup.  I prefer the larger zucchini for this because it holds together better being frozen and in hot soup. 

 

There you go!  It has been such a wet summer that just about all of my zucchini got too big because the garden was too muddy to walk in.  I spent more time with my shoulders slouched and a frown beside our garden this year that frankly I'm ready to mow it all down and give up.  Did I really just say that?? That's pretty bad y'all.

 

 

Feel free to put up that extra large squash too!



Giggle Box Garden

Giggle Box garden update!  Well folks, our little garden at the day care is growing!  The corn has tousled, squash and zucchini are coming in, and the watermelon vines are out of control!  No sign of watermelons as of yet, but we haven't gone is and searched real hard either.  We do know our zinnias are getting covered up by the vines and our poor marigolds are sight unseen for all the tomato vines!  We planted Black Cherry tomatoes that we grew from seed and they do tend to vine also. 

We eat squash and zucchini for lunch that we bake in the oven.  It is so easy and oh so good!  Soon we will be able to try out the corn and tomatoes too! 

 Still more squash to come!

Thanks for the pollination little bee!

 The tops of the corn look so whimsy blowing in the wind.

 Corn silks.

 Zinnias peeking through the watermelon vines.

The whole garden.  Just our size!

What to do with all that Zucc!

It seems that each year we have an over abundance of "something" in our garden. Last year we had tons of squash and tons of cucumber. This year it's zucchini! I have put several different recipes that include zucchini on our table so far and they have all been wonderful. I have made my squash and zucchini casserole, zucchini sliced into spears and cooked on the grill, zucchini bread.. etc! After opening the fridge to see four grocery bags full of this vegetable I decided I needed to do something. I decided to freeze the "over abundance" and thought I would share how to blanch vegetables to prepare them for freezing. I was always a tad fearful of doing this thinking it would take a long time or just thinking I didn't need to do it. But in fact just cutting up and freezing can prove the vegetables to be not-so-good for you when you do decide to use them out of the freezer. Certain enzymes and bacteria can will still grow even in the deep freeze. As hard as Shaun and I have worked in our garden to help it produce the best and tastiest vegetables we can I would hate to open up a bag of zucchini in January with my mouth watering for my Mexican Soup that includes it to find my green goodness not-so-good.

So here's how you blanch:

Get out your big soup pot and fill it half way with water. Bring it to a boil. If you will put the lid on while the water is heating it will come to a boil a lot faster. In the meantime, wash and cut up your zucchini, squash, green beans, or whatever you are putting up. Once the water is boiling drop some of the slices or dices into the water. Keep in mind while you are cutting what recipes you may be using them for. For instance I use diced zucchini in my soup so I diced some. Once the veggies are in set the timer for 3 minutes. When they are done, remove them from the water with a strainer or slotted spoon. Allow them to cool before packaging them into freezer bags. I use one of my big enamel bowls to dump them in while they cool. Be sure and use a sharpie to label and date your bags. You can even write their intended use on the outside so this winter you can remember what you were thinking when you put them away.

Enjoy what God has given you, today and tomorrow :)

Zucchini Casserole

Good morning all. I am starting my blog with a good recipe that I made with fresh zucchini and squash from our garden. I served it in a lovely Pyrex that I bought at Trash to Treasures this year in Crossplains, TN.

Here's what I used:

1 large zucchini

4 small squash (cause Shaun says they are better small)

1 small onion

squirt butter

salt & pepper

shredded cheddar

chopped pecans

Here what to do:

Spray inside of baking dish with cooking spray. Layer zucchini, squash and onion spraying lightly with butter and sprinkling salt and pepper between layers. Top with a handful or so of cheese and toss chopped pecans on top. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Yumm!!!!

We also had chicken breast soaked in italian dressing and grilled. I topped the chicken with tomato bruschetta that I bought at Sam's last week that is one of my new favorites. I cannot stop eating this stuff. I am a die hard tomato lover and want a recipe to can tomato bruschetta! Please advise is you have one. Back to supper.. we also had dirty rice which was almost too spicy for this meal.