Hi, I’m Kim and I’ve been nesting.
Forgive me. I do this every year. I should know by now that the results won’t change. They never do. NEVER.
A few weeks before I report back to school–EVERY YEAR– and get ready for the new school year, I go into what I refer to as a nesting phase. I think it rears its ugly head at about the same time I start going through my summer “to-do” list. When I take that inventory I realize that there are still things left on the list. There’s always things left on the list. ALWAYS.
This year has been no different.
A few weeks ago I received a letter from the school reminding me that it was time to come back.
Don’t get me wrong, I love teaching. But every year at this time, I get that little pipsqueak, whiny voice in my head saying, “Awwww, where did my summer go? I need a few more weeks. I’m not ready yet!!! ”
I never say it aloud. NEVER.
OK, maybe I do. I do it every summer.
One of the many things that I didn’t do much of this summer was baking. Shocker.
In the cool, promising days of March and April I had decided that since I now had a garden I would cook and bake using fresh veggies from said garden nightly once they were ready.
Did that happen throughout the summer?
No.
Stop judging me.
I’m going to blame the weather. Yeah, that’s it, the weather.
It was too hot and too dry this summer for anything to grow. Cut me some slack, we’re so close to breaking all-time heat records out here in central Kansas this summer. Let’s not lose it now!
My green bean bushes grew, but they never set any pods.
My tomatoes never turned red.
My cucumber plants withered away in the heat. Just like my early spring dreams of Baldwin farm fresh garden products covering my dinner plate.
Oh, and everything else was taken over by weeds. It wasn’t pretty.
Why?
Because I didn’t do a good job of weeding, ok?
Why?
Because it was too dang hot out!! There, are you happy?!?
So the majority of our garden is a bust, with a few exceptions. One of those exceptions is Mutant Zucchini.
I capitalize Mutant Zucchini because they’ve earned my respect. I’m identifying them as their own variety.
They have continued to grow while I have tried with all my might to kill them off. ALL MY MIGHT!
I haven’t paid any attention to them.
I haven’t watered them.
I haven’t weeded them.
I haven’t stopped Buddy the Bad Dog from frequenting them.
I’ve cursed them to die.
BUT THEY WON’T DIE!
It was probably during this point of Mutant Zucchini assassination attempts and inventorying my unfinished summer “to-do” list that I realized I could join these two stressors and get something accomplished and destroyed– all at the same time!
Which added yet another stress in the mix because I can’t bake!
My dear friend, Amy from Nevada, Missouri, was also having some Mutant Zucchini issues of her own. She called her squash “bountiful”. Pshh.
The only difference between the two of us is that she CAN bake…and has two cute kids…and lives in town…and can read an entire book in a day…and puts up with me…and doesn’t curse her squash…and…and.
She’s pretty awesome!
She shared in her blog Striving To Be A Better Me a couple of recipes of how to turn that pesky Mutant Zucchini into something delicious AND she told me that the recipes were so easy even I could do it.
Yeah right.
No really, I could do them.
The first recipe was for this…
Pineapple Zucchini Cake. You’re lucky I got a picture of this. It was gobbled up at church!
And everybody survived to tell about it.
I count that a success.
The Pineapple Zucchini Cake recipe is really easy to follow and it is so good! I highly recommend.
The second recipe that Amy shared was for this…
Chocolate Zucchini Cake. OH. MY. GOODNESS!
If I knew baking included using a deliciously easy Chocolate Zucchini Cake recipe like this one, I might have to try it more often.
Oh wait, I did…
…In muffin form.
I had so much success with these two recipes that I just kept baking, and baking, and baking.
I’ve dedicated a section in my deep freezer just to my summer nesting phase thanks to the Mutant Zucchini and Amy’s recipes.
So I’m apparently making some steps (albeit small steps) to becoming a non-hazard in the kitchen.
Up next, I’ll tackle these babies.
What could go wrong? I mean really, I haven’t blown up the kitchen yet.
Lordy, Lordy.
If you don’t hear from me next week, call the authorities.
Ya’ll pray for me.
Alive & Well in Kansas 
Kim, thanks for making the time to write. Always brings a smile!
Sandy, thank you for reading! For being a loyal reader, I promise not to send you any zucchini related items for Christmas 🙂 Have a great day!
I got a smile out of this post as I also have zucchini coming out my ears. I’ll have to try those recipes. Some one once told me the best way to plant zucchini was late at night in your neighbor’s garden 🙂 Happy eating!
Kristin, I think zucchini is exempt from the saying, “The Lord never gives you more than you can handle.” Good luck with the recipes–if I can make them, anyone can make them 🙂
I also have mutant zucchini. I blame my lack of harvesting! Thanks for sharing the recipes. Now I have something to make other than zucchini bread and brownies. Good Luck with the potatoes. Can’t wait to hear how they turn out.
Cassie,
Welcome to the zucchini support group! I’m a little concerned about using a pressure canner for the potatoes. If you don’t hear about it in the news this weekend it’s because my attempt at canning was a success or I chickened out!