Storing zucchini and other squash questions

[Fritz_Monroe]

We've just started harvesting the zucchini and we have 3 of them so far. I've cubed, blanched and frozen 2 of them. I also plan on grating and freezing some of them for zucchini bread. I've done some reading and apparently the don't can well.

 

I'll give some of them to family and friends, but since I'm puttin gthe work into growing them, I want to store them for our use. Anyone have any other suggested ways of storing them?

 

Other than zucchini bread, I don't like zucchini, but the wife loves them, so that's why I'm growing them. Anyone have any recipes that are good for people that don't like them? I've only eaten them boiled or steamed.

 

For next year's garden, or maybe for a fall garden, are there any other types of summer or winter squash that might taste better to me? I see people talking about butternut and acorn squash a lot.

[Dee]

We aren't much for zucchini either, other than bread or chocolate cake but some friends slice it, bread it with flour or cornmeal and fry in in a skillet in oil. Melt a slice of cheese on top and voila it's ready.

 

I tried it once and DH said if you have to disguise it that much it's not worth bothering with.

 

I used to have a recipe for zucchini chocolate cake but can't find it at the moment. It's good and very moist. I've found these recipes on the net.

 

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

[Violet]

If you have a dehydrator it will dry well. You can shred and dry for breads or slice and dry. They taste good as a snack if you sprinkle with seasoning salt and then dry.

They are not safe to can by themselves, too dense and can allow bacteria to grow.

Also, my favorite, zucchini relish.

I love this stuff ! I have tasted other recipes, but I like this the best:

 

Zucchini Relish

 

10 cups ground zucchini

3 cups ground onion

5 tablespoons salt

4 1/2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon dry mustard

3/4 teaspoon tumeric

1 1/2 teaspoon celery seed

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 1/2 cups cider vinegar

3/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 red bell pepper, ground

1 green bell pepper, ground

 

Using coarse grinder, grind zucchini and onion. If large zucchini are used, remove seeds before grinding. Combine zucchini and onion with salt and let stand overnight in the refrigerator. Drain thoroughly.

 

Combine sugar, dry mustard, turmeric, celery seed, pepper, vinegar and nutmeg. Cook over medium heat until it begins to thicken; then add ground bell peppers and cook on low heat for 30 minutes or until desired consistency is reached.

 

Pour into pint juars, leaving 1/2 inch head space. Adjust lids.

 

Process in boiling water for 15 minutes.

 

Yield: 6 pints

 

 

[Dee]

After seeing Cricket's post I remember last year drying little chunks of zucchini after soaking them in something. Hmmm, what was it, I probably got the recipe from someone here. Anyone remember???

 

They were good and the kids really liked them.

[Aint2nuts]

I love zucchini! I usually eat it when it is pan fried. With onions and garlic in olive oil. Little salt and pepper and HEAVEN!

 

Boiled zuch? Gag me.

 

 

[Andrea]

Okay, I was a zucchini hater myself until I started gardening seriously and realized how easy they were to grow. Now, I adore the stuff and we eat it several times a week. Aside from zucchini bread, I put it in stir frys, sliced raw on green salads, I slice it lengthwise and soak it in flavored vinegars and then bbq, I slice it up and cook in a pint of homegrown, homemade salsa, I dice it up into spaghetti sauce, I put thin slices on homemade pizza, I put slices into lasagna, etc. The possibilities are endless. If you want to go to a bit more trouble, try a recipe like this one:

 

Zucchini Quiche

Recipe #1809 | 45 min | add private note

|

By: Quick 'n' Easy Recipes

Oct 5, 1999

 

SERVES 8 (change servings and units)

 

Change to: Servings US Metric

1 2 3 4 5 clear stars

 

 

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs zucchini, grated and well drained

1 medium onion, chopped fine

1/2 lb sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1/4 lb swiss cheese, grated

4 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup half-and-half

1 tablespoon flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

black pepper

Directions

1Saute onion in butter until golden.

