Vegetable Gardening - Kitchen Garden

Home Vegetable Garden Information

If you have the space, one of the best things you can do to enjoy nutritious, tasty eating, and save some money, is to grow some of your own food. A "kitchen garden" is not only fun, it's practical and healthy - there's even the added benefit of getting some exercise at the same time. Plus, it's just about the only way you're ever going to taste what the real flavor of a tomato is! What you grow depends on your location, season, and how much space you have to plant.

Probably the best way to save money is to plant herbs. Fresh herbs are expensive at the supermarket; in the garden they are conveniently available, and can save you a few bucks a pop every time you need them for a recipe. Good bets are parsley, basil, sage, rosemary, and oregano.

Our favorite crop is tomatoes. There is no comparison between the flavor of a home grown tomato and the uniformly bland, watery version found in stores. Try growing several different sizes and varieties. If you get a good crop, and have more tomatoes than you can use right away, canning is an ideal solution. Tomatoes can be canned whole, or made in to a base sauce that can be frozen for future use. Last year we even canned some homemade ketchup, which was excellent.

If you have success growing cucumbers where you live, try a variety that is good for both eating and pickling. You can have a fresh ingredient for salads in the summer, and wonderful homemade pickles the year round.

We seldom get a lot of cucumbers, but we do tend to get a bumper crop of zucchini - way more than we can use fresh, even with only a couple plants. For years, we have made sweet pickle slices from zucchini, but only recently discovered that they make excellent dill pickles as well. They don't get as quite as crunchy as cucumbers, but have a delicately richer, deeper flavor.

If you're lucky enough to be able to grow an abundance of berries, use them for fresh baked pies, as well as for jellies, jams, and preserves. They're also great to snack on, right off the vine!

Here are some recipe and canning ideas for that summer crop!

Recipes - Canning

Zucchini & Tomato Gratin
Printable version of recipe
We often use our vegetables in this easy side dish
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2-3 medium zucchini, seeded and sliced
2-3 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup Italian style bread crumbs
salt & pepper, to taste

Saute the zucchini in olive oil until just soft. Season with salt and pepper. Place in a casserole and top with the chopped tomatoes. Season again, and sprinkle with the bread crumbs. Bake at 375° for about 1/2 hour, then broil for a couple minutes to brown the top.
Zucchini Pickles (Sweet)
Printable version of recipe
This recipe is from the Ball Blue Book Of Canning And Preserving Recipes
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2 lb. zucchini, sliced (about 8 small)
1/3 lb. onion, quartered and sliced (about 1 small)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup canning salt
2 cups sugar
2 tsp mustard seed
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp turmeric
3 cups vinegar

Combine zucchini and onion; sprinkle with salt; add cold water to cover. Let stand 2 hours. Drain; rinse and drain thoroughly. Combine remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Pour vinegar mixture over zucchini and onion. Let stand 2 hours. Bring all ingredients to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Pack hot vegetables and liquid into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Adjust two-piece caps. Process 15 minutes in a boiling water canner. Makes about 4 half-pints.
Dill Pickles
Printable version of recipe
This Dill Pickle recipe can be used for both cucumbers and zucchini.
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For each quart:

1/2 lb. pickling cucumbers (about 5-6. If using zucchini, quarter them lengthwise, then cut into 4-5" spears.)
1 Tbsp mustard seed
1 tsp dill seed
a few sprigs of fresh dill
1 garlic clove
2 whole cloves
4 peppercorns
2 cups water
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1 Tbsp pickling salt.
Clean and rinse the cucumbers; pack loosely into hot, clean quart jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Add the dill, garlic, cloves and peppercorns. Make a brine by bringing the water, vinegar and salt to a boil. Pour hot brine over the cucumbers. Adjust two piece lids, and process in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes. Let stand for at least a week before using.

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