What to do with Squash Blossoms

So, if you have planted any type of squash plants (zucchini, pumpkin, summer squash, etc.) in your garden this summer, you probably have a lot of blossoms. You can pick them whether they have a vegetable attached or not. Rather than let them go to waste, here are a couple of easy and delicious recipes. They both are also pretty quick too.

Fried Blossoms:
1-2 eggs for dipping (so just start with one egg)
as many blossoms as you can pick (usually 10-15)
1 pkg. saltine crackers (crushed with a rolling pin)
oil for frying
salt and pepper to taste

Clean blossoms inside and out to rid of bugs. Leave stamen in (or whatever the pollen covered thing is called). Heat oil in a fry pan. Dip each blossom in egg, roll in crackers. Place in pan and salt and pepper once all blossoms are in pan. Brown and turn. Remove and serve with ranch dressing.

***A variation on this that I have not tried, but am pretty sure would be good is to make mock coconut shrimp. Roll in coconut instead of crackers. Serve with a honey and dijon mustard sauce (mix honey and dijon mustard or orange preserves and dijon mustard).***

Squash Blossom Soup

2 cups chicken broth
2 cups squash blossoms (I fill a ziploc sandwich bag and call it good)
1/4 - 1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
2 TBS butter
tabasco sauce

Melt butter in a fry pan, add onion and garlic and cook until transparent. Add broth and cleaned blossoms. Simmer until blossoms are wilted. Transfer mixture to a blender and puree. Transfer to bowls, season with salt, pepper and tasbaco to tasted.

***A variation on this recipe is to roast 1/4 red bell pepper and/or 1 small tomato and add it to the blender. To roast the pepper or tomato, place them under the broiler and allow skin to blacken. Turn so all skin is black and remove. Once they have cooled you can peel them. (I hold them under cold running water, to keep from burning my fingers. Be careful with the tomato, the center will still be hot.***