I think that maybe I should just forget this whole going-back-to-school-to-change-the-world deal and just become a farmer. My family is full of them, and this year my Grandfather took the award for the largest zucchini. See:
(I bet my boy George liked zucchini.)
If I became a farmer I would grow massive produce and have salmonella-free eggs. So what’s a girl to do with a zucchini that size? Bake, naturally. First, obtain a box grater because you are going to do it by hand. Don’t complain, consider it your resistance training for the day. Once you’ve grated approximately half of your monster zucchini, pick your recipe… or you can be like me and make both.
Spiced Zucchini Bread (adapted from Martha)
- 2 cups grated zucchini
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp salt
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-by-5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, vanilla, and eggs.
3.Into a new bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt. Add egg mixture to the flour mixture, and stir together. Fold in grated zucchini.
4. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for approximately 45 minutes (an inserted tooth-pick should come clean). Allow to cool!
Chocolate Zucchini Muffins (adapted from KitchenDaily)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 cups grated zucchini
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare muffin pans with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Whisk together all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
3. Whisk eggs, applesauce, oil, and vanilla in another large bowl until blended. Add to the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in zucchini and the chocolate chips. Spoon the batter into the prepared pans (I was able to make 14 muffins).
4. Bake for 30 minutes and allow to cool.
I’m planning to freeze 8 of my muffins so I can enjoy them all year. Tasty, tasty.
Now, debate about what to do with the remaining monster zucchini.
What would you do with another 5 cups of zucchini?
{ 27 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh my goodness, that’s huge! Something I just made with zucchini: I take a tortilla, spread it with goat cheese, add grated zucchini (sorry, more elbow grease), and top with mozzarella. I bake it till the zucchini is cooked and the mozzarella browning. Of course, that won’t take care of your entire 5 cups.
I would make zucchini banana bread, zucchini “noodles,”or stir fry!
I love make a batch of cold salad with corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, black olives, garbanzos, shredded cheese and a vinaigrette! YUMMY perfect for the last days of summer, plus you get all the natural vitamins and nutrients for the day
Then you can make a steamed salad, as a side dish for another meal. I usually cook it with corn (love corn) and carrots, green beans, broccoli and mushrooms – add butter for delicious taste!
Hmm, I’ve been dying to make some zucchini muffins that I’ve seen everywhere, but I guess you have that part covered. Zucchini “noodles” sound good too. I’ve just discovered your site and am excited to read your perspectives on food and food politics. No matter if your views are similar to mine or not, I always enjoy finding a blog that discusses the food system and issues surrounding modern food production as well as trends in the food industry.
Zucchini fritters with feta! Love
Holy huge zucchini!! Congrats to your grandpa for taking top prize!
Zucchini is actually one of my favorite vegetables. I often slice it into rounds, season it well with garlic, salt and pepper, and then “grill” it on the stove until it’s slightly brown/golden. I love to eat it for breakfast with eggs and goat cheese! I also recently purchased a mandolin slicer and have had fun making zucchini spaghetti! You should look into buying one…they’re lots of fun! Maybe a “pasta” party?
The zucchini bread and muffins look scrumptious! I love Martha’s recipes…they always turn out *perfectly*!
That is insane! If I were you, I’d consider shredding more of it and freezing it. For future baking efforts. Chocolate zucchini bread/muffins are amazing! And should be enjoyed year round!
wow, that is huge!
I like making “lasagna” with zucchini instead of the noodles.
I’d go with a zucchini frittata or quiche (with salmonella-free eggs, of course), and add in some onion and cheese too. I love making frittatas to eat for any meal of the day.
That is insane! I have no idea what I’d do with the extra zucchini. I guess I’d make more bread and freeze it or give it away.
I must try zucchini in baked goods. I have heard too many tasty things about it.
Did you submit your little green monster to the Guinness World Records?! You could feed a small village.
Wow thats a giant zucchini! I would make a bunch of zucchini “pasta” dishes for dinner. I love slicing it thin with a mandoline or a potato peeler, sauteeing in a little olive oil and s&p
My parents are giving me zucchini that size from their garden and I have NO IDEA what to do with it all! I eat it basically everyday and there’s still so much of it left!
I like zucchini pancakes and just straight up zucchini stirfry, but your breads are looking delish!
Ah yes, I see you also have the zucchini predicament.
If you plan on growing some next season, save the seeds of that giant zucchini to grow next year. When my grandmother used to garden she would only let the zucchini grow that big if she were saving it’s seeds.
More zucchini bread!! Haha! I actually had the same dilemma earlier this week. was given a gigantic home grown zucchini and after making bread still had a huge part of it left over. I grilled some if it so maybe thats an idea? Or baked zucchini “chips” ?? I haven’t tried them yet but I plan to…
holy moses! That is so much zucchini! I’m not gonna lie I would have made spiced zucchini bread, you stole mine.
Make ratatouille!! I’ve always wanted to (being French and all) but never really have
Um, that zucchini is huge. Just huge. When I was younger my parents had a garden and we always had what seemed like millions upon millions of zucchinis! My mom would make zucchini bread, muffins, cookies, pie, cake, etc. Anything and everything!
I’ve made zucchini chips in the oven, those turned out pretty good, or could you make eggplant parmesan with zucchini instead?
WHOA!! Daannng..the supermarkets round here sell zucchini the length of my hand. I think my jaw would drop if I walked in a saw something that big!! Wow. Just wow.
That IS a large zucchini…I would say to grill it & eat it! Or you could make raw hummus with zucchini as the base (its sooo much better than it sounds) or you could send the rest to me
I have a giant zucchini from a friend’s garden. It keeps staring at me and I stare back. What to do with it?? I finally have my answer. My mom loves zucchini bread, so these recipes will excite her, too. Thanks for sharing!
Zucchini bread is my favorite summer recipe!! I was actually hoping to pick up a couple at the farmer’s market today so I could make some. But those chocolate muffins — that’s a new recipe that I’ll have to try!
You should make zucchini pasta, or zucchini pancakes!
My mom would make zucchini bread from our garden when I was little. I have such wonderful memories of that!
I like Lauren’s ideas-the pasta/pancake suggestion.
I need your grandfather to come teach me how to grow zucchini. Our plants are budding but no zucchini ever grow!
I would grill the remainder with dinner. I heart grilled zucchini!
large enough for zuchinni bread and muffins!! haha YEAAAAAAAAAAA
everyone in my family, through all generations, were farmers. we had a garden when i was younger and i loved digging up potatoes. i would wait to find the biggest one than parade around the backyard with it proudly.. haha i was 3, so one was the size of my head
xoxo
I love zucchini baked goods – always so moist!
You could make my zucchini pancakes =]
Yum, I am a HUGE fan of zucchini. I especially like it grilled.