Prize-Winning Zucchini Cranberry Bread

3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
1 (16 9oz,) can whole-berry cranberry sauce
1-1/2 cups unsifted whole wheat flour
1-1/2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 cups coarsely grated zucchini
1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Directions:
Heat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan or two 8x4-inch pans. In a medium sized bowl, beat butter, sugar, and eggs until fluffy. Stir in orange rind and cranberry sauce. Measure flours, baking soda and baking powder into the butter mixture. Fold in just until combined. Fold in zucchini and walnuts. Turn into baking dish/es. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 90 minutes for a large loaf or 6 minutes for small loaves. Cool on wire racks.

Zucchini Health Bread

3 eggs
1 cup honey
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup oil
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup bran
2 cups grated, unpeeled zucchini
3/4 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup raisins

Directions:
Beat eggs and honey. Stir in vanilla and oil. Combine dry ingredients and add to egg mixture. Stir in zucchini, nuts and raisins. Pour mixture into two greased loaf pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 60 to 70 minutes or until bread tests done with a toothpick.

Zucchini Pineapple Bread

3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups zucchini, coarsely grated
1 (8-oz.) cab crushed pineapple, drained
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup raisins or currants
3 cups flour

Directions:
Beat eggs. Add oil, sugar, and vanilla; beat until foamy. Stir in zucchini and pineapple. Combine remaining ingredients in a separate bowl; stir well. Add flour mixture to zucchini mixture a little at a time and blend well.

Bake in two greased and floured 9x5-inch loaf pans at 350° for 60 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in the pans; then remove loaves and cool on wire racks.

Notes:
The pineapple is barely detectable in the baked bread, but it adds to the richness and moisture.

Zucchini-Oatmeal Bread

1-1/2 cups sugar 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 2-1/2 cups flour 1 cup oatmeal (uncooked) 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda 3 eggs 1 cup applesauce 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 cups shredded zucchini (unpeeled) 1 cup chopped walnuts 3/4 cup raisins (plumped)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Coat a 9x5x3 loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside. Combine 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 tablespoon sugar and set aside. Combine dry ingredients (except sugar and nuts) and set aside. Break eggs into a large mixing bowl and beat with electric mixer until foamy. Add remaining sugar, applesauce, vegetable oil and vanilla; blend well. Add flour mixture gradually; mix briefly on low speed to combine after each addition. Stir in zucchini, walnuts, and raisins by hand. Spoon into prepared pan and sprinkle reserved cinnamon/sugar mixture over top. Bake about 80 minutes or until loaf tests done. Cool in pan on wire rack for ten minutes; remove from pan to finish cooling. 

Notes:
See the sidebar for directions on plumping the raisins.

Zucchini Soup

2 tablespoons chopped onion
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1 cup water
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 large zucchini, shredded
1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
In a large saucepan, saute onion in butter until tender. Stir in flour until blended. Gradually stir in milk, water, boullon, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add zucchini and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes or until zucchini is tender. Stir in cheese until melted. Makes 4 servings.

Notes:
This recipe was sent to me by my friend, Sammie Rowse of Chambers, NE. Sammie wrote, "This was in our little rural electric Nebraskan magazine. It's from Mildred Naurkal from Clarkson [NE]."

Zucchini Bran Muffins

Basic Recipe:
1 (20-oz.) box of raisin bran cereal
2 cups sugar or Splenda or 1-1/2 cups honey
5 cups all-purpose flour
5 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon allspice
2 teaspoons salt
4 beaten eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup margarine, melted
2 tablespoons vanilla
1 quart buttermilk

Flavor and Fiber Ingredients:
1 pint applesauce
2 cup grated zucchini squash
1 cup raisins, plumped
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup prunes (microwaved in 1/4 cup water and mash)
1 (8-oz) package chopped dates
2 or 3 bananas, mashed
1 apple, grated
1 cup any kind of jelly, jam or fruit preserves

Directions:
Combine dry ingredients (cereal, sugar, flour, soda, spices, salt, and stir together in an extra-large bowl. Add remaining ingredients from the basic recipe. Then prepare and stir in the flavor and fiber ingredients.

Bake in greased muffin tins at 350° for 20 minutes or until muffin sides are browned. (Lift them slightly with a fork to see.) The muffins freeze well. The batter is said to keep up to six weeks in the refrigerator, though I've never kept it that long.  Just stir well, and bake as needed.

