When I was small, my parents had an expansive garden. We grew multiple types of green beans, squash, melons, peas, tomatoes, and a bajillion other things. The garden was so large that my punishment for doing really stupid things was weeding the entire thing alone.
My dad’s terraced handiwork and hours pouring over seed catalogs in the winter meant that we were incredibly well-fed with homegrown goodness. And, at least one summer, it meant that our kitchen was unbearably overrun with zucchini. At one point, the zucchini got so big that my sister and I wrapped two up in blankets and teased my mother that they were going to replace any other dolls we had.
Suffice it to say, for several years, I literally could not each zucchini or summer squash. Could not, could not, could not eat it.
So, I’m not exactly positive what made me decide to plant so much squash in my little raised planter bed in my little yard. [Yes, that’s a photo of my yard. And, you know what, I can’t see my raised planter either. That’s how big those plants are.]
So, what do you do when you need to get rid of pounds and pounds of squash, but don’t feel like eating it for breakfast?
Squash soup, two kinds: Squash soup with dill and Summer squash-corn soup. Note that these are really good side dish soups, not great main dish soups.
Then put everything you can’t eat in the freezer for later.
Summer squash-corn soup
1 lb. summer squash, cut in half, then into 1/2 in slices
2 cups corn
1/3 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves
1 Tbs. olive oil
2.5 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
Cumin
Chili powder
Red pepper flakes
In a heavy pot, combine corn, squash, onion, oil and garlic. Saute all together for 3 to 5 minutes, or until squash begins to soften and onion begins to become translucent. Add spices to taste for an additional 1-2 minutes. Add broth and simmer for about 15 minutes.
Let soup cool, then puree soup in a blender or food processor until smooth. Garnish soup with thin squash slices, and spice with salt and pepper to taste.
Squash soup with dill
1/2 Tbs. butter
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic
Salt, pepper, and dill
2.25 lbs. summer squash, cut in half, then into 1/2 in. slices
2 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
1-2 Tbs. olive oil
Melt butter, then cook onion and half the garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 3 to 5 minutes.
Add squash and cook for 3-5 more minutes. Add dill and broth. Bring to broth, then reduce to a simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until squash is tender.
Let soup cool, then puree soup in a blender or food processor until smooth. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
First off, I made these peanut butter pretzel fudge brownies (no adaptation from the original, except I used brownies from a delicious mix). Don’t worry – I’m taking them to the office. I don’t have the budget to buy a wardrobe for my 10-lb heavier self right now.
Then, I made some Cranberry Cornmeal Bread in my breadmaker. Yeah. You’re still jealous of my $5 machine. I know.
Breadwinner 