I'm going for the obvious today-zucchini.
I'm always surprised when I hear that someone has had no luck growing zucchini. We must have the right climate for it around here because in July and August it's shows up everywhere. We have had many bags secretly placed on our doorstep in the middle of the night. We were happy with these gifts, but I'm not sure that everyone felt the same way. The other thing about zucchini is how big it can grow. The perfect size is 8-10 inches but we have grown more than one zucchini over 2 feet long. They were seedy, but otherwise good. However, our big zucchini paled in comparison to the Guinness Book of World Records world record holder of 8 feet, 3.3 inches long.
In case you have an abundance of zucchini this summer, below is a previous post about different ways to prepare it.
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| Our zucchini with tomato for comparison |
or Today's Equivalent of the Loaves and Fishes--Zucchini
Recently, Aunt Martha gave us a zucchini from her garden. It was one of those that somehow got hidden and grew to almost the size of a baseball bat before it was found and harvested. Our goal last week was to eat it until it was gone. We knew it was big, but didn't think that we would be able to cook it in five different dishes before we saw the last of it. But we did. Below are our results with links to the recipes we used.
Day One: Zucchini Patties
We were having salmon cakes this day so it seemed like a natural accompaniment. The cakes were basically pan fried shredded zucchini and bread crumbs. Everyone liked the taste, but Theo and I weren't crazy about the texture. I thought they were a little gooey from too many bread crumbs, and Theo didn't like the stringiness of the shredded zucchini. I got a tip for this recipe from the Frugal Girl.
Day Two: Zucchini and Cheese Casserole
This has been a favorite recipe in our family for many years and is a favorite of guests. It is a baked casserole containing zucchini chunks, eggs, cottage and shredded cheese topped with bread crumbs. I usually add another vegetable like broccoli or asparagus to give it more flavor. This recipe comes from Jane Brody's Good Food Book.
Day Three: Hearty Tuna Casserole
This recipe was given to us a few years ago from a friend when were trying to find new ways to cook zucchini. We make other tuna casseroles, but this is my favorite. The dish contains the standards for a tuna casserole including noodles, tuna, sour cream, and shredded cheese. However, there are layers of zucchini slices in it as well as diced tomatoes on the top. We leave out the mustard and green onions as a favor to Ward and still find it very tasty. A word of warning: the zucchini and celery take far longer to cook than the 30 minutes allotted for the casserole. We cook them a little before we add them to the dish so it doesn't take forever to bake.
Day Four: Oatmeal Zucchini Bread
For years, I have been carrying around this recipe for zucchini bread that included cooked oatmeal. Last week, I finally made it. The bread was very good but was dense and gooey. This may have been because the recipe called for three eggs and I only had two. I read somewhere on the internet that you can substitute milk for an egg and you will never know the difference. Well, I think we knew the difference. However, the four loaves disappeared in less than 24 hours.
Day Five: Continental Zucchini
As we were brain storming about what we were going to do with the last of the zucchini, Ward remembered a dish he had as a child-- continental zucchini. This dish is stir fried zucchini and garlic with corn and pimentos added. The whole thing is topped with melted mozzarella cheese. When we made it, we also added some yellow squash that we had. Everyone liked this dish. However, Ward thought it could use black pepper. Also, this dish would lend itself well to the addition of sweet or hot peppers We may try that next time.
Yum! I love zucchini. I've never tried to grow it but should give it a try. I usually manage to kill everything I try to grow. Congrats on making it through the challenge! :)
ReplyDeleteOccasionally, zucchini leaves can get mildew, but that doesn't hurt the plant. The only real problem I've had are stem borers. But usually, it is very easy to grow and I would think you'd do okay where you live.
DeleteThis is so yummy! I love zucchini!!
ReplyDeleteI also like to grill it.
DeleteWe had a zucchini invasion last year. I could not cut them fast enough nor get rid of them quickly enough even threatening our neighbors that if they drove by the house with their windows down they might find hurled zucchini in their laps. I guess the jury on this years harvest is still out.
ReplyDeleteSome years are like that. We've never grown that much before, but have had the benefits of bumper crops from other people.
DeleteI have no idea why these are called zucchini in the USA but courgettes in the Uk. I usually serve them in casseroles or in a pasta dish. My husband complains they have no taste, so, perhaps I should try some of your recipes. Thank you for an interesting series of posts in this challenge.
ReplyDeleteEven though we supposedly speak the same language, there are so many differences in vocabulary. I have enjoyed reading your posts and learning some of them.
DeleteWe don't always have good luck growing zucchini. Our garden gets some shade so that may be the issue. My favorite recipe is a chocolate zucchini cake. Yum. I also have a lemon zucchini loaf that is tasty. We also like to saute it with orange or lemon juice, garlic, and herbs.
ReplyDeleteIf you get soggy baked goods, try hand grating instead of a food processor and place the grated zucchini on a dish towel or paper towels and squeezing out the excess moisture. It helps!
Thanks for the baking tip. I've never sautéed zucchini with lemon juice. That sounds really good because I like it just steamed, and a little lemon juice would take it to a whole new level.
DeleteYay for Zucchini! Add me to the list of people who can't seem to grow zucchini! I try, but, for one reason or another, I don't have much luck with getting the plants to produce the fruit! It gets too hot, the plants wilt, and never seem to recover! I've at least a dozen seedlings growing, this year; hopefully, at least one of them will produce some zucchini! I like zucchini bread the most, but, add grated zucchini to extend ground beef, etc., or have it sauteed with a spice blend as a side dish.
ReplyDeleteThe plants do wilt in the heat, but recover well. But maybe not in the dry heat where you live. Hopefully, you will get some fruit before the really hot summer sets in.
DeleteWe also like to grate it and add to various dishes to slip more vegetables in.