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Welcome to my zone 9a habitat garden near Houston, Texas.

Saturday, May 5, 2012

This week in the garden - #13



Squash gathered from the garden today. The yellow ones are lemon squash. All the rest are types of zucchini.


This has been the Week of the Zucchini in the garden. The summer squash, especially the zucchini, have started coming in fast and furious. You know, there's just no stopping that zucchini once it gets a head of steam!  


We're eating as fast as we can - batter-fried zucchini, stir-fried zucchini, steamed zucchini - but we just can't get ahead of it. So yesterday I broke out the old zucchini nut bread recipe and baked a couple of loaves. We had this delicious bread for breakfast this morning.

You probably have your favorite zucchini nut bread recipe, but this is the one that I use and it works well for me. 

Zucchini nut bread


Ingredients

  • 3 cups sifted plain flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup cooking oil
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 2 cups grated unpared zucchini
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (I actually use a full cup.)
  • 1 teaspoon flour
   Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Sift together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and baking powder. (Full disclosure: I use self-rising flour and I think it works just as well.)
3. Beat eggs well and add sugar and oil to them. Add everything to the dry ingredients and continue stirring.
4. Add vanilla and blend well.
5. Stir in the zucchini.
6. Combine walnuts and 1 tsp. of flour and stir this into the batter.
7. Divide the batter between two well-greased (I use Pam.) 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pans.
8. Bake for about an hour and 15 minutes or until the bread tests done.
9. Cool in the pans on racks for about 10 minutes before removing from pans. Cool loaves on racks.

I'm going to have to find some other ways to cook this bounty and probably start foisting it on my neighbors soon. I know that there are a few squash-lovers among them.

Elsewhere in the garden this week:

Some critters believe that hummingbird feeders are not just for hummingbirds. I sometimes see green anoles taking a sip from mine. This happened especially during last year's interminable and unbearably hot summer. Some butterflies make use of the feeders, too.

This is a Question Mark butterfly that I caught in an act of hummingbird nectar thievery today. I find that butterflies of the Brush-footed or Nymphalid family, as the Question Mark is, are the ones that most often visit the feeders.

The canna, 'Lucifer,' a real favorite of mine, is again bringing light to my garden.

And speaking of light, don't forget that tonight is the night of the Supermoon when the full moon will appear even bigger and brighter than usual because it is the closest it will be to the earth all year. It should be clear tonight and she will be putting on quite a show. Go outside and wave to her!


Oh, and lest I forget, happy Cinco de Mayo and go Astros!

Happy gardening.

8 comments:

  1. I don't know where my mind has been, but I haven't put up hummingbird feeders so far - thinking we only saw hummingbirds later in the year. Today, while looking for a photo in my iPhoto library, I found some photos taken at this time last year, showing feeders up and hummingbirds enjoying them. I'm hesitant to put them out now because we're off on vacation as of next week. Love your moon photo and your zucchini bread recipe :-)

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    1. Yes, the hummers usually arrive here in April, but they were even earlier this year, Jayne. I'm sure you have plenty of blossoms in your garden to feed them while you're gone and you can always put up feeders when you return. Have a great vacation!

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  2. The photo of the vegetables you took looks lovely. The zucchini bread recipe sounds divine! Happy Gardening!

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    1. It's a good thing there are so many different ways to cook zucchini, Lucy? I'm inundated with the stuff!

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  3. Oh I just love Zucchini Bread Dorothy! Your recipe sounds delicious!! The squash really is fantastic thus far. How do you like those lemon squash? I am thinking of trying those. I might give a hand to some pickled squash this year. I always miss it so much in winter when all the greens are in season. I love the question mark butterfly. I didn't know what it was..so glad you had such a great shot of one! Now I'll be on the hunt =D xox

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    1. This is my first time to raise lemon squash, and, like most squash, Pammy, it is very prolific. Pickling is a good way to deal with the bounty. The last time I had a squash bonanza, I made lots and lots of relish and gave it as gifts to everybody I saw for months! I still have a lot of it in the pantry though.

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  4. Lots of zucchini recipes, and I will try your bread recipe, but no stuffed zucchini flowers! I just made them for the first time last night. Check them out!

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    1. I just did check out your squash blossoms, LR, and they look delicious! I may have to try them. This week I'm working on squash casseroles and perhaps I'll make some more zucchini bread for the freezer. And the squash just keeps coming...

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