stuffed zucchini or red bell peppers

Mix and set aside:

2 c. brown rice (or white) cooked

1/2 c. walnuts

1/2 lemon, cut off the rind and white parts and take out the seeds (or just juice from 1/2)

1/4 tsp chili powder

a handful of cilantro, parsley will work too

2 chopped tomatoes

Next;

3 medium sized zucchini or red bell peppers

Cut lengthwise and hallow out the seeds from the zucchini or pepper. Spoon mixture in and bake at 350 for 20 min. Sprinkle some cheese and bake covered for 10 more minutes. Enjoy!

Ranch Veggies

3 Large potatoes chopped into 2" pieces

2 cups sliced carrots

1 medium zucchini

1 sweet bell pepper chopped

1 tomato diced

1 Tbsp onion powder

3 Tbsp ultra gel

1 Tbsp ranch dressing powder

1-2 c. rice milk, or cow milk

Steam potatoes and carrots till just tender. Mix ultra gel, onion powder and ranch powder and then add all at once into the milk in a large pot. Whisk till mixed well. Add steamed potatoes and carrots and chopped zucchini, sweet pepper and tomato and stir well until sauce has covered the veggies evenly. Cook on medium low heat till the zucchini is just tender. Enjoy!

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
3 eggs
2 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups grated zucchini
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans. In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave chocolate until melted. Stir occasionally until chocolate is smooth. (I used baking cocoa instead of the chocolate squares - 6 Tablespoons baking cocoa and 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil or shortening.)

2. In a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar, oil, grated zucchini, vanilla and chocolate; beat well. Stir in the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared loaf pans.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a loaf comes out clean.

Italian Zucchini Crescent Pie

4 cups thinly sliced unpeeled zucchini
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup chopped parsley (or 2 tablespoons parsley flakes)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (or 1 clove garlic crushed)
1/4 teaspoon basil leaves (or 1 teaspoon fresh basil chopped)
1/4 teaspoon oregano
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
2 eggs well beaten
8 ounces (2 cups) Muenster or Mozzarella cheese, grated
8 ounces Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

Saute onion and zucchini in butter until tender. Combine eggs and cheese. Add zucchini mixture and spices and mix well.

Make pie crust out of dinner rolls in 10-inch pie plate. Fill crust. Bake at 375 degrees F. for 18 to 20 minutes. (Serves 6.)

For hors d'oeurves - use 1 1/2 - 2 cans rolls on cookie sheet, follow other directions.

(Source: L. Bodily)

Zucchini Casserole

2 pounds zucchini, sliced (6 cups)
1/4 cup chopped or sliced onion
1 can (about 10 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded carrots
1 package (8 ounces) herb-seasoned stuffing mix
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted

Cook zucchini and onion in boiling salted water for 5 minutes. Drain. Combine soup and sour cream. Stir in carrots; fold in drained squash and onion.

Combine stuffing mix and butter. Spread half of stuffing on bottom of baking dish. Spoon vegetable mixture on top, and sprinkle remaining stuffing over vegetables. Bake 25 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees F. (6 servings)

(Source: The Mormon Family Cook Book - Helen Thackeray, Beth Nelms Brown, Maurine Hegsted, , pg. 43)

Chocolate Zucchini Country Cake

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter or margarine
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour, stirred and measured
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon soda
1/3 cup cocoa
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups peeled or unpeeled zucchini, grated
1 cup nuts, broken

Prepare 10-inch tube pan by lining bottom of pan with waxed paper, then greasing paper and dusting with flour. Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs; beat well. Sift together dry ingredients and add to batter alternately with combined milk, vanilla and grated zucchini. Beat well. Stir in nuts. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 1 hour. If desired, drizzle with Butter Cream Frosting or Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting.

NOTE: Coconut or grated orange rind may be added to batter before baking.

(Source: Mormon Country Cooking - Winnifred Jardine, pg. 266)

Zucchini Drop Cookies

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
2 cups flour, stirred and measured
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 cup zucchini, grated
1 cup raisins
1 cup nuts, chopped

Cream together butter, sugar and beaten egg on high speed for 5 minutes. Sift together flour, salt, soda and spices; stir into batter. Add zucchini; mix well. Stir in raisins and nuts. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 12 to 15 minutes. Makes 3 dozen.

