purple veggies ~

This must be the dog days of summer they talk about ... there really isn't much going on.  I've been busy in the garden, harvesting and canning and making breads and side dishes with zucchini.  I only have two zucchini plants and I thank the Good Lord that He didn't allow the germination of all six seeds I planted!  Those things are going wild on me.

Purple Veggies ~

I pulled some Purple Top Turnips the other day.  We like to snack on them raw when they're small.  I'm the only one in the family that really cares to eat them cooked.  Look though at this one ... turnip on steroids :)  I think it liked all that black dirt we hauled onto the garden last fall from my brothers farm.

I must admit ... I was a bit hesitant about even cleaning it and cooking it up.  Usually, if they get that big they are woody, very strong tasting or wormy ~ not something I want to eat.  To my surprise though it was nice and tender, very sweet tasting and not a single little pesky worm in it. 

Yum ... steamed turnips straight from the garden with a little butter, salt and pepper. 

One other purple veggie that I had to dig out to see how they were coming along were some Purple Cosmic Carrots.  LOVE THEM!!

The skins are purple and the insides are orange just like a regular carrot.  To cook them, or for canning, you just scrub off the root hairs.  The purple skins retain their color even when cooked.  They make  a very pretty salad topper, served raw, when grated or julienned too.  Kids love eating these funky looking carrots ~ grown ups too!

Well ... I suppose ~ pc time is up ... 

I need to go and finish up my laundry then put together a veggie/burger casserole for supper.  

A layer of browned hamburger, a layer of sliced onions, a layer of chopped celery, a layer of carrot slices, a layer of potato slices, a layer of YOU GUESSED IT - zucchini slices, half a can of cream of mushroom soup, another layer of hamburger, onions, celery, carrots, potatoes, and YOU GUESSED IT- zucchini slices and the other half can of cream of mushroom soup.  Sprinkle on some grated cheese, into the oven at 350 for half an hour or so ... until it's all bubbly and cheese is melted and starting to get crusty, the veggies are all cooked fork tender and it's looking like it's time to chow down :)

Until next time ...

So it goes in my neck of the woods.

~mel