recipe Wednesday

A man up the street sells fresh squash and zucchini in his front yard under a shade tree near his garden. Fried squash is one of our most favorite foods so I'm going to stop and get a few this afternoon. I know I'll end up with so much and not have too many ways to cook it without using gobs of oil so I went ahead and got a few new recipes to try out. Here are the three recipes and I'll come back in a few days and add what I thought of them.

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First Recipe
Green (Zucchini) Muffins

These are great for breakfast or as an afternoon snack

Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 20 to 25 minutes
Yield: 16 muffins

Paper cupcake liners
3 cups flour - - I used 2 cups whole wheat flour and 1 cup white flour
1 Tbs baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 eggs
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
2 cups shredded zucchini (about 2 medium zucchini)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and place paper liners in muffin tins.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
3. In a medium bowl, beat eggs with an electric mixer for 1 minute. Beat in the milk, oil, and sugar. Stir in the zucchini until well blended. Add the flour mixture to batter a little at a time and stir to mix?it should be a little lumpy. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins. Sprinkle each muffin with 1/4 teaspoon sugar.
4. Bake for 20 minutes or until the muffin tops are golden brown and spring back when you touch them. Remove from tins and cool on a rack.

How kids can help: Put paper liners in muffin tins; measure ingredients; sprinkle sugar on muffins.
Per serving: 194 calories, 7 g fat (1 g saturated), 142 mg sodium, 24 mg cholesterol.

*Recipe by Rosemary Black


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Second Recipe
Balsamic Zucchini With Pine Nuts

Ingredients
4 lb medium zucchini, cut diagonally into 3/4-inch-thick slices
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/2 cup)
1/3 cup pine nuts (1 oz), toasted and finely chopped

Preheat broiler.
Toss zucchini with oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Arrange zucchini in 1 layer in 2 shallow baking pans (1 inch deep). Broil 1 pan of zucchini 3 to 5 inches from heat, without turning, until browned in spots and beginning to soften, 4 to 6 minutes. Drizzle 2 tablespoons vinegar over broiled zucchini and shake pan a few times, then continue to broil until most of vinegar is evaporated, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese over broiled zucchini and broil until cheese is melted, about 1 minute more. Cook remaining pan of zucchini in same manner. Cool to room temperature and serve sprinkled with pine nuts.

Cooks' note:
Balsamic zucchini (without pine nuts) can be made 3 hours ahead and kept at room temperature or chilled, covered. Sprinkle with pine nuts just before serving

*Sorry I don't have a source for this one. I got it from a friend.


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Third Recipe
Zucchini Parmesan Fritters

Fritters are usually deep-fried, but a no-stick skillet and a small amount of butter or margarine make them golden and crispy with a lot less fat. For a main dish, serve the fritters with warm tomato sauce and side dishes of salad and bread.

Hands-on time: 10 min
Unattended time: 20 min

Ingredients:
3 cups shredded zucchini
Salt
1 egg
1/4 cup skim milk
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour or unbleached flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon unsalted butter or margarine

Directions: Place the zucchini in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Set aside to drain for 20 minutes. Rinse well with cold water. Press to remove any excess liquid from the zucchini. Place the egg in a large bowl. Whisk lightly. Add the milk and Parmesan. Mix well. In a cup, combine the flour, baking powder, and pepper. Mix well and stir into the egg mixture. Stir in the zucchini. Coat a large no-stick skillet with no-stick spray and set over medium-high heat. Add the butter or margarine and allow to melt. Drop the batter into the skillet by rounded tablespoons. Smooth out the tops and cook for 2 to 4 minutes per side, or until lightly browned and cooked through.

Makes 15
Per fritter
34 calories
1.2 g. total fat
0.6 g. saturated fat
1.2 g. protein
4.1 g. carbohydrates
0.7 g. dietary fiber
16 mg. cholesterol
71 mg. sodium

*The Low-Fat Living Cookbook by Leslie L. Cooper, published by Rodale Press and available at the Rodale Bookstore.