Cheesy Zucchini Cakes

If you were hoping for a sweet and very tempting dessert cake,
well, I'm going to disappoint you.
Sorry.
But only for a moment,
because this recipe is also delicious.
I ate the last cake at lunch today
after I heated it up in a skillet to get the crispiness back.
I think that the crispy edges are just the best.
What isn't great about fried zucchini and cheese?
Seriously...
There's nothing wrong with that!

Cheesy Zucchini Cakes
Recipe slightly modified from A Few Short Cuts

Ingredients:
1 zucchini (mine was larger then needed, so I needed more egg)
2 eggs
2/3 cup cheddar cheese (this is what I had on had)
1 cup bread crumbs (really you could use anything combining agent)
1 Tbl. red pepper flakes
2 Tbls. olive oil

Directions:
1. Grate your zucchini and remove as much moisture as possible by placing between kitchen towels and squeezing.  Flip the towels over and do it a couple times.

2. Combine all ingredients, except for the oil in a bowl.

3. In a large skillet heat up the oil.

4. Make cakes.  I found that using an ice cream scoop made this really easy.  Just scoop and plop into the sizzling oil, then use a spatula to flatten out a bit.

5. Cook for a couple minutes on each side until each is golden and crispy.

6.  Place on paper towels when done to catch any of the extra oil.

One of the tasty ways that I like to eat these are wrapped in a tortilla with tomatoes and cucumbers.  The fresh and crispy veggies, combined with the salty, spicy zucchini cake is just delicious.

 Seriously.  Delicious.

Now don't you wish a neighbor would drop some off at your door?

Yep.  

Don't turn down any zucchini that comes your way.

Instead grab it, grate it, and fry it up!

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

I have zucchini.

I have chocolate chips.

I have a cold....cough...cough...sniffle...

I need comfort.

I need bread...warm, lovely bread to make myself feel better.

That makes sense, right?

Sometimes baking is the only thing that makes me feel better...and I'll do pretty much anything to make this cough go away!  I promise not to cough on the dough...PROMISE.  I'm really good at coughing into my elbow.  I just wish that my students were better at it...then maybe I wouldn't get these stupid colds.

 

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

Slightly Adapted from Paula Deen's Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups grated zucchini (I used 3 cups of zucchini- it needed to be used)
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon orange zest ( I had lemons, so I zested one.)

Directions:

1. Shred and drain the water out of the zucchini...always an important step.

2. Preheat oven at 350 degrees F. Grease (2) 9 by 5-inch loaf pans. Normally I use smaller loaf pans because I have a difficult time getting the middles baked up well. 

3. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, spices and baking soda. So I really need to get a large sifter...I have a little one and it just doesn't handle this kind of sifting.  I end up just fluffing it up in a big bowl, which isn't the best way, but it does the trick.
4. In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and fluffy. Add sugar, and continue beating until well blended. Stir in oil, vanilla, zucchini, nuts, chocolate chips, and lemon zest.
5. Stir in sifted ingredients. Mix well.
6. Pour into prepared loaf pans.

7. Bake for 50 minutes, or until the middle is done. Remove loaves from pans and cool on a rack.

Yummy! The flavor of this bread is delicious, though if you're not a big fan of zucchini, then don't increase the zucchini amount.  But for me, well, adding more zucchini makes me feel like it's healthier.  Especially, since this recipe has all of those cute little chocolate chips...I used the mini chips, so the chips are really spread out.

Delicious! :0) And there wasn't even a stick of butter in this recipe!

Now cold, you have to go...though thanks for making me need this bread.

It not only tastes good, my house smells yummy too.

Timeless Zucchini Bread

Looking through my recipes is like taking a trip back in time.

Today I had a a bit of time and a stack of zucchini

...so I took a stroll back in time though the sections of my recipe box.

Jackie Miller...this is her zucchini bread recipe.
I have lovely memories of her.
She was the head secretary at my middle school.
In fact, I loved the staff there, which is one of the main reasons that I teach middle school.
The teachers were fun, and really liked being around the craziness that is middle school.
I wanted to be a part of that...and I am. :0)

But back to Jackie...
Mrs. Miller.
She was always there to greet me with a smile.
And on really tough days, a hug too.
You see, my mom worked at my middle school.
Some kids would hate that, but I loved it.
Plus, I love my mom...so it was nice to have her around through my awkwardness.
It gave me different relationships with the staff at the school.
Many of them were like a second and third and fourth moms.
Yeah, see...many things don't change.
It took a village to care for me then, and it takes a village today.
I have a fabulous village of people...past and present.

Jackie was also a wonderful baker...
...and this recipe is like a yummy, warm hug from Mrs. Miller.

Zucchini Bread
2 medium loaves
or 7 small loaves

or 24 muffins.

Ingredients:
3 eggs
2 cups of sugar
1 cup oil
1 Tbl. vanilla
2 cups zucchini
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbl. cinnamon
1/2 cup nuts (optional)
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
*When making this for others, I generally leave the last two ingredients out.

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. Grease and flour pans.
3. Blend together eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla. Once it is blended, mix in the zucchini.
4. Add soda, powder, salt, and cinnamon.
5. Gradually add the whole wheat flour. I like to add 1 cup of flour at a time and mix well between each addition.

6. If you want, you can add the nuts and/or raisins at this time.
7. Scoop into prepared pans. Bake for 1 hour in large pans, 30-35 minutes in medium pans, and 20-25 minutes for muffins.
8. Let it cool at bit, if you are able to resist the aroma of deliciousness.

Thank you Mrs. Jackie Miller for all of the hugs...real and through your recipes.
:0)

Got Zucchini?

Who doesn't, right? 

Zucchini...it seems to be the veggie that people ditch on your doorstep and try to throw in your direction.  But it doesn't have to be a thorn in your side.  It can be something new and spicy.

I love to preserve food, and this summer I wanted to try pickling.  Now, for me, I don't really like pickles.  I guess you could say that I'm picky about my pickles or pickled items.  I like them a bit sweet and a bit sour. 

My guidebook for pickling is this beautiful book.

 http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/art-of-preserving-cookbook/

This week I received some zucchini and summer squash in my CSA box and thought that I would try and different take on this troublesome veggie.


Pickled Zucchini Relish
By Rick Field and Rebecca Courchesne
Recipe copied from the book listed above

2lbs. zucchini ( I mixed in squash too- half and half)
1 large yellow or white onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 Tbsp salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup distilled white vinegar
1 tsp celery seeds
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

Directions:

1. Chop, chop, chop...Chop zucchini (and squash), onion, and red bell pepper into small pieces.  Place in a non-reactive bowl with the salt.  Mix to combine.  Cover and let it sit at room temperature for at least 6 hours, but you can leave it sitting for a whole day.

2. The next day...have your jars and lids ready to go.

3. Drain and rinse the zucchini mixture a couple times.

4. Place the zucchini mixture into a saucepan and add the sugar, vinegar, celery seeds, nutmeg, turmeric, pepper, and 1 cup of water.  Stir. This smells so good!

5. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low.  Let it simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, and until it becomes slightly thickened.

6. Ladle the hot relish into the jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace.  Remove bubbles and adjust the headspace.  Wipe the rims and seal with the lids.

7. Process jars for 10 minutes in a boiling-water bath.

8.  The sealed jars can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to a year.  :0)

One of my favorite comfort foods is egg salad.  I love egg salad.  When I'm having a bad day, nothing makes me feel better like yummy egg salad, well, and a cookie.   This is a good alternative to pickled relish and will be a perfect addition to my comforting egg salad.

Now I need a sandwich...at least I have the relish ready! :0)