OK OK, so I should have picked the squash a lot sooner. but it just kind of crept up on me, or the garden I should say. I had two of them the size of the one I'm holding in the photo.  I cut one in half lengthwise, scooped out the pulp, sauteed it with onion, garlic, basil and tomatoes, piled it back in the zucchini "boat", topped it with feta cheese and baked it. The filling was delicious (even my kids loved it), but unfortunately the "boat" never got tender. I think once a squash gets this big, it's gone. Here are couple other recipes using squash.What good ideas do you have for a monster zuchini?

Garlicky Grilled Pattypan Squash

With their scalloped edges and round shape, pattypan squash are perfect for the grill

Ingredients Instructions

Nutritional Information Per serving: 120 calories, 8g fat, 0mg chol., 4g prot., 11g carbs., 4g fiber, 250mg sodium.

 

Summer Vegetables with Olive Oil and Italian Herbs

 

So, the garden is coming along. We planted some zinnias for color, and"installed" ( I use that term loosely) a tepee for the green beans and peas to climb. My son, Sam and I picked up 4 sticks on a walk, then stick them in the garden--very scientific and calculated. We think they look pretty good.We're going to plant more basil, as you can never have enough and it's taking its time growing. 

 There was a mystery green growing in the plot "down the street" from ours. No one knew what it was, and we figured out it was sorrel--very lemony and prolific, and great in a salad. Here is a recipe for crispy chicken cutlets topped with a salad of greens--perfect with sorrel.

 

 

Lemon Fried Chicken with Tart Salad Topping

Lighting Hanukkah menorahs reminds Jews that the tiny amount of olive oil the Maccabees used in their Temple, which was expected to last only one day, burned for eight days. To commemorate the holiday, olive oil is used to fry the chicken.

Ingredients

 1. To prepare cutlets, blend together garlic, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Add chicken, toss to coat thoroughly, and refrigerate, covered, 1 to 2 hours.
2. Beat eggs in a wide, shallow bowl. Stir together matzoh meal, remaining salt and pepper, and lemon zest. Spread on a large sheet of wax paper or plate. Dip each cutlet into egg, coating well on both sides. Let excess egg drip back into bowl. Dredge cutlets on both sides in matzoh meal mixture. Pat cutlets firmly on each side so matzoh meal adheres. Place on a rack and let stand 15 minutes for the coating to set.
3. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a 10- to 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add cutlets, in batches if necessary, and cook until golden and thoroughly cooked, about 2 minutes on each side. Add more oil if needed before cooking remaining batches.
4. Transfer cutlets to a baking sheet lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil. Keep warm in a 200F oven until all cutlets are done.
5. To prepare salad, combine tomato, onion, olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt and pepper. Add greens and toss well.
6. Serve cutlets topped with salad accompanied by lemon wedges. Serves 6 to 8.

Recipe adapted with permission from Jayne Cohen’s Jewish Holiday Cooking (John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 2008). Relish Winter 2008 Supplement.

 

This past Saturday, with a 3-hour respite from the rain, I finally planted our Relish garden. It’s been the rainy season in Nashville this year and I’ve been trying for weeks to get our garden in. It’s planted at the George Washington Carver Food Park that was featured in our May issue. The park is run by Sizwe Herring, who is as warm and welcoming as a big teddy bear. Sizwe started me off with an abbreviated "orientation" stressing his 3 “must do's” while at the garden—be safe, have fun, and practice good community (meaning help others and be nice to anyone who stops by the garden). This last rule is the whole idea of a community garden, so I don’t know why anyone would be there who didn't subscribe to it, but I guess he’s seen it all. After digging and weeding and hauling and adding compost, my plot was ready to plant. At the ready was Gladys Leese, another community gardener who enthusiastically helped and advised about where to plant what.  Just seconds after the last basil plant was in, the skies opened up—perfect timing. The name of our garden is the relish ratatouille garden, so we’ve started with squash, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, and basil, key ingredients in the classic Provencal dish.  But in the spirit of community and world peace, we also planted Thai basil, Italian parsley and cilantro. Below are some photos from my day and some of my fellow gardeners. I took home 3 kinds of lettuce from a neighboring plot overgrown with it, and a sense of accomplishment and excitement for the growing season ahead.

6-26-08

How Does Your Garden Grow?

I love to garden and seem to love it more and more the older I get. In my old house which was in the city, the only spot for a garden was in the alley. My husband thought it was ludicrous to grow food in the same space the garbage trucks drove, but I was determined. Despite its humble location, the garden proved to be very fruitful—with tomatoes into November and basil and mint galore. My current yard presents different challenges—not of space, but of sun. Shrouded with many many trees, it’s almost completely shaded. I have however eked out a small space that gets a few hours of sun a day. In it, I grow basil, parsley, chives, sage, arugula, and tomatoes. Unfortunately last year the squirrels got to the tomatoes before we did, but we’re hopeful this year will be different.  To gardeners, the important thing is getting your hands in the dirt, not how glamorous your space is. This year I’ve noticed gardens in all sorts of spots—the most interesting being the one down the street in front of a house that’s being constructed. Seems the contractor has a green thumb.  Another is a community garden in the front yard of a house around the corner from a friend. How does your garden grow? Please share.