Actually, they were the girl's eyes as well as her mouth as she was yelling "Squash BUG, Squash BUG, Squash BUG" that lead me to this sucker. She had herself worked way under the zucchinis and was screaming squash bug at the top of her lungs. I grabbed two plants and slid them out of the way to get to the bug when lo and behold, look what was pushed up against the back wall and virtually out of sight:
It's a monster, I tell you! Stinkin' Halloween carving worthy, if you ask me. My hand doesn't close around it and it's longer and fatter than my forearm. How could I have missed this! I wondered why that one plant wasn't doing much of anything. Looks like its energy was being focused. Anyway, I managed to get the girl inside before I picked it because the last mammoth we had like this last year wound up getting a diaper, a bottle, and being pushed around in her toy stroller like a baby doll. The boy was primed for a photograph with it, however.
Peace, Love, Happiness and Zucchinis, Dudes. I'm wondering if this constitutes as "seed saving" size. It may not be pure seed, but it's worth a shot, right?
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Interesting. So it sounds like in order to get more zucchini from a plant, you have to harvest consistently? Fine by me. I've seen people using zucchini that size to grate and use in zucchini bread. Peace out!
ReplyDeleteI'd not only save the seed, I'd be grating it for my delicious Chocolate Zucchini Cake! Or making sweet zucchini relish. Heck, you can even cut in in half the long way, scoop out the seeds, stuff it with a hamburger/rice filling and bake the sucker with some marinara sauce and cheese on top! If all else fails, there's the compost pile.
ReplyDeleteMy verification word describes it perfectly. That zucchini is GAUDAGIS!
You'll be sending me those recipes, right Granny? Thomas, a couple more like those and we can feed your village just fine.
ReplyDeleteChocolate cake (delicious!)
ReplyDeletehttp://annieskitchengarden.blogspot.com/2008/08/august-1-2008-evening.html
Sweet relish (great on hot dogs & burgers):
http://annieskitchengarden.blogspot.com/2008/09/september-9-2008-in-garden.html
Bread:
http://annieskitchengarden.blogspot.com/2008/07/july-28-2008-evening.html
I don't use a recipe for the stuffed zucchini. I just cook up a thick mixture of hamburger, onions, canned diced tomatoes, minute rice or dry bread crumbs, seasonings. Stuff the zucchini (seeds removed, of course), pour some spaghetti sauce over the top, bake covered until squash is tender. Top with mozzarella and return to oven to melt cheese. You can stick it under the broiler if you want the cheese browned and bubbly.
More recipes coming your way in email.
The zucchini cake and bread sound like a good idea.
ReplyDeleteTwo years ago I had planted and Italian zucchini called Rampicante. They are very long, 3-4 feet, and thin with only seeds at the end in a bulb. They were very good....but so so big. We made caponata with it, instead of using eggplant. I canned it and we just used the last jar.
That would be perfect for stuffing! I always lose a few zucchini in the mess and end up with huge ones. They all get used though!
ReplyDeleteNice zuke! I didnt plant any this year, my neighbors always have some to give away, and I in turn always have an abundance of green beans to swap. I just found 3 nice zukes on my doorstep this morning.(zuchini fairies maybe)
ReplyDeleteBy The Way... what was the fate of the squash BUG?
Very nice, ours have a way to go. If you want to save seed off of it you almost have to let them get a lot bigger and wait until the skin becomes very dull/dark and the zucchini is almost going bad. Unfortunately this also takes away most of the plants ability to keep producing for you as all the energy goes into that one big fruit.
ReplyDeleteReally, Mr. H? Ah, too bad. I was hopeful. Maybe towards the end of the season I'll let one go to that stage. This one was unintended.
ReplyDeleteGardengrl, I did that with cucumbers last year! I flicked the squash bug into soapy water. No gigantic squash would throw me off that task!
My vote is definitely for dressing it up and putting it in a stroller!
ReplyDeleteI'm with Erin on this. I would love to see that dressed up as a baby and being pushed around in a stroller! There are probably baby clothes available that will fit. That squash is wonderfully big!
ReplyDeleteGrating the big ones for zucchini bread is what we do, but you could use it for a bat, I guess. Heh.
ReplyDeleteSo so funny. Mine is the size of a fingernail and yours, well HUGE!
ReplyDeleteYa, I vote for dressing it up too! My girl would get a kick out of that and probably some ideas as well! The imagination these girls have! LOL! I bet we even have some preemie clothes that would fit!
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