Notes:
This recipe was given to me by Joyce Putty of Hopkinsville, KY.

One of these days, I'm going to try adding a cup of grated carrots to the batter.  Seems to me like it should work fine.

Zucchini Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 cup margarine 3/4 cup sugar (or Splenda) 1 egg 1-1/2 cup flour 1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup oatmeal 1 cup grated zucchini 1/2 cup raisins 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:
Plump the raisins by cooking them in 1 tablespoon of water for 1 minute in the microwave on high. Leave them in the microwave until ready to use. Cream margarine and sugar together. Beat in one egg. Sift flour, cinnamon, and soda together. Add to egg mixture and mix well. Stir in oatmeal. Add grated zucchini, drained raisins, and walnuts. Drop by teaspoonfuls on a greased cookie sheet; flatten slightly. Bake at 350° F for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned and cooked through. Let them cool slightly; remove to a rack while still warm.

Notes:
My mother Doris Hill collected this recipe and hand-wrote it on a card for her recipe files.

Marinated Zucchini Salad

1/2 cup vinegar 1/4 cup sugar 2-1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 tablespoon wine vinegar 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper 5 small zucchini, thinly sliced 1/2 cup diced celery 1/2 cup diced onion 1/2 cup chopped green pepper

Directions:
Combine vinegar, sugar, vegetable oil, wine vinegar, salt, and pepper, stirring well. Add vegetables and toss them until all are well coated. Cover and marinate in refrigerator at least 3 hours or overnight.

Stuffed Zucchini

3 medium zucchini 2 tablespoons butter 1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms 2 tablespoons flour

1/3 teaspoon oregano 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese 2 tablespoons chopped pimento 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil and cook the whole zucchini for about 10 minutes. Slice each zucchini in half, lengthwise. Scoop out the center pulp, leaving a 1/2 inch shell. Chop the pulp and set aside.

In a large skillet, melt the butter and saute the mushrooms. Add flour and oregano; stir and cook the mixture for a couple minutes. Stir in Monterey Jack cheese, pimento, and chopped zucchini pulp. Cook until mixture is heated through.

Fill each zucchini shell with about 1/4 cup of the cheese mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Place on a broiler pan several inches from the heat and broil until cheese bubbles, about 3 to 5 minutes. Watch them carefully! Serve immediately. (6 servings)

Zucchini Spice Cake

1 box yellow cake mix 2 tablespoons oil 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice 3 eggs 1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla 2 cups grated zucchini 1 cup nuts 1 cup raisins

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, oil, spice, eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Mix well until batter is smooth. Fold in grated zucchini, nuts and raisins. Pour into a greased and floured 9x13" cake pan. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool and frost as desired.

Notes:
This recipe was collected by my mother, Doris Hill. She wrote it by hand on a recipe card for her files.

I like to plump the raisins when I use them in cakes or cookies. It's easy to do and they taste much better. Put the raisins in a microwave dish with 2 tablespoons water. Microwave on high for 1 minute and let the raisins sit in the microwave until you are ready for them. Drain them well before adding them to the dough.

Tex-Mex Zucchini Casserole

4 ears fresh corn
1/4 cup olive oil (more or less)
3 medium onions, sliced thin
6 or 7 medium zucchini, sliced thin
1 large tomato, seeded, chopped and drained.
1 (8 oz. ) can of tomatillos drained and chopped or 1 cup fresh tomatillos, chopped
2 Anaheim chili peppers (mild long green peppers), seeded and chopped
1 small jalapeño chile, seeded and chopped
3/4 teaspoon oregano
Salt and pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar or Monteray Jack cheese

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°. With a sharp knife, cut the corn from the cobs and set aside. In a large skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil and saute the onions and zucchini for 3 to 5 minutes over medium heat. Remove from pan and set aside. In the skillet, heat another tablespoon or two of olive oil and saute the tomato and tomatillos for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and add the zucchini mixture to the tomato mixture. Stir in peppers and oregano; season with salt and pepper to taste. Spray a large casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Spoon vegetable mixture into casserole dish and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Bake the casserole covered for 30 minutes. Then place it briefly under the broiler (watch carefully!) to brown the top before serving.

Notes:
Substitute any peppers that you like.