I'm always looking for new recipes using zucchini, so thanks for contributing a couple more to the collection. These are especially timely as the zucchini are rapidly taking over every square inch of available space in the crisper drawer in the refrigerator.

It's going to be Zucchini Pizza Casserole tonight! I'll bake it in a solar oven to keep the heat out of the kitchen today. That's about the only good thing about sunny and 105-degree temperature expected --- AGAIN!

-Grainlady

One of my favorites is to coarsely grate zucchini and saute it very lightly. Before it releases a lot of liquid, it's done. Add yogurt and serve over a relatively small amount of pasta with plenty of freshly grated cheese. Quick, no oven, and delicious.

My mom also makes a great chocolate zucchini bread if you're interested in that recipe. We love zucchini:)

Kate

Here is a favorite recipe using zucchini:

Zucchini and Cheese Quesadilla

3 small zucchini, grate and sprinkle with 1/2 t. salt
12 flour tortillas
1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
4 TB finely chopped red onion
2 TB or more canned diced green chiles
1 TB or more finely chopped fresh cilantro

Put grated zucchini in a colander, sprinkle with the salt and let drain 5 minutes. Squeeze dry.

Heat oven to 500 degrees. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Lay out 6 tortillas on sheet. Top with zucchini, cheese, onion, chiles, and cilantro. Top with second tortilla. Press down firmly before baking 5-7 minutes. Cut each quesadilla into wedges to serve with salsa and sour cream if desired.

Italian Crescent Zucchini Pie is another good way to use up that zuke abundance! I used Dijon mustard instead of yellow when I make this.

Here is a link that might be useful: Italian Crescent Zucchini Pie

Thanks for the other ideas. Yes, Kate, please share your recipe too.

I have a great zucchini relish recipe if you would like it.
It's like a sweet pickle relish.

Linda

Not really a recipe, but DH's favorite way to have zucchini. Sliced 1/4 thick, coated and pan-fried along with fish fillets cooked the same way, or, dipped in batter and deep-fried.

Linda, the more the merrier.

Two thumbs up for the Zucchini Pizza Casserole!!!

I made 1/4 recipe (6.5 x 8.5-inch pyrex baking dish), which made 4-servings for us. Really dry zucchini works best in this recipe (in my opinion). I grated it on the large holes (1/4-inch) on my box grater.

A good recipe for anyone avoiding gluten or on a low-carb diet. After you make it once, you'll see a lot of potential to alter the recipe for any kind of pizza you'd like. Use sausage instead of ground beef, or a mixture of the two. I used a 50/50 blend of ground beef and ground gluten (aka "wheat meat" or seitan).

Almost any kind of cheese will do. Add mushrooms to the meat mixture. I could see adding the sauce to stir-fried veggies and making a vegetarian pizza casserole on "Vegetarian Friday" at our house.

I made the Italian Tomato Sauce with 2 t. tomato powder, enough water to make a sauce, a little red wine vinegar and Italian spices. LOVE that tomato powder!

The amount of cheese in the "crust" is more important than how much you use to top the casserole. We'll have the other two pieces reheated for lunch tomorrow. ;-)

It worked very well in the solar oven.

-Grainlady

Grainlady, only in the 90s here, lows in the 70s. All darned week, I hate summer! Always have and it's not getting better. Sigh. I'm going to have to move to Alaska!

My favorite zucchini recipe is this gratin, from Eating Well magazine, but I also love Sol's zucchini pancakes.

Gratin of Zucchini & Tomatoes

* 3 cloves garlic, crushed
* 2/3 cup fresh basil leaves
* 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
* 2 cups fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs, divided
* 1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion, such as Vidalia
* 3 large ripe tomatoes, diced
* 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
* 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
* 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
* 3 medium zucchini, (about 1 3/4 pounds total), sliced on the bias about 1/4 inch thick
* Freshly ground pepper, to taste
* 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400�F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish (or similar gratin dish) with cooking spray.
2. Place garlic, basil and thyme on your chopping board; mince well. Spread half the breadcrumbs evenly in the prepared baking dish. Strew onion over the breadcrumbs. Distribute half the diced tomato over the onion, then sprinkle with half the garlic-herb mixture. Sprinkle with vinegar and 1/8 teaspoon salt.
3. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add a third of the zucchini; you want it to saut�, not stew, so don't crowd it. Saut�, turning the pieces once, until golden and not quite tender, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per side. When the slices are done, use a fork to transfer them to the gratin, overlapping the slices. Cook the remaining zucchini in two batches, each time using 2 teaspoons oil. Strew the remaining tomatoes and garlic-herb mixture over the zucchini. Season with the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and a grinding of pepper. Toss the remaining 1 cup breadcrumbs with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle over the gratin.
4. Bake the gratin until bubbly hot, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with Parmesan.

