If it’s July in Escondido, it’s Zucchini Season- Here's how to handle your Zucchini Bonanza

Since we are lucky enough to live in one of the premiere gardening spots in the state, we’re sure most of you are up to your eyeballs in that most prolific of squash of all--Zucchini!  Whether you want to 'put it up', bake bread, or eat it for dessert--we've got you covered.  Below, please find some recipes used by some of the ENU gardeners to process their abundant zucchini crop. Thanks to members who provided these tested and dearly loved recipes.  Printable version here What to do with your Zucchini Bonanza

Zucchini Relish

20 cups large zucchini

6-8 onions,

10 TBsps salt

Seed the zucchini and chop finely (or grind if you are like the olden days)

Mix and let stand overnight.

Drain, wash well, and drain again.

Place the following in a pan and bring to boil:

·        5 cups vinegar

·        4 tsp celery seed

·        12 cups (or less) of sugar

·        1 tsp pepper

·        2 Tbsps nutmeg

·        2 Tbsps dry mustard

·        2 Tbsps cornstarch

·        2 Tbsps turmeric

·        1 red and 1 green pepper chopped finely.

Add zucchini.  Boil for 30 minutes.

Put into sterilized jars, use sealing lids, and process in a water bath for another 5 minutes.

Share with your neighbors or bring to an ENU potluck!

(Makes 10 pints)

And for that time when all you have in your garden is zucchini and all you want to eat is dessert—There’s Dessert Zucchini! 

Lazy Baker’s Zucchini-Apple Dessert Crisp

One dish, one bake, so easy.

Peel and coarsely chop 6 cups of zucchini and 2.5 cups of green apples.

Stir in 6 TBS lemon juice, ¾ cup of sugar, 3 TBS of quick cook tapioca, and ½ tsp cinnamon.

Put fruit in a 2.5 quart baking dish

Topping

1 1/3 cup flour

2/3 cup brown sugar

¼ tsp nutmeg

½ cup butter or Earth Balance,

Rub all together and sprinkle over fruit.

BAKE at 375 degrees for 35 minutes.

Quiet Hills Giant Zucchini “Apple” Cobbler

I know, you don’t think this sounds delicious. You’re wrong.  It is!  And, with a little reduced sugar its almost health food!  This works best with those gigantic, for-earm-sized zucchini that seemed to appear overnight and you don’t know what to do with.

Crust

3 cups flour

1.5 cups sugar

½ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp salt

1 cup Earth Balance, margarine, or butter

Filling

10 cups peeled, seeded, and cubed or sliced zucchini

2/3 cup lemon juice

1 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

Combine dry ingredients and cut butter until crumbly

Press about 1/3 of the mixture into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan.

Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes.

Now, bring zucchini and lemon juice to boil in a large pan.

Reduce heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes or  till crisp tender.

Stir in sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. (mixture will be thin).

Spoon over crust and sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.

Bake for an additional 40-45 minutes or till golden grown.

Serve with EscoGelato on the side!

  

Looking into gardening history, we see that the ‘zucchini conundrum’ has been around a long time.  Here are a couple from the old Victory Garden Cookbook.

Victory Garden Zucchini Bread

1 lb zucchini

Salt

1 ¾ cup flour

1 ½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp cinnamon

3 eggs (preferably your own or one of your neighbors’ humanely raised)

1 cup sugar

½ cup vegetable oil

Grated rind of one lemon

1 TB lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

·        Wash, trim, and coarsely grate the zucchini; salt, drain, and squeeze dry.

·        You should end up with 2 cups of zucchini.

·        Sift together the flour, powder, soda, cinnamon, and ½ tsp salt.

·        Beat the eggs, sugar and oil, and mix in the lemon rind, lemon juice, and vanilla.

·        Beat in dry ingredients and stir in the zucchini.

·        Add the nuts if you wish.

·        Pour into a greased and floured baking loaf pan (9 x 5 inches) and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 50 to 60 minutes.

Summer Squash Spice Cake

1 ½ cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

1 ½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

¼ tsp ground cloves

¼ tsp ground ginger

½ tsp salt

2 eggs

1 cup packed dark-brown sugar

2/3 cup vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 ½ cups grated zucchini or other summer squash

• Sift together dry ingredients
• Beat eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla together.
• Beat in the dry ingredients
• Stir in the grated squash
•  Pour into a greased 8x8 inch pan
• Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes