A Busy Summer

Summer is very busy around here.

I decided to take a break and show you a little of what we have been doing.

Be sure to click on all the links to recipes. I've included a lot.

We took a quick trip across the Ohio River to get corn to freeze.

They grow nice corn on the farms along the river.
So far we have put up 10 large and 8 small bags of corn cut off the cob. Go here to see how to make corn cob jelly and here to see how to freeze corn. .

Our grapes are doing great this year. I can't remember exactly when we planted our vines, but they are 20 to 30 years old, at least. One of the vines died last year. I was afraid we were going to lose all four of them. We were only able to pick a handful of grapes. When my husband pruned them early this year, he left the small vines growing from the old ones. Wow! We have a bumper crop.
Go here to see where I posted about making jelly and here to make concord grape pie. 

 


So far I have made four batches of jelly and put up three quarts of juice.

I don't know what I would do without this juicer, it is a time saver, for sure. It extracts the juice by steaming the fruit. I love it!

We also have a bumper crop of tomatoes this year. The vines are so large, I find it hard to see all the ripe tomatoes hidden in them. I usually peel, cut up and cook them for 20 minutes, allow to cool and then freeze them in quart freezer bags. We then use them to put in soups, chili and make creamed tomatoes. Click here for a recipe.

Our one plant of squash has outdid itself. I have made squash bread, delicious squash pies, casseroles, fried them and froze them.
Go here to see a couple of squash recipes I posted a few years ago.  I'm not really crazy about freezing squash, but I shredded a few and put 2 cup portions of them in pint freezer bags to use later in recipes. I also sliced some, froze them spread out on cookie sheets and then put them in bags. I'll get them out in the fall and winter, quickly cover them in corn meal and fry them while still frozen. 

I have also been picking blackberries and putting them in the freezer. Click here and here to see some recipes I've posted using blackberries.

To relax, we watch the birds and squirrels, visit our creek and watch the wildlife and decorate rocks (among other things).

What have you all been doing this summer?

Squash, Cucumbers and Recipes

How is your garden doing?
We have lots of cucumbers and squash coming on.


But, what do you do with so many cucumbers?
I don't make pickles, but we  slice them and put them in a bowl of cold water and vinegar and set them on the table at supper time.
We make cucumber sandwiches with them. When my tomatoes finally get ripe, we will have tomato, cucumber and mayo sandwiches....yum!

Here are a couple of cucumber recipes:

CUCUMBER SALAD

4 cucumbers peeled and sliced then 2 bunches of green onions (chopped)
Mix together
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sugar
4 tsp. vinegar
1/2 tsp. dill weed
1/2 tsp. salt
Pour over cucumbers and onions

This is very good and I could just eat and eat it.
But, I have to admit that I leave out the green onions and I use Miracle Whip.

Here is another one. I have never tried this one before, but it is one of my cousin's recipes and is in our family cookbook.


INDIAN CUCUMBER SALAD

INGREDIENTS:
3 medium cucumbers
1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 T fresh lemon juice
1 t ground cumin
1 t dried mint leaves
DIRECTIONS
Peel cucumber.  Cut in half lengthwise and discard seeds.  Slice thinly.
Mix the remaining ingredients together; add cucumbers and toss well.
Serve chilled.

And, what do you do with all your squash or zucchini?

We have made squash casserole, fried squash and squash cakes.

You can go here for my recipe for squash bread. It is delicious! You can use either yellow squash or zucchini.

Enjoy your veggies while you have them. Take those zucchini, leave them on your neighbors porch, ring their doorbell and run! And maybe leave my recipe for squash bread, they'll appreciate it.

Squash Bread

Got Squash? I bet you do.

I made squash bread today, here are the ingredients and recipe:


3 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
2t. vanilla
2t. cinnamon
3 cups self rising flour
3 cups grated squash
1 cup chopped nuts (I used black walnuts)

Beat the eggs, sugar and oil. Add the other ingredients, stir until moistened. Bake at 350 in two greased and floured loaf pans for 1 hr.


I grate the squash in my mini chopper. It works great for this, and it's fast and easy.


Here I am adding the ingredients to the egg, sugar and oil mixture.



Nuts added to the mixture.




I flour my pans with this little sifter cup that I keep flour in.



Ready to go into the oven.



And fresh out of the oven ready to eat.

mmm....mmm....



People seem to have lots of squash from the garden this time of year. This is a good way to use it up. We always eat one loaf and put the other one in the freezer. It freezes really well.

Give it a try, I think you'll like it.