Nutrition

Per serving : 302 Calories; 15 g Fat; 3 g Sat; 9 g Mono; 7 mg Cholesterol; 31 g Carbohydrates; 12 g Protein; 7 g Fiber; 514 mg Sodium; 885 mg Potassium

Sol's Zucchini Pancakes

2 cups grated zucchini
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons melted butter (more for greasing the pan)
3/4 cup AP flour
1 1/2 tablespoons water
1/3 cup grated parmesean cheese
Black Pepper and Salt to taste *
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Preheat a frying pan over medium heat. Combine all pancake ingredients in a bowl, except for the water. Mix until smooth, then add enough water to make a thin batter (you shouldn't need more than 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons). Mix until just combined.

For 6-inch pancakes, add about 1/3 cup of batter to greased pan and cook 1-2 minutes per side.

Serve with double cream brie (or your favorite melting cheese), roasted tomatoes and chives.

*Add all the black pepper you like, but use a light hand with the salt, as parmesan provides some saltiness. I normally add 1/8 teaspoon salt, and find it's plenty. Enjoy.

I'm going to have to give that zucchini cobbler recipe a try too, and the grandkids might like the pizza casserole, I'll try that out on them! Thanks.

Annie

Annie, do you want to come stay at my house and I'll stay at yours?
I only made it to about 60 degrees here today and rained all danged day. Yesterday too. Last weekend too.

I want sun!
My pepper plants are only about a foot high, I have NO zucchini yet. No cukes. Cherry tomatoes are the size of BB's and the others are just starting to flower.

We're stuck in April.
April felt like February.
I'm just hoping that November will feel like July because that's about when my produce is going to ripen...

I'm saving this thread though, just in case we get zukes!
I have one the size of my pinky...if it doesn't rot from the rain, maybe I can chop it up in a salad or something.

Sigh.

Deanna

It was 108 Saturday, 106 Sunday (lows in the low to mid 80's) and more of the same for the rest of the month. And then it usually turns hot in August!!!

I pulled out a bunch of the garden because of heat stress. Several of the rain barrels are empty so we have to carry water farther to do the watering. The green beans are just setting on and I hope they make it. Zucchini, tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers all yielding well (so I can still have my seasonal favorite - Zucchini Caponata), but the tomatoes are splitting from the heat. Lettuce, peas, spinach and carrots were done 3 weeks ago and it's time to plant the fall crop, but that's not bloody likely going to get done in this heat.

ZUCCHINI CAPONATA

1/3 c. olive oil (I use about 1-2 T.)
1 c. chopped onions
1/2 c. sliced celery
1/4 c. chopped yellow bell pepper
1/4 c. chopped red bell pepper
3 c. cubed zucchini
2 c. seeded, chopped tomatoes
2 T. chopped fresh basil or 2 t. dried basil leaves
1 t. salt (I use less)
1/4 t. pepper
2 T. lemon juice
1/2 c. small pitted ripe olives
2 T. capers, drained (optional)

Heat oil in heavy 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, celery and peppers. Cook and stir 5-10 minutes or until tender. Add zucchini, tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium; cook 15-20 minutes or until vegetables are softened, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in remaining ingredients. Refrigerate 8-12 hours or overnight. Serve with pita bread wedges. Makes 4-cups.

