MORE Zucchini!

As promised to my Facebook friends, I am posting a recipe that will annihilate a good portion of  your Zucchini crop and make your tummy sing!

I found this one on Food.com by Bergy, originally posted in August of 2001.  We like it quite spicy so I added a couple of habaneros and some finely chopped jalapenos.  I also bottled it piping hot in pre-sterilized jars but you could also waterbath process for about 15 minutes.

Ingredients:
10 cups zucchini, peeled and shredded
4 onions, chopped
2 green peppers, chopped (I included my hot peppers in this lot)
2 red peppers, chopped
1/4 cup pickling salt
2 tablespoons dry mustard
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon cumin
2 cups white vinegar
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon black pepper
5 cups chopped ripe tomatoes
2 tablespoons cornstarch
12 ounces tomato paste

1. Day one:In a large bowl combine; Zucchini, onions, green pepper, red pepper and the salt Mix together cover and let stand over night.

1. Day two: rinse, drain well and put into a large pot then add mustard, garlic, cumin, vinegar, brown sugar, pepper flakes, salt,cornstarch, nutmeg, pepper, 1 tablespoon salt, tomatoes and tomato paste.

1. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.

1. Pour into sterilized jars and seal.

1. Water bath jars for 15 minutes if they have not sealed properly.

Yes, it's fragrant and wonderfully flavorful.  As good a salsa as we've made here on the homeplace.  AND my stash of Zucs is vastly depleted!  What's better?  How about no frost until October!!  Now THAT would be nice.

Raining Days and Zucchini Abundances

It was a cold and rainy night - er and day...

Every now and then it's nice to get a rainy day.  I always feel justified in staying inside and something besides yard-work ('Weeding') and tidying up ('Weeding' again) outside.
Yesterday, I was working outside ('Weeding') and picked our 2 zucchini barrels.  Today, I have this lovely abundance calling from beside the counter.  *sigh*
Now I know you've probably seen your fair share of zucchini recipes already this year. 'Tis the season...'  Here is yet another one taken from one of my favorite cook books.  It's a compilation of recipes from various Pacific Northwest Bed and Breakfasts called 'Breakfast in Bed Cookbook'.  This collection is by Carol Frieberg and was published by Sasquatch Books of Seattle Washington in 1990.

Zucchini abundance

Among the many fine offerings in this book, I have a favorite that has been used by my family for many years- when the abundance strikes.  Even non-veggie lovers will adore this one.  It comes originally from the Victorian Bed & Breakfast located in Coupeville Washington.

Zucchini Chocolate Bread (makes 2 medium loaves)

Produce and Cookbook - what's brewing?

3 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups sugar

3 cups grated zucchini

2 1/2 (I use 3) cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1/2 cup chocolate chips.

 Preheat oven to 350f degrees.  In a medium bowl, mix together eggs, oil, vanilla extract, sugar and then stir in the zucchini gently.
In a larger bowl mix together flour, cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder.   Stir in the nuts (I like pecans) and chocolate chips.
Add the zucchini mixture to the dry ingredients and stir gently until combined.  Pour into 2 greased 5 x 9" loaf pans then Bake for 45 minutes until the bread tests done.  ( I do this with a toothpick - poke into the middle and keep baking if it comes out with batter stuck to it.)

Ready for the freezer

These freeze beautifully. (Please ignore any endorsement of named products here)

So, we bake up many breads this afternoon when hubby gets back from the store.  Until then I'll be quilting on my next project.  It's for a raffle quilt soon to be unveiled for sale to support the Drumheller Area Health Foundation's efforts to raise money for purchasing Sterilization Equipment for the hospital here in Drumheller.

Stay 'tooned!

Pickles n Mint Jelly

Today I started my vacation.  Not that I don't like doing the work at the hospital - I truly do - but this time allows me to catch up on all those things that weren't done while I was working on the Quilt Show. 

Gloria's plan - all previously quilted by hand in red

I've been madly working away at a lovely quilt done by a friend from the bank, Gloria.  She started her first quilt 16 years ago and then decided to quilt it by hand.  I understand the motivation.  She lost her enthusiasm some time later when she'd done about 1/4 of the thing. (it's a double sized sampler quilt) After carefully stitching away on a frame at home, away it went to sleep in a closet or a drawer until about 4 months ago.  She hasn't done another quilt.  Too bad - she's really good at making quilt tops.

Last year she'd seen work done for one of her co-workers and asked me to help her out.  Well, as all you long-arm quilters probably know, this presents a whole raft of challenges but it's now on the table and things are coming along 'swimmingly'.  


That being said, all those things that were waiting for me to take vacation still wait patiently in the back of my head.
I've started weeding (O M G!!! You can watch them grow!) and had picked all the cucumbers before they became a lovely shade of yellow.  Then some dill, then some mint.  

Last night I pickled my husbands favorite Dill Pickle Slices.  As I was cleaning up the disaster area that always seems to occur in the process of the processing, my DearlyBeloved asked me if I liked doing the pickles.  I thought about it for a moment and (all you fellas with wives can sympathize with him during the 'answer a question with a question' scenario) asked him if he liked the canning results.  He said yes (as I had expected). 

Thinking about it for only a moment, I then told him that it wasn't just about getting the canned produce that was home-made, of course that was great, or using our own things from the garden, again - really great, but it was about making things that my loved one enjoyed.

Yes, I can buy really great pickles from the grocery store.  Yes, I can buy produce from the grocery store or local growers.  But when I see the look of pride in his eyes when he opens a jar - that's what gives me my reward.  (He also tends to horde them and hide them from the kids when they visit - that's how I really know he loves them)

Love that man of mine.  He's such a sweetheart.

That's why I made mint jelly for him this morning.  He loves that stuff!  Now I have to go out and save my garden from the weeds so I can get back to my quilting!