July 9, 2003

• Update:

  
  

  The colorful comments script is courtesy of our resident wizard of java-scripting, seanmeister.  He posted the code in last Sunday's blog.  Isn't it fantastic for making the comments easy to read?   

  
  

  The Taste of Summer

  
  

  Every season has a specific taste I associate with it.  In fact if I really stop and think about it, I have an associated taste for almost every month.  April is deviled eggs and lamb chops, May tastes like strawberry shortcake, and June is Caesar Salad.  It's now July.  July has a sharp melon flavor that I particularly enjoy.   Like fresh cucumber and tomato sandwiches on toasted fresh whole wheat bread with baby swiss cheese ...  Yum!

  
  

  We have a small garden.  Right now its at the height of its productivity and I'm delighting my taste buds with the juice of fresh green food.  Yes, even the tomatoes - I prefer green.  I forgot to visit the garden one day earlier this week.  I don't know what was going on that kept my mind from it, but I've learned my lesson.  Zucchini is evil.  If it isn't picked every single day - it explodes into a vegetable the size of which is - well, it's scary. 

  
  

  

  
  

  If you aren't laughing at that sight, then you just haven't comprehended that these zucchini are roughly the size of small watermelons.  So what do I DO with this monster zucchini?  I have two recipes that I really like.  First is a garden vegetable frittata

  
  

  2 c diced zucchini
  1 c diced green tomato
  1 diced medium onion
  4-6 ounces of diced mushrooms
  8 eggs
  1 c water
  1 c bread crumbs
  8 ounces grated pepper jack cheese
  Pat of Butter

  
  

   Saute the onion and mushrooms in pat of butter until onion is caramelized.  Spray 9x12 baking dish with nonstick spray.  Combine onion, mushroom mix with zucchini and tomato in baking dish.  In a mixing bowl, beat eggs.  Add water, bread crumbs and grated cheese to eggs, stir.  Pour egg mixture over veggies.  Bake at 350 degrees until set in center.  (For added zip, you can put in banana pepper rings.)

  
  

  My second favorite recipe is good old-fashioned zucchini bread, of course mine isn't the typical recipe.  This bakes up light and lemony:

  
  

  3 c all purpose flour (NOT self-rising)
  1 1/2 c sugar
  4 1/2 t baking powder
  1 t salt
  4 oz. chopped walnuts
  4 eggs
  2/3 c corn oil
  2 c shredded zucchini
  3 t grated lemon peel (I like this bread extra-lemony, so I zest two whole lemons and add it all.)

  
  

  Preheat oven to 350 and grease two loaf pans.
  
  In large bowl, mix flour ,sugar, baking powder, sale and chopped walnuts.  In medium-sized bowl, beat eggs slightly; stir in oil zucchini and lemon peel; stir into flour mixture just unti lflour is moistened.  Spoon batter evenly into pans.

  
  

  Bake one hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool bread in pans on wire racks, 10 minutes; remove fro mpans and finish cooling on wire racks.  

  
  

  If this is more than your family would care to eat all at once, this bread freezes well, so when it's completely cool wrap one loaf in aluminum foil and pop it into the freezer. 

  
  

  Both these recipes can be made using less that ONE of those giant zucchini - ask me how I know this!

  • 2:48 pm
  • 27 Comments