Zucchini Brownies

Just when you thought I couldn't do anything else with a zucchini...

Zucchini Brownies

2 cups grated zucchini
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup cocoa
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla

Combine all ingredients.

Pour batter into a greased, floured baking pan and place in a 350-degree preheated oven.

Brownies will be completely cooked in 30-45 minutes. Check by poking with a skewer to test for doneness.

Yellow Squash Pancakes

Happy Squash Day! :)

Yellow Squash Pancakes

3 cups grated yellow summer squash
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 cup biscuit mix
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup milk
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Drop by spoonfuls onto hot oiled skillet. Turn over when bottom is golden and cook until browned on both sides. Easy and so yummy!

Fried Green Tomatoes

Yes, we really do make these! They're delish, too!

Fried Green Tomatoes

1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
green tomatoes, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 cup crushed saltine crackers
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup butter

Combine the flour, salt and pepper. Place the crushed saltine crackers in a separate bowl, the eggs in a third bowl.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Dip each tomato slice in the egg, then in the flour. Dip the floured slice into the egg again (quickly!) before dipping it into the cracker crumbs. Place the coated tomato slices in the hot skillet, and fry until golden brown on each side. This takes about seven or eight minutes per slice. Drain on paper towels before serving.

They are so good you'll plant extra tomatoes just to have green ones to fry!

Squash Patties

Yep, it's squash day again here in the kitchen. This one's fast and easy and tastes so good and fresh you can just tell your food was on the vine just an hour before it hit your plate. :)

Squash Patties

2 cups grated yellow squash
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cornmeal
1 onion, chopped
1 egg, beaten
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients. Mold into patties and fry in hot oil until lightly browned. Drain on paper towels.

Watermelon Smoothies

This is one of my favorite summer drinks! Sometimes I use ice cream instead of yogurt. :)

Watermelon Smoothies

3 cups cold watermelon
2cups fresh strawberries
8 ounces any variety yogurt
2 cups crushed ice
Sugar to taste

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Enjoy!

Watermelon Sorbet

Watermelon Sorbet

2-3 cups watermelon chunks
1/3 cup lime juice
1/4 cup honey
1 t. salt
chopped mint

Puree all ingredients in a food processor. Chill for 3-5 hours, then pour into an ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer's directions. Recipe can be adjusted to suit individual tastes, adding or omitting honey as desired.

Fried Zucchini Blossoms

One of our all-time favorites...

Fried Zucchini Blossoms

zucchini blossoms
2 cups whole milk
4 Tablespoons flour
An egg, lightly beaten
Salt
Olive oil for frying

Trim the stems of the zucchini blossoms, remove flower parts from inside the blossom and wash gently them gently. Pat them dry, using a delicate touch. Combine the milk, flour and egg.

Heat the oil in a deep pan.

Lightly salt the zucchini blossoms then dredge them in batter. Immediately drop them into the oil and fry them until golden. Drain on paper towels, then serve them hot.

Make more than you think you'll need. Believe me. Make more.

Squash Fry

Oh yeah, the summer squash are here! You can count on lots of zucchini and summer squash recipes. Whatever's coming out of the garden on any particular day is pretty much what we eat during the summer. I love going out to pick our dinner. And it's squash time, so... bring on the squash recipes!!

I hope you like squash. You do, don't you? :)

Squash Fry

3 summer squash, cubed
1 egg, beaten
1/2flour
1/3 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 clove minced garlic
1 medium onion, grated
vegetable oil

Cook squash in boiling water until tender. Drain and mash squash, then add egg and mix well. Add remaining ingredients and mix until combined.

Drop mixture by level tablespoon into hot oil. Cook until golden brown, turning once. Drain on paper towels.

Chocolate Dream Pie

Chocolate Dream Pie

4 ounces room temperature cream cheese
3 T.sugar
1 T. milk
whipped cream
2 packages instant chocolate pudding mix
2 cups milk
1 prepared chocolate cookie crumb crust

Combine cream cheese, sugar and tablespoon milk. Beat until smooth. Gently fold in half of the whipped cream. Spread onto crust.

Combine chocolate pudding mix with 2 cups milk. Whisk. Spread over cream cheese layer. Chill.

Just before serving top with remaining whipped cream.

Corn Salad

It doesn't get much easier than this. A tasty side dish, although there are plenty of times I just have a bowl of this salad for lunch!

Corn Salad

2 cups corn
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 pinch salt-free lemon-herb seasoning
1 bell pepper, finely chopped
2 Tablespoons olive oil

Combine all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate, overnight if possible. We eat this cold but I guess it could be warmed, too.

Pineapple Slush

Want to stay cool? Have I got the drink for you! ;-)

Pineapple Slush

1 cup pineapple chunks, with juice
1 can frozen orange juice concentrate
1 cup rum
3 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons lime juice
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
Ice

Combine all ingredients in a blender. That's it! Rum amount can be adjusted according to personal preference...a little more or less isn't going to change the consistency of the drink!

Apricot Kisses

From Tea Time--

Apricot Kisses

2 cups flour

½ t. baking soda

¼ t. baking powder

½ t. salt

¼ cup rolled oats

½ cup sugar

1 cup almonds, chopped

1 cup dried apricots, chopped

½ cup vegetable oil

1 T. vanilla

¼ cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift the flour, soda, powder and salt together into a large mixing bowl.

Add oats, sugar, almonds and apricots.

Add oil, vanilla and milk. I

f the mixture seems dry add a few more drops of milk.

Drop by spoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet.

Bake for 14 minutes.