What Does Summer Look Like?

Around here? Vegetables baby, vegetables! This time of year the tomato plants are big, bushy, and thick with ripening fruit. The wisteria is in constant need of taming. And, my flip flops keep constant company with a pot of caladiums at the back door. On a good day it all runs me ragged. Having had more off days than not this gardening season, it's been daunting---the weeding, the feeding, but luckily not as much watering. We've had it good with the weather. Cool temps. Lot's of rain. Just yesterday another inch and a quarter. I woke up to the sounds of thunder and rain beating against our bedroom window. Sweet.

As we were out and about last weekend, Dave and I stopped at a convenience store for drinks. I stayed in the car with Lu while Dave ran in. Behind the store is a large green space that isn't mowed on a regular basis. With all the rain we've had, this green space was host to a sea of Queen Anne's lace. Sometimes I see things in a different way than most but it seemed to me that those lacey, white doilies were twirling to the beat of Shake, Shake, Shake by KC and the Sunshine Band playing on the radio. Delightful. With the invention of cellular phones that fit in one's ear, no one questions my sanity anymore when I'm by myself and I laugh out loud at the humor in nature.

Speaking of which, I was out in the vegetable garden yesterday and happened upon one of nature's perplexities. Is that even a word? I love the dictionary definition: The quality of being intricate or complicated; entanglement. If you're looking at the third picture of this posting, enough said. Maybe its the quality of being intricate and complicated at the same time that causes the entaglement. It sure was in this case as a deviation in a blossom produced a conjoined squash. Exceptional. I can hardly wait to show it off to all my gardening buddies. And to think a yellow squash could be such a hot topic. I'm sure it will spark many over-the-fence conversations.

Anomalies seem to be in the air right now. I was visiting with a friend who raises bird dogs. No, not canines with wings, but English setters or pointers or whatever they are called, and one of the females in the kennel has the cutest litter of puppies. Most look like their father, white body, black head, but only one takes after the mother, white body, beige head. We considered purchasing one but Lu is half hunter---German shorthair. Dogs that were bred for hunting can be very focused and often Lu gets so focused he only hears the beat of his own drum. We have issues. I decided another hunting dog in the house is not our best choice. However, Lu needs a companion. I'm too old to play a good game of run and chase and I'll guarantee you when the car leaves on the weekend, no matter how hot it is outside, I'm in it. On the other hand, Lu isn't and I'm sure when he's left home by himself, he's very lonely.

So back to the anomaly . . . same neighbor tells me that his son's dog just had puppies and they are looking for good homes for them. It seems that their English bulldog (female) and their Great Pyrenees (male) are now parents. We should bring Lu's new sister home around the end of September. Exciting. Can't wait to see what a full grown Bullnees will look like . . .

On another note, summer looks like good food spread out on a picnic table. Here's a cake to put the icing on the last course of an outdoor feast:

Cocoa-Molasses Zucchini Cake

2 cups shredded zucchini
1 1/2 teas lemon juice
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
2 large eggs
1 teas vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teas baking powder
1 teas baking soda
1/2 teas salt
1/2 teas ground cinnamon
1/2 teas ground cloves
1/4 teas freshly ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350

In a small cup, combine milk and lemon juice. Allow to stand for 10 to 15 minutes or until the milks sours and thickens slightly. In a medium bowl combine all dry ingredients, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Whisk to incorporate and then set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, canola oil, sugar and molasses until well blended. Add the eggs and vanilla. Now gradually alternate the dry ingredients and the sour milk into the butter mixture. Fold in shredded zucchini.

Pour into a greased, floured pan and bake for 50 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool and frost with your favorite chocolate icing recipe.

So You Don't Like Squash: A No Fail Recipe for Even the Pickiest of Eaters

If you can deter the squash bugs long enough for the plants to bloom and set, the bounty of squash is usually overwhelming. In my garden, I have black beauty zucchini, Italian zucchini, yellow crook neck, and yellow zucchini. We are swimming in squash. I don't mind. It's cakes and casseroles and all kind of yummy treats. What I can't use right away is processed and frozen for winter cooking. David and I are vegetable lovers. We eat out of the garden all summer long. This picture tells of the bounty we harvested just last night. A good portion will go to our local domestic abuse center.


I've tried lots of different recipes over the years to make squash palatable to everyone sitting down to the table. Here's the one recipe that even my son, who dislikes most vegetables, will eat:
Yellow Summer Squash Casserole


1 large or two small yellow squash, seeded and chopped
1 clove minced garlic
1 can cream of chicken soup
8 oz sour cream
1 small onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 stick of butter (oh no! oh yes!)
1 pkg Stove Top Stuffing, your favorite flavor
salt & pepper to taste
water

In large skillet, melt butter and saute squash, garlic, green pepper and onion until onion is opaque and squash is tender. Stir in the Stove Top Stuffing. If some of the bread crumbs remain dry, sprinkle with enough water to make mixture moist. Remove from heat. Now add the cream of chicken soup and sour cream. Stir to thoroughly incorporate all ingredients. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour into greased casserole dish and bake at 350 for 40 minutes or until center is set.
I am so going to stuff our Thanksgiving turkey with this very recipe. I can't imagine just how good that kind of stuffing will taste! Fabulous. Now, if that wasn't tantalizing enough, feast your eyes on this collection of homegrown tomatoes. Zowie!!! They are plump. They are juicy. They are happening. I have every intention of cutting into the Black Krim for dinner tonight. I'll let you know.

And just as an after thought, I found a brand new recipe for Chocolate zucchini cake. As soon as I've tried it, I'll let you in on that as well.

Happy eating!