Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes!

Yield: 20 standard cupcakes

Cook Time: 30-35 minutes

ingredients:

For the cupcakes:

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
3/4 cup canola oil
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup dutch processed cocoa, sifted
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon

For the frosting:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2/3 cup dutch processed cocoa powder
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two muffin pans with paper liners and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together the brown sugar, butter, and oil. Beat in eggs, one at a time until well incorporated. Stir in vanilla extract, buttermilk, zucchini, and chocolate chips.

3. In a separate large bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients. Add the liquid ingredients and mix until well combined. Spoon batter into large muffin pans, filling them about 3/4 the way full. Bake in the center of the oven for about 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool cupcakes on a wire rack, while you make the frosting.

To make the frosting:

1. Melt the butter. Whisk in the cocoa powder, whisking until smooth. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. Frost the cupcakes with the chocolate frosting. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Store cupcakes at room temperature in an air tight container.

* Note-the frosting makes about 2 cups, you might have a little extra.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup oil

1 3/4 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

1/4 cup baking cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. cloves

1/2 cup buttermilk (or plain yogurt or sour cream)

2 cups shredded zucchini

Frosting:

1 cup shredded coconut

6 TBS. butter, softened

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup milk

In a large bowl, beat butter, oil, and sugar until smooth.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well.  Beat in vanilla.  Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and cloves;  add to batter alternately with buttermilk.  Fold in zucchini.  Pour into greased 13"X9"X2" pan.  Bake at 325 degrees for 45-50 minutes.  Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.

In a bowl, combine frosting ingredients.  Spread over warm cake.  Broil 4-6 inces from heat for 2-3 minutes until golden brown (be careful...can burn very quickly!)  Cool completely before serving.   serves 12-15.

I made it without the frosting, and I used a little vanilla ice cream and fresh berries instead.  
From a friend, Debbie Terry

Zucchini Bread

Just made this today, and it came out super tasty!  I substituted apple sauce for the oil, and a 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour in place of part of the white flour.

Zucchini Bread:

1/2cup (50 grams) pecans or walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

1cup shredded raw zucchini (1-2 zucchini)

1/2 cup peeled and grated raw apple, (about 1 large apple)

1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all-purpose flour

1teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup (120 ml) safflower, corn, or canola oil

1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar

2 large eggs

1teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)

Cream Cheese Frosting:  (optional)

1/4 cup(56 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

4 ounces(1/2 cup) (110 grams) cream cheese, room temperature

3 tablespoonsconfectioners' (powdered or icing) sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Garnish:

Toasted coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)

Zucchini Bread:Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Grease (or spray with a nonstick vegetable spray) a 9 x 5 x 3 inch (23 x 13 x 8 cm) loaf pan. 
Toastthe pecans or walnuts for about 8 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant. Let cool and then chop coarsely.
Grate the zucchini, using a medium grater, and then peel and grate the apple. 
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, and nutmeg. 
In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat theoil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until well blended (about 2 minutes). Beat in the grated zucchini and apple.Add the flour mixture, beating just until combined. Then fold in the nuts and coconut.Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the bread has risen and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 to 60 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool and then remove the bread from the pan. Frost with cream cheese icing, if desired. Well wrapped, this bread will keep for several days at room temperature (if unfrosted) or for several days in the refrigerator (if frosted). This bread can be frozen.
Makes one - 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf.

Frosting:  Beat the butter and cream cheese until very smooth with no lumps. Gradually beat in the  powdered sugar until fully incorporated and smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract. Spread over the top of the cooled zucchini bread. Garnish with toasted coconut, if desired.

(Note:  To toast coconut - Place on a bakingsheet and bake in a 350 degree F (177 degree C) oven for a few minutes until lightly browned. Watch carefully.) 

From joyofbaking.com

Zucchini Boat

*Can easily be made a Vegetarian meal by removing meat.  


One large or two medium zucchini cut in half the long way
ground beef, chicken or sausage
assorted veggie (if you want) - I used purple bell peppers, carrots, onions, and garlic
bread crumbs (1 cup at least)
grated mozzarella cheese
Tomato sauce (spaghetti sauce is good)

cut the zucchini lengthwise and scoop out all the stuff. If the seeds are big, you probably want to push it through a big-hold collander but I never bother. If the zucchini are small, you might want two - this stuff keeps for a week. Put them into a pre-greased lasagna dish or similar with the open part up, skin part down. If the skin is thick, you might want to stripe it.

