Spring is on the way...

[Axe]

Well, here at RWT Farm, we are about to make our garden seed order.

As far as bulk growing with canning/preserving in mind, tomatoes are king. But also pickling cucumbers.

What are you planning on growing to preserve in the fall?

P.S. - For the first time, I'm also going to plant jalapenos to make hot pepper jelly

P.P.S. - Anybody grow/preserve zucchini?

[invictus]

I don't garden but this is a great topic so I'm bumping for you.

[Dissie]

Axe, I grow zucchini and freeze it. I blanch it first and then let it cool and place in serving size bags. Some cubed, some sliced. I just made a huge pot of veggie stew today and used one of my bags of wonderful garden fresh zucchini!

[Axe]

Great idea. We love stews here. Although we've never been big zucchini eaters here.

[Kchurchill5]

I could eat zucchini every day. Down here in FL at the market I get it fresh whenever, and cheap.

I buy it often in big bunches, especially if I go to one of the farms and also freeze it. I usually quick blanch in large slices. It works good for soups and stews, but make sure not to over cook. MY slices ARE thick too

I have also grated it and froze. Great for in stews, casseroles or even a spaghetti type of ragu. I have used it in bread too.

I haven't done this, but my Mom did. She blanched zucchini, tomatoes and added it along with peppers and onions (blanched) and added it to a bag. She would then saute until tender and soft and serve as a light ragu over rice. She would add seasoning of course and sometimes a little broth to simmer it. But it was very basic, but very good.

She often added eggplant or summer squash and mushrooms too. Depended what the garden had at the time.

But it wasn't like fresh, but it was a nice slow simmered ragu type of dish

[Kchurchill5]

I should of said, I have also canned them as well. I was posting off of Dissie's post. The only problem with canning is they are much softer which I don't prefer as much.

My friend makes zucchini pickles which are very tasty for a nice change.

[crazyndncook]

I plant zucchini for freezing too, I have shredded it for breads/cookies/cake/ in pasta sauce for spaghetti and lasagnas. Also froze the baked goods. I make 4 different kinds of casseroles with zucchini for the freezer, and our most favorite thing of all, Deep-Fried Zucchini Sticks.

Here are some of the recipes from food.com that I used over the years.

http://www.food.com/recipe/zucchini-sau ... ole-250050
http://www.food.com/recipe/zucchini-sau ... ole-250050
http://www.food.com/recipe/fried-zucchini-batter-131300
http://www.food.com/recipe/zucchini-casserole-249868
http://www.food.com/recipe/zucchini-nut-muffins-68082

[Dissie]

We love breaded and fried zucchini. But you can't do that with frozen. Anyway, I add zucchini chunked up to most tomato type sauces. It takes on the flavor or whatever you pair it with and you get the benefit of not changing the taste of the dish too much, plus eating your veggies! My kids don't have a clue how much squash they ate growing up! Except now my daughter thinks pasta sauce is rubbish if it doesn't have zucchini in it!

[crazyndncook]

Dissie, try the third recipe I posted, it is a battered not breaded recipe but it freezes well. I actually liked last years batch the best. I always make them with the large zucchini but this last summer's zucchini had the hard skin, which I cut off and the zucchini stayed together this time, other years with a skin that could still be pierced with a thumb nail I found it watery.

I actually did a healthy cooking meal for parents of young kids and in their pasta sauce I had grated zucchini, same with the chili. I do a lot of the time at home and all the time at work for the kids.