I love secret ingredient recipes, and you’d never know there was shredded zucchini hiding inside this moist, chocolatey cake. Even my Picky Eater who normally runs away from zucchini (and many other “green” things) commented that he liked it. The cake is great on it’s own or served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. While I like it best the day it’s made when the chocolate chips are still a little melty, it’s still very good the second day, too (and gets even more moist).

After grating the zucchini, I squeeze the excess water out of it before adding it to the cake batter. Also, I skip the nuts and double the chocolate chips, mixing some of them into the batter and sprinkling the rest on top of the batter. Enjoy!

Chocolate Zucchini Cake
-adapted recipe from Bon Appétit Magazine

The zucchini helps keep the cake moist.

Yield: Serves 12

2  cups sifted all purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 cups grated unpeeled zucchini (about 2 1/2 medium)
1 6-ounce package (about 1 cup) semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter and flour 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. Beat sugar, butter and oil in large bowl until well blended. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla extract. Mix in dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk in 3 additions each. Mix in grated zucchini. Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips and nuts over.

Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cool cake completely in pan.
 

Tags: chocolate cake, chocolate zucchini cake, zucchini, zucchini cake

One of the things I love about September is the potpourri of ripe veggies available at farm stands and farmers’ markets. Last week, I visited my local farm stand and purchased all the makings for these tasty quesadillas that are stuffed and garnished with a medly of fresh corn, chile peppers, summer squash and tomatoes. The quesadillas make a great lunch or light dinner…Yum!

For the chiles, I used a combo of four different peppers I got at the farm stand that ranged from mild to spicy. I chopped enough of them to equal 1 cup. I also sauteed some Walla Walla onions along with the veggies for added flavor. Since I didn’t have chipotle chile powder, I substituted a little chopped chipotle pepper in adobo sauce…it added a nice smokiness to the vegetable mixture. Enjoy!

Farmers’ Market Quesadillas
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine
 
These quick quesadillas are loaded with the best of the season: summer squash, fresh corn, and diced tomatoes. Fresh chiles and chipotle powder add depth and give the dish some smoky heat. Yields 4 quesadillas.

5 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 cup small-diced fresh, mild chiles, such as Anaheim or poblano (from about 2 large chiles)
1-1/2 cups small-diced summer squash (from about 2 small zucchini, yellow squash, or yellow crookneck)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup fresh corn kernels (from 2 medium ears)
1/8 tsp. chipotle chile powder
1 cup diced tomato (from 2 small tomatoes)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbs. fresh lime juice
Four 9-inch flour tortillas
2 cups grated sharp cheddar (8 oz.)
Sour cream for serving (optional)

Heat the oven to 200°F. Fit a cooling rack over a baking sheet and put in the oven.

Heat 1 Tbs. of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the chiles and cook, stirring, until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the squash, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until the squash softens and starts to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the corn and chipotle powder and cook 2 minutes more. Spoon into a bowl, let cool for a few minutes, and then fold in the tomato, cilantro, and lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside 3/4 cup of the mixture.

Lay several layers of paper towel on a work surface. Wipe out the skillet, put it over medium-high heat, and add 1 Tbs. of the oil. When it’s hot, put one tortilla in the pan. Quickly distribute 1/2 cup of the cheese evenly over the tortilla and about a quarter of the remaining vegetable mixture over half the tortilla. When the underside of the tortilla is browned, use tongs to fold the cheese-only side over the vegetable side. Lay the quesadilla on the paper towels, blot for a few seconds, and then move it to the rack in the oven to keep warm while you repeat with the remaining oil and tortillas. Cut the quesadillas into wedges and serve immediately with the reserved vegetable mixture and sour cream.

Tip: Chipotles are dried smoked jalapeños, and in any form they add an intriguing depth to dishes like these quesadillas. McCormick makes ground chipotle, and The Spice Hunter sells a crushed chipotle, which would be a fine substitute in this recipe; just add a bit more than you would of the ground.

Tags: Anaheim peppers, bell peppers, cheese, chiles, farmers' market quesadillas, Fine Cooking Magazine, fresh corn, Mexican, peppers, quesadillas, summer squash, tomatoes, tortillas, zucchini

I got together with a group of girlfriends from my bible study on Friday to organize a friend’s garage. The friend we were helping is a mom of two young boys and her husband has been in the hospital for several months awaiting a heart transplant. Needless to say, it’s been a difficult season for this family, so a chilly, overcast November day was not going to deter us from the work we had set out to do. We were there to help a girlfriend, to let her know that she and her family are loved, and in some small way, to offer hope.

After we finished our project, we stood around the kitchen together eating a bowl of this Summer Minestrone with Pesto. Friends sharing life together and a hot bowl of soup…this is what it’s all about!

