Zucchini Week 2011: Dishes I want to Try {and maybe you will too!}

So.....after showcasing everything that I've done with Zucchini & nothing new to share {yet....I still have lots of Zucchini}, I thought I would show you some recipes that I've found that I want to try {and maybe you will too}.

Zucchini Muffins

The recipe looks easy enough, and I like muffins.

Zucchini Corn Bread w/ Basil Butter

I thought this looked interesting, and I have basil growing so I can make the butter.

Creamy Zucchini Soup

Looks & sounds good.

Risotto w/Zucchini & Peas

This would make a great side dish for dinner.

Zucchini Cakes

I've made Zucchini cakes once, and they didn't turn out so great.....these cakes look delicious.  I think my problem before was not getting rid of the excess liquid.

Zucchini Souffle

I was watching "Master Chef" the other week & they had to make a Souffle {for an elimination challenge}.  It looked so delicious.  This looks delicious.  And although I'm probably not willing to spend $10 of a pound of guyere cheese {that's a yikes! for me} & I'll probably switch it out, I really want to try this recipe.

Zucchini Doritos

Baked Chips.....Yes!

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

Although I love my Zucchini Bread, this picture makes me want to try the Dean Brothers.

Zucchini Quesadillas

This would be such an easy meal to make on a weekend night.

Just *Remember*....If you have any recipes you would like to share, link them on over to my Zucchini Week tab :)

Zucchini Week 2011 : Main Dishes

So, after Desserts, Breads, & Side Dishes, I am now going to showcase some dinners that I make when Zucchini comes on.

First...Pizza....Who can go wrong with Pizza!

 Roasted Veggie Zucchini Pizza

Basically, I pulled every veggie {that was ready to be picked} out of my garden, sliced them up, seasoned them, and threw them on a sheet pan to roast.  We had the following veggies: Onions, Zucchini, Anaheim Peppers, & Red-Green-Yellow-Orange Bell Peppers.  After roasting the vegetables, I scattered them on my favorite pizza crust recipe, added some cheese, and then cooked.

Roasting all the veggies makes this pizza extra delicious!   Did I miss the pepporoni????  Nope.

Next, a great BBQ treat....

Zucchini Kabobs

 I marinated my meat in some of my Cilantro-Ranch-Tomatillo Sauce, and kept my skewers really simple {meat & zucchini}.  I really liked these kabobs.  Since I cut the meat into smaller pieces, the meat & zucchini cooked at the same time.

Third, a dish that I make every year, especially with my Zucchini that has grown a little bigger...

Zucchini Parmesan

I love using my oven to help me cook my Zucchini.  I still get a crisp outside without standing over the stove frying them up.  Another trick that I used to make the Zucchini crispy???  Coating them in bread crumbs {mixed with parmesan, of course}, and adding a little EVOO to the top of them.

Another dish that I make every year is:

Lasagna ~ala~ Zucchini

I've done this lasagna two ways: either using lasagna noodles & having a zucchini filling or using the zucchini as the "noodles" and having a meat sauce.  Whichever way, they're both delicious!

I hope this gives you an idea when it comes to making dinners utilizing Zucchini :)

Just Remember...if you have a zucchini recipe to share, click on the Zucchini Week Tab and add it to the Linky :)

Zucchini Week 2011: Zucchini Side Dishes

After two days of Sweet dishes, we are now going to move onto more Savory dishes.

First, a yummy fried-corny treat....

Zucchini & Corn Hush Puppies

Holy Hannah....These were delicious. 

And then when you add some Chipotle Ranch Sauce or Cilantro Ranch Tomatillo Sauce......well, there is a party going on in your mouth.

Second, a creamy dip.

Zucchini Cream Cheese Dip

I had a little Zucchini Party, and my good friend Teresa brought this dip over.  Soooo delicious.  It was hard to hold back on eating all of it {knowing that I had plenty of yummy treats to eat}.  My kids even liked eating it; they kept going back for some more.

Third, a yummy hash dish.

Zucchini Hash

A yummy skillet combination of potatoes, zucchini & peppers, and super easy to make :)

Fourth, one of the easiest zucchini dishes you could ever make....

Grilled Zucchini

You seriously can't go wrong with slicing some zucchini, dousing with EVOO, and sprinkling with Salt & Pepper, and throwing them on the grill.  Five to seven minutes later, you've got a great veggie side dish.  But, there is a caution....grilled zucchini taste soooo much better when hot/warm; it does not taste good cold.

