Swimming in Zucchini

Zucchini Season! You knew that sooner or later there would be an entire column about this prolific vegetable. There are more ways to cook zucchini than any other veggie. In the summer it abounds in everyone’s garden. Everyone is sharing, leaving bags of the vegetable on porches even with people they do not know. In Eveleth we tell the story of a woman who gave a really large zucchini to her neighbor. It traveled all around the town and by nightfall she had her own zucchini back. There are many ways to serve them including fried, baked, stuffed, in bread, casseroles, pizza, jelly, jan, or my favorite - simmered with tomatoes, onions, celery, green pepper and mushrooms. Today’s recipes offer a wide variety of uses for that hearty vegetable.

Zucchini Jam

This is a jam recipe shared by Jessie Rutar of Buyck. She even gave me the zucchini to make it.
• 6 cups grated peeled zucchini
• 5 cups sugar
• ½ cup lemon juice
• 1 can crushed pineapple
• 1 large box apricot jello

Cook zucchini and sugar until done (clear). Add lemon juice and crushed pineapple, (boil) 6 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in jello. Mix well, put in jars and seal.
 

 Zucchini Bread
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup oil
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups peeled zucchini grated
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon soda
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ cup nuts
• ½ cup flaked coconut

Beat eggs until light and add sugar, oil, zucchini and vanilla. Mix lightly, but well. Add flour, salt, soda, cinnamon and baking powder which have been sifted together. Mix until well blended. Stir in nuts and coconut. Pour batter into two greased and floured small loaf pans. Bake @ 350 degrees for 1 hour and 25 minutes, until done. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and continue to cool on rack.

Zucchini Casserole
• 2 pounds zucchini, sliced
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ cup onions, chopped
• 3 cups rice
• 2 eggs
• 1 ½ cups cottage cheese
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Cook zucchini in salted water for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside. Saute meat, seasonings and onion until meat is no longer pink. Add the cooked rice and zucchini. Beat eggs and add the cottage cheese to them. Add this mixture to the meat mixture. Turn into a shallow, greased baking dish. Top with parmesan cheese and cheddar cheeses. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Serves 10-12 - great for potlucks.
 

Zucchini Boiled and Baked
• 4 to 5 small zucchini
• 1 egg beaten
• 1 cup milk
• 4 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ clove garlic, mashed
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Wash and slice zucchini. Boil 10 minutes in ½ cup water. Drain. Beat egg well; add milk, melted butter, salt, garlic and basil. Pour mixture over zucchini in casserole dish. Top with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes. Serves 6.
 

Simmered Zucchini
• 2 zucchini
• 1 large tomato
• 1 small onion
• 1 green pepper
• 3 ribs celery
• A few mushrooms if desired
• 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
• 3 tablespoons chicken bouillon
• 1 ½ cup Monterey Jack cheese

Chop the vegetables in large pieces. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and bouillon. Add enough water to begin a simmer. Simmer until the vegetables are done crisp tender. Do not overcook. When done sprinkle with cheese and warm until cheese melts.
 

Chocolate Zucchini Cake
• ½ cup butter, softened
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 ½ cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 ¾ cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup sour milk (½ Tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar with enough milk to make ½ cup, let sit 5 minutes)
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 cups zucchini, finely diced

Cream butter, add oil and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla and sour milk. Beat until smooth. Mix flour, cocoa, baking soda and cinnamon together and add to creamed mixture. Beat well. Stir in diced zucchini. Pour into 9 x 13 inch, greased and floured pan and sprinkle the top with chocolate chips. You may put some in the batter if you wish. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Enjoy zucchini fun! Check your porch; there might be one out there.

Ruth Carlson lives and writes in Crane Lake, MN and was a long time food columnist for the Voyageur Sentinel. Ruth is retired after 40 years of banking and now enjoys the beauty of life in Voyageur Country.