Tag Archives: zucchini

The joke here in Indiana is that you lock your car doors in the summer so that you don’t return to find it filled with bags of zucchini from your friendly neighbors.  Ha ha. 

That is only partially a joke because the vegetable is so prolific and easy to grow.  When it starts coming in, you will be searching for ways to use it.  Well, I have several delicious ways to use zucchini and I’m going to share with you one of my favorites.

This recipe is from one of those hometown cookbooks which and was compiled by the Parishioners and Friends of Saint Sebastian Church in Belle Vernon, PA.  My mother-in-law gave me this book years ago.  I cherish it for all the homecooked recipies featuring recipies from the area.  It joins a couple of other favorite regional cookbooks on my shelf.

I promise you that this is one of the most delicious brownie recipes (of any kind) but suggest that you don’t tell anyone that it has zucchini in it until after they’ve eaten it. The brownies are very moist and this is a sneaky way to get your kids to eat their vegetables.  The zucchini has no flavor actually but adds some body, similar to coconut.

Chocolate Zucchini Brownies

½ cup butter (1 stick), softened

½ cup oil

1 ¾ cup sugar

2 whole eggs

1 tsp vanilla

¼ cup chocolate chips, chopped (or use mini chips), and I’m pretty generous with these

2 cups grated zucchini, plus ½ cup more chocolate chips

½ cup sour milk (add 1 tablespoon vinegar to ½ cup milk)

2 ½ cup sifted flour

4 Tbsp cocoa

½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ground cloves

½ cups chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)

Cream the butter, oil and sugar until it’s about the consistency of butter-cream frosting.

Add the eggs, vanilla, and sour milk.  Beat until mixed well. 

Mix the dry ingredients together, then gradually add to the mixture as you are beating it.

Stir in the grated zucchini, mini chocolate chips, and nuts until well mixed.

Spoon the batter into a 9 x 13 greased pan.  Sprinkle the top with the remaining chocolate chips.

Bake at 325 for 40 to 45 minutes.

These are so delicious, moist and light.  You can use a box grater or food processor to grate the zucchini.  I peel the vegetable but it isn’t necessary.  The variety of zucchini is Grey Zucchini by Ferry-Morse which only grows about seven inches.

While I’m grating zucchini, I grate a lot more to freeze in two-cup portions, just right for these brownies.

They also make tasty fritters, zucchini pineapple bread, muffins, layered in vegetable lasagna, soups and stews.  Don’t worry, you’ll find plenty of uses for this easy-to-grow veggie.