This recipe was in the April 2008 Publix Greenwise Market publication, which you can pick up for free at your local Publix. I am sure that no one else in the house has tried any of this, but I am enjoying it so much, I don’t care if they eat any of it anyway!

The recipe lists all organic ingredients, but of course, that is optional. And I didn’t have a yellow summer squash, so I just used more zucchini. I think it would be yummy with some Greek black olives added.

I also didn’t bother with the mixing bowl; just poured all the marinade ingredients directly into the resealable bag, mixed well, and then added the veggies. So easy!

Marinated Zucchini & Mushrooms

Prep: 30 minutes
Marinate: 8 to 24 hours

This tempting meld of Mediterranean flavors also boasts valuable antioxidants that promote eye health.

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon organic extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano or ¼ teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 small organic zucchini
• 1 small organic yellow summer squash
• 1 ½ cups fresh whole small Publix GreenWise Market Organic Mushrooms (4 ounces)
• ½ of a small red organic sweet pepper, cut into square pieces (1/2 cup)

One: For marinade, in a small bowl whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, shallot, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper; set aside.

Two: Using a vegetable peeler, shave off long, think strips of zucchini and yellow summer squash. Set a resealable plastic bag in a large bowl and place zucchini, summer squash, mushrooms and sweet pepper in the bag. Pour marinade over vegetables; seal ag. Marinate vegetables in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight, turning bag occasionally.

Three: To serve, drain vegetables, reserving marinade. Arrange vegetables on serving plates or a serving platter; drizzle with reserved marinade.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Nutrition Facts per serving: 38 cal., 3 g. total fat (0 g sat fat), 0 mg. chol., 85 mg sodium, 3 g carbo., 1 g dietary fiber, 1 g protein.

I promised some book reviews, didn’t I? Well, the first part of The Audacity of Hope review can be found at my Leaping From The Box blog. Click on over to read it and then hurry back here so you can read up on the fun I’m having teaching our youngest to drive!

Back already? Just couldn’t wait to read the hair-raising details of Charles’s very first driving day? Well, hate to disappoint you, but he actually did very well. There were no sudden stops, no veering into the ditch when meeting oncoming traffic, no corners taken too fast. There were a couple of instances of swinging too wide when turning a corner and one curb driven over while backing up out of a parking spot, but that was about the extent of the excitement. He drove over an hour in both rural and residential settings, and he even drove up around 50 mph, which was something neither of his siblings did until after several driving sessions. Hopefully future driving excursions will go equally as well.

After the driving time, then it was job hunting time, with stops at about eight different establishments, three of them to update information already given and the other five to pick up new applications. Some of the places were even hiring, so who knows? Maybe Charles will have a job soon!

I can’t believe America voted Michael Johns off American Idol this week! From the current poll running on the American Idol site, many others were just as shocked as I was.

Since I had Michael Johns pegged to make it to the final three, I’ll have to pick someone else to replace him. I don’t think it will be Jason, so which one of the girls? My personal favorite is Brooke, but quite honestly, I don’t think any of them are as good as Michael Johns. So I guess I’ll just choose the bottom two, the two David’s, Archuleta and Cook. Either one of them could win and I would be happy!