Wednesday, July 22, 2020

Versatile and Easily Camouflaged

What could that be?  ZUCCHINI  (courgette)
These have to be the most versatile veggie out there.  You can make anything with them from sweets to savory.
They can be easily camouflaged into meals or dishes to add vitamins and healthiness and no one will be the wiser!  So many people say they don't like zucchini.  WHAT isn't to like????  It takes on the flavor of whatever it is cooked with - so the flavor is ever changing.

I love breaded and fried zucchini slices or spears.  They do develop a taste all their own.  YUM
I told you over the weekend that I did 'refrigerator' pickles and faux jalapeno with zucchini.  Super easy



I save ALL of my pickle juice always.  The sweeter juice can be used in dressing or over veggies and dill juice can be used for seasoning - but mostly I like to drink it.  So I always have plenty.  Two quart jars of dill 'pickles' went in the frig to sit for a while to absorb all that dill goodness.  I will use in salads and such or just for eating.
They bottom pic is a half gallon jar of jalapenos I had.  Added chopped zucchini to that to absorb that heat and goodness.  Again, will use in salads, add to cooking and use in any way I would jalapenos.

There are so many yummy recipes out there for zucchini.  I have made so many things with them.

I have canned faux pineapple
Shredded and used in simple jelly recipes to make 'jam'
Stir fry of all types
Add to soups and stews (fresh and frozen)
I have dehydrated
I like to slice/spear and bread - lay on a pan and freeze.  Bag and you can have fried zucchini all winter (do the same with green tomatoes) - make sure you add to oil frozen to prevent them from going mush!
I add them raw to salads - great in pasta salads or with tomato and onion and dressing
I make zoodles (instead of spaghetti) and thinly slice and use in lasagna
I have made 'apple' pies using zucchini instead of apples
Of course there is bread, muffins, and cakes and cookies
I love zucchini boats
You can stuff them like you would bell peppers, you can add spaghetti sauce, meat, cheese, or you can make a mixture of cheeses and jalapenos (I use cream cheese, sour cream and cheddar & jalapeno).  Bake them and enjoy the yumminess.

Zucchini can be used in so many ways with or without meat.  I think they make a great substitute for meat and many vegetarians  use a lot of zucchini.
I like to grate and add to ground turkey or pork or beef.  Great extender and adds vitamins.
You can make 'meat' balls  with just zucchini and no meat.
Zucchini fritters are yummy - I made last week and they were dinner!  No meat one day - just wonderfully tasty fritters.

Easy Zucchini Meatballs
3 medium zucchini - grated and 'juiced'  (remove liquid)
1/2 tsp. salt, 1.4 tsp. pepper
2 cloves garlic
basil to taste
1 egg - slightly beaten
1 C Panko breadcrumbs
1/4 C Parmesan cheese
Mix zucchini pulp and other ingredients together and form into small balls.  Place on a parchment lined baking pan and freeze for 1/2 - 1 hour (turn halfway through).
Fry in oil or bake in a 350* oven until done.  Serve with marinara sauce.

Most of us grate zucchini and measure and freeze for future bread and muffins.  IF you have someone who isn't thrilled about seeing ANY zucchini particles in their goodies - here is another idea.
Just blend up the zucchini completely - milk it - it will be a thick liquid.  Measure and freeze as normal - and use the entire amount in your recipe.  Makes it easy to add a healthy ingredient to any cake or muffins or bread recipe  or ANY recipe (use instead of water).

There are just no limits to using this very versatile ingredient.  Your imagination in your only limitation.
I have a recipe book of 500 recipes using zucchini!!!!!  It is many years old and not in production any more (sadly).  Granted many recipes are versions of the same - but there are so many good ideas.

Zucchini is a veggie that grows and produces profusely.  It is amazing how much product you can get from 1 seed!
Remember that it takes on the flavor of anything that it is cooked with - so can be used in many, many ways.
Adds nutrients and vitamins to your meals.
So versatile and easy to use.
ENJOY

16 comments:

  1. I love zucchini! Here is a recipe I came across that I want to try. https://theviewfromgreatisland.com/death-by-chocolate-zucchini-bread-recipe/ I hope it posts.

