Stuffed Zucchini (Yes Zucchini)

I know, here goes Lisa with more zucchini recipes!  At least I'm not standing at your door with a paper sack full of them, begging you once again to take it off my hands. Stuffed zucchini (or squash) can stand alone with a nice salad and bread.  (gluten free bread I hope) This recipe is great for those days you don't want to pick the garden and you leave the normal sized zucchini out there too long and they become Biblical in size.

 Here is what you will need: 

2 LARGE zucchini, 1 lb hamburger meat, 2 cloves garlic, salt and pepper to taste, 3 Tablespoons sandwich spread, 1/2 cups red and green bell pepper, 3 green onions, 1 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, preheat oven to 350

Cut out the inside of your zucchini or squash, not much, just the seeded areas.  Discard or save it.  (I throw it out because I have an abundance of it)

Brown and drain your meat, add your remaining vegetables and salt and pepper to taste

Some stuffed zucchini recipes call for pesto but this is easier to find and just as good. Add 3 Tablespoons to mixture and if you desire more just know it will hurt my feelings that you strayed from my instructions.

Place foil in the bottom of a pan and put your hulled out veggies on top.  Now fill your zucchini, or squash, with the cooked mixture and top with cheese. Add 1/2 cup of water in the bottom of the pan and cover with foil.  Place in a preheated oven for 20-30 minutes.  The water will help steam the vegetables and keep the cheese from browning. 

Easy fresh corn and squash dish

I always have a garden.  I have had one now for 17 years and I love it!  (at first anyway)  Yet, I must confess toward the end of summer, after I have made every squash and zucchini dish known to man,  if I am out spraying weeds I MIGHT (or MIGHT NOT) accidentally hit the squash and zucchini plants with roundup.   I mean when your neighbors won't even answer their doors for fear it is you with more zucchini it's time to give it up! But after all of these years, I found a dish I love.  When it is easy, fresh, healthy, gluten free and uses some of your garden how can you go wrong?

Here is what you will need:  4 ears of corn, 2 zucchini, 1/4 cup red and green bell pepper, salt and pepper to taste.  Garlic and jalapeno if desired.

Take 4 ears of corn and shuck those little things!  It's so fun to do and relaxing right?  (sarcasm)

Cut the corn off of the cob and place it in a skillet with your other vegetables

I used red and green bell peppers from my garden, about 1/4 cup each finely chopped.  I also added seeded jalapenos from my garden but you don't have to do that.  Finally I put in big chunks of my zucchini, about 2.  Then add 1/4 cup of water and cover until zucchini is soft.  It is a beautiful dish and goes well with any meat grilled or otherwise.

  

I stink at blogging in the summer

I'm not going to lie.  I stink at blogging in the summer!  No particular reason other than laziness.  When I was younger and my children were 2,4, and 6 I could clean, cook, do yard work, everyone's clothes were perfect most of the time, I paid the bills, ran everyone to practices and I truly believe even then----I could have blogged. 

But let me tell you, when your children get older and things slow down YOU ARE JUST PLAIN TIRED.  I find myself staring into my diet coke bubbles in the morning (i'm not a coffee drinker) until they fizzle away and 20 minutes has come and gone. And I don't even care.

I'll carry a load of clean laundry by the television and FOX NEWS is on, so I will set in the chair and hold the folded laundry for 30 minutes.  And I don't even care.

I walk out to get the mail and upon carrying it back to the house will stop and pull weeds, or water my dying flowers.  I might even talk to a neighbor or set on the porch.  An hour will have passed and I don't even care.  So blogging in the summer when I get to catch a glimpse of my two college children and their friends flying in and out of the nest is not particularly high on my list of things to do.  Now, my 'baby' is about to start his Senior year of high school.  I've been here twice before and it is heart breaking how little they need me; THAT I do care about. 

I don't have faithful followers so much, but I do not like to start something and not finish it!  So on those days when I cook a beautiful meal that Jacob actually has time for -  I won't blog and I won't care.  But on those days he doesn't need me I'll see you soon on the www...

Just sayin