I want to keep track to see if I get my $35 back...what I spent to put the garden in.
7/8/07 - 1 cucumber
7/10/07 - 4 tomatoes
7/20/07 - 2 cucumbers
7/22/07 - 2 yellow squash
7/28/07 - 1 spaghetti squash, 3 yellow squash, 1 zucchini, 1 cucumber
8/3/07 - 2 cucumbers, 2 zucchini, 2 yellow squash, 2 spaghetti squash.
8/5/07 - 1 zucchini
8/11/07 - 4 yellow squash
8/25/07 - 1 yellow squash, 2 zucchini, 1 spaghetti squash
9/2/07 - 2 zucchini, 1 yellow pepper, 2 eggplants, 1 yellow squash, 1 cucumber, 1 spaghetti squash
9/8/07 - 2 zucchini, 1 spaghetti squash
9/9/07 - 1 spaghetti squash
9/16/07 - 2 yellow squash, 1 spaghetti squash, 1 zucchini
9/23/07 - 1 spaghetti squash, 1 zucchini, 1 green pepper
9/28/07 - 2 spaghetti squash, 1 zucchini, 2 yellow squash
10/02/07 - 3 green peppers, 1 tomato, 1 spaghetti squash
10/13/07 - 6 spaghetti squash, 4 zucchini, 1 yellow squash, 6 "baby" green peppers, 15 green tomatoes
10/21/07 - 2 spaghetti squash, 2 zucchini, half a twelve pack box of small tomatoes

Totals as of 10/13/07:
7 cucumbers
20 tomatoes
18 yellow squash
18 zucchini
20 spaghetti squash
1 yellow pepper
2 eggplants
10 green peppers

I'm taking some time to prepare some of my garden goodies for winter...or a few weeks from now if my garden doesn't produce anymore.

I made the spaghetti squash in the microwave, like always. Just split in half lengthwise, scrape out the seeds with a fork, put cut side up in a microwave save dish (duh), add water to the bottom for steam. Add some butter and spice (I use a cajun spice on almost everything I cook) and microwave for 12 minutes. When it is done, pull it out and scrape the flesh away from the hard outer skin with a fork. It comes out like spaghetti...hence the name. I'll put it in some ziploc freezer bags in meal sized portions and freeze. Then, when I need to use them, I can just microwave for a few minutes and it is ready to go!

I've never blanched anything before last night, but it turns out it is pretty easy. I read that you are supposed to blanch the zucchini and the summer or crook-neck squash before freezing to stop the enzymes from making the vegetable more and more ripe, even when frozen. I cut the zucchini into slices and then quarters. Boiled the water. I used a saucepan and a steamer thingy so I could keep the pan of water boiling but still get the vegetables out when the were done. I dropped the vegetables into the water, waited 3 minutes, then took them out and put in cold ice water for about 3 minutes...then drained very well before putting in ziploc bags to freeze.

Hope this works. I've read that after freezing, the vegetables can come out a bit squishy, not so crisp, but I always saute them or put them on the grill in aluminum foil, so once they are done cooking they aren't that crisp anyway.