We are rather sick of summer squash. But it's abundant, and, since we started it from a $1-something packet of seeds, at this point each squash is costing just pennies. With another month to go before we hit the 'average first frost' date, I'm predicting our squash will be costing negative numbers before the season is over. There aren't a whole lot of recipes for preserving summer squash (other than shredding and freezing in 3-cup quantities for 'zucchini' bread all winter long), so it's kind of an eat-it-now thing.
Which means creative cooking. What can I do with those abundant yellow soft-skinned veggies? There's:
- sauteed summer squash (sprinkle it with some Lawry's and saute in olive oil or butter)
- fried summer squash (batter with egg and crushed crackers and fry until browned)
- squash boats
- grilled summer squash
- diced squash thrown in spaghetti sauce, soup, stew, etc
- shredded squash used in zucchini bread/muffin/cake/cookie recipes
- if you have chickens, they will love to eat the ones you are totally sick of, and it will save on chicken feed!
Other things that are in season can be canned, frozen, or dehydrated and stored for eating all year. For me right now, that would be peaches, pears, corn, tomatoes, green beans, and cucumbers ('stored' as dill pickles, YUM!).
Right now, in Michigan, it's the peak of gardening. Melons are coming ripe, the corn is on, the tomatoes are turning red every day, there is a huge variety of fresh eating. Even if you don't have a garden of your own, you can most likely find a farmers market or a roadside stand with someone's extra veggies for sale (or maybe even free, if you like zucchini or their yellow cousins!). Get some. Eat some. Preserve some.
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