I always have great ideas and great plans to plant myself a garden every year.  In my head, I figure out what I want to plant and where I’m going to plant it.  I get excited at the prospect of growing my own food and being able to just walk out my door and get what I need to dinner.

However…

…it never happens.

I don’t know why.  I just never break the ground to start the planting process.  I want to do it.  I really do.  But, every year, the planting season comes and goes and I have nothing to show for it.

Luckily, I have neighbors that love to garden and every year, without fail, hand over some of their food to the poor, unfortunate souls like me, who can’t get a grip and plant their own!!

A couple of days ago, I came home and found a plastic bag hanging on the screen door of my house.  When I peeked inside, I found two large zucchini, two cucumbers, and two kohlrabi.  I secretly did a little fist pump and high-fived my neighbor….’YES!!”

When I was growing up, I remember coming home with my parents and finding plastic bags hanging on their outside door.  It was always a ton of veggies from our neighbor who had a spectacular garden.  I used to always think, “I hope day I have nice neighbors that do things like that for me.”

Mission accomplished.  I have great neighbors who love to garden and who love to share what they grow even more.  I am very grateful!

Zucchini and Red Pepper Patties

Ingredients:

1 large zucchini, shredded (I used my food processor)

1 large red bell pepper, chopped

1 egg

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs

2 teaspoons dried parsley (I prefer fresh, but didn’t have any on hand)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

In a large bowl, add the shredded zucchini, red pepper, egg, cheese, and bread crumbs.  Fold ingredients together until fully combined.

Add parsley, salt, and black pepper.  You may want to use more or less than the recipe calls for, according to taste.

Warm a skillet or griddle to medium heat and add one tablespoon of olive oil.  Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop zucchini mixture onto griddle.  Using a spatula, flatten the scoop out to make a patty.  Cook patty 4-5 minutes on each side or until browned and heated the entire way through.

You can serve these immediately as sandwiches or as a stand-alone side.  They are always great cold and make great leftovers.

Yield: 8-10 patties, depending on size of patty

Maybe next year will be the year that I plant my own garden.

Just maybe.

Do you plant your own garden?
What is your favorite way to prepare zucchini?