Confessions of a Food Junkie

I love using zucchini in dessert-type recipes.  Sneaks in a little veggie for the kiddos....except my oldest is hip to it and insists she doesn't like zucchini, even though I insist to her that it's kind of tasteless.  She did, however, inhale one of these cookies like she was never going to eat again.  So I'd say it's kid-tested, kid-approved.  The zucchini is about the only thing good for you in these cookies, but hey, sometimes ya just gotta live a little.

1/2 c butter
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 c oil
2 1/4 c flour
1/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 3/4 c grated zucchini

Preheat the oven to 350.  Grease two cookie sheets.

Cream together the butter and sugars until smooth.  Beat in the eggs, vanilla and oil.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.  Gradually stir into the creamed mixture.  Fold in the zucchini.  Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto the prepared sheets.

Bake one sheet at a time for 8-10 minutes.  Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing to wire rack.

Makes 24 cookies.

I know, I know....more zucchini.  Get used to, every day I have one or two more to pick out of the garden!  But I will mix it up by giving you both sweet and savory ways to enjoy the ever abundant veg.  I made chocolate zucchini cookies the other night (I'm posting that one too) and had leftover shredded zucchini I had to use up.  My best recipes come when I just start throwing stuff together.  This was no exception.  SOOO good. 

I don't have any pictures of it, because my kitchen doesn't have the right lighting for nighttime pics.  Everything has an orange glow to it.  Stupid kitchen.  Have I mentioned how much I hate my kitchen?  It has, however, made me learn to do a lot in very little space.  That's my silver lining for the day.


6 eggs
splash of milk
2 c shredded zucchini
1 c croutons
1/2 c chopped pepperoni
1/4 c shredded cheese of your choice (I had mozzarella)
spices to taste:
   salt (go easy, remember both the pepperoni and croutons are already salty)
   pepper
   garlic powder
   onion powder
   Beer Can Chicken BBQ seasoning (or any other BBQ seasoning you have)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a pie plate with nonstick spray.

Scramble the eggs with the milk.  Add the spices, mix well.  Stir in the zucchini, croutons, pepperoni and cheese.

Pour into the pie plate.  Bake for 20 minutes or until it is done in the center.

Zucchini is something that I have a love/hate relationship with.  When I plant my garden, I mentally rub my hands gleefully together in anticipation of the promise of an abundant harvest.  By the end of the gardening season, I hope to never see another zucchini again.  Right now I'm in the middle stage of the relationship...I'm enjoying going out to the garden every day and picking one or two, but now they're starting to pile up on my counter.

Usually I am the zucchini bread queen of the world.  It has been so hot here the last few weeks, the last thing I wanted to do was start the oven.  I didn't know what to make for supper, and when that happens, creativity strikes.  This is what I came up with, and it was pretty darn good, if I do say so myself.  The fam agreed.


1 box pasta (I used radiatore)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
4 c shredded zucchini
3/4 c shredded cheese of your choice (I had mozzarella on hand)
1/2 c plain yogurt
Spices to taste:
salt
pepper
onion powder
cumin

Heat olive oil over medium heat.  Saute garlic, being careful not to brown it too much.  Stir in zucchini, one handful at a time, stirring after each.  Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring ocassionally.  Spoon the yogurt into the zucchini, mix well.  Turn heat down to low and let rest while pasta is cooking, stirring ocassionally.

Once pasta is cooked and drained, return it to the pasta pot.  Stir in the zucchini.  Stir in the shredded cheese until melted.  Serve hot with crusty bread.

Happy post-4th of July!

We went to a barbeque at my parents' house, which has become tradition.  I was recruited, among other things, to make dessert.  This turned out to be such a lovely dessert.  It was easy, as the crust is pre-made sugar cookie dough.  I made these triangles on my Pampered Chef bar pan, which was the perfect size.  Most recipes I make rarely turn out looking like the picture, but these turned out so pretty, just like the picture.  This was a hit with even the pickiest of eaters.  My cousin's future stepson redefines "picky eater", and he loved these.  He said they tasted like a Toaster Streudel, and darned if he isn't right.  A cold Toaster Streudel, but still delicious.



Photo courtesy of pillsbury.com