I love zucchini! I look forward to zucchini harvest and can't wait to bake it, sauté it, freeze it, grate it, put it into baked goods, and fry it. This summer squash, with it’s mild taste, is low in calories and contains useful amounts of folate, potassium, and Vitamin A.So why do gardeners spent so much energy figuring out creative ways to get rid of their bumper crops of zucchini? One reason is because know matter how many times you recheck the vegetable bed a zucchini often lurks under a leaf or behind the fence. Then one may be so big it is hard to slice it and sauté it. Another reason is because you seem to have one or ten that mature at the same time. No in between. My Uncle Harry’s favorite joke is, “ Don’t drive by my house with your windows open in August. You’ll end up with zucchini in your lap. Ha ha ha.!” That is when I grate and freeze it.
I remember the year JEJ didn’t think the first zucchini plants were going to make it so it planted a few more. They all made it! That was when I learned lots of creative ways to prepare zucchini. I will share some of my favorite recipes during the harvest season. The recipe below is the one I made last week when we had one of those “ ten zucchini” days.
Also, remember many food banks take fresh produce. Before you hook up a slingshot to send zucchini over to your neighbor's yard, call the food bank.
Chocolate Zucchini Cake
½ cup butter at room temperature
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
½ cup buttermilk
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
2 ½ cups flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup chopped walnuts
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat over 350. Cream together the butter, oil, and sugars. Beat in the eggs, vanilla and buttermilk until smooth. Sift together dry ingredients; mix into creamed mixture a little at a time. Stir in the rest of the ingredients. Grease and flour a large bundt pan and pour in batter. Bake an hour and fifteen minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. (I usually check it after an hour)
Let cake cool in pan five minutes, then put on rack to cool. Serves12.
taken from Pacific Northwest: The Beautiful Cookbook
I'll definitely have to try your recipe. My own favorite use of zucchini is as a salad. I'm afraid I don't have exact measurements for it, but I grate a substantial amount of zucchini (estimate your consumers' appetites), then add several sliced green onions, chopped red or green bell pepper, a small avocado (diced), a handful of shredded fresh basil, and seasoned rice vinegar to taste. It can be served immediately but improves if left for an hour or two, although,if left standing,it may have excess liquid that should be drained. The first time my grandson tasted this, he said, "Grandma, how did you make it taste like flowers smell?".
ReplyDeleteThis cake is one of my favorites, too Bring some zuchinni along tomorrow if you have some to spare!!
ReplyDeleteThis looks good enough to eat :) I am always amazed at the things a creative cook can make with the humble zucchini!
ReplyDeleteI've really been enjoying your posts about the bounty and beauty of summer.
beautiful cake and it sounds delightful! :)
ReplyDeletehappy Thursday!
My girls' favorite and I've been looking for this recipe. thanks
ReplyDeleteI LOVE courgettes :) (zuchinnis).... and Im gonna lick and stick ya recipe and have a bash at making it....... I make a wicked courgette bread..... sort of heavy and doughie in the middle (its suppose to be like it)..... its more like a heavy cake then bread but mine LOVE it spread with thick butter.......
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Yum! I am going to try this one out. Thanks for stopping by my blog. If the district didn't have the support thatit has, I might not be so eager to do the national boards. What do you teach?
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