Got Summer Squash?

Are summer squash coming out of your ears?

Is your kitchen being overrun by giant green things???

Well, then this post is for you!

Here are some recently picked zucchini...I have more in the fridge! By the way, those zucchini plants tend to be all or nothing- and if you want them to keep producing you need to pick them regularly (or the plant stops/slows down production). I thought I was keeping on top of picking them...but look at that giant whopper of a zucchini! Here are a few tried and true recipes.

First up:

Zucchini Pancakes
(slightly modified from an allrecipes.com recipe found here)

4 eggs
2 cups grated zucchini (if you've got large zucchini scrape out the seed-y part before grating it)
3/4 cup all purpose flour (I used whole wheat)
3 Tb sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tb vegetable oil
4 tsp baking powder
melted butter (optional- I always skip this step)

In a large mixing bowl beat eggs. Add grated zucchini and mix well. Add flour, sugar, salt and vegetable oil and blend well (I use a wooden spoon). Finally add baking powder.

Spoon batter- about 2 Tb per pancake- on a hot griddle (I usually spray a little cooking oil on my griddle to be sure the pancakes don't stick). Cook until there are no longer bubbles forming in the pancake- about 2 minutes or so. Turn over and cook for about 2 minutes longer.

Rub pancakes with melted butter (like I said I skip this step). Serve immediately.

*We LOOOOVE to eat ours with awesome Michigan maple syrup. Sadly we just ran out! (insert sobbing sound)

Zucchini Stuffed with Corn and Cheese
adapted from The Victory Garden Cookbook by Marian Morash (awesome cookbook by the way)

Two 6-7 -inch-long zucchini or summer squash (you can use bigger squash but then you have to up the filling)
1 cup corn kernels
1/2 cup-2/3 cup ricotta cheese
1-2 Tb chopped chives (optional but I always add this since we have an abundance of it)
salt
pepper
3/4 cup grated Cheddar cheese (I just used a Italian blend cheese and it was great!)

Preheat oven to 350F.
Now in the cookbook Marian advises the reader to first blanch the zucchini in boiling salted water. Personally, I don't think it's necessary so now I skip it.
Halve lengthwise and scoop out the seeds, forming cavities.
Coursely puree the corn and ricotta in a food processor or blender. Add chives and season with salt and pepper. (taste it!) Fill cavities with filling, mounding slightly. Cover with grated cheese. Place in buttered (I always forget to do that) casserole dish and bake covered for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 20-25 minutes until the squash is tender and the topping is browned.
*In the past I've also added a little water in the bottom of the casserole dish but I don't think it's necessary.
**I've also made these in the crockpot. Just cook on low for a few hours with a little water in the bottom. They turned out okay- a little on the mushy side. Works well with patty pan squash.

Summer Squash Breakfast Buritto
(I made this up myself ...so amounts aren't exact)

One small summer squash, diced
Half onion, diced
2 Tb olive oil
4 eggs (I usually do one egg per person since my Girlies aren't big eaters)
Dash or two of Penzey's Sandwich Sprinkle (or just salt and pepper)
Leftover chopped bacon (optional)
4 tortillas

In a large skillet saute the onion in the olive oil until translucent over medium heat. Add summer squash and cook until tender. Add either the sandwich sprinkle or salt and pepper. (be sure to taste what you're cooking to get the seasoning correct). Crack the eggs into the skillet and scramble them. Add chopped bacon.

Spread filling on tortilla and wrap it up into a tortilla. Enjoy!
*I've also added grated cheese to the filling before wrapping up in the tortilla.
** This would be a great way to use leftover cooked veggies- just dice them up and toss them in with the bacon to heat them up.

Okay....
I've got one more recipe for you. I just found this one recently and let me tell you it's YUMMY!!!

Pineapple Zucchini Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
(originally from Tasty Kitchen via The Pioneer Woman...go check out her awesome blog!)
Cake:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or just use all-purpose but I personally like the whole wheat)
1-1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
Freshly grated nutmeg (about 1/4 tsp)
1 pinch ground ginger
3 Tb canola oil (wow! Only 3 Tb of oil!)
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups grated zucchini (if using large zucchini scrape out the seeds before grating)
One 20-ounce can crushed pineapple; reserve juice (I didn't have any so I used canned peaches that I diced up- worked beautifully)
Frosting:
2 Tb butter, softened
8 ounces Low-fat cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
Splash of milk or reserved pineapple juice, if necessary
Chopped nuts (optional- I skipped these)

Preheat oven to 350F.

Combine flour, sugar, coconut, baking soda, salt and spices in a large bowl and whisk to combine well.
In a separate bowl combine oil, eggs and vanilla; stir well.
Stir egg mixture, zucchini and pineapple into flour mixture. Batter will be stiff and dry but keep stirring it until well combined. If it seems a little too dry add a splash of reserved pineapple juice.
Spray a 13x9-inch baking pan with cooking oil. Spoon batter into the baking pan. Bake at 350F for about 30-35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs and the cake is pulling away from the sides of the pan. Let cool completely.
For the frosting: Beat the butter and cream cheese with a mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add splash of milk or reserved pineapple juice if necessary.

YUM! YUM! YUM! My family is asking when I'm going to make this cake again! (eta...we just made another one! Yippeee!)

**Don't forget to check out Balancing Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday post!**