2Mix cheese with zucchini and onion.

3Add the remaining ingredients.

4Mix well.

5Pour into a 9-inch greased pie plate. (No crust needed!) Bake at 350 degrees for about 30-35 minutes or until center is set. Serve with a salad for a light meal.

 

 

This type of dish works great for a Sunday brunch. It's also nice for a light dinner and reheats great for breakfast or lunch the next day. (I went to recipezaar and this is the first one that popped up. The variations are endless. I usually make mine with sliced squash and low-fat ingredients. But check them out. There are so many squash recipes that it's almost impossible to read them all)

 

Try it, you'll really like it!

 

(P.S. Don't can the stuff. It's no longer considered safe, as Violet pointed out, but it also comes out disgustingly mushy. It's just gross.)

 

[Violet]

Probably zucchini candy !

[Virginia]

"Apple" Cobbler

 

For apples, use zuchini, peeled and no seeds. Chop up, add sugar,cinnamon and a little lemon juice.

 

My DB who hates most veggies, ate this a really thought he was eating apple cobbler, which he loves.

[Fritz_Monroe]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm starting to look at it like Andrea, the plants are so prolific that I have a hard time not growing them. Hopefully I can come up with a couple recipes that work well.

 

Any suggestions for a different squash that a zuke hater would like? I ate a little yellow squash that I didn't like, but no other kinds.

[Ambergris]

Fritz, Was the little yellow squash so young and pale the skin looked translucent, and was it sliced and steamed or butter-sauteed just until the color brightened, and served forth immediately with salt and pepper?

[brendajo]

I am dehydrating my summer squash and zucchini.I am also looking for simple recipes for using them. Thanks Virginia for the Apple cobbler recipe I will definitely try this one.

[ATHagan]

I just finished drying six trays of zucchini and yellow squash. I'm trying it unblanched this year and so far I think I like it better that way.

 

You can hide a lot of squash in a meatloaf and the kids will never know any better... {laughing}

 

.....Alan.

 

 

[Pansy]

We love Zucchini and one of the best ways is to shred it pretty fine, mix it with an Egg and some Bisquick to a thick batter - fry in a little Olive oil (oops, forgot Onion chopped fine) and serve with Applesauce - yum! Soooo good in salads raw or just use to dip with also. I'm still trying to find green Zucchini plants, only need two don't want to start from seed but might have to. We also like a "casserole" of slices of Zucchini, Onion, Tomato, those scalloped Patty Pan Squash, topped with Cheese - bake at 350 for quite a long time, serve with Sourdough Bread to mop up the sauce - it is so rich and good!

[dogmom4]

Pansy,could you give specifics for the zucchini, egg and Bisquik batter?

[mom11]

Hi Andrea!

 

I made a double recipe of your zucchini quiche yesterday. I baked it in a big casserole dish and sprinkle those Frenches' onions on top. My chicks loved it. I made great big cinn. rolls to go with it.

 

Thanks Andrea! I was looking for something soft for my little Noah, who just had his tonsils out and is about to starve.

 

Catherine

[Andrea]

Glad you liked it! We love it and it's great cold the next day! (It reheats well also)

 

Sorry about your Noah. Hope he's starting to feel better!

[Carie]

I have a zucchini "stuffing" type recipe with sausage that it fantastic. I could look it up if someone is interested. We eat zucchini fried, in zucchini bread and brownies (really good). I have put it in meatloaf. Also if you shred it you can mix it with hash browns and an egg and make little patties. They are great. We also make the "mock" apple pie. Really like that. We always end up with a ton of zucchini and I try to think of every way imaginable to cook it

Let me know if you want the recipe.

Blessings,

Carie

[HSmom]

A few seeds grow a lot of zucchini. Zucchini contains a lot of water. I used to shred and freeze (for breads). I found that it 1. took up a lot of freezer space, and 2. the liquid separated and I ended up pouring it off. Now I slice, dehydrate and pulverize. I rehydrate the powder/small chunks for bread, brownies, spaghetti sauce and meatloaf.