At the same time, put either sausage meat, chicken or ground beef in a pan and brown it thoroughly. Stir in the zucchini meat, and add whatever else sounds good.

When everything is brown, drain out some of the liquid, if you need to, and add about a cup of bread crumbs. Stir until those are mixed in and you don't see them anymore. At the last minute, you add tomato sauce - I like lots. Jar sauce is fine. Add seasoning if your sauce doesn't have it. Pour from the pan into the hollow zucchinis.

Bake on 350 and after about half an hour, add grated mozzarella. Bake until the cheese is bubbly. If you need to stretch this out, you can lower the heat and bake for longer before you add the cheese, OR you can put in the fridge with no cheese on and re-heat to serve much later. 




Recipe from a friend of mine.  It's a great way to use all that extra zucchini that comes around in the summer time.  

Momma's Veggie Soup

So this recipe is from my mother-in-law and is a huge hit anytime it's served! You could easily leave out the blending and just chop the veggies, whichever you prefer! I added a dash of salt and Italian blend spices, in addition to a can of black beans.

Ingredients:

2 carrots

1 can diced tomatoes

1 onion

2 celery stalks

3-4 potatoes

4 c. water

2 bullion cubes

a few TBs olive oil

pepper to taste

-optional-

1 zucchini

1 can beans, drained

noodles

handful of rice

other spices

Directions:

Chop potatoes into bite sized pieces. Put the other vegetables through the blender. Saute the vegetables in the olive oil in a large soup pan for a few minutes, then add the water and bullion cubes. Bring pot to a boil. Add pepper and any other spices. Reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Add beans, rice, and/or noodles shortly after bringing to a simmer.

Ratatouille

Serves 4 - 6
Total prep and cooking time: about 2 hours

2 medium eggplants, cut into 1" cubes
3 medium zucchini or other summer squash, cut into 1" cubes
2 Tablespoon olive oil
2 onions, diced
2 sweet bell peppers, roughly chopped*
4 - 6 cloves of garlic, minced
2 - 3 large tomatoes, peeled and roughly chopped, juices reserved*
1 Tablespoon fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
2 Tablespoons fresh basil
salt and pepper

Pre-heat oven to 450-degrees Fahrenheit.

Salt the eggplant cubes and set them in a colander to release their liquid for at least 30 minutes. Rinse off the salt and press the cubes against the counter top between two clean kitchen towels to get out as much moisture as possible.

Combine the eggplant with the zucchini and toss with 1 Tablespoon of the olive oil. Arrange the cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet (use two sheets if necessary), and roast them in the oven. Roast for a total of 30 - 40 minutes, stirring the cubes every 10 minutes, until the eggplant has completely softened. Remove trays and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat one tablespoon of oil in a dutch oven or deep sauce pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onions and a pinch of salt, and saute until the onion is completely translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the bell peppers and a pinch of salt, and saute until no longer crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the thyme, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon of salt, and the tomatoes with all their juices into the pot and stir to combine. Simmer for about 5 minutes until the tomatoes have started to break down.

Add the roasted eggplant and zucchini to the pot along with another teaspoon of salt, and simmer until the tomatoes and eggplant have almost completely broken down into a pulpy sauce. Salt and pepper to taste. At this point, you can serve immediately or allow to simmer until the vegetables have completely broken down.

Remove the pot from heat and stir in the basil. Serve hot or room temperature with a drizzle of good olive oil and an extra sprinkling of fresh basil.

From thekitchn.com

Baked Zucchini.

I don't remember exactly where I found this, but it's a quick, easy, and tasty side dish as well as a great way to dispose of extra zucchini that a garden produces.

Servings:4

Prep Time: 10 minutes Bake Time: 35 Minutes

Ingredients:

2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4" slices

2 T melted butter

1 T fresh oregano chopped OR 1 t dried oregano

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

In a large bowl, toss together the zucchini, butter, and oregano. Arrange in a single layer on a greased baking pan or in a greased shallow baking dish. Sprinkle cheese and salt and pepper on top. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown.

Tip: I find it easier to toss the zucchini with only half the butter and then pour the remaining half on top.