Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms

A few years ago my sister and I were living together. As we always did on Saturdays, we ventured to the farmers market getting produce for the week and looking for new treasures. One particular Saturday we came across a booth that was selling zucchini blossoms. We remembered eating them from the garden before but never really knew how to prepare them just right. Once we got home my sister then proceeded to whip together a filling and we stuffed and battered the blossoms for frying. They were so amazingly good we have been talking about them for years. This year I have been growing my own garden and I have had plenty of extra male squash blossoms so I thought I would give it a shot.

Bacon and cheese stuffed zucchini blossom

You will need:
10-15 Squash Blossoms (I recommend Zucchini)
1/3 C Cream Cheese (Softened)
1/4 C Shredded Romano or Parmesan Cheese
1/4 C Chopped Cooked Bacon (Optional)

Tempura Batter
Vegetable Oil

Gently clean blossoms and remove anthers from the center of the flower by snapping off or cutting. 

Mix together filling then 
gently fill each blossom to division of the petals. Tuck and tie petals so stuffing will not come out.  

Bring temperature of oil up to med-high. Mix up tempura batter according to directions on package. Cover blossoms on all sides. Spin blossom on spoon in batter to help petals stick together so stuffing does not come out in oil. Once all sides are golden brown remove from oil to cool then eat.

Stuffed zucchini blossoms with tomato basil pasta

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What is Love?

Other than a rockin 90's classic this idea has been kicking around my brain as of late. I think I know what it is to me, but I wonder what it is to others. As a woman of faith, my idea of love is heavily based in what I know in my heart to be true about life and what I am here for. Acting on that love is the hard part. People can talk big when it comes to love but don't live it each day. Some examples that come to mind are Bob Marley and John Lennon. Both were beautiful musicians and poets. They wrote and sang with their souls about love and how we need more of it but neither one seemed to grasp what that really meant in their personal lives.

I am far from perfect, infact I struggle daily with showing love to those closest to me. If my neighbors only heard how I scold my son through out the day for being a crazy menacing three year old they would think I was a shrewd woman unfit for motherhood. I find it difficult to keep it together some days when I have had little sleep and have to repeatedly tell him to stop trying to sit on the dog or not just break down in tears when he stomps on my plants.

So how do we love when it is hard? How do I swallow my pride and take a breath when I just want to scream and be alone for a measly 30 minutes. Every now and then I have to give myself a pep talk, reminding the crazy lady inside that I chose this lifestyle. I wanted to be a stay at home mom. Some people cannot do this, I am blessed beyond measure and three year olds turn four one day. I think a lot of people find it easier to show love to strangers than the family they see daily. 

Can love get used up? I don't believe that is true. I know that we do need a spiritual refill from time to time. How one chooses to do that is different for everybody. I personally needs music in my life. Music can speak to me in a way simple words alone cannot. I can't explain it but I know my life without is bleak. When a song speaks to me I feel the spirit move through me. I start to cry and smile. I can't explain why, it just touches my inner core in a way nothing else can. 

The band System of a Down came out with the album Toxicity in 2001 , They do not make any claims specifically about faith in their music, but the song Science has always lingered in the back of my head when I think about the power of music to move or convey a feeling. The lyrics repeat "Spirit moves through all things". I think there is so much truth to that. In love, the spirit is what carries us through each trial. Love sets us apart from other animals and other people. When someone has love in their heart it shows in their life. How we treat one another verbally and physically, how we care for our planet and how we care for animals. It is all connected and is a reflection of love.

I try to base my life from the teachings in the bible, it is the text I am the most familiar with and for me holds true time and time again. I am continuously seeking love in different ways and trying to learn how to show it more. I recently looked into Dr. Gary Chapman's "Love Languages" to try to get a better understanding of what is important to me in how I receive love. The more completely you receive love the better chance you will be able to give it more freely.

I think that love, when given freely, can be a very powerful transfer of energy for your spirit. It fills you up so then you can in turn give it away. That constant cycle is what I am striving for in my home. As a wife and mother I want to be able to be a conductor in the recharging station of love.

What are your thoughts on love? Where does it come from? Where does it go?

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