Zerving Zucchini

That delightful time of year has arrived when we have to lock our car doors to ensure nobody will leave their excess zucchini on the car seat.  Last week we harvested enough zucchini that I made the decision to pull out the remainder of the vines for the trash truck.  I'm not sure if there is a law against that, so please don't tell anybody what I did.    

We left a Walmart bag with some of our produce on the front porch of Girlfriend-Next-Door, and she reciprocated with a bag of cherry tomatoes from her mini-farm.  

This evening we had a homemade soup made with some of our veggies.  I am sharing the recipe with you because even on the Internet, zucchini is the gift that keeps on giving.

Zucchini Pepper Beef Soup

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 chopped onion

1 bell pepper (any color)

1/4 pound ground chuck

4 cups fresh zucchini, chopped into cubes (leave the skin on)

15 oz stewed tomatoes

1 cup chopped carrots

4 cups beef stock

2 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon Lawrey's Seasoned Salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

In a 6-quart stock pot heat the oil on medium high heat and then brown the onions and bell pepper.  Cook till they are soft.  Add the ground chuck and continue cooking until the meat is no longer pink.  Add zucchini and carrots, cooking and occasionally stirring for 5 minutes.

I like to combine all of the dry seasonings on top
of the tomatoes while still in the can.

Add tomatoes, water, stock, and seasonings.  Turn the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil; then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes.

Onions, peppers,  and beef are browning before the liquids were added.

Dinner is served.

Our menu was the soup, homemade whole wheat bread with margarine, fresh grapes, and iced tea.  This was a warming soup, both in temperature and in spiciness.