Serving: 1/4 c.
calories: 60
protein: 1 g
carb.: 3 g
sodium: 170 mg

-Grainlady

One of my favorite simple ways to have zucchini as a side to roast/grilled chicken or pork:

Thickly sliced zucchini
Thickly sliced fennel bulb
Salt/pepper
Olive oil

Saute veggies together in skillet on medium high heat until browned on both sides and "al dente". Depending on how much you're cooking, you might need to do this in batches. The flavors of the zuch and fennel meld really well together. Serve warm with a dusting of parmesan cheese and squeeze of fresh lemon.

seagrass

Deanna, I'd glady trade, 60s is perfect for me, my thermostat never goes about 55F in the winter. anything above 80f and I b*tch and moan, I hate heat.

Grainlady, 108F. Nope, I'd have to move. We had a cold wet spring, but right now it's 80F with 83% humidity. Ugh. And that's at 9:30 am. It's supposed to be "down to" 89F by Friday.

Gardens are loving this weather, though, it's like a greenhouse. I picked a nice cucumber last night, I've already picked a couple of zucchini, peppers are going crazy And Elery's pink half runner beans have already climbed to the top of the pool fence. We'd be eating collards but the bugs beat us, there are more holes than leaves.

Seagrass, zucchini and fennel sound really good, I love fennel, Now I'm going to have to look for some, it's not very commonly seen around here in the stores.

Annie

I make a zucchini dish that is like Eggplant Parmiggiana, but I substitute zucchini for the eggplant. It is not necessary to salt and drain the zucchini, but I saute it first before layering it with cheeses and tomato sauce.

I had thought about visiting Portland next month, but when I saw how the weather was, we decided to go to Maui instead. I bought our tickets yesterday. It will be hot there, but we will have the ocean for cooling off, etc. In general, I do not travel to find better weather, since I am usually content with what I have here. I will definitely travel to find warmer water, however! The ocean here is always frigid.

Lars

The zucchini fairy left a fairly large squash for me on the kitchen counter this morning. Said it was "hiding" under a leaf. I think I'm going to try Lars' suggestion and make a dish of zucchini parm for supper.

seagrass

I don't usually like zucchini bread..but
mixed with Chocolate and it was so very edible. :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Moist Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Grainlady:
I make the Zuccini Capanota like yours but add some Nuked Potato, cut into diamond shaped pieces.

We called it a Zuccini Stew. Your name is fancier !!!
LOU

Terri!! Welcome back, I've missed you...

Annie

Grainlady:
After rereading your ingredients , I realized there were 2 other items missing.

I also add Garlic and Simmered Italian Sausage pieces.

Maybe that is why I called it a Stew ???
LOU

I have made this for years, it only takes one zucchini, but it's a start. Made it for lunch today, if just me and DH I add a little more chili powder and cumin and get the hot V-8. The original recipe says to cook the veggies, then the beef and all kinds of things. I just brown the beef and add everything else. The original recipe also says to add 1T. cornstarch to the V-8, I don't do this, our hamburger is our own beef and very lean.
Very good, or we like it!

Tacos

1 T. oil
2 med. carrots, coursely chopped
1 lg. zucchini (7-8 inches long), cut into 1/4 " cubes
1 c. fresh corn kernels, cut from cob
1 lb. lean ground beaf
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. chili powder
1 t. ground cumin
1 c. thinly sliced green onions ( including tops)
1 (6 oz.) can spicy V-8
Salt
Shredded jack cheese

Brown ground beef, garlic and onions and drain. Add carrots, zucchini,
corn, chili powder and cumin and cook until vegetables are almost done. Add salt.
Serve on lettuce leaves or flour tortillas with cheese.

Here's a very simple way we like to use zucchini.

Zucchini Medley

Zucchini sliced into rounds
Mushrooms, sliced
Onions cut into larger pieces
Red and Green Peppers, bite size
Cherry Tomatoes, cut in half
Oregano
Basil
Parmesan cheese

You can add any veggies you like but these are the ones we like. Saute zucchini, peppers, onions, mushrooms or veggies of your choice till tender in olive oil. Season to taste with dried oregano, and basil. When almost done, add halved tomatoes to warm, & top with parmesan cheese.

Also check over on Allrecipes for Zucchini "Crab" Cakes which are pretty good.

Zucchini makes a nice tempura.

And, of course, a ratatouille.

