Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Name that Vegetable

I've pulled a few things from my accidental compost pile garden recently, thinking they were going to be zucchinis, but instead found, well...I don't know what I found...



All I can come up with is some sort of hybrid zucchini, yellow squash, pumpkin gourd, because those are the leftover vegetables and squash that got dumped in the compost pile last year.  Has anyone seen anything like these?  Or better yet, tasted it?  Can seeds cross-breed with each other to make multiple different hybrids like the ones above?

Meanwhile, I've been doing my best to make the most of my on-purpose garden zucchini.  Mostly by giving them away, and begging everyone I meet to take some zucchinis off my hands.  Last week I was complaining at work about my shoulder and wondering why it was so sore, and then someone reminded me that I had been carrying 20 lb bags of zucchini around while passing them out at work.  As it turns out, zucchinis make great dumbbells! 


But at home, I've been finding ways to use them up.  Like putting them on pizza.  I just buy cheese or pepperoni frozen pizzas and top them off with zucchini slices, mushrooms, oregano and extra mozzarella.



And it is almost like a gourmet flatbread!


And zucchini chips are surprisingly good!  Still experimenting with spices and oils to find the best mix.








I think next time I'll try baking instead of dehydrating. 

Next up this week- No Noodle Lasagna.  Instead of lasagna noodles, you use zucchini slices.  I tried it last year and am going to try a new recipe this year. 

And I'm thinking about a zucchini theme in the nursery!

Is that too much? 



Yes?

Okay. 

Seriously, I'm afraid if we keep eating zucchini, we might start sprouting them ourselves. 

And on my list of things I never thought I would be this excited about..entering a giant zucchini into the County Fair.  I've been eyeing up this big boy to enter for biggest zucchini by weight.  I am grooming him to be a winner by picking all the other zucchini blossoms off of this plant and maximizing energy to get him growing. 


I took this photo several days ago.  He has a few more weeks of growing to do before I get him entered.  Looks like a winner, don't you think?

And the kicker, the 1st place winner gets a cash prize of....


wait for it....


$4!!!!!!


Big money.  BIG Money.  Hopefully I'll walk away with a blue ribbon.  I'll keep you posted.