Blogging from A to Z Challenge - Z

The Blogging from A to Z Challenge ends today with the letter Z. I hope you've enjoyed my month of posts. We'll be getting back to a more normal schedule tomorrow.

I have to admit I like my zucchini in a less than healthy way--fried or in bread. I do, however, eat it as a side dish from time to time.  According to Eat This!, there are several benefits to eating zucchini. The dietary fiber helps lower cholesterol and prevent carcinogens from settling in the colon. Zucchini is a good source of vitamins A and C, which are antioxidants that can help fight certain cancers and also act as an anti-inflammatory. The magnesium and potassium found in zucchini can help prevent heart attack and stroke, and also help lower blood pressure.

The first year I put in a vegetable garden, I picked up a cookbook on canning and preserving--something I had never done before in my life. American Country Living Canning and Preserving: Techniques, Recipes, Uses, And More by Linda Ferrari has a great recipe for zucchini pickles. I never thought of making pickles like this, but they sound yummy.

• 6 cups sliced green zucchini
• 6 cups sliced yellow zucchini
• 2 large onions
• 1 each yellow, red, and green peppers
• 1/2 cup salt
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 cups water
• 4 cups vinegar
• 2 tablespoons mustard seed
• 2 tablespoons celery seed
• 2 teaspoons turmeric

Wash and cut vegetables. Slice onions thin and make the zucchini about 1/2 inch thick. Cover zucchini, onion, and peppers with water to which salt has been added. Let stand 2 hours. Drain and rinse vegetables. Combine the sugar, water, vinegar, and spices and bring to a boil. When it boils add the vegetables and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Pack vegetables into hot jars and fill with the hot liquid, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Release air bubbles, clean rims, and seal. Process in water bath canner for 10 minutes.

Makes 6 to 7 pints.