New posts - aka zucchini

Hi Family,
I just posted three new recipes, but thought I would provide a quick summary here, since sometimes only one or two entries shows up on my screen, such that I would miss multiple new entries.

We've had a lot of zucchini from our garden lately, so I've been trying to include it in just about everything.  I posted recipes for zucchini bread muffins and some zucchini almond butter bars.  I didn't post this, but we've also been using a bunch of zucchini in smoothies.  It has very little flavor, but a good amount of water.  I'll grate 1/2-1 zucchini, the add a banana or two, a peach if I have it, some frozen berries, a little lime juice, and some coconut water, blend it up and yum!  Kids like it to, and there's nothing unhealthy about it.  I made some with beet greens the other night, too.  That was, well...more interesting?  I ended up adding some cinnamon and pretending the beet flavor was ginger and then they were okay.  I think if you like the flavor of beets, it's worth a try.  I like smoothies in part just because they are another, different to get fruits and veggies, and I like that you can get a wide variety of fruits and veggies all at once.  Plus, they're quick to make and refreshing.

I got Kanga's recipe for kolache recently, and posted that as well.  I think especially with the anniversary of Grandpa's death this week, it was comforting to share that experience with the kids.  The kolache tasted just like I remember.  Suzie ate all the filling out of hers then handed me the dough, which isn't as sweet.  I remember wanting to do the same thing - and I probably did that when I was too young to remember.  Will was extra excited that he was allowed to have more than one in a day.  I remember that same feeling.  But they are never as good the next day, so why not for a special treat?

Finally, I planted tarragon this year specifically so I could make Dad's tarragon vinegar.  I added the tarragon to a bottle of red wine vinegar a few weeks ago, and used it for the first time this week.  We had our first cucumber out of the garden, and I chopped it then put some tarragon vinegar on it.  Sooooo good!  So much better than using plain vinegar.  Also, how is it that even a cucumber, which I generally consider to be rather tasteless and or bitter, can taste so much better out of the garden?  It simultaneously has more flavor and less bitterness.  I don't know...such a treat to have a garden after all these years.

Alright, hope you're all doing well and eating good food!

Maggie