As you can see, I’m swimming in zucchini. For my family of 4, this is more than enough! I’ve cooked some of my favorite recipes: Zucchini and Cornbread, Ratatouille, and of course, Zucchini bread.

Does anyone have other delicious recipes to enjoy zucchini fresh from the garden?

2 cups eggplant (cubed, peeled)
1 zucchini or yellow squash (washed, cut in half and then 1/4 inch slices)
1 can tomatoes with juice
1/2 cup onion (chopped)
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dry basil
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Combine everything in a large skillet, bring to a boil then cover and simmer 20 minutes. Uncover and cook for 5-10 minutes more (until desired consistency). I like to serve it over noodles and sprinkle with cheese (Parmesan and/or mozzarella).

1 red onion, diced
1 white onion, diced
16 cups of tomatoes (blanch and cut up)
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
5 to 8 hot peppers
2 cups sweet peppers
2 Tablespoons salt
1 teaspoons black pepper
1 Tablespoon garlic

Use blender or food processor until veggies are the desired consistency.

Bring to a boil and summer 30-45 minutes. If it’s too hot, add applesauce or shredded carrots.

Process in water bath canner; follow Ball Blue Book processing times for your elevation.

12-16 oz salad, shells, elbow or your choice of pasta cooked, drained, and cooled.
1 c diced beets, drained and rinsed (rinsing optional)
1-2 cans tuna, undrained
6 hard boiled eggs, chopped but 1 reserved sliced as garnish

Dressing:
1 c or so Miracle Whip (NOT mayo)
1/4 c sweet relish
1 TBS lemon juice
seasonings as desired: celery salt, parsley flakes, seasoning salt, onion salt, garlic salt, Mrs. Dash, paprika, salt, pepper, turmeric, etc.

Combine in a big bowl all of the dressing ingredients holding out one sliced egg for garnish. Add pasta and stir gently until all pasta is well coated, add more Miracle Whip if it needs it. My G.ma always used the diced beets in it which made it a little purple. One of my siblings called it ‘tainted’ so Mom always kept out a container for him w/o beets. Garnish w/ the sliced egg and sprinkle w/ some paprika. Refrigeration for a few hours helps blend the flavors better before serving.

Hope you enjoy!

1. Dig out a few potatoes from the garden, wash, cut in quarters and boil (or microwave) until tender. I like to add a bit of salt to the water, so they have lots of flavor.

2. Pick a tomato, or several cherry tomatoes, wash, and cut into bite size pieces.

3. Combine hot potatoes, cold tomatoes, top with a spoon of mayonnaise and sprinkle with lemon pepper.

Zesty Garden Salad

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 sprig fresh dill, chopped (optional)
• 1 tablespoon chopped green onion
• 2 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup sweet corn kernels
• 1/2 cup sugar snap peas
• 1/3 cup frozen shelled edamame (green soybeans)
• 2 cups iceberg lettuce
• Salt and pepper to taste

Tomatoes – One of the most versatile vegetables you can have in your garden is tomatoes. In addition to garden salads, they can be sliced for sandwiches or combined with other ingredients to make a fresh garden salad. For a refreshing and interesting main dish, try this simple recipe:

Fresh Tomato Pasta Ingredients:

• 4-6 tomatoes, chopped
• 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pound spaghetti or fettuccine pasta
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

To prepare, simply chop the fresh tomatoes and add olive oil, lemon juice, basil and salt and pepper to taste; mix gently. Bring large pot of salted water to a boil and add spaghetti; cook until al dente. Drain pasta and immediately toss with tomato mixture; serve at once, sprinkled with cheese.

Snow Peas – There are so many ways to enjoy snow peas. The easiest way is to simply pick them fresh from your square foot garden, rinse them and eat them raw. The tender, flat pods are as delicious as the pea itself. For a variation, steam the pods as you would asparagus, and then drizzle a little olive oil or melted butter over the top before serving. Snow peas best accompany light flavors such as chicken or fish. Simply boil the snow peas until tender and enjoy!

Snap Peas – Snap peas have long been considered a staple on the dinner table. To add some zing, try this wonderful minty recipe, served either hot or cold.

Sugar Snap Peas with Mint Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 3/4 pound sugar snap peas, trimmed
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

Directions: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sugar snap peas, green onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Stir-fry for 4 minutes, then remove from heat and stir in the mint leaves.

Broccoli – Broccoli tends to do very well in a square foot garden. One of the wonderful things about broccoli is that it has a long shelf life. When stored dry and unwashed in a plastic bag, broccoli can stay fresh for up to two weeks in the refrigerator. When you are ready to enjoy it, try this easy and delightful recipe.

Tossed Broccoli Salad Ingredients

• 2 pounds fresh broccoli, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 pound bacon, fried and crumbled
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 red onion, chopped

Dressing:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Directions In a large salad bowl, combine broccoli, bacon, cheese and onion. In a separate bowl, combine all dressing ingredients. Toss with broccoli mixture.

Cabbage – Another great addition to your square foot garden is cabbage. It’s great for coleslaw and side dishes, but for a heartier meal, try this slow cooker cabbage and tomato recipe. It serves eight and is easy to prepare.

Ingredients:

• 4-6 fresh tomatoes (sliced)
• 1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed tomato soup
• 1 medium head cabbage, coarsely chopped
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions: Combine all ingredients in the crock-pot. Stir to blend ingredients. Cover and cook on low until the cabbage is tender. This usually takes six to eight hours.

The Benefits of Square Foot Gardening

Square foot gardens requires much less work because the soil is loose, reducing weeding time to minutes. Likewise, the rich soil mixture and lack of troublesome weeds greatly increase the number of harvests per foot. Another important consideration is that square foot gardens are eco-friendly. With your variety of plants, include a companion plant that is a natural insect repellant (like marigolds). This process will virtually eliminate the need for artificial pesticides.

