Zucchini Potato Pancakes

Here's another zucchini recipe.  The squash borers have attacked my zucchini, so I won't have many more.  I wish I could find a way to prevent this from happening, but alas, even my master gardener friends don't have an answer.

So for the past few weeks, I have been using zucchini nearly every day.  This recipe was a favorite of my family, so I'm sharing it with you. Now you will see that there is a lot of grating going on here.  Grated zucchini will keep for several days in the fridge, if you want to do it ahead, but don't do the potato ahead because it will turn black.  I use the grater blade on my food processor and this whole process takes minutes.

1 - 2 zucchini grated
1 large potato grated
1 small onion grated
1 egg, beaten
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped, or 1 tablespoon dried
1/2 to 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper 1/2 teaspoon each
vegetable oil for frying

Combine all ingredients and mix well.  Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat.  Drop by spoonfuls into the hot oil and cook about 2 minutes, flip over and cook another minute or so.  Serve as a side dish with dinner.  I originally made these without the cheese, so that is an option, or you could substitute finely grated cheddar.  You can also add grated yellow crookneck squash to the mixture.  For a less fattening version, drop onto a lightly oiled hot griddle. 

Let me know how you like these.  Please feel free to leave comments or questions in the comments section below this post and I will get back to you as soon as possible. 

Happy Cooking!

Carol
a.k.a.  Nonnie

A Quick and Healthy Summer Dessert

I had some beautiful white peaches and I wanted to use them before they got too soft.  My chef friend made something similar at our last farm to table meeting,  so I thought I'd play around with it. Here's what you'll need.

Summer Peach and Blueberry Compote

4 peaches, pitted and sliced
1 to 2 cups blueberries
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine yogurt,  honey, vanilla and cinnamon.  Put peaches and blueberries in a bowl.  Top with yogurt mixture.  Mix and serve.  How easy is that? This recipe was kid tested and they loved it!

Happy Cooking!

Carol
a.k.a. Nonnie

Zucchini bread

Zucchini is one of those things that, when planted in the garden, will give you an over abundance of vegetables. Unfortunately, zucchini does not freeze well, but I did discover that if you freeze grated zucchini in plastic zipper bags, you can use it to make bread.  When it thaws, there will be liquid separate from the zucchini, just dump the whole thing into the recipe, and it works just fine.  I discovered this because you can only eat zucchini so many times in a week, before your family starts to complain.

The past few years, I have not had much luck with my zucchini due to the cabbage borers, but this year looks like I may have a bumper crop.  Mine went in a little late, so they are not quite ready to pick, but since my sister's garden is producing so well, she shared her bounty with me.  I have been experimenting with recipes, but this is a tried and true favorite of my family's, so I will share this one first.   

This recipe is nearly 40 years old.  It came from the cookbook that came with my original Waring Food Processor, called Processor Perfection  Before this recipe, I tried several others, but none seemed to have much flavor.  I think this one is helped by the hefty amount of cinnamon.  I would like to experiment and add some other spices, and when I do, I will let you know how that turned out.

1  2/3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4  rounded teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/3 cup wheat germ
2 cups grated zucchini (about 2 medium zucchini
2/3 cup vegetable or coconut oil
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup sesame seeds
2/3 cup chopped walnuts
2/3 cup raisins (optional)

Do not peel the zucchini, just give it a good scrub with a vegetable brush to remove those prickly things. Grate using a food processor with a grating blade or on an old fashioned hand grater. Sift dry ingredients together.  Mix oil and sugars and add vanilla and eggs. Combine with dry ingredients and add sesame seeds, nuts and zucchini.  Mix only until ingredients are combined.  Pour into greased 9" x 5" loaf pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour.  Bread is done when toothpick comes out clean.  Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes and turn out on a rack to cool. Feel free to add raisins, craisins or chocolate chips if that's what your family likes. Enjoy!

Happy Cooking,
Carol
a.k.a. Nonnie