My dad grew zucchini one summer. The garden was overflowing with the stuff, that was seemingly all we ate. For the next 20 years I didn't care for it. Now I'm finally coming back to the vegetable. We've made our peace, zucchini and I.

That was also the summer he lived on the deer that he ran down with his Vega and that I, an urban boy who'd never so much as disassembled a broiler chicken, was required to disembowel and dismember with gardening tools from the garage. What an experience. I'm surprised it didn't turn me into an axe murderer. I'll tell that story someday.

terri pacnw-THANK YOU for the Chocolate Zucchini Bread recipe!!! Since I'm an extreme chocoholic, I am very grateful to get this recipe. I'll make it tomorrow, or as soon as the standard zucchini bread I'm now baking in my oven, is consumed. :-)

Robin

johnliu,

It wouldn't surprise me to see a short film at Sundance. Go for it.

What color was the Vega??

seagrass

Silver-gray, if I recall - it was a pretty forgettable car actually - but must have blended with the moonlit road that night, to the deer's great but brief dismay.

Zucchini Relish
10 Cups ground zucchini
4 cups ground onions
1 green pepper ground
1 red pepper ground
5 Tbsp canning salt
4 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups vinegar (I use apple cider)
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp dried mustard
1 tsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp finely ground pepper
Mix together the zucchini, onions, peppers and salt.
Let stand overnight. Drain in morning and wash in cold water.
In a large pot add to the zucchini mixture the sugar, vinegar, spices, cornstarch and pepper.
Bring to a boil and cook for 20 mins.
Pour into clean pint jars and process for 30 mins in a BWB

Linda

John, I don't think it has anything to do with whether the deer can see the car. here in michgian we have crazy kamikazi suicide deer, they'll stand in the road and I swear they're thinking "look, there are two lights, I'll bet I can run between them".

I hit nine of the rats on hooves in eleven months a few years ago, 8 of them with the same vehicle, a white Buick Electra. the local newschannel made a new logo for Newaygo County, a deer jumping in front of a Buick. (Our current logo is a deer jumping in front of pine trees).

I'll bet zucchini would be good stir fried with venison.

Annie

Robin, you are welcome..I hope you like it.

Linda, that is almost exactly the same recipe I use for zucchini relish, but I like to add half yellow squash and half zucchini because it looks prettier. I think I also add some allspice and don't do the cornstarch. I chop it instead of grind it, because I think it looks prettier!!!LOL

A few years ago I won grand prize with that recipe at our local county fair. Last year we were at a big fair and I was looking at zucchini relish and my DH told me I should have entered mine because it looked alot better than any of those, but I'm sure tasted the same!

My zucchini aren't doing much, but my yellow squash and cucumbers are and I don't know how in this heat!

Trixietx:
Did you win a good prize, for your efforts ???

Annie:
I think I said this before.

A farmer called the Game commission and wanted the
" Deer Crossing Signs " taken down.

He said " too many deer were getting hit crossing there ".

LOU

This is a great way to use up large zukes that are too big for sauteeing, etc. I always have shredded zucchini in the freezer to make my cake with.

I also don't have a sweet tooth, so I don't ice it. It freezes and travels well, and it's great to take to a potluck. The recipe gets requested often.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake
1/2 cup butter
1 3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour milk (add 1 tsp vinegar)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 cup flour
4 tbsp cocoa
1/2 cup oil
2 cups grated zucchini

Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs well. Add sour milk and vanilla.

Blend baking soda and powder with flour. Add cocoa to butter mixture, add flour.

Combine oil and zucchini; add to batter. Mix and pour into a 9x9 pan. Bake at 350 degrees 35-40 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.

trixietx
That sounds good. Next time I make it I'll use half zucchini and half yellow squash.
Please post your recipe. I would like to try it.

Linda

I LOVE Trixie's squash relish! YUMMMMM-MY!

Lou, sure a rosette ribbon! LOL

Linda, the only difference is my recipe also calls for a teaspoon of allspice and I really doubt that matters.

John and Annie, deer season here needs to be open season, they are very destructive, eat our crops and we can't even grow a garden anymore in the field because of them. I have a little garden at my house and that may be all we have this year. We usually have about an acre at the field and probably a half acre of cantalope and watermelon. I don't think last year we got one catalope or melon.

