Attack of the Zucchini!

The following picture could be disturbing to those who are offened by....zucchini! I hadn't been out to the garden in only 2 days and this is what happened! I won't let it go that long again that's for sure. A garden is like men and children--they must be watched at all times or they go wild. This morning I picked. 26 cucumbers, 21 yellow crookneck squash, at least 24 zucchini and 4 peppers --it takes up most of the table!

The husband came home at lunch and just grinned--I sent him back to work with a big box of produce with instructions not to bring any of it back home. If this keeps up I'm going to make a visit to the mall parking lot and grace every unlocked car with squash!

This is the garden spot responsible for this turn out. There are only 3 zucchini plants and 2 yellow crookneck plants and somehow between them they've sprouted a watermelon that is trailing everywhere with big ol' melons growing amongst the squashes. The cucumbers have stayed to themselves--who knows what you'd get when you cross a cucumber and a squash. Now if we can just get our bushel of green tomatoes to turn red I might open a produce stand. And to think the husband wanted to plant our pasture in corn. I told him next year he could and we'll set up a drive thru farmer's market. LOL!

I found a new zucchini bread recipe that I just love--however you can only eat so much of that too, and so I thought I'd share it. If you've been overrun with zucchini give this recipe a try. It's delicious!


Zucchini Orange Nut Bread

4 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup oil
2/3 cup orange juice-fresh squeezed ( I used 2 oranges for this recipe)
2 cups shredded unpeeled zucchini
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons grated orange rind
2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Glaze (optional) (I didn't use the glaze)
1 cup powdered sugar
2-3 tablespoons orange juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour bottoms only of two 8x4 or 9x5 loaf pans.
In large bowl, beat eggs until thick and lemon-coloured; gradually beat in sugar.
Add oil, orange juice and zucchini.
Stir in remaining bread ingredients; mix well.
Pour batter into prepared pans.
Bake at 350F degrees for 45-55 minutes or until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean.
Cool 10 minutes.
Remove from pans; cool slightly on a rack.
In small bowl, blend glaze ingredients; spread over warm loaves.
Cool completely on wire rack.
Wrap tightly and store in refrigerator.

If you don't hear from me in a day or two please send someone to search for me in the garden!