(Source: Mormon Country Cooking - Winnifred Jardine, pg. 290)

Baked Stuffed Zucchini

4 medium zucchini squash
6 slices day-old bread
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed dried leaf thyme or sage
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese

Wash squash; cut off both ends. Blanch in boiling salted water until tender but still firmly shaped, approximately 10 minutes. Remove, cool in cold water and drain. Halve lengthwise and scoop out flesh, leaving a thick enough edge to hold stuffing; set zucchini shells aside. Chop scooped-out zucchini; put into strainer to drain excess water. In food processor or blender, crumble bread. Toss with salt, pepper, thyme, onion, egg, butter or margarine, and squash meat; mix thoroughly. Place squash shells into well-oiled baking pan; fill with stuffing mixture. Top with shredded cheese. Bake at 375 degrees F. for 20 minutes or until tender and brown. Makes 4 servings, allowing 2 halves per serving.

Note: Any stuffing mixture may be used.

(Source: Managing Your Meals, A year's Worth of Menus, Shopping Lists, and Recipes for Delicious, Nutritious, and Economical Meals - Winnifred C. Jardine, pg. 189)

Egg-Fried Zucchini Crisps

3/4 pound (3 medium) zucchini
1/4 cup flour
1 egg
1/8 teaspoon salt
Butter, margarine, or bacon drippings
Soy sauce (optional)
Green onion, chopped (optional)

Wash and dry zucchini; slice off ends. Slice in 1/8-inch disks. Place flour on plate or in shallow bowl. Dip zucchini disks into flour; shake off excess. Beat egg and salt with a fork in a shallow bowl. Dip floured zucchini into beaten egg, and fry in a single layer in hot butter, turning once.

Serve plain or dipped into a mixture of soy sauce and green onions.

(Source: The Mormon Family Cook Book - Helen Thackeray, Beth Nelms Brown & Maurine Hegsted, pgs. 42,43)

Three Cheese Garden Pizza

This recipe was in our ward's cookbook. It is a yummy way to use up all those veggies from the garden!

Pizza Dough (see recipe)
1 medium tomato, sliced
1 medium zucchini, sliced thin
1 yellow squash, sliced thin
mushrooms, sliced
1 small onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, pressed
Mozzarella cheese
Cheddar cheese
1 tsp Italian seasoning (optional, pizza is just as good without)
Fresh Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out pizza dough and bake for about 10 minutes; remove from oven. Finely slice tomato, zucchini, onion and mushrooms. Spread pressed garlic over the crust. Sprinkle crust with Mozzarella and cheddar cheeses; top with tomatoes. Sprinkle with seasoning. Layer zucchini, onion and mushrooms over tomatoes. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top. Bake 15-18 minutes or until brown and bubbly.

Zucchini Pancakes

2 cups coarsely grated zucchini

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped onion

1 teaspoon minced garlic (or substitute garlic salt for salt in recipe)

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup grated dried parmesan cheese

5 tablespoons all purpose flour

1 tablespoon cooking oil

2 dashes paprika

Mix all ingredients together. Cook like potato pancakes until golden crisp. For extra flair, serve with garnish of sour cream or just butter and salt.

Zucchini Garden Chowder

I try to make this at least once a summer because it is so delicious!

2 med zucchini, chopped
1 med onion, chopped
2 T minced fresh parsley
1 t dried basil
1/3 c butter or margarine
1/3 c all-purpose flour
1 t salt
1/4 t pepper
3 c water
3 chicken bouillon cubes
1 t lemon juice
1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
1 pkg (10 oz) frozen corn, or one can, drained
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
2 c shredded cheddar cheese

In a soup kettle over medium heat, saute the zucchini, onion, parsley and basil in butter until vegetables are tender. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper. Gradually stir in the water. Add the bouillon and lemon juice; mix well. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, milk and corn; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes or until corn in tender. Just before serving, stir in cheeses until melted.

Yield: 8-10 servings (about 2 1/2 quarts)

Confetti Zucchini

Necessity is the mother of invention. I came up with this recipe while trying to figure out how to keep up with my prolific zucchini plant.

2 small zucchinis, washed and sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
1 tablespoon olive oil
Parmesan cheese

Pour oil in large skillet on medium heat. Saute onions, add zucchini slices, and grated carrot, stirring occasionally. Let fry about 5 minutes or until veggies are slightly crisp. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. Serve.

Zucchini Bread

My children especially like this when I add one cup chocolate chips to the recipe.

Combine and beat together:
3 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
2 cups zucchini, grated
1 teaspoon vanilla

Sift together:
3 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Add dry ingredients to egg mixture and stir well.
Add, if desired 1/2 cup chopped nuts.
Pour into 2 well-greased 4.5"x8.5" loaf pans. Bake 1 hour at 325 degrees F. Yields 2 loaves.