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    1. Oh yum. I want to make some chocolate zucchini bread so thank you!

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    2. Oh my! I checked out some of her recipes and I drooled all over the keyboard! I can't grow zucchini, but bought some earlier this year and froze it for zucchini bread. Now I know which recipe I will be using. This may just be Husband's birthday cake. He loves dark chocolate.

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    3. Oh good - 2 people that give it a thumb's up! Love that.
      That would make him a wonderful 'cake'. I bet he would love it.

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  2. I made zucchini pineapple before and it was so good. Really tasted like pineapple.

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    1. It sure does. I have used it in all kinds of recipes calling for pineapple.

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  3. Hi Cheryl,
    I am a new reader, came over from Bluebirds Are Nesting.

    Would you share the title of your OOP 500 zucchini recipe? I use CamelCamelCamel.com to set prices for books I am looking for. It searches amazon.com for best price and often find new listings for old books quite quickly after they are listed for sale.

    When the kids were young, I finely shredded zukes and froze in 2 cup portions and used it in soups. It disappears in the broth adding nutrition and kids (&HH) none the wiser. We carved pumpkins Halloween afternoon. The next morning I pressure cooked them into softness and did the same for soups. Lots of vitamin A in pumpkins!

    Would you share a recipe of pineapple zucchini?

    I read in your profile of your recent widowhood. I am sorry for your loss. As a wife of 36 yrs, it’s a scary thought for me.

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    1. Hello Karen - so nice of you to be here and comment. I love reading Annabel's life and her blog.
      The book is as follows: (on the Inside)
      A Recipe Book of Favorite
      Recipes
      A Book of Zucchini Recipes
      Compiled by:
      The Garden Club of Southington, Ohio

      The front of the cookbook - simply says Cookbook - 500 Recipes Using Zucchini

      Zucchini Pineapple
      4 qts. (16 C) peeled, grated or cut up zucchini (no seeds) I cut like pineapple wedges
      1 1/2 C Lemon juice
      1 46 oz. can unsweetened pineapple juice
      3 C sugar
      Peel, seed and cut up zucchini. Mix everything together and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir frequently.
      Pour into sterilized jars, leave 1/2" head room. Process 30 minutes in a boiling water bath
      That's it. Pretty simple and tastes just like pineapple!

      Thank you for your kind words.
      Hope to see you a lot!

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  4. I mostly use zucchini in baking, though I have sautéed it as a side veggie. One year with an excess of them I made relish.

    God bless.

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    1. It makes an excellent relish and good pickles as well. I have canned both.
      I love it as an ingredient in stir fry and of course fried zucchini.
      I think most probably do as you - in baking.
      Blessings

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  5. Just watched Lydia on PBS... she made a zucchini tomato salsa with shallots, celery, parsley and a lemon and oil dressing. Looked good. She served it with fish.

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    1. Sounds yummy for sure. I bet that would be tasty especially with fish. It can be used in any fresh salad instead of cucumber.

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  6. Zucchini sure is versatile! One of my favorite ways is to make zoodles. Folks talk about having so many zukes that they can't give them away. Our crop this year was a dud. The chickens love the huge baseball bat size zucchini. The Urban Farmer made a loaf of bread last week that called for pickle juice.

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    1. I like zoodles too. I am sorry your crop was a bust. I am in a slow down - hoping for more later.
      I grind those big ones up for bread.
      Oh wow, that would be an interesting bread. Sounds like something I would like. I love pickles!

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  7. You are making me hungry! Roger's cousin's wife said someone made her zucchini soup and said it was delicious. I wish I had asked questions.

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    1. I make a cream of zucchini soup ow and then. I knew someone who made what they called zucchini soup - it was basically zucchini and tomatoes only.

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