With so much zucchini, it helps to be creative!

Zucchini has to be one of the easiest edibles to grow.  It grows quickly in all but the worst soil and it only takes a couple plants to provide more than enough zucchini for the family.  In fact, it provides so much that I find myself getting more and more creative with its culinary uses.

I guess since chocolate happens to be one of my favorite food groups, it was bound to eventually be used in one of my zucchini recipes.  I had some doubts, but OH MY, it’s a hit!  Definitely not a pretty cake, but who cares when it tastes this good!  And since they are baked in mini loaf pans it’s easy to share – if you can bring yourself to part with them.

Chocolate Zucchini cake

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup oil
3 large eggs
2 1/3 cups flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup buttermilk
2 cups grated zucchini (I squeezed out some of the liquid)
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 – 5- x 3-inch disposable loaf pans, lightly greased

Preheat oven to 350°. Beat together butter, oil and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs until blended Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir zucchini and next 2 ingredients into batter until blended. Spoon batter into lightly greased loaf pans, filling two-thirds full. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Spoon frosting over cooled cakes

Chocolate Frosting

1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup whole milk or cream
1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar

Heat butter and milk until butter is melted. Stir in cocoa powder until well blended.  Beat in sour cream, vanilla and powdered sugar.

Note: Plant zucchini and other summer squash varieties by seed mid-February through Mid-April, and again mid to end of August here in Maricopa County.

I grow bok choy every fall – spring.  It is easy to grow, very nutritious and a must when I’m making stir fry.

Bok choy is a leafy Chinese cabbage from the Brassica family. It is not only very low in calories, but also very rich source of many vitamins, minerals, vital phytonutrients and anti-oxidants.

When growing bok choy, keep in mind that it prefers to grow in well-drained, fertile soil high in organic matter.  Because of this, I have found that for me it grows best in my raised beds.  As  the weather warms here in Central Arizona, providing some shade will help prevent bok choy from bolting.

Note: plant bok choy here in Central Arizona from mid- August through end of February.

As much as I love using it in my stir fries, I recently decided to try some new recipes. I found that I can also serve it sauteed, steamed, as soup or salad.   Below is my most recent experiment: bok choy quiche. It was a big hit both fresh from the oven for dinner served with a green salad on the side, and served cold the next morning for breakfast with fresh fruit on the side.

Bok Choy Quiche

Your favorite pie crust, either homemade or ready to bake
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cup  cream
1/4 cup onion chopped
2 green onions chopped
6-8 slices of bacon
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 mature head or 4-f baby bok choy, chopped finely
pinch of nutmeg
fresh ground black pepper, and sea salt to taste

Preheat oven at 400 degrees.

Prepare pie crust, prick bottom with fork. Bake for 10 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

Saute the bacon till crispy, drain, crumble and set aside.  In the remaining bacon fat, saute onions till softened and translucent, then add the bok choy to wilt.   If using mature bok choy, cook a little longer. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste.

Place the crumbled bacon,onion and bok choy evenly over the pie crust. Sprinkle with Swiss cheese.

Whisk together the eggs and cream, season, and then pour it over other ingredients, into the pie crust.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 30-40 min, or until puffed and golden. Remove from oven, let cool  slightly before serving.

As much as I love my garden and what it produces, I don’t grow enough or the variety to satisfy my family.  So, I look beyond the garden and avoid the grocery store for the best deals.

My favorite choice – Bountiful Baskets. I depend on Bountiful Baskets for almost all my produce that doesn’t come from the garden.  The thought of buying produce in the grocery store is difficult for me at this point.  Their produce is high quality, fresh and such a good deal.  And we love their breads as well. This is a volunteer run co-op, and may I add, very well run.  The people are friendly, and it’s fun to get out, get involved and volunteer.

