It's that time of year when everyone is trying to find new ways to use up zucchini from their garden! Luckily I am taking advantage of all the surplus since we don't have a garden this year. I've previously posted chocolate zucchini muffins, and everyone knows about zucchini bread but this time I tried something new- zucchini brownies. I promise can't taste the green stuff...it just makes them super moist. They're also actually quite light and fluffy and a great evening treat! So go on, try this new goody with the excess zucc's you've got sitting on your counter!
ZUCCHINI BROWNIES
What you need for the brownies:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups zucchini, grated and drained (I used a paper towel to help dry it out)
To make the brownies:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease and flour a 9x13 baking pan.
3. In a large bowl mix together the oil, sugar and vanilla extract.
4. In another bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
5. Mix the dry ingredients into the oil mixture until combined (it might still seem a bit dry). Then fold in the zucchini- this will moisten the mixture.
6. Spread your batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes until brownies spring back a bit when you touch them.
ENJOY!
There's not much better than a fresh fruit cobbler. Warm and gooey, slightly crunchy, satisfyingly sweet. Topped with some ice cream or perhaps a little whipped cream? C'mon, I know your mouth is watering! I think I've only made cobbler about twice in my life... I usually leave it to the experts at Cracker Barrel when I'm really craving it. However, I was in the mood for peaches and decided this was a good way to serve them up. I had a little fun with this recipe and added in some fresh bing cherries as well. So yes, the prep work was a bit much but to balance that out, I cooked this recipe in the crock pot. How easy! Serve this up at your next gathering or make it just for you and save the leftovers for a sweet treat all week long!
PEACH AND CHERRY COBBLER
What you need for the cobbler:
5 fresh peaches (you can use frozen if you'd like, probably close to 5 cups)
30 bing cherries (you can use as much or as little as you'd like, this was just what I did)
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Topping
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup +2 tablespoons rolled oats (you can eye ball this)
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons of butter, at room temperature (plus a little for the greasing the crock pot)
To make the cobbler:
1. Clean up and slice your fruit. I peeled the peaches with my potato peeler and then sliced them from top to bottom and then in half. I cut the cherries in half, removed the pit and then sliced each half in half (ending up with four slices per cherry). I swear the rest of this recipe is easy after this. To make it faster, I did the fruit prep work the night before and then threw the rest of it together this morning.
2. Mix the next 5 ingredients together in a bowl; then toss with the fruit.
3. Butter the bottom and sides of your crock pot. Add in the fruit.
4. Next, mix up your topping. Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl, then cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbles.
5. Pour this mixture on top of your fruit in the crock and turn on low for 2 hours.
At the end of two hours, remove the lid (the condensation can make the topping really soggy) and keep on low or 'keep warm' for another hour. I actually popped mine in the oven for 25 minutes (in the crock, without the lid) at 350 after the 2 hours but you can easily let it go for another hour in the crock pot-whatever you prefer! Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.
ENJOY!!
PS. Here's Teddy lounging while I worked in the kitchen. He has such a tough life ;)
