I am feeling the need to talk about zucchini for two reasons…First, because I thought my zucchini plant was done producing and I was sad about it but luckily it started up again and now I am happy. Secondly, because we hosted a neighborhood breakfast in our backyard over the weekend and while talking “gardening” with some neighbors, realized that not all people are enjoying zucchini at their finest. So, for those who may be interested I thought we could talk…optimal zucchini size. Intriguing isn’t it?!
When one thinks of zucchini it is easy to envision the 2 foot long 1 foot wide monster that well…looks like this. I have been privy to a few of these each year and while you can find ways to use them, they are not ideal.
picture via oztion.com.au
So what is ideal you might ask?…
Something more like this. About 1/2 –1 foot long and about 3-4 inches in diameter.
You can even go a little smaller if you want Italian Squash…which by the way they use ALL of the time in their cooking…even in eggs, excuse me, in frittatas. Delish!
So even though there is a temptation to let these little things grow nice and big…resist! Pick them small and enjoy them in a variety of dishes. Or if you are like me, just roast them up.
- Slice it
- Put it in a pan
- Drizzle with Olive Oil
- Sprinkle with Salt
- Mix it all up
- Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes (or until soft)
Enjoy!!
2 comments:
I have never been a zucchini fan (except for zucchini bread, of course) until recently. Now I am finding myself quite curious about them, and I think I might try to plant some next year. But they always seem to grow like crazy, and I'm afraid I would end up wasting them. How often were you getting good-sized zucchinis?
When my plant is in high production I am getting about 3-4 zucchinis every week. Now I am getting 2-3 zucchinis every two weeks, very manageable. In the summer, I get more zucchinis than I can use, so I just grate up what I can't use and freeze it. That way it is available for cakes, cookies, bread later. I would just plant one plant though...anymore and you will be swimming! Good luck!
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