Recipe Swap: How Do You Eat Zucchini?

Welcome to Recipe Swap, a new series created to put a 21st century twist on the age-old practice of swapping recipes with friends and neighbors.

Last week, Patch asked its Facebook readers to share their uses for and before that, . From avocado-based desserts to stuffed peppers and a dozen different sandwich combinations, readers offered up a variety of recipes used and loved by their own families.

This week we turn our attention to zucchini, as requested by Patch reader Rene Bonnette Ruhlman.

Bread/Pancakes

• Jean Marceau Springer Zucchini Bread! Springer prefers the recipe for Mom's Zucchini Bread available on AllRecipes.com.
• Laura Hetzler zucchini pancakes made with feta, scallions and dill, topped with a dollop of sour cream
• Hope Comerford Recommends her recipe for slow cooker Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread and slow cooker Stuffed Zucchini.

Grilled, Oven-Baked or Sauteed 

• Jennifer Kleinsorge Szarejko I cut them up, medium, leaving skin on, put them in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, put garlic, sea salt and some ground pepper, toss and grill in a grill basket, YUMMY! I also will but summer squash and mushrooms in the basket all together and toss. Soooooo good!
• Cory Fisher Ammouri Hollowed out, stuffed with meats, cheeses, covered in tomato sauce and baked!
• Christine Trinh sauteed with summer squash, cherry tomatoes, onions, peppers and tossed with pasta. I also frequently mix zucchinis up with cucumbers and end up with them in my salads, which is fine too.
• Nicole Peters cut in half width wise so you have 2 long, semi circle halves, do same with yellow squash, brush generously with olive oil, throw on grill for 10-15 mins. cut into 1/2 inch slices and enjoy. makes a great side for BBQ, chicken or steak.
• Connie Cuellar Stir fry in a splash of olive oil some zucchini, eggplant, yellow squash, peppers, onions and a protein (such as chicken, fish or a red meat like lamb if desired), add a tbl. or so of Arabic Seven Spice (or combine allspice and cinnamon). Serve with rice. Salt/pepper to taste. A splash of lemon also adds a tartness if desired. A variation of this is to add cumin and chili powder instead of seven spice for a Mexican kick, splash with hot sauce.
• Laura Grundei Hogg Sliced and sprinkled with salt, pepper, garlic pepper; then, drizzle with EVOO, then grill! Also, sliced, dipped in seasoned flour or Bisquick and pan fried in EVOO. Also, cubed and mixed with onion, tomatoes, fresh garlic, oregano and cooked down into Ratatouille (stew).
• Jen Chapo McGregor Baked-Chicken-and-Zucchini (I omit the tomatoes, or sometimes use a few cherry tomatoes cut up).
• Nancy Santonocito Cut them into real thin slices, fry in the pan with olive oil and garlic, add shrimp, cook the pasta and toss it all in together and Buon Appetito. 
• Newman Crew Saute with onions, garlic, tomatoes, and olives and serve over pasta. My kids love it.
• Wildtree Cooking with Tammy I have a ton of good ones :-) Go to http://www.mywildtree.com/tammyw/ then under recipes put in Zucchni and you will have lots of great options.

Add-in or Substitute 

• Terri Partyka Shredded, you can add it to a lot of things, such as baked goods, quiches, pasta sauces, and soups.
• Heidi Frisby- Nowaczewski I shredded a bunch and froze it in 2-cup servings to use for baking later.
• Shirley Weichel I make soup. Sauté the zucchini, carrots and onions... Add cream of chicken soup, cream of potato soup and cheddar cheese soup (no water) and small can of tomato juice. Stir in cooked chicken or turkey ... Add a couple drops of hot sauce ... Let simmer and yummy soup!
• Linda Saurini Santonocito You can also shred long zucchini and toss lightly with salad dressing. Makes a nice light side dish.
• Michael O'Palko Try long, thin slices and substitute for lasagna noodless and layer veggies, meat, tofu and lots of TLC!

Dessert

Cheryl Marie Freeman Mock apple pie. Freeman provided this recipe:
Makes a 12x18 pan, or 2-3 8x8 square or round pans

Pie Crust:
3 cups flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 sticks margarine or butter
Mix until crumbly

Filling: 8-10 cups peeled, seeded and sliced zucchini (the really large ones that you dont know what else to do with are the best for this, more meat on them! I find it easiest to slice lengthwise into quarters, slice out the seeds then peel)
2/3 cup lemon juice
Cook until tender

Mix separately: 1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Add to filling and simmer 5 minutes

Put half of pie crust mixture in bottom of 12x18 pan. Pat down. Bake 10 min at 375. Pour in filling. Sprinkle remaining mixture on top. Bake 30 minutes at 375.

Try these suggestions and post your own in the comments below! What ingredient would you like us to look at next?