Learning to Love Zucchini

When New Man first announced that he was planting a big garden, I had visions of fresh tomatoes, yellow crooked neck squash, and zucchini. I love those three fresh vegetables.

I was thrilled to find that he had planted tomatoes, lots of them. Then I asked about the yellow squash and zucchini and found that he hadn't planted any, and never intended to eat any. He strongly refused to put any of that stuff into his garden... period... end of conversation. Visions of those wonderful dishes I fix with them just faded away. He was adamant, he would not, under any circumstances, let squash pass over his lips.

Well, I can't really blame him if he doesn't like them. I'm sure there are things I don't really like to eat. I can't think of any at the moment, but there must be something I don't like to eat. I was just a tad sad as know how very good these are when I cook them. He was going to miss out. He wouldn't even know how good they are. I had to resign myself to the fact that I'd cook this for myself, and he wasn't going to eat any.

Yesterday I could stand it no longer. I went to the grocery store and brought home some zucchini. He was coming for dinner, and I would make his favorite things. I was also going to make a skillet of my summer delight. So I made the following:

I started with this wonderful pepper bacon... This wonderful stuff is some he brought me from the meat processing plant he uses. It is delicious. I'd never really gotten into eating pepper bacon, but I am hooked on it but good. He absolutely loves it.

So.... I put some in the skillet and started cooking it. Then I threw in some tomatoes, onion, a little garlic, some red and green bell pepper flakes, salt, and pepper... and zucchini. I stirred and stirred, watching it cook and smelling it... yummy.

I put a lid on it and slid it to the back of the stove. New Man arrived and dinner was almost ready. I filled his plate with his favorite foods, then lifted the lid from my zucchini mixture. He leaned over and looked at it. 'What is that?', he asked. I told him that THAT was mine... mine... mine. He wasn't getting any of it. It was just for me, me, me. I told him that I respected his wish not to eat zucchini and wasn't going to give him any of it. He said that he would try a little on his plate. I told him that it was mine, mine, mine, and he wasn't going to get any. He said that he just wanted a taste.

I finally agreed to give him a little... just a little. Remember, it's mine, mine, mine. I scraped it onto my plate and gave him a tiny sample. I have to tell you that he tried it right away. He considered its flavor and pronounced, 'Well, that is okay!' 'Okay?', I said. 'Well, it has a really good flavor', he said. 'Just what did you put in it that makes it so good?' I listed the ingredients starting with his favorite, pepper bacon. He said that he had never eaten zucchini that tasted like that and he believes he can eat that.

All that stuff that is said about the way to a man's heart is through his stomach may be true. It also helps if you add his favorite ingredients. I think I've learned a lesson here. If I season everything with pepper bacon, he will love it. So... there you have it.

I must also tell you that the picture is of the two items that New Man brought me last night. I mentioned that I didn't think he had planted any of either of those. He said that he hadn't, but he 'knew people'. So... he had brought me something that he knew I liked. Points for him!!
Tah Dah!