Zucchini Many Ways

Baby Zucchini

The first squash (1 zucchini and 1 crookneck) came off the vines this evening and hit the frying pan, along with some onions, olive oil and butter. With a little salt and pepper to top it all off, it was a wonderful way to start the summer garden produce season. Looking at the vines, there are plenty of baby zucchini and before long, we're going to be inundated. It's all too easy to let zucchini get too big, too old and then it starts going to waste - there's only so much zucchini bread one can make! Rather than let that happen, here are some techniques for preserving zucchini and some not-so-common recipes to help utilize all of that gorgeous zucchini.

I was thinking that zucchini would not freeze well due to the high water content, but evidently it does freeze nicely. You can also dehydrate zucchini for use in soups and stews - a nice addition in the cold winter months. Zucchini evidently makes good pickles and relish as well.

5 Ways to Preserve Zucchini

Not everybody likes squash, but most folks (and kids) like 'chips'. You can utilize a lot of zucchini to make chips, a tasty snack or side for picnic fare or to serve with salsa. You can make chips by oven-frying, actually frying or dehydration - here are recipes and ideas for all three methods:

Breaded, oven fried zucchini chips

Oven Baked Zucchini Chips

Zucchini Chips with Spicy Salsa

(Fried) Crispy Zucchini Chips

Fish and (oven-fried) zucchini chips

Dehydrated Zucchini Chips (several spice variations)

If you prefer 'fries', versatile zucchini can do that, too!

Oven Baked Zucchini Fries

I happen to love relish and had no idea that zucchini makes really good relish! The first recipe requires no canning. The zucchini can get soggy the longer it sits, so best to make it fresh and use it quickly - see the recipe reviews for ideas. Of course, canning gives you a product that can be kept and used months later, or perhaps it would make a good homemade gift for a special occasion or person.

Zucchini Relish (no canning)

Sweet Zucchini Relish (canned)

Ball Blue Book (2008) Zucchini Relish & 'Zesty' Zucchini Relish

For links to many other ways to use zucchini such as zucchini cheese boats, bison-zucchini burgers, three unusual bread recipes, a gratin with zucchini, tomatoes and eggplant, and bread and butter pickles:

Article: zucchini, zucchini everywhere! — fresh talk

Last but not least, if you run through all the preserving techniques and recipes above and still have too much zucchini, here are some last resort ideas: 

Top 10 Things to Do with Too Much Zucchini

 

The 2013 garden, newly planted.

(Photos: Merlot)

Venison Chipotle Bean Dip

"Serve this with corn chips or vegetables. It will serve 8 to 10 people, but likely not for long. Better have a second half dish ready to heat up!!" (Virginia Wildlife: Ken & Maria Perrotte)

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground venison (we add 8 to 10% beef fat for this recipe OR use olive oil)
• 1/2 pack taco seasoning (the pack seasons 1 pound for tacos, but we like a more subtle taco flavoring here
• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons (more or less to taste) chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 2 cans (20.5 ounces) refried black beans
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese (we like to combine Monterey Jack, cheddar and mozzarella, but several varieties of already shredded cheese combinations are available)

Directions:

1. Brown ground meat in a skillet; add chopped onions and cook until soft. If you decided not to add any beef fat, use a tablespoon or two of olive oil to prevent sticking and promote browning,
2. Add the seasonings and water and the peppers, mixing well, and cook for another minute.
3. Set the meat aside to cool.
4. Combine the beans and salsa in a large mixing bowl and add the meat mixture. Spoon into a baking dish and top with the cheese.
5. Bake at 350 degrees unti hot and cheese has melted.

Artichoke Dip

Aunt Lee sent me this recipe with the following note:

"One of the gals from our tennis team always makes this dip and it is a hit everytime. She brought it today to our end of year luncheon.

It was the first dish to be eaten up!!! Really good. Thought I’d share."

ARTICHOKE DIP

Ingredients:

• 1 (14 oz.) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped (I use marinated.)
• 8 oz. crumbled feta cheese
• 1 cup mayo
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 jar (2oz.) diced pimentos, drained (If I have it, but not necessary.)
• 1 garlic clove, crushed

Directions:

1. Mix all and spoon into 9" pie plate or shallow dish.
2. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until lightly brown.
3. Garnish with diced tomatoes & green onions. (optional)
4. Serve with pita triangles or crackers. ENJOY!!!

Mexican Seven Layer Dip

Another favorite recipe from work - so popular that I had to make two pans .... pan #1 would keep the wolves at bay (i.e. 'guys' hovering over the pan with their chips in hand waiting for the 'go' signal to all dive in at once) while the rest of us politely took turns dipping our chips in pan #2.

Way back when, depending on the season, ripe avocados were hard to come by, if you could find them at all. The recipe originally called for fresh tomatoes as well, but the grainy, tasteless tomatoes available at the grocery store just weren't providing the necessary 'taste' .... thus the modification to use the Rotel tomatoes (with chiles for some extra kick) & the guacamole dip. If it's summer & you have home-grown tomatoes & can find ripe avocadoes, go for it!

Mexican Seven Layer Dip

(modified from Dale W.'s recipe)

(Note: Lowfat or fat free refried beans, sour cream, cheese, etc. works well in this recipe.)

Ingredients:

• 1 can refried beans
• 1 package Taco seasoning, divided equally
• 1 can Rotel tomatoes with chiles, drained
• 1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
• 5-6 strips of bacon, cooked & crumbled or diced
• 8 oz. sour cream
• Guacamole:
• 8 oz. ready made guacamole dip or packaged avocado OR
• 1-2 avocados mashed & mixed with 8 oz. sour cream (in addition to sour cream above - total 16 oz. sour cream for the recipe).
• Jalapenos:
•  several tablespoons fresh jalapeno, diced OR
•  several tablespoons of pickled or plain jalapeno slices (jar), diced
•  2 cups shredded cheese (cheddar, Mexican blend, etc.)

       Optional:  1 small can of sliced black olives

To Assemble:

1. An aluminum sheet cake pan (1/4 sheet cake size) 12-1/4 x 8-1/4 x 1-1/4 or similar size works perfectly.
2. Mix refried beans with 1/2 of Taco seasoning & evenly spread in pan
3. Sprinkle drained Rotel tomatoes/chiles on top of beans
4. Sprinkle onions & bacon on top of beans
5. Carefully spread guacamole over tomato/bacon/onion layer
6. Sprinkle jalapenos (to taste) & black olives (if using) over guacamole
7. Mix 8 oz. of sour cream with remaining 1/2 of Taco seasoning & spread over previous layer
8. Cover sour cream layer with shredded cheese

Best made at least a couple of hours ahead of serving to allow flavors to blend

**Mexican Potato Bake:
    use this dip as a generous topping for baked potatoes. Delicious!!

**Individual cups:
    layer dip in inidividual small clear cups (8 oz with a wide 
    'mouth' would work well). The layers look pretty & everybody has
    their own dip & doesn't have to keep running back to the dip pan.

    Here's a link for the individual dip cups idea:

http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2011/12/individual-seven-layer-dips.html