Another source I have found recently is Market on the Move.  I had heard of this in the past, but had never found the time to check it out until last week.  Interesting.  They boast 60 lbs of produce for $10.  The concept behind it is great.  Instead of perfectly good produce being thrown  away by grocery stores, they collect it and distribute it.  The idea is to spend your $10, then share with those who otherwise may not be able to afford the food.  From my understanding, the pickings were slim last week because of the time of year our big freeze, but the big find was the gargantuan banana squash I got.  A week later, I am still making things with it. Below I have included a recipe for our  favorite so far.

So, when the garden can’t do all the work, don’t forget to look beyond the grocery store. There are great alternatives available to us.

Banana Squash Spice Cake

• 2 cups shredded banana squash
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 tbsp. molasses
• 3 cups flour
• 1 /2 cup softened butter
• 1/2 cup oil
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp aluminum free baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt (optional)
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 9 x 13 pan and sprinkle bottom of pan with cinnamon sugar.

Beat together butter, molasses and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Gradually mix in the flour, baking soda, baking powder and spices. Mix in the shredded banana squash and beat for about a minute.

Pour the mixture into pan. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour.

I have been composting for about 3 years in my own garden here in Arizona.  Growing up, composting usually consisted of a pile in the backyard where we threw kitchen and garden waste, then turned with a pitchfork.  In today’s more compact gardens, with space being limited, composters help keep the compost pile more neat and tidy. You can build your own, or buy from a variety of types and styles available on the market today.

From Wikipedia - Compost (pron.: /ˈkɒmpɒst/ or /ˈkɒmpoʊst/) is organic matter that has been decomposed and recycled as a fertilizer and soil amendment. Compost is a key ingredient in organic farming. At the simplest level, the process of composting simply requires making a heap of wetted organic matter (leaves, “green” food waste) and waiting for the materials to break down into humus after a period of weeks or months… Read more

I am currently using 2 different types of composters.  I have another but it is currently “retired” as I find it difficult to mix the contents.

I have found the key to composting here in the desert is not to forget to add water.  You don’t want it soggy – but it won’t break down if it’s not moist, no matter how often you turn the contents.

In my opinion, the turning type (for my needs) is the absolute best!  The type I use, on the left is a Keeter Dynamic Composter.  I do like the larger “box” type composter in the center photo. I use it for fall leaves.  It’s large enough to easily mix the contents.  The smaller box type is well-built, very sturdy, but not wide enough for me to mix the contents easily.

What are the benefits of composting?

There are many benefits to composting.  It is a great way to make rich conditioner for your garden soil for free!  It provides nutrients to your plants, helping to ensure a healthy garden and bountiful harvest. Composting introduces beneficial organisms back into the soil which can protect your plants from disease.  And in the process of composting you are recycling your kitchen and yard waste, diverting up 30% of waste from the landfill.

What do I put in the composter?

Here is a partial list of good material to add to your composter:

Fruit & vegetable scraps, eggshells (crushed), leaves, grass clippings, garden plants, straw or hay, wood ash, chicken manure (excellent compost activator), newspaper,cardboard.

Do not put meat, bones, bread, grains, animal feces, colored or glossy paper into your composter.

A few easy steps to composting success

1. Shred or chop items before adding.

2. Mix dry browns and wet greens.

4. Add water as needed.

5. Mix often

I love growing basil in my garden.  It’s easy to grow and adds wonderful flavor to all kinds of food.  When I think of basil I usually think of pesto, pizza or one of my favorites, Caprese mini muffins. But I never thought of basil as a sweet treat until I made these cookies.

If you are looking for a unique gift from your kitchen using ingredients you may have growing in your garden – this recipe won’t disappoint.

Lemon Basil Cookies

• 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1 3/4 cups sugar, divided
• 1 pound butter, softened (not margarine)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice, plus finely grated rind from 1 lemon
• 1 large egg
• 6 cups  flour

Process basil and 1/4 cup sugar in a food processor until well blended.

Beat butter until creamy.  Add remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar, beating well. Add lemon juice and egg, beating until blended. Gradually add flour, lemon rind and basil mixture, beating until blended.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls, and place 2 inches apart on lightly greased baking sheets. Flatten slightly with bottom of a glass dipped in sugar.

Bake at 350° for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.