Garden Fresh Zucchini Lasagna

The garden has been producing amazing amounts of zucchini, so much so, we are having a hard time keeping up to eating it all. I have grilled, fried, sauteed, shredded, mixed, baked, breaded, well, you get the picture. We have eaten a lot of zucchini. So, it is time to start putting some away for the winter. What a treat it will be to pull out a pan of this amazing lasagna in the dead of winter and be transported back to summer.

Sauce:

5 Red Peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 Green Peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 White Onions, coarsely chopped
1 Zucchini, coarsely chopped
5 cloves of garlic, sliced
3 Ribs of Celery, chopped
2 cans of petite tomatoes
2 Cups water
1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
2 T Worcestershire Sauce
3 Bay Leaves
2 tsp Dried Basil
2 tsp Dried Oregano
1 T Fresh Thyme
1 T Fresh Tarragon
1 T Fresh Sage

In a large sauce pot, cook onions, peppers, celery, garlic, zucchini for 15 minutes or until everything is softened. Add the herbs, tomatoes, water, balsamic vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Cook until the vegetables are very soft, nearly 90 minutes.

Remove bay leaves. Blend with immersion blender or a regular blender. If you use a regular blender, you will need to do it in batches. Be very careful not to splash the sauce on you.

Once blended, adjust seasoning if needed. ( Add more salt, pepper, herbs to reach the flavour you like.)


Filling:

2 48 oz containers of cottage cheese
1 56 oz container of ricotta
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1 10 oz box of frozen spinach, thawed, and squeezed to remove any water
1 tsp basil

Just dump everything into a large bowl and mix.

Layers:

Zucchini sliced on a mandolin. The number of zucchini needed is going to depend on what size your zucchini are. Because ours are from the garden, they are on the large size. If you are using zucchini from the grocery store, they are a lot smaller, so you'll need about a dozen. From the garden, 4-5.

2 boxes of pre-cooked lasagna noodles.
6 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Assemble the lasagna:

1. Spoon enough sauce into the pan to cover the bottom well.

2. Place a layer of zucchini.

3. Spoon a thin layer of the filling.















5. Place a layer of noodles.

6. Place a thin layer of sauce.
7. Place a thin layer of zucchini and start the process all over until the pan is filled.
8. Top with a layer of sauce.
9. Top with a layer of mozzarella cheese.

I par-bake mine at 350 degrees for about 30-40 minutes. Because I use aluminum pans, I let them cool and them cover with an aluminum lid.  This made 4 pans of lasagna. Off to the freezer they go.

Note: You could also substitute eggplant for zucchini. I made a pan of that. You can also forget about the pasta for an all vegetable lasagna. Experiment!

Restarting my study log for the MCAT

So after a break from the campaign trail, followed by recovering from the campaign, getting back to being a mom and wife, and gardening to reclaim my soul.....now it is time to get serious about daily studying. The exam is not too far away. The goal has been set for August 15th at 8:00 am.

Sure I have been studying a bit here and there. Working on physics mostly. But my study habits have not been near what they were and I have stopped blogging regularly. So starting today, I will be back at the routine. As a result, I will be reworking the study routine.

I am learning that becoming a DOC has little to do with intelligence and more to do with discipline, perseverance, determination, and beating your mental blocks. At the end of this portion of my journey, I am sure I will be stronger as a person. Just need to keep pushing forward.

Returning after being on the Campaign Trail - Lessons Learned

I have been working on this post for a week now. Trying to ensure that I convey what I learned, not just my emotions. Over the last five months, I took a break from my pursuit of medical school and conquering of the MCAT to make a new friends and fight for my state - in truth, I took a break to manage a congressional campaign. The lessons learned. Wow. There are so many. 

Now that I am back in my Chick-Fil-A booth, returning to my studies, I feel it may be time to reflect upon the last five months, the lessons learned, the people met, and how that 5 month break will make me a better physician.

1. Listen more, talk less. 

This is a lesson my family and close friends have been trying to teach me for years. Listen. Listen to the body language. Listen for what is really being asked. Take a microsecond to reflect and then give a short answer. Don't get trapped by revealing all your thoughts and feelings on a subject. Just answer the question. 

2. Don't judge - you don't know another person's story. 

Traveling through seventeen counties, you meet a ton of people. People from all walks of life, political stripes, economic backgrounds. Each person has their own story and often times what you think the story is - well, you're flat out wrong. As I write this, I am reflecting upon one person in particular. I judged too quickly. We were on opposing sides, therefore, my initial view was tainted. I allowed that point of view to construct my opinion before I even had a real conversation with this individual. I was wrong. (Yes, there is it is in bold print.) I was flat out wrong.

In politics, it seems that everyone has an alternative personality. An armor of sorts that they develop to protect themselves from the slimy cronies lurking around every corner that are trying to destroy them. When you first meet someone, you are meeting their armor, not them. It takes time and more time for most of them to let you know their real story. I think meeting patients for the first time will be the same. They will have their own armor and story. I will have to build trust with them in order for them to tell me their story. 

 3. The person who speaks less is usually the one who actually wants to fix the problem.

The public as a whole is frustrated with government - both sides. Very few problems get fixed. Part of this is our fault as an electorate. We are uneducated about the process of government and how things work. Heck, most of the time, we don't even know when the election is. 

As a patient, I have often found that the doctor who speaks the least amount of words often fixes the problem the quickest. They just go straight to work solving the issue. Politics is the same. The candidate that speaks the least actually has the most to say. They are just to busy solving the problem to talk.

4. You never know when the ride will end, so enjoy it. 

If you know me well, you know I am a work-a-holic and a person that loves to be on a project. If you are on a project with me, it's awesome. If you are my family or close friends, it is awful. I believe in saying yes, and figuring out the rest later. I tend to think I can do all things, it's just a matter of prioritizing at that moment - some might say, "Triaging." One could argue that my family often suffers because I am riding the ride. However, that is a view from the outside in. 

If you have seen me on the campaign trail or on a project, you have probably met Emma, Nolan, or Savannah, and maybe even, Brooke, my little sister. You have probably met Becca, my dear friend's daughter, or any of a number of their friends. Every project I have ever taken on, I have always taken the kids in my life along for the ride. I want them to experience life, all the opportunities it offers and all the challenges it provides. How are they suppose to know how to deal with real life if they don't ever see it. Besides - you never know when the ride might end, so work hard and enjoy the journey. 

 5. Never meet a stranger.

When meeting new people, find common ground. We are all human. You have something in common with everyone. Everyone breathes, everyone feels (even if it is only a little bit), everyone has an experience that you can learn from. Ask good questions, listen to the answers, and find common ground. When all else fails - I revert to hugs. You just can not go wrong with a hug! 

6. Give someone a chance.

This one is a very personal lesson for me. Someone took a chance on me. I have never managed a campaign before. Heck, I have worked a total of 9 official months in politics before this race. I owe someone a chance. A chance at winging it. A chance at googling staff titles and responsibilities. A chance at doing their best. A chance at coming up short. A chance at changing the world one mistake at a time.