We are going to Montana in August…visiting ‘Grandma and Grandpa that live on the farm.’  It’s not much of a farm, but it is a nice spot of land in the middle of nowhere.  And by nowhere, I mean 7 miles outside of a town that boasts a population of 2,000.

My parents may not have loads of farm animals, but what they do have is a ‘farm-worthy’ garden.  I grew up with ears of corn, raspberry patches, watermelon, root vegetables and everything in between IN MY BACKYARD.  We ate fresh every night during the summer.  My mom would go with a colander to the backyard and pick lettuce along with everything else that would go into the dinner salad.  Some nights she would send us kids out with bowls to pick strawberries while she made the shortcake and whipped cream. (How idyllic!)

I didn’t always love eating vegetables as a kid…OKAY I may have hid them in my napkin from time to time.  But, I did learn to love them over the years and now I’m making my kids love them too.  And I’m also checking their napkins. 🙂

The other night I made a zucchini tart for dinner and was kind of surprised that the entire family ate it.  Sometimes you have to shoot for the stars and eventually all the little people at the dinner table get on board!  But, zucchini, it’s like the thing in your garden that goes a little nuts.  People that grow zucchini are always trying to give it away.  Give BAGS of it away!  My mom was always making different zucchini recipes to use up the produce, so I thought of her when I made my tart.  Then a few days later, I made zucchini muffins.  And I don’t even half a zucchini plant in my backyard.  I just like vegetables!  See, mom, I’m a success story!!

If you’re feeling healthy and want to try the tart, click here.  It’s really good and I served mine with fresh peaches…it was a perfect summer dinner.

I think I need one of those infomercial batter distributor-thingys.  I’m quite messy!  Oh and here’s the muffin recipe.

Two dozen muffins had disappeared by the next morning.  Now, we did have friends over for dinner, but the kids kept coming back for more.  And I didn’t find zucchini in anybody’s napkin!  Success!!

-Kristin