Now about the minestrone…I doubled the recipe so there would be plenty of soup for all of us. I used vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, russets instead of the red-skinned potatoes, diced canned tomatoes instead of fresh (28-oz can for double recipe), chopped kale instead of spinach, and extra carrots instead of green beans. About 10 minutes before serving, I added a little bit of uncooked pasta to the simmering soup which helped thicken it up a bit. Once the pasta was cooked, we ladled the piping hot soup into bowls and garnished each serving with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Yumm!

Summer Minestrone with Pesto
-recipe from Bon Appétit Magazine

When a generous garnish of pesto gets stirred in, the soup turns a vibrant green and becomes perfumed with the intense and sweet aroma of basil mixed with garlic. Makes 6 servings.

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
6 cups low-salt chicken broth
2 carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
2 celery stalks, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 small red-skinned potatoes, quartered
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 small zucchini, halved lengthwise, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 15-ounce can cannellini (white kidney beans), drained
2 tomatoes, peeled, crushed
2 cups fresh spinach leaves, chopped
6 tablespoons pesto
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Add broth and next 7 ingredients. Increase heat to high and bring soup to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover pot, and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in spinach; simmer 3 minutes longer. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into 6 bowls; garnish each with 1 tablespoon pesto. Serve, passing cheese separately.

Tags: cannellini beans, carrots, celery, chicken broth, kale, minestrone, onion, parmesan cheese, pesto, potatoes, spinach, tomatoes, Vegetable, zucchini

If you’re looking for a way to use up some of that summer zucchini, try this recipe for Zucchini Caponata. The combo of zucchini, tomatoes and olives makes a great topping for grilled bread or a quick, fresh sauce for cooked pasta. I bet it would also be really good as a topping for grilled chicken or pork.

The recipe calls for adding 2 teaspoons of sugar to the cooked zucchini mixture but next time I’d only use one teaspoon. For a little oomph, I added a few dashes of crushed red pepper and a splash of red wine vinegar. A garnish of freshly grated Parmesan cheese or crumbled feta or goat cheese would also be a great addition to the caponata. Enjoy!

Zucchini Caponata
-recipe from kingarthurflour.com

You can also add diced grilled slices of eggplant for an extra-smoky twist. Makes about 3 cups.

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped zucchini
1 cup chopped onion
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and chopped or minced
1 1/2 cups chopped tomato
2 to 3 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 cup halved grape or cherry tomatoes
1 to 2 tablespoons drained capers
1/4 cup pitted halved black olives, preferably oil-cured
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, parsley, or oregano (optional)

Heat the oil, and fry the zucchini, onion, garlic, and tomatoes for 30 minutes, covered.

Remove the cover, and cook an additional 10 to 15 minutes to evaporate any extra liquid.

Add the sugar, salt, and pepper; stir and remove from heat. When lukewarm, stir in the cherry tomatoes, capers, and olives. Store covered and refrigerated until ready to use.

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Tags: basil, black olives, capers, caponata, garlic, onions, parsley, tomatoes, zucchini

This simple appetizer is a perfect starter for a summer dinner. I love the flavor combination of goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes and fresh thyme with the grilled zucchini…delicious!

Be sure not to overcook the zucchini on the grill…you just want nice char marks on both sides. Also, cooling the cooked zucchini stips on a wire rack is an important step so they don’t steam and get super limp and mushy. I think the roll-ups were just as good without the Parmesan/broiling step so feel free to skip it if you don’t want to bother with turning on your oven. Enjoy!

Grilled Zucchini & Goat Cheese Roll-Ups
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine
 
Make these ahead, refrigerate them if you like, and broil them briefly before serving. Serve with a first-course green salad or as a side to grilled meat, or as part of an antipasto. Draping grilled vegetables such as zucchini, eggplant, and scallions over a cooling rack prevents them from steaming and becoming mushy. Yields 8 to 10 roll-ups.

3 small zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch thick lengthwise strips
extra-virgin olive oil
kosher salt
3 oz. goat cheese, at room temperature
1 Tbs. finely chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, well drained
Heaping 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
2 Tbs. freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Heat a gas grill to high. Brush both sides of the zucchini strips with olive oil and season with kosher salt. Put the strips on the grill at a 45-degree angle to the grates and grill, covered, until well browned and limp, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Check occasionally and move the slices around gently with tongs as necessary so that they brown evenly; don’t undercook them. When done, remove them from the grill and drape them over a cooling rack to keep them from steaming as they cool.

In a bowl, combine the goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, thyme, 1 tsp. olive oil and 1/8 tsp. kosher salt. When the zucchini has cooled completely, spread 1 heaping tsp. of the filling thinly over one side of each grilled zucchini strip (use a mini spatula or your fingers to spread). Roll up the zucchini (not too tightly; this is more like folding), and put them on a baking sheet lined with parchment or foil. Refrigerate if not using within an hour, but bring back to room temperature before broiling. Heat the broiler. Sprinkle with a little grated Parmigiano and brown under the-broiler, about 1 minute.