If you would like to try any of these recipes, just click on the recipe title :)  Also...if you have a zucchini recipe to share, click on the Zucchini Week Tab and add it to the Linky :)

Zucchini Week 2011 : Zucchini Breads

I think one of the first things people do when they get Zucchini is make Zucchini Bread.  I mean....why not.  I mean, a slice of warm bread with some butter on it is one of my favorite snacks.

This year, I tried two new Zucchini recipes.  It's great to go online & find what other people have done with this proliferating vegetable.

First off, is my Original Zucchini Bread.

Zucchini Bread

{hahaha....I don't have a picture of just my regular bread.....you'll just have to trust me that it's good}

I adapted this recipe 4 years ago.  It works great for me.  I've even entered this bread into the State Fair, and although the judges like it {from what my Mom says who works there}, I've never gotten a ribbon.  Oh well.  And if you notice, between the original recipe & my version, I've halved the sugar.  It works.  It's still good & yummy without all that extra sweetness.

Second, is a recipe I came across last year,

Blueberry Zucchini Bread

I had never thought to add Fruit to any of my zucchini breads.  When I made this particular recipe, my family devoured it.  Devoured.

The little Oat/Sugar topping is an added bonus to this bread.

Third, is a recipe that I came up with this year.  Playing off the idea of fruit in my zucchini breads, I used my original recipe & added stuff to it.

Cranberry-Orange Zucchini Bread

I loved this version.  I like the Cranberry-Orange Bread from Great Harvest, and although this is soooo different from that {since it is a Quick Bread}, I love that flavor combination.

Fourth, is a recipe that I found when I typed in, "Zucchini Bread Variations" into the search engine.

Pineapple Zucchini Bread - {scroll down to the middle of the page & you'll find it}

We picked this one to try because it was different.  My husband didn't want to try any chocolate zucchini breads, and we didn't have any coconut in the house to try a Coconut Zucchini Bread version.

I, of course, couldn't follow the recipe exactly, so here's what I did differently:

• replaced the olive oil {which I thought was weird in the first place} with applesauce
• substituted half the white flour with wheat flour
• I didn't have any crushed pineapple, but I did have pineapple chunks, so I weighed out what I needed and then chopped up the chunks.

The was for sure different from other Zucchini breads I tried, and I think that's mostly to the fact that there's nutmeg & raisins in the recipe, and not necessarily the pineapple.

This bread appeased 50% of my tasters.  Those who didn't like it, just didn't care for the nuts & raisins {nuts??? really???}.  Those who did like it, liked it because it tasted like a spiced-cake bread.

I'll have to try this recipe again, without the nuts & raisins, and see if we can't get that pineapple to "shine" a little bit more.

Well, there you have it.....Day 2 of Zucchini Week.  Remember to click on the Zucchini Week Tab & submit your favorite Zucchini Recipe :)

Zucchini Week 2011: Sweet Zucchini

So here we are.....It's Zucchini week.  My one plant {got that....ONE plant} is producing beauties like these:

And it's growing like crazy.  That's where my creativity in the cooking department comes in.  And the fact that myself & my family are willing to try anything & put zucchini in everything :)

So today, we're going to talk sweets.  Yep....I said it.  Sweets.  Did you know that zucchini can pretty much take on any flavor????

Zucchini Crisp

Case in point, my Zucchini Crisp.  Cooking the zucchini with the Applesauce lets the zucchini take on the apple flavor.  You'll be fooling everyone with this one.  This recipe comes courtesy of my cousin.  Genius she is.  I seriously fooled everyone last year {and this year again} when I made this.  When you peel the zucchini, it seriouly looks like apples.

When you bite into this dessert, you think you're eating apples {thinking they'll be soft}, but then you're surpised when there's still a bite to it.  The crust & topping are also pretty great & tasty.

Want to fool people again????  Then try this recipe.

Zucchini Brownies

I took my favorite brownie recipe & just added zucchini.  How simple is that :)  And the true test.....I gave them to my Brother-in-Law, and then sent home a whole plate full with him.

And see...you can't even tell that there's some of that green stuff in there.

Onto our last sweet of the day.  I think you're pleasantly suprised when you bite into this one.

Lemon Zucchini Cookies

I came up with this recipe last year.  I am finding that my Mom's cookie recipe works perfect with adding things to it.  The lemon in the cookies works great with the zucchini.  Add a little frosting to the top and it makes a great little dessert.

If you would like to try any of these recipes, just click on the recipe title :)  Also...if you have a zucchini recipe to share, click on the Zucchini Week Tab and add it to the Linky :)

Thanks for looking!  Oh yeah....And ENJOY!

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