Gad Zukes!

Back in my early years at The Male Observation Lab, a.k.a. the day job, one of my mentors once swore that if every family had a zucchini plant, it would put an end to world hunger.

Being young, inexperienced, newly married, and relatively broke, I took that to heart, and planted my first crop of zucchini that year.  It wasn’t until about a month later that a co-worker pointed out that nine plants was more than I’d need for two people.  Let’s just say she was right. . ..

Summers in my part of the world pretty much guarantees that there’s no need to worry about planting any zucchini at all — someone always shares.  Just like this bad boy:

P1140882I don’t know about you, but I think size matters.  Whatever it weighed, I knew it could take multiple recipes to use up.  So thanks to Google and what was in my file, I got started.  First, zucchini muffins (yes, yes, they’re Paleo!) . . .. P1140892and I tossed some into a double batch of chicken soup. . . and shredded some for a side dish. . . and used more of the shredded stuff in a doubled meatloaf recipe. . . and also in a zucchini relish (mainly so I could finish it up).

But that was just the start.  See, it seems that everyone’s zucchini plant has gone extra uber-bonkers this year, which generally causes even the Scrooges of the world to wanna share their bounty.  Good of them, right?

Sometime this weekend, I’ll be canning zucchini relish and making a non-Paleo Zucchini bread for the nieces.  But I also figured I can’t be the only one dealing with a zucchini on steroids.  So.  What are your favorite zucchini recipes?

Happy eating,

Melia

Wordless Wednesday: Fresh from the Garden

Welcome to Wordless Wednesday!

Those who know me best realize what a victory it is that I can actually grow something edible out of the garden.  Seriously.  Plants and stuff need lots of attention – namely, water, and sometimes a shot of fertilizer.  I don’t always remember either of those, but I’m getting better.  🙂  And here’s the evidence:

IMAG0741For my romance-writing peeps, does your hero or heroine love gardening as much as I do? *Snort*  Or does that distinction belong to another character in your story?  If a lone tomato is produced, what would he/she think about it?  (I personally think my loner is a big deal! 🙂 )

Happy writing,

Melia

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Ah, summer. Finally! After seemingly endless months of teasing, Mother Nature has granted us sunshine. In the Pacific Northwest, that isn’t a very long time, so I don’t bother to do much of a garden.  Well, okay.  Fine!  So that’s just a convenient excuse.  🙂

I usually start out with great intentions for an honest-to-goodness garden I can be proud of, and I even put the plants in myself.  With gloved hands, of course.  (Dirt — ICK!)  But, see, that’s when the problem starts.  The plants grow.  And they get too demanding.  (Guess they don’t care I’m a writer, either! – Sniff)  They want to be watered and fertilized.  Then weeds sprout and have to be pulled.  And Ohmigod, the SLUGS!  They’re just GROSS!  (I swear the six-inch sucker I saw the other day had me screaming.  *Shudder*  Which would’ve been acceptable if it was later than 6 a.m.)

This summer, I vowed, would be different.  Not only would I enjoy the sunshine and all the great outdoor activities, but this summer, I’d also plant something edible, and let it grow enough to be consumed.

With that in mind, I put some basil plants in a pot.  (Hey, herbs count, don’t they?)  I watered them, laid a slug bait barrier down, and the stinking things actually grew!  (Funny how that works.)  After a blast of warm weather, the basil was ready to be made into my version of Pesto.  Yum!

I took this:

Fresh out of the garden. (The kitchen smelled fab!)

Blended it with olive oil and other stuff:

Turned it into this:

Then put it on baked cod like this:

Yumminess on a plate!

I also figured it was about time I fed my family a meal that didn’t come in a can!  (Don’t get used to it!)

Okay, dinner’s over.  Back to work.

-Melia