We all know we should lock our vehicles, right? But why should we especially lock them in July? To keep them from becoming loaded up with your friend’s surplus zucchini and summer squash!!

These plants seemingly either die or produce an over abundance. They certainly don’t seem to know much about moderation…..This summer ours died so we have none. Thus it was I happily grabbed up the oversized zucchini (last one in the box) on my way out the church door Wednesday evening. Somebody’s plants are over producing but thankfully they didn’t load up our vehicles! They just kindly set a big box in the church entry free for the taking! Then some summers I feel disgruntled because I can’t even give away enough zucchinis! And we end up feeding the compost pile.

I love a good old summer medley of fried zucchini, squash, onions and mushrooms! So yum and full of good nutrition! There’s so many ways to fix these veggies and likely you already have your favorites. Perhaps you’ve been diligently making those dishes with your over producing garden plants? And your tired of recipes including zucchini? I’m so sorry if this is the case and here I come loading you up with more recipes! (Hey, at least it’s not a box full of unwanted zucchinis!) I tried a new recipe the other day and was so glad I did! I actually made a double batch of them a few days later because they were so good and didn’t last long! I’d like to share this cupcake recipe with you today. Plus two more recipes that I’ve made other years that are quite tasty!

Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes

1 1/3 c.small chunked zucchini

4 eggs

4 Tbsp. soft butter

2/3 c. Simple Sweet

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

4 Tbsp. cocoa

3 Tbsp. coconut flour

1 c. almond flour

2 Tbsp protein powder

Put zucchini in blender and chop till almost smooth. Add remaining ingredients to the blender and blend till smooth. Pour into lined muffin tins. Bake at 350* for approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Cool and frost with the following recipe.

2 Tbsp. soft butter

3 oz. soft cream cheese

3 Tbsp. Simple Sweet

2/3 c. whipping cream, whipped till stiff

Beat first 3 ingredients until smooth, then beat in the whipped cream.

After frosting the cupcakes, store in refrigerator. You can add 2 Tbsp. cocoa to the frosting but I omitted it because I’m not a complete chocolate fan. I thought they were quite delicious and pretty with a white frosting! These cupcakes are super moist and yummy! My family enjoys them! Used with permission from Simple Foods cookbook.

Now, maybe you don’t like ‘healthy’ recipes and would rather bake with regular old flour and sugar. If so, here’s a scrumptious recipe for you!

Shredded Zucchini Bars

2 c. sugar

1 c. oil

4 eggs

2 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

3 tsp. vanilla

2 c. shredded zucchini

1 c. chocolate chips

Beat first 3 ingredients. Add remaining ingredients except zucchini and chocolate chips. Very last mix in those two. Pour in a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350* for 20 to 30 minutes. Cool and frost with cream cheese icing.

6 oz. soft cream cheese

1 c. soft butter

2 Tbsp. milk

4 c. powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese and butter then add powdered sugar and milk.

These are soooo soft, delicious, and moreish!! Musty too! (Must have more) Last summer a church friend made these for us when she brought a meal after Reece was born. Other people’s cooking is so good when your just recuperating from having a new baby and nursing besides! And so it was that I asked her for the recipe!

Recently I attempted to revise this recipe of zucchini bars, since I need to avoid gluten… I used Bob’s Red Mill brand of gluten free 1 to 1 Baking Flour in exchange for the regular flour. The dough looked a little dry, so I added in some applesauce. It was not too bad, but I tried a second shot at it before I was satisfied. I don’t normally use this kind of flour because it doesn’t seem as healthy as almond, sorghum or coconut flour. But it is handy when your in a pinch. This 1 to 1 flour can be used in exchange for one cup of all purpose flour, which is so handy, because then I don’t need to figure out the flour ratios and all that! This blend has a mix of rice flours, sorghum flour and several starches. If you want to bake those zucchini bars the healthier version, here’s what I changed: 1 cup simple sweet and 1 teaspoon stevia to replace the sugar, 2 cups gluten free 1 to 1 baking flour, to replace the regular flour. Then I added a half cup applesauce and used sugar free chocolate chips. Bake at 350* for 25 minutes. Then frosted it with the same frosting recipe I used for those zucchini cupcakes. I was pleased and they were very good! They are a bit flatter than the regular version but that’s normal when you’re not using gluten flours. Store in refrigerator after