Paper Towel Magic

View it here!

Thanks to Terry W. for passing along the Paper Towel Magic and also this bit of information as a follow-up to Barbara's recipe for Zucchini Gazpacho in yesterday's eMo, "A BASKET OF SUMMER FRUIT. MAKE THAT TWO BASKETS."
"Your recipe sounds great. I do have a solution for too much basil other than making and freezing pesto. You can fill ice cube trays with basil leaves, cover with water and when they're frozen put them in freezer bags. Last summer I had a lot of tomatoes that didn't ripen before the first frost. A friend advised me to allow them to ripen then clean them and simply freeze them on cookie sheets and put them in freezer bags. I had home grown tomatoes for soups and sauces most of the winter. She's a farm wife so I figured she knew whereof she spoke when she said there's no need to blanch them or peel them. When they thaw out the peel slips right off if you don't want to use it."
. . . and more responses to that eMo:
"I just made the season's first batch of pesto yesterday, and it was outstanding, especially piquant with fresh garlic. You mention freezing it -- which if you don't already, you might try doing in ice cube trays, then dump it all into a plastic bag in the freezer. That way, you can pop as much as you need into dishes all winter. Just one cube into plain old canned tomato soup makes all the difference!" - Will M.

"What about bringing baskets to soup kitchens, day care centers and schools, hospices, etc.? It might seem obvious, but sometimes people forget." - Christine

Hello Barbara and Q,
"Sitting in the dentist office this morning, I discovered a magazine Mid West [like Southern Living] with more "Z" recipes. I have been making 4 to 6 loaves of zucchini bread for several weeks and giving them away. One recipe was a keeper for me: make chocolate cake recipe according to directions on the box, add a cup of shredded zucchini, a cup of chocolate chips, put in bundt /tube pan and bake according to directions. Solves the need for 'what to do about more zucchini' and my vitamin C [aka chocolate]". - Blessings,Paula

. . . speaking of tomatoes and basil I came across this recipe:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/heirloom-tomato-and-basil-tart-recipe/index.html