From Fine Cooking 51, pp. 55
June 1, 2002

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Tags: fresh thyme, goat cheese, Grilling/BBQ, sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, zucchini

I’m always on the lookout for new soups, especially recipes like this one that feature vegetables. This quick and easy Italian-inspired soup calls for store-bought cheese tortellini (or your favorite flavor) and other ingredients that can be kept on hand.

I followed the recipe except for sauteing some diced onion along with the carrots and celery. I also substituted broccoli for the zucchini and canned diced tomato (about 1/2 cup) for the fresh tomatoes. For protein, I added some diced cooked chicken. Garnish each serving with a dollop of pesto and some Parmesan cheese.

Tortellini and Vegetable Soup
-recipe from williams-sonoma.com

For a traditional Italian version of this hearty vegetable soup, garnish each serving with a spoonful of store-bought pesto. The pesto adds herbaceous notes to the simple soup. Round out the meal with a loaf of crusty Italian or whole-grain bread.

2 Tbs. olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 carrots, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
2 zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 lb. fresh cheese tortellini
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, warm the 2 Tbs. olive oil. Add the carrots, celery and zucchini and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the broth and bring to a boil.

Add the tortellini and cook for 5 minutes, or according to the package instructions. Remove from the heat. Stir in the tomatoes and parsley, and season with salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup into warmed bowls, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with the cheese and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast Series, One Pot, by Carrolyn Carreño (Oxmoor House, 2008).

Tags: broccoli, carrots, parmesan cheese, pesto, soup, tomatoes, tortellini, zucchini

Here’s an exotic chicken soup that is easy to make and really delicious. Garam masala, an aromatic spice blend used in Indian cooking, gives the soup a ton of flavor. The garam masala I used is a blend of coriander, black pepper, cumin, cardamom and cinnamon.

I thought the soup was best served right after it was cooked when the zucchini was still slightly crisp. The couscous soaks up a lot of the broth over time so you may need to add more if reheating it on the second day. Serve with naan or some other type of flatbread.

Moroccan Chicken Soup
-recipe from America’s Test Kitchen 30-Minute Suppers

Just 1 teaspoon of garam masala, an Indian spice blend that includes cinnamon, cardamom, and black pepper, gives this quick-cooking soup depth and complexity. Serves 4.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped fine
1 teaspoon garam masala
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes
2 (15.5 oz) cans chickpeas (garbonzo beans), drained and rinsed
2 zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch pieces* (see Test Kitchen Note)
1/2 cup plain couscous
1 rotisserie chicken, skin discarded, meat shredded into bite-sized pieces (about 3 cups)
salt & pepper

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook onion until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in garam masala and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add broth and tomatoes and bring to simmer. Stir in chickpeas, zucchini, and couscous and cook, covered, until couscous is tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Test Kitchen Note: Look for zucchini that are no longer than 8 inches as larger zucchini are overly seedy and tough. Serve with chopped cilantro and lemon wedges.

Tags: chickpeas, couscous, garam masala, garbonzo beans, Moroccan Chicken Soup, zucchini

Whether you’ve got a bumper crop of zucchini or you’re just looking for a quick weeknight meal, here’s a fresh-tasting pasta dish for you to try. It’s nothing fancy but it is easy and tasty. 

I used Foster Farms Turkey Italian Sausage, which has a lot of flavor and less fat than pork sausage. I decided to reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water before I drained the pasta then added it to the skillet when I tossed everything together. This helps keep the pasta moist since there’s no sauce. Next time I’ll reserve more  pasta water (1/2 cup or so). I finished each serving with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

Italian Sausage and Zucchini Pasta

Serves 4. 

Sliced zucchini brings a fresh element to Italian sausage pasta. Served with some garlic bread and a glass of wine, it quickly becomes a satisfying meal.

12 ounces fettuccine
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound mild or hot Italian sausages, casings removed and broken into 1/2-in. chunks
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 cup sliced onion
1 pound zucchini, sliced
2 medium tomatoes, cut into 1-in. chunks
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, return to pot, and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large nonstick frying pan, heat oil over high heat. Add sausage and cook, stirring often, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer sausage to a plate and set aside.

In the same pan, cook garlic, onion, and zucchini until starting to brown, about 4 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, pepper, and reserved sausage and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes.

Combine sausage mixture with reserved pasta and transfer to a large serving bowl. Sprinkle with half the Parmesan and serve with remaining cheese on the side.

Tags: italian sausage, Pasta, Quick Cooking, zucchini