Squash Central

Squash Central

So, Kevin and I planted some seeds that I saved from the squash I grew last year in the big manure piles in the back of the property at the stables.

In spite of the owners of the place systematically destroying the majority of the plants, we have picked around 250 squash.  Most of them we have shared with our fellow barn mates.  The majority of the people have been grilling them.  Some are sauteing them and one person is making terrific soup.  Of course, a few are making zucchini bread.  That includes me.  Kevin appears addicted to it, so I have been giving him a regular supply of chocolate zucchini bread.  I love it, too.

I made zucchini marmalade.  Grated squash is mixed with sugar, crushed pineapple and cloves.  It is now in my freezer.  I had made that in the past.

I also cook it with sugar, cinnamon and raisins in the microwave.  It is great mixed with plain yogurt.

I tried something new with great success--squash freezer pickles!  It wasn't as good as when I made it with cucumbers, but for a year when I don't have that many cucumbers, it is perfect.

Right now, I am trying squash pudding in the crock pot.  It is a total experiment.  I'll let you know how it comes out.

Cotton

Last year, when I went to to zoo, they had a cotton plant with cotton on it at their herb exhibit. I took a few cotton balls and planted them this spring. I didn't know what to expect. Turns our the plants are really pretty--and then I found this lovely flower, today. I hope I get some cotton.

What do I do with all my veggies?

I bet that you are wondering what I do with all my veggies.  Since my garden is big, and I am only one person, that is my annual challenge.

I used to freeze everything--until the great refrigerator disaster of 2015.   My freezer was packed with green beans and lima beans.  The fridge died, and I lost it all.  I bought a new, but smaller refrigerator--which was a good choice.  I am saving $10.00 a month in electricity.  It has nearly paid for itself. 

With less freezer space, I had to get creative.  It was time to use the food dehydrator more seriously.  I already made sun dried tomatoes with it, and I dried my herbs, too.  I added green beans. It turns out that it works great for them.  Peppers do well, too. 

Since I have so much squash this year because I planted it at the barn, I have been drying some of that, too.

I have also made zucchini bread, zucchini marmalade, zucchini sauce that I mix with plain yogurt and tomorrow I am going to try zucchini pickles.  I looked it up online and found a recipe that is just like what I do with cucumbers.  Since I am not getting enough cucumbers this year, that will work great.  I freeze them.

I like to make salsa with all the extra tomatoes and peppers.  I made some today.  I freeze it.

It looks like I am going to have a tremendous year for lima beans.  I will also freeze the excess lima beans.  I like to eat them fresh the best, but I think I will have way too many for just that.

I make a sweet sauce with my tomatillos.  The ground cherries, I just eat them as I pick them.  If I get too many for that, they store a few months at room temperature.  They are amazing.  I use my winter squash to decorate my house until I eat them.  My dry beans just go in jars.

I am eating salads, every day.