Even though we've been really busy with the house, I've taken a bit of time out to enjoy summer's bounty. While my mom was on vacation, I took care of her garden, and that basket was one day's harvest (including 8 summer squash!).
Reading Animal Vegetable Miracle inspired me to try a new recipe: Disappearing Zuchinni Orzo. It was tasty, cheap, and pretty simple, although it did require shredding zuchinni, sauteing it, and boiling pasta so it made a lot of dishes. It looks pretty next to the cherries, which are in season but not local (to use criteria from the book).
The book also inspired me to "put up" some vegetables for the winter months. I'm not yet up for canning, so I shredded and froze 14 cups of zuchinni/summer squash to use in soups, quesadillas, casseroles, quick bread, even cake and cookies. Or maybe it was 28 cups (14 2-cup packets), now that I think of it.
The next week I went to the Farmers Market and an older gentleman farmer was selling beautiful green beans at bulk discounts. I got over 6 pounds for $7, and spent a couple hours snapping and blanching them. (Alex helped with the snapping.)
I'm excited to have local veggies in our freezer this year!
