Welcome to my Kitchen

Zucchini are still at peak production and several great recipes have come in over the past week. Kendall Fisher shared his recipe for Stuffed Zucchini, bursting with savory taco and cheese flavor.

Stuffed Zucchini

6 large (7-8 inches each) zucchini, sliced lengthwise and the middle scooped out with a melon ball tool (save the middle)

1 pound ground turkey or beef

1/2 cup chopped red/yellow/green peppers in any combination

1/2 cup diced onion

1/3 cup water

1 packet taco seasoning

1/2 cup shredded cheddar

1/2 cup cream cheese

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

1 green onion, sliced thin

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a large shallow baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.

Brown turkey or beef, green peppers, diced onion and the middle part of the zucchini that was scooped out. Set the “boats” in the prepared baking pan.

Add taco seasoning and water. Stir and simmer a few minutes until seasoning dissolves and is equally distributed.

In a large bowl combine meat mixture, cheddar cheese, cream cheese and parsley. Mix well. Spoon mixture into each zucchini boat.

Bake for 30 minutes. If zucchini is not done, return to the oven for an additional 10 minutes, or until zucchini pierces easily with a fork.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and return to oven. Turn off heat. Cheese will melt in 3-5 minutes. Top with green onions and serve.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread, a recipe sent in by long time Odessa Record subscriber Floy Walter, will help use up some excess zucchini. With Deutsches Fest close at hand, this would be a good recipe to add to your baking list for the Odessa Museum Old Fashioned Bake Sale. Chocolate zucchini bread or cake is always a good seller, and this recipe makes two loaves, one for the family and one to share.

Floy states, “I have had this recipe since I was in junior-high school back in 1959. I make it in the fall when the zucchini is ready. I like to shred the zucchini and put two cups of it in freezer bags so I can use it later.”

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

3 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cups granulated sugar

1 Tbsp vanilla

2 cups peeled, shredded zucchini

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8x4x3-inch loaf pans and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Stir in zucchini.

In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients, and stir into the zucchini mixture.

Pour into prepared loaf pans and bake for 1 hour, or until bread tests done. Remove from oven and cool 5 minutes before turning out onto cooling racks to complete cooling. Store in airtight containers. Note: you may add 1 cup of chopped nuts if you like. Yield: 2 loaves.

Merleen Smith, leader of the Summer Cooking Camp, shared some recipe favorites of the camp participants. Cinnamon Yogurt Muffins would be another good choice for bake sales. Merleen states she got this recipe from Debbie Schlimmer-Schafer several years ago. It was voted most favorite by camp participants.

Cinnamon Yogurt Muffins

3/4 cup softened margarine

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

8 ounces plain yogurt

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

Topping:

2-3 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Cream together margarine, sugar and vanilla. Add eggs. Blend well, adding yogurt slowly. Combine flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder in a separate bowl. Add to yogurt mixture a little at a time until just moistened.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line muffin tins with cupcake papers. Fill half full with batter, sprinkle with about 1 tsp of cinnamon/sugar mixture. Spoon in remaining batter and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon/sugar mixture.

Bake for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on oven. Do not over bake. Yield: 12 muffins.

Note: my oven takes 20 minutes, convection ovens like at the school take less time.

Fruit Smoothies were another favorite, and Merleen’s recipe uses Crystal Light for the sweetener.

Fruit Smoothies

1 1/2 cups milk

1 1/2 tsp Crystal Light (tangy strawberry/banana flavor)

1 cup vanilla yogurt

1 cup frozen strawberries or fruit of choice

Place all ingredients in a blender, cover, blend until smooth. You may need to slightly thaw fruit and cut into smaller pieces if chunks are big.

Another favorite was Fruit Dip. I have made this dip before and it is especially good with crisp tart fall apples. The campers enjoyed it with assorted fruits and graham crackers.

Fruit Dip

1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese

1 container (15 oz.) marshmallow cream

Blend cream cheese until smooth. Add marshmallow cream and stir until blended. Serve with prepared fruit, may also serve with graham crackers.

So many more recipes to share in future columns – keep them coming in. Deutsches Fest guests, you are welcome to send in your favorite recipes. If you include your mailing address, I will see that you get a copy of the paper your recipe is in.

Share your favorite recipes by sending them to: Welcome to My Kitchen, c/o The Odessa Record, P.O. Box 458, Odessa, WA 99159 or send email to therecord@odessaoffice.com or drop them in the Welcome to My Kitchen mail tin in The Odessa Record office. Cool nights slow tomato ripening. Covering with a light sheet or other covering in the evening will trap heat over night and aid ripening.