Buttermilk Banana Bread and Zucchini Bread

This recipe won a 3rd place ribbon at the 2011 Tillamook County Fair.  It also won this blue ribbon at the 2012 Tillamook County Fair!  I got this recipe from my sister-in-law.  It's very moist and never lasts long at our house.
Buttermilk Banana Bread
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs
3 bananas
1/2 cup  buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients very well.  Pour into greased bundt pan.  Bake about 50-55 minutes at 350 degrees or until it tests done.

Zucchini Bread
This bread won a 3rd place ribbon at the 2011 Tillamook County Fair.

I use the above ingredients except omit bananas and vanilla.  Add:
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp lemon peel
2 cups shredded zucchini

Follow above instructions.

Minestrone Soup

My cousin's wife sent me a Minestrone Soup recipe - and then I found another recipe online. So....I combined what I really liked from each of the recipes - some things were the same - and came up with my own version. It's pictured with the garlic rolls that are made cinnamon roll style.

Minestrone Soup
1 cup shredded cabbage
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 small zucchini, cubed (if not available - leave out)
1 handful kale or spinach, chopped (I use kale)
1 (14.5 oz) can white beans (the above picture has red beans since I was out of white. Both work well.)
1 TBSP dried parsley
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
6 cups broth - either chicken or vegetable
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 lb Italian sausage, cooked and drained
1/2 cup dry pasta of your choice (I used dry ravioli found in the WinCo bulk section.)

Simmer all ingredients for a couple hours. Garnish with Parmesan cheese if desired.

This recipe also freezes really well.

BBQ Zucchini

Oh man! Were these ever easy to make! This comes from Peter J in Tasmania, Australia. He was my teammate for the Oct 2010 Aussie/NZ recipe swap. Russell and I loved these. I love my zucchini and like all the different ways it can be cooked.

BBQ Zucchini
1 medium zucchini
1/8 tsp dried dill
1/8 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp olive or vegetable oil

Slice zucchini in half lengthwise and then cut into serving pieces around 2 inches. Lightly sprinkle with herbs and pepper. Drizzle oil over top. BBQ in oiled hot skillet over medium temperature for around 4 minutes skin down, 3 minutes face down and a final 3 minutes skin down.
I would expect this would work wonderfully on a real BBQ outside as well.

Zucchini Soup

This is a different kind of soup. I really enjoyed it. The rest of the family - not so much. But then again....I love zucchini. I will eat it just about any way I can get it. mersaydees from Southern Maine was my teammate who shared this recipe. This was part of the September 2010 Aussie/NZ recipe swap. I also added in some diced carrots for color.

Zucchini Soup
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 lbs zucchini, washed and sliced
28 oz chicken broth
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup half and half

In large pot melt the butter and saute onion until golden. Add the zucchini and saute over medium high heat until limp. About 10-15 minutes. Add chicken broth, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add the half and half. I partially mashed the soup with a potato masher to thicken it up a bit. The original recipe called for sending the whole pot through a blender. I prefer my soup to have some body so opted not to do the blender. I did add extra salt and pepper to taste. We served this with homemade rolls for a yummy dinner.

Chocolate Zucchini Brownies

This recipe originally was meant to "hide" such things as zucchini and carrots. Well....I already add such things to cookies/cakes/brownies, etc. so there was no point in "hiding" them. The chef who shared this recipe is Mommy Diva from recipezaar who is also from Oregon! She likes to make these into cupcakes and frost. I liked these brownie style.

Chocolate Zucchini Brownies
1 1/4 cups butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup baking cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup plain yogurt or buttermilk
1 cup grated zucchini
1 cup grated carrot

In a large bowl combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour into a greased 9x13 baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and watch your kids inhale these with a tall glass of milk!
If they really, truly don't like zucchini or carrots - they won't even notice/taste the veggies in here. Then you really can feel "sneaky."

Zucchini Salsa

I was on the prowl for a salsa that incorporated zucchini. I came across this one that is canned. All the better I say! Then I can enjoy for months down the road. Oh man is this good! Not too hot - the perfect temperature!

This recipe comes from Bergy in British Columbia, Canada. I "met" her through recipezaar.com where the recipe is posted.

Zucchini Salsa

10 cups zucchini, peeled and shredded

4 onions, chopped

2 green bell peppers, chopped

2 red bell peppers, chopped

1/4 cup pickling salt

Combine above ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well, cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next day: Rinse, drain well above ingredients. Put into a large stockpot and add the following:

1 TBSP pickling salt

2 TBSP dry mustard

1 TBSP garlic powder

1 TBSP cumin

2 cups white vinegar

1 cup brown sugar

2 TBSP red pepper flakes

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp black pepper

5 cups chopped ripe tomatoes, peeled

2 TBSP cornstarch

12 oz tomato paste

Bring all ingredients to a boil and simmer 15 minutes. Pour into sterilized jars, add lids and rings. Process in pressure canner at 5 lb pressure for 5 minutes.

Don't forget to leave a little bit out so you can enjoy right away!

Fake Pineapple

I have zucchini coming out my ears. Big huge ones. I already had 49 cups of shredded zucchini goodness in my freezer when I brought in 6-7 really big ones today. After browsing my favorite recipe site recipezaar.com I found a recipe that will be very useful. It's called Faux Pineapple. It is very tasty and can be used just as you would canned pineapple from the store.

To make this recipe you need:
16 cups 1/2 inch approximately cubed zucchini

46 oz unsweetened pineapple juice

1 1/2 cups lemon juice

3 cups sugar

yellow food coloring if desired

Mix zucchini, unsweetened pineapple juice, lemon juice and sugar in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil. Add yellow food coloring if desired.

Simmer 20 minutes.

Don't forget to put your lids in water on very low so they will be ready when you are.

Fill jars with hot zucchinipineapple with a slotted spoon. Then add liquid leaving 1/2 inch headspace from the top of the jar.

Process in a water bath for 15 minutes. Adjust time for your altitude.

This is what it looks like when you are finished. I was so excited. I did two batches and now have 22 half pints of "pineapple!"

You will have juice left over. You can either freeze it or fill jars to within 1/2 inch of top of jar and process in a water bath for 15 minutes.

Zucchini Parmesan

This recipe was a kitchen fluke. I was bent on having "fried zucchini" baked in the oven. I don't know where I went wrong - but it sure didn't taste the same. :(
So.....
I didn't want to throw away a perfectly big dish of battered zucchini I came up with a side dish save....

Zucchini Parmesan
I had a very large zucchini from my neighbor. I sliced it in 1 inch slices
2 eggs beaten
lots of breadcrumbs
spaghetti sauce
mozzarella cheese
parmesan cheese

Dip zucchini in egg then coat very well with breadcrumbs. Place in 9x13 baking dish sprayed with vegetable oil. Bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees. Remove from oven and top each zucchini round with a little of your favorite spaghetti sauce and mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
Put back in the oven until cheese starts to melt.
You could technically eat this as a meal in itself. I had it as a side to a steak I was craving. Sometimes I just have to have a good burnt steak. This hit the spot!