Trixie, it needs to be open season here too, although portions of the state have areas where you can shoot five does each day through deer season.

The only way to get the herd under control is to shoot the does. Somehow everyone wants bucks, not like you can eat those horns or anything, sheesh. Wisnconsin had a rule a few years ago, you could only shoot a buck after you shot a doe. That's when they were having a problem with Chronic Wasting Disease (the deer equivalent of mad Cow). It's prevalent in over-crowded conditions. Here we are having a problem with TB being spread to the cattle herd by deer coming up to the hay feeders. Every time I fill a hay feeder I look outside and there are deer eating the hay that I've paid good money to cut and store for my livestock. I think I should just be able to shoot them, if I feed them, I should be allowed to eat them. Pah. Rats on Hooves.

Here gardens without fencing or without dogs in the yard are just called "deer plots".

OK, now, zucchini. That's nearly the relish recipe I use too, it must be very popular! I also make "zucchini candy" in the dehydrator, the grandkids love the stuff and it comes out a lot like gummy worms. Probably not so healthy, with all that sugar. I got the recipe from LindaLou at Harvest.

Zucchini Candy

10 cups peeled diced zucchini 1/2 inch cubes 3 cups water
2 pkgs. unsweetened Koolaid
2 1/2 cups sugar

Peel zucchini, diced, removing seeds. Mix the liquid syrup together. Add zucchini. Bring to a boil and them simmer for 25 min. Drain. Put on dehydrator trays. Dry 14 hours at 125 degrees. Turn pieces over and dry another 4 hours. This will feel dry and not sticky when done. Store in jars or other tightly sealed containers.If you dip in sugar when you turn them, they will be more like "gum drops" on the outside.

You can do the same thing with the zucchini
but use 48 oz. pineapple juice
2 T. pineapple extract
2 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice

Annie

We like to slice them in half lengthwise, rub olive oil and herbs on them, and throw them on the grill for a bit.

These recipes do look good though. We actually pay for zukes here. But next year I'm gonna plant some!

CNN had this post on their website today. There's some good ideas as to how to use up that zucchini.

Here is a link that might be useful: Quick & Tasty Zucchini Recipes

Justed want to post to say I made the zucchini pizza casserole and the chocolate zucchini bread. Both were just the best. The grandkids ate the casserole and only one asked, "what the green stuff at the bottom was".

Donna, Terri pacnw, Thanks to you both for the recipe.

I just picked our first zucchinis...they were about 4" long, but I couldn't wait. I'll have to let a few grow to try some of these recipes.

I've been a zucchini fairy. When I started gardening I thought you planted the whole seed packet, no matter what it was. My friends avoided me, I left them on doorsteps. We made zucchini in every way, shape and form. Gallons of relish, b&b pickles, dried chips, 'apple' pie and mock pineapple (which feels like crushed pineapple in your mouth if you grind it using a meat grinder with a coarse blade....not too bad in quick breads).

A friend of ours made this thrown together dish and it was always delicious. These are her (non)measurements:

* Exported from MasterCook *

Mexican Zucchini

Recipe By : Katie, from Lynn L
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
chopped onions
minced garlic
sliced zucchini
chopped green chiles
canned tomatoes -- drained -OR- fresh tomatoes and salsa
corn
shredded cheddar cheese

This is a "to taste" recipe - the proportions aren't important. Cook vegies until the zucchini is crisp-tender. Top with cheese and heat until cheese melts.

-------------------

Another one from an old friend, I've been making this one for [mumblemumble] years. It's a nice light chocolate cake and it freezes well.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Recipe By : Katie, from Christie R
Serving Size : 16 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/2 c soft margarine -- (I use butter)
1 c oil
1 3/4 c sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c sour milk or buttermilk -- OR use 1/2 c milk + 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
5 tbsp cocoa powder
2 1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 c grated zucchini
1/2 c chopped nuts
1/2 c chocolate chips

Blend all together (except nuts and chocolate chips)and pour into two 9" square ungreased pans.

Sprinkle with 1/2 c. chopped nuts and 1/2 c. chocolate chips.

Bake 40-45 minutes at 325F.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

NOTES : Good served warm. Freezes well.