Last night, I knocked on my neighbor’s door. I’m sorry to bother you, I said, but I forgot to pick up a tomato at the farmer’s market. I was wondering if I might be able to trade you a few lemons and a zucchini?
She beckoned me into the kitchen and pointed at several large bushel baskets pushed against her back door. Take your pick, she said laughing, but keep that zucchini away from me! I have zucchini coming out my ears without you adding to the problem!
So I gave her a couple extra lemons instead.
Back in my kitchen, I pulled a chair up to the counter and Charlotte climbed on. I sliced some strawberries for her to snack on and began narrating everything I did. This has become our kitchen routine. While Donald or I prepare meals or wash dishes or bake bread, Charlotte stands by, watching, listening, repeating, memorizing, learning.
I chopped the zucchini Charlotte helped me pluck from the yard earlier in the day and the yellow squash we picked up at the grocer. MAWMAW!, she exclaimed. ZOO-KEE-NEE! CUT-TEEN! (momma, zucchini, cutting). I sliced the onion. I sliced the tomatoes. I picked a head of garlic off the garlic braid swinging in our porch and chopped up a few cloves. I grabbed our olive oil from the pantry. I tore apart the fresh basil and oregano that we picked from my neighbors’ yard earlier in the day. I completely forgot about the feta cheese. Oh well.
It was tasty.
Zucchini skillet recipe inspired by Mama’s Minutia.
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I don’t know if everyone’s zucchinis are like this, but my father in law, who grows all of our garden veggies, grows these enormous suckers—so my husband’s grandmother gave me this awesome recipe (which is a lot like this one, except mixed into ground meat) but you slice the zucchini in half lengthwise, hallow it out (using the insides for the mixture), and then fill the zucchini itself with the mixture, bake it, and top it with cheese.
We all ate until we were stuffed and STILL had leftovers for lunch the next day—which is a rarity in our house, believe me!—using the zucchini itself as a bed for the dish really made it go far without over-doing the zucchini flavor.
Cant wait to see more. Hope you keep them coming! :-)
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That sounds amazing! I am definitely going to try that one!
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This looks delicious - I make something extremely similar, but I roast it into the oven for a bit (like 45-60 minutes), in my cast iron skillet - tomatoes included. It’s delicious, and then I top with (usually) buffalo mozzarella cheese. But, this looks like you don’t have to heat up the kitchen. A much better alternative in 100-degree weather.
I look forward to seeing more of your recipes!
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Yes, yes, and YES!
I am deeply craving zucchini and summer squash these days - I’m going to try this tomorrow!
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Jet - Let me know how it goes! I use the leftovers in omelettes, so after breakfast tomorrow I’ll probably make it again and toy with it a bit. I feel like an herb bread might be tasty with it? But the only herb bread I make is rosemary bread, so maybe I should use rosemary instead of the oregano? Or something?
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Thanks for posting, this looks amazing! On another note, can you post your recipe/method for homemade tortillas? I have tried a few and haven’t found one I love. Thanks!
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Lisa, absolutely! Donald is the tortilla mastermind, so I’ll try to get some tacos on the menu so that I can get a few photos of the process too =)
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I love how you did your recipe. Very creative. LOVE IT.
I’m trying to start posting some of the new vegetarian recipes that we are trying, but mine won’t be anywhere near as pretty as yours. :)
By on July 19, 2011
I must say, I’m rather bitter about zucchini these days. I have tried for THREE years to grow zucchini and have no success. Everyone always talks about growing more zucchini’s than they know how to use and me, if I’m lucky, I get three total all season. Sigh. :( I’m starting to wonder if our soil just isn’t good for them. I’m coming to terms that the Farmer’s Market will have to supply me with my zucchini.
Your dish looks great!