Increasingly important is water preservation. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the micro-irrigation system used for square foot gardens has the potential to increase yields and decrease water and fertilizer requirements when correctly managed. Using these micro-irrigation systems, water and fertilizer are applied directly to individual plants, reducing the wetted area since water is applied to only a fraction of the soil surface.

With square foot gardening, there is no reason not to enjoy homegrown foods any time that you want them. Eat them raw in salads or as snacks or try one of these easy recipes. A picture perfect garden can be yours with less work, less money and less space than you might imagine. Plant your garden and sit back in your rocking chair as you watch your garden grow.

I can’t believe I haven’t posted this recipe–it’s our FAVORITE!!! Seriously, I could drink it. When you start eating it, and can’t stop, you’re going to think that someone slipped in a narcotic–it’s so addictive. I got this recipe from my sister, and tweaked it just a little.

Chop to desired consistency (in a food processor or blender) and put in a bowl:

• 1 Jalapeno pepper (remove seeds and chop very fine–add one or two tomatoes to help give it enough liquid to puree)
• 2 Anaheim or mild peppers
• 2 Bell Peppers
• 3 pounds (about 13 medium) Tomatoes–leave skins on! (if your tomatoes are very juicy, you may want to drain them first)
• 1 Onion
• 2 cloves Garlic (pressed)
• 2 TBS Cilantro

Add spices and seasonings:

• 1/3 C Vinegar
• 2 tsp Salt
• 2 tsp Chili powder
• 1/2 tsp Oregano

Combine and enjoy right away with chips, sour cream, and guacamole!

Zucchini and Tomatoes

Combine in a skillet until onions are soft and translucent:
1 TBS olive oil
1 small/medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed/minced

Add and cook 2 minutes:
1 small/medium zucchini, sliced

Add and simmer 5-10 minutes:
1 (15oz) can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 (15oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 tsp oregano
2 cups of water (use less if you want a thicker sauce)
salt and pepper to taste

Serve over cornbread, top with sour cream.

Corn bread

Combine in a bowl:
1 C flour (I use 1 C whole wheat plus 1/4 C white)
1 C cornmeal
2-4 TBS sugar
1 T baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Combine in another bowl:
2 eggs
1 C milk
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 C oil

Mix dry and wet just until batter is smooth. Pour in greased pan (9×9 or medium bread pan) and bake at 425 for 25 minutes.

Ingredients:

	1 can Coconut Milk Try not to disturb the can very much (don’t shake it!), since it separates into cream and milk. The coconut cream will be on the top, and the watery milk on the bottom. You need the cream for step 1 (see below).If you want a healthier choice, you can add 1 tsp coconut extract to 2 cups whole milk. If you do this, you may want to thicken the sauce with about 2 teaspoons of cornstarch.
	1/2 to 1 1/2 teaspoons Green Curry Paste Use less for milder flavor, more if you like it spicy. The brand I picture here was purchased for about $2.50 at an international foods store. You can find this in grocery stores, but you will get about 1/4 as much, but pay double. Also, in my expereince, brands carried in the grocery store are less potent, so you need to use more (more like 1 Tablespoon)
	1 Chicken Breast Cut into chunks
	2 1/2 cups Veggies I used broccoli, carrots, snow peas (all from my garden), and celery. You could also add green peppers, sweet onions, eggplant, or anything else you’ve grown!
	4 cups Jasmin Rice (cooked) You can use plain white rice, but you’ll really be missing out. I read once that you should first put the rice in a fine colander and run it under cool water until the water runs clear. I’m not sure what this does, but I always do it. Also, this probably makes more rice than you need, but I always like to have some leftover for rice pudding.
Step 1–Heat about 1/2 cup coconut cream (the creamy top layer when you open the can) in a large skillet. Add curry paste, and mix thoroughly. Bring to a simmer.
Step 2–Add chicken and the rest of the coconut milk. Cook until the bottom of teh chicken is barely cooked and white, about 2 minutes. Flip it over, and cook another 2 minutes. The chicken will be cooking along with the veggies later, so you don’t want it fully cooked at this stage.
Step 3–Add veggies. Cover and cook 5 minutes or until veggies are barely cooked, still firm with bright colors.
Step 4–Serve over rice.

My goal this year was two-fold:

1. Grow enough veggies to make my own salsa
2. Find a salsa recipe that my family likes more than or equal to Pace Picante

I am happy to report success in both areas! Here is the salsa recipe I found/altered:

• 24 pounds tomatoes (equals about 34 cups cored, skinned, and quartered)
• 2 pounds green peppers (equals about 4 cups seeded, chopped)
• 12 ounces hot peppers (equals about 1 cup seeded, chopped)
• 2 pounds onions (4 whole onions)
• 3 TBS tobasco/hot sauce
• 2 2/3 cups vinegar
• 1/2 cup salt
• 1 TBS chili powder
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tsp pepper
• 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 TBS oregano

Blanch, peel, core, and quarter tomatoes. Let sit overnight. The next day, drain the tomato juice off (and can it!). Seed and dice green and hot peppers (use gloves). Sit overnight and drain, discard liquid. Chop onions. Sit overnight and drain, discard liquid.

Combine everything in a stock pot. Cook for 3-4 hours. The longer it cooks, the spicier it will be. Pour into hot jars, leaving 1/2″ headspace. Process 45 minutes in a water bath canner (this is for 4000-6000 feet elevation, adjust).

p.s. I called this my “winning” recipe because it won my family over. No official awards to report.