Time to start the Garden Plan

The snow is slowly melting and the seed catalogues are coming in piles. There’s a gnawing at the back of my brain that I’m already behind. It’s time to start planning the spring and fall veggie garden, but I’m not sure I’m ready for all of that.

I tend to be overwhelmed looking at the catalogues from Baker’s Creek, Gurney’s, Michigan Bulb and more. And, while Biceps’ nose is stuck in a book as he continues his college studies, mine is stuck in every book relating to natural child birth.

He suggested I take a year off from gardening.

The thought rolls around in my tiny brain as I picture a spring and summer with no weeding, no sliced up hands from me hastily picking okra without gloves on, no fisticuffs with tiny rabbits.

It’s tempting. But, then I look at this….

…and this…

…and this…

…and the smell of this heavenly dirt right in my own backyard.

I remember the fresh salads, the baked zucchini and the cherry tomatoes I ate like candy all summer long. I long for the peppers to grill, the carrots to roast and the okra to slice up and devour in one sitting.

I throw all of the oldest catalogues in the recycling bin and retrieve the sticky notes, pens and highlighters that will soon be flying as I plan the 2014 garden.

It’s time to get down to business. It’s time to put on my big girl underwear. How do you plan your garden?

Delicious & Easy-Roasted Squash

The bees are pollinating and doing their thing in my garden. In turn, those creative little buzzy guys are making some UGO (unidentified ground objects) for me to play around with.

Take this mix of zucchini/butternut squash. To understand the enormity of this squash, that is a beefsteak tomato next to it (about the size of a baseball).

This hybrid offered yellowish skin with a beautiful zucchini coating.

I had to taste it-in the raw-and the flesh was sweeter than your average zucchini. I decided then and there, it must be cooked! Or roasted. And eaten. And enjoyed. And boy was it enjoyed.

Here’s all that you need to roast your very own zucchini-hybrid or not (printable recipe on the bottom):

1-2 Sizable Zucchinis
4-8 Cloves Garlic
1 Medium Onion
1/4 C Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Preheat the oven to 400.

Start by slicing the zucchinis into rounds, then cut the rounds in quarters.

Slice the onion into large rings and then in half.

Disrobe the garlic and smash each clove (a little bit) with a spoon or the palm of your hand.

Line one or two 9 x 13 pan(s) with aluminum foil and add the zucchini, onions and garlic. Drizzle the olive oil over the top of the vegetables.

Roast at 400 for 40 minutes, stirring once halfway through the roasting time.

Enjoy as a side, or as a full meal-as Biceps did.

Below is the printable recipe for those of you that like that sort of thing.