I'm freezing zucchini, today, and I'll be graphically visualizing with every slice and chop

[Siwsan]

Hopefully it will be a good outlet for my current state of anxiety/panic/rage.

On the bright side, this is the first good zucchini year I've had in quite a while. And I'm managing to find and pick them before they become baseball bat size.

[shraby]

1. Do yourself a favor and spring for an electric slicer. You'll never regret it.

I used one to slice cukes and onions to make bread and butter pickles. Plus other stuff.

[Siwsan]

2. I have a slicing attachment on my food processor

But I'm going to slice and quarter these thick to use in ratatouille, later. Unfortunately the zucchini is ready before the yellow squash, tomatoes, garlic and peppers and I'm not going to rely on it continuing to produce, once those are ready.

Next year I'm going to stagger planting the zucchini into 2 stages.

[Dem_4_Life]

3. I am re-landscaping my lawn which means that I will finally have more room to plant veggies.

I have been wanting to plant veggies for a long time and just never got around to it. My neighbor has a huge vegetable garden and is always giving me his extra tomatoes. A friend of mine in Utah has a wide variety of what she grows and then she always cans and freezes them throughout the year.

[Siwsan]

4. Growing veg is a very satisfying past time because I can expend a lot of frustrated energy

It's a lot of hard work but it is worth the sweat and sore muscles. I know exactly where they came from and how they were grown, and I get to experiment with 'off the cuff' meals, depending on what's ready for harvest. And it saves me $$$.

I grow tomatoes (low acid, Grape and Roma) squash (zucchini, yellow, sweet dumpling) peppers (green, sweet, chili and this year Scotch Bonnet) peas (snow and shell), beans (black and string) cucumbers and this year, pumpkins.

In past years I've made and froze lots of ratatouille but this year I'll do more stewed tomatoes to use in chili, soups and stews, all Winter long. I

[GulfCoast66]

5. Do you have a vacuum packer to freeze them with?

If not put it on your wish list. Keeps things for months as fresh as, well, fresh.

Can see being without one now.

[Siwsan]

6. I do

I won't use it for these since I'm just interested in preserving them until the tomatoes are ripe.

But I'll definitely use it later in the season for the things that I'll stock up on for Winter use.