Zucchini Time

My zucchini is starting to go into full production.

I love zucchini. I just can't wait until I am able to start picking.
I prefer to pick them smaller. These are as big as I like to let them grow.
I believe the flavor is a lot better.

The larger ones are fine for shredding, if you are going to use it as a filler or for baking brownies or bread.
A couple I know shreds it and adds to to all kinds of things such as meatloaf to give added nutrition.
I have not tried that though.

My daughter claims to not like zucchini.
Yet there are some ways she likes it.
One is zucchini alfredo.
Another is cheesy zucchini sausage casserole.

She also likes a few things baked with zucchini that I will have to bake and post.
I thought I had posted them, but I checked and no, I did not.

But, I will be making some blueberry zucchini bread  one of these days. My blueberries are ripening good now.

I have also got a recipe for zucchini pizza crust that is pretty good.

When I grew up, my mom never grew zucchini so I never had it until the last five years.
Now, I find all kinds of ways to fix it.

Nutritionally speaking, zucchini gives you a lot!
It contains magnesium, potassium, vitamin A, beta carotene, maganese,  vitamin C, calcium, vitamins B-1, B-2, B-3, B-6, and folate.

Summertime Business

Things are starting to happen in the garden.
I am now harvesting and canning green beans.

The broccoli is coming on.
I will be freezing some of that soon too.
I did make broccoli salad last night for dinner.

Summer gets pretty busy when everything gets into full swing.

I have lots of tomato plants and I plan to make plenty of salsa as well as ketchup and juice and chopped tomatoes.

Between the garden and some stressful things going on, I haven't gotten a lot done as far as recipes go.
I have been taking pictures and as things settle down I hope to get back into a routine.

Growing in the Garden!

baby zucchini

sweet potato plant

Anaheim peppers

cabbage

cucumbers

broccoli is a growing

Tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes!

Here are some scenes of yummy goodness in my garden!

Frugal Me Fridays- Popcorn for Snack Time

Who says snacks have to be out when you have a food budget? You can just snack frugally!

Everyone loves popcorn!
But, those microwave 3 packs can get pricey.

To save, you can buy them in bulk at Costco or Sam's Club.
A better choice is regular popcorn.

You can get a pound of it for $1 or maybe a little more.
It makes LOTS!

You can make it on the stove, invest in an air popper, a microwave popper, or even put some popcorn and a little oil in a paper bag and do microwave popcorn your way.

It really takes mo more time popping regular corn than it does the microwave variety.

Make your own caramel corn for a treat!

Popcorn is low calorie and filling.
Popping your own not only saves you money, it is healthier.
None of those chemicals that come in the bags of microwave popcorn.

And you get to season it just the way you want!

Frugal Me Fridays- More Meat Tips

Eating lean meat is healthier.
It also costs more.

One thing you can do is buy a cut with a higher fat content and cut off the visible fat before cooking.
If it is ground meat, you can drain the meat on paper towels or dump in a strainer.
You can also rinse the meat after cooking.
But, if you do this, be aware some nutrients will be lost as well as any seasoning you may have used.

Cheaper cuts of meat can be a little tougher.
You can make the meat more moist by adding a little water or broth to the pan while you are cooking it.
You can also marinate the meat before cooking.

Adding a little fat to the frying pan before cooking the meat will seal in juices.
Heat the pan, add the oil and make sure it is hot before you add the meat.
If the oil is not hot, it will soak into the meat, instead of searing the outside.

If you can afford to, you can save quite a bit of money by purchasing a quarter, half, or whole cow, pig, sheep, or whatever you want.
It is a big expense up front.
But, when you figure out the cost per pound it is a good investment.

I am sorry I missed last week's Frugal Me Fridays. I was unable to get to my computer.