 

I do enjoy fresh zucchini sauteed with other vegetables, especially with Italian seasonings. I also will quarter a fresh zucchini the long way, then slice it... I use those wedges in cold salads.

 

Winter squash are very different than zucchini and patty pan squash. Common winter squashes are pumpkin, acorn squash and spaghetti squash. Most have a yellow/orange color and a more intense flavor than summer squashes. They are well complimented by cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice and a bit of brown sugar. They also make great breads, cookies and muffins. However the winter squash have too much flavor to be 'snuck' into foods like brownies and spaghetti sauce.

 

An obvious use for pumpkins: pumpkin pie, also pumpkin cookies. When sowing seeds, look for varieties intended for cooking. The giant pumpkins are impressive, but bland. Acorn squash can be purchased in many grocery stores in the fall. Buy one or two to try. Cut it in half (carefully, the rind is tough), scoop out the seeds (similar to a canteloupe). Set each half, rind down, flesh up, in a baking dish. Fill the dish with about 1/4-inch water. In each squash half, fill the cup created by the removal of seeds with some butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Bake in a medium-hot oven (maybe 400) until fork-tender (45-75 minutes).

 

Both summer and winter squashes enjoy a hot growing season. Neither are suitable as a fall crop.

[Cricket]

The lazy Cricket method for cooking acorn squash is:

 

Put a microwave safe plate in the microwave. Set the washed, whole acorn squash on the plate.(Alternately, start near the sink, put the acorn squash on the plate, then try to walk acrosss the kitchen and put the plate and squash up into the built in over-the-stove microwave oven without the squash rolling off the plate. Do not try this if you are barefoot.)

 

Nuke on high for about ten minutes. Turn the squash over, pierce with a sharp knife to release steam. Nuke a few minutes more until the squash is soft.

 

Carefully remove from oven, cut in two (will be HOT inside) scoop seeds, season to taste.

[Ferretma]

Originally Posted By: Carie

We always end up with a ton of zucchini and I try to think of every way imaginable to cook it

Zucchini Relish. OMG. To die for.

Here's the recipe I use but it requires a modification to be safe. http://www.recipezaar.com/66697

Do NOT use the cornstarch! Instead, be sure to remove all the liquid from the shreded zucchini or you could use Clear-Jel (I haven't tried this). If it still remains too moist, you can cook it down longer to evaporate liquid.

I also process for 10 minutes instead of 5 minutes. It makes about 6 pints, not 6 quarts.

Enjoy!

[Fritz_Monroe]

Thanks folks.

 

We returned from vacation and picked a zucchini that was bigger than we prefer. So I shreaded it, froze half and just made up 2 loaves of zucchini bread with the rest. My wife surprised me when I suggested doing one of the chocolate chip zucchini bread recipes and she said she didn't think it would be any good. I'll get her to try it out one of these days.

 

We want to work towards growing most of our veggies. But that is several years down the road. So we will be trying some of the winter squash. I thought about pumpkins, but I've read that the best "pumpkin" for pies are actually hubbard squash.

[Virginia]

Bad news here for squash. The squash bores have already struck. We are digging them out of the stem, but it may work or not.

[Ambergris]

Borers. Ugh.

 

That's why we can't count on any hard squash except Butternut.

 

I know people who buy curtain liners to cover their pumpkin vines, but I can't make them stay in place without poking holes big enough for the moths to get through anyway. Besides, uncovering the blossoms for the bees and then covering them as soon as the blossoms close again is a royal pain.

 

Have you decided whether the vines do better with the borer fished out, or better with just a stab to kill the critter and then let it rot in place?

[Virginia]

We try to dig them out. Quite a job, sometimes several in the same stem. Hopefully, the vines will mend and keep producing.

[farmgal]

I shred it, freeze it and use it in BROWNIES!! Just mix and 1 cup of the thawed zuc. Mix it up, bake it. Kids never know the difference!