Those of us who grow summer squash–the ubiquitous zucchini especially–have to be creative to find ways to use them because they are so freaking prolific! Like cucumbers, they have a way of blending into the surrounding stems and leaves so that it seems as though suddenly you are faced with a gigantic monstrosity when it has been there all along.
I consider this as having entered the over-large category that ends up on neighbor’s porches:
You could grate it for zuke breads.
My neighbor, as mentioned in a prior post, has pigs. So I can take the “missed opportunities” over to the porkers to eat. They probably enjoy a little change in their diet now and then. Like Julia’s odd squash that she shared, I have seen what looks like squash vines coming up in a currently vacant pen where we threw squash previously which will no doubt bear some strange squash crosses.
I try to pick the summer squash very small, with the flower still attached at times, to make dealing with them manageable. I stuffed some mid-sized ones with that boxed rice jambalaya mix with turkey sausage added. My dear one loved that. Having just returned from a mere 2 days in Maryland, I harvested a full basket of summer squash–oh my! What to do?!
Brenda has offered her recipe for the gift of overabundant squash which I include here and hope some of you might chime in with your own in the comment section below.
**Also: Our Brenda is getting knee work done this week so send her good thoughts!**
Brenda’s Zucchini Relish
10 cups zucchini (grated)
4 cups onions (finely chopped)
1 red pepper (finely chopped)
1 green pepper(finely chopped)
5 Tbsp. of salt
Put the first 4 ingred. in a bowl, sprinkle with the salt and refrig. overnight.
The next morning rinse and drain real good. I squeeze mine very hard in my hands. Then make the sauce.
For sauce mix:
6 cups sugar
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp corn starch
2 1/4 cups apple cider vinegar
Heat until sugar melts; add the zucchini mix. Cook for 10-15 mins. after it comes to a boil.
Jar in pints and seal. No need to process. Makes about 5 pints.
