Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Zucchini

We have a plethora of zucchini at this house. Seriously, we are being over run (this might be partly due to the fact that I pick my zucchini when they are about the size of Kansas). We have given a few away and yesterday I shredded what we haven't been able to eat and ended up with about a gallon and a half of frozen zucchini. I still have a massive zucchini in my fridge. And it's not like we haven't been eating the stuff. I put it in everything. Here are some of the things we have had since our zucchini plant went haywire...

Zucchini bread (several loaves)

Shish-ka-bobs

Zucchini fajitas (surprisingly good)

Pasta with roasted veggies (Shelly's recipe, this was so good we've had it twice and I cooked some for dinner for another family as well)

Regular old fried Zucchini

Grilled zucchini

And last but not least...Zucchini brownies. These were amazing! I made them last night when we had some friends over for dinner and no one could even tell there was zucchini in them. I also took out most of the oil in the recipe so they were nearly fat free brownies. And they were yummy! They do need frosting though...anyone have a good recipe for fat free chocolate frosting. If so, I'm sure we could combine our efforts and make millions with our fat free brownie concoction. So here's the recipe for the best 'healthy' brownies you will ever eat.


1/2 cup vegetable oil (I took out most of the oil and substituted applesauce, next time I think I will take out all the oil)
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 - 1 1/4 cups pureed zucchini (be sure to shred the zucchini and then puree it for better disguising...this way there will be no zucchini chunks in your brownies)


6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup margarine
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F . Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan (flour pan with cocoa).
In a large bowl, mix together the oil, sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla until well blended. Combine the flour, 1/2 cup cocoa, baking soda and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Fold in the zucchini and walnuts. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until brownies spring back when gently touched. To make the frosting, melt together the 6 tablespoons of cocoa and margarine; set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, blend together the confectioners' sugar, milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in the cocoa mixture. Spread over cooled brownies before cutting into squares.


I wish you all lived nearby so that I could supply the zucchini for you to try these out. If you live by me....come on over, if not, go get a zucchini and give these a try!


BTW: I happened upon this recipe today and I'm pretty sure we will be trying it out for dinner tonight. Anyone have any other recipes we should try?

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Jess,
I have TONS of zucchini recipes if you need more. I have had the same problems with zucchini, so I have all kinds of recipes to deal with them. Call me if you want them!

**KT

Aimee said...

We have tons of zucchini so I am seriuosly going to try those brownies!! I will let you know if I like them!

shellydinger said...

I have no zucchini recipes - but I really do wished we lived closer. I think it is a veggie I need to explore a bit more. The brownies sound awesome!

Heather I. said...

Maybe some type of zucchini cookies? It sounds good, at least. I saw zucchini brownies in Deceptively Delicious and wondered what they were like...I may have to try them out sometime!

Squidney Mae said...

I like how you copied Three Amigos and said that you have a "plethora" of zucchini. :)
Squidney Mae (of course, who else would notice you quoted Three Amigos)