Green, Green, Green....Zucchini, Zucchini, Zucchini

Is zucchini a weed?

In the past I have only had this level of gardening success with weeds -- I honestly can grown weeds that would make you cry with joy (or pain.) But I have never successfully grown many useful things -- case in point: all of my basil plants have died. AGAIN. I have a few tomatoes plants that are doing well, but green peppers ....basil.....lavendar.....never want to live in my backyard for some reason. Zucchini has never failed me and every year I plant extra....just so ya'll think I'm a gardner....not like "Dan Gardner"...just a gardner!
This is just a little flower bed along the back of my home....
By the end of the summer I will have been to busy to pick a few and they will grow the side of a T-ball bat....won't the GK's have fun with that!

****Celebrate Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor's Porch Day, is approaching.... it is August 8th

This lesser known holiday was created, undoubtedly, to creatively distribute abundant zucchini harvests. To "celebrate" this holiday, which happens every August 8th, wait for the darkness of night, sneak over to your neighbor's house and leave some zucchini on their porch. Don't ring the doorbell and run, just let them stumble over it in the morning.

If you really like your neighbors you might leave them a delicious loaf of zucchini bread --- I'm sharing 2 recipes with you today so you can get your game plan going for Zucchini Day!

#1 This is a Sweet Bread and delicious ~ Brown Sugar, Pineapple and Zucchini get the same billing in this recipe. So maybe we should call it Sugar Bread!

Pineapple Zucchini Bread

1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup margarine, softened
1 cup grated zucchini
1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple with juice
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground allspice
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
½ cup confectioners sugar
1 tsp corn syrup
¼ tsp ground cinnamon

Heat oven to 350. Grease and flour the bottom only of a 9x5 inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, cream brown sugar and margarine until light and fluffy. Reserve 1 TB pineapple juice. Stir in pineapple, zucchini, and eggs. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and allspice; blend well. Fold in nuts. Spread evenly in prepared pan.

Bake for 60-70 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes, and then remove from pan.

To make glaze, combine confectioners' sugar, reserved pinapple juice, corn syrup and ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon. Mix until smooth, and spoon over warm loaf. Cool completely on wire rack. Wrap and store in refrigerator.

#2 ----This recipe has a lot less sugar ---so it qualifies as HEALTHY!

Ingredients

3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 cup shredded zucchini
1 tablespoon grated onion

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Oil and flour a baking pan that is sized 9" x 5". In a large bowl, add and mix the flour, Parmesan cheese, salt, baking powder and baking soda.

Blend well and set aside. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Add the buttermilk, sugar and butter and beat the mixture with a fork until it is well blended. Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and only blend until the flour is moistened and the batter is still lumpy.

Add the zucchini and onion to your zucchini bread batter. Pour your batter into the greased and floured baking pan. Put it into the oven and bake for one hour or more. Check for doneness by putting a toothpick into the middle of the loaf. If the toothpick comes out clean, your zucchini bread is done.

Place your bread in the pan on a rack to cool for ten minutes. Remove from the pan.

Now you can easily get ready for the big Zucchini Holiday August 8th.....let me know what your family is doing for that big day!