Oh, what to do with all that effing zucchini.

This year I planted my summer squashes from starts that I bought so I wouldn’t be misled into planting just one more tiny, innocent seed in the dirt. When I start from seed, I always convince myself that one more can’t hurt and then I have veggies growing to the size of small children in my garden. How do they conceal themselves so well? They are like covert operatives getting amped on vitamin D.

I bought one itty bitty pot of zucchini and another of yellow summer squash. Each pot had two starts and I couldn’t just pitch one because that is murder. So I have four plants that could feed most of western Montana.

I found a recipe for pickled squash and I made it. And it would have been easy except I got everything boiling and realized I was missing three spices and apple cider vinegar. I phoned my neighbor to no avail and had to make a 9:30pm dash to the grocery.

To reach high items in the kitchen, I always stand on this children’s stool that is at least a quarter of a century old. My mom and Andy take turns telling me how unsafe it is and I practice my ignoring skills. It is a tiny stool with three owls painted on the surface. My grandma made it for me. I love it.

The beloved stool buckled under my weight while I was looking for the spices and vinegar. I didn’t come crashing to the floor or anything, but the owls couldn’t take the 15 pounds I have put on. tragic. Yesterday, I did go crashing to the floor during a 50% off shoe sale at one my my favorite stores, Betty’s Divine. I mean I fell. hard. It was humiliating and people make a gigantic deal out of a pregnant woman going down. But I was merely put in a state of crazed frenzy by the cute red wooden platforms and frustrated that I couldn’t reach over my belly to hook the ankle buckles so I decided to walk anyway assuming that if they looked fab then Andy could buckle them for me. But I fell and I put the shoes back and bought some practical (sigh) flat soled shoes.

I would love ideas for what to do with summer squash and zucchini. Please post comments. Last night I was at a BBQ at Sam and Eva’s house and a guest suggested making an “apple” crisp with zucchini saying you cannot taste the diff. I also heard of people making “raspberry” jelly with zucs by adding a packet of flavored jello. Is zucchini really that spineless that it can’t even hold its own flavor? I am not sure how I feel about that.

Squash Pickles:
2 lbs summer squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2″ cubes
1 1/3 C sliced onions
1 1/4 C sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp ginger
2 C water
1 C vinegar

Combine squash and onions, set aside. Combine remaining ingredients in a large pot and boil. Do no inhale over the pot of you will think you are being fumigated. Add squash and boil for 10 minutes. Pack hot veggies & liquid in hot jars (1/4″ head space), remove air bubbles, add lids and rings and process in boiling water canner for 10 minutes.