Recipe today...

Zucchini! I grew up with this great fresh vegetable. Now is the season for zucchini, and if you're like my dad, you have an excess of it growing in your own garden! But what to do with it?? Here are a few of my favorites:

(Maybe there will be a zucchini-fest next year, along with the rhubarb festival? Unlikely... It's probably for the best, as zucchini would be much more difficult to work into breakfast foods, and a zucchini-flavored soda pop would not taste near as nice as rhubarb!)

Zucchini Bread
Ingredients

3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups white sugar
2 cups grated zucchini
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F ( 165 degrees C). Grease and flour two 8x4 inch loaf pans.
In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and frothy. Mix in oil and sugar. Stir in zucchini and vanilla. Combine flour, cinnamon, soda, baking powder, salt and nuts; stir into the egg mixture. Divide batter into prepared pans.
Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until done.


Grilled Zucchini

Ingredients

1 large zucchini
1/4 cup Italian-style salad dressing

Directions

Slice zucchini into 1/4 inch slices. Toss in a bowl with Italian dressing.
Place on a hot grill and grill about 4 to 5 minutes or until nice grill marks appear and the zucchini is slightly limp. Serve and enjoy.


And, of course...Fried Zucchini

Ingredients

3 zucchini
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Wash and dry the zucchini. Trim off ends, then slice zucchini into 1/8 inch thick rounds. Place cornmeal in a medium bowl, and toss in zucchini slices, mixing thoroughly to coat.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place all of the zucchini pieces into the hot oil and fry over medium heat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Watch zucchini closely, adding more oil if it begins to brown too quickly. When it is golden brown on one side, flip it over to brown on other side. It will clump together as it cooks, that is what you want.
When zucchini is evenly browned, turn heat down to low and cover pan with a lid. Allow it to steam until zucchini is slightly tender. Turn zucchini, replace lid, and steam until soft. Remove lid and turn heat back up to medium-high. Fry on both sides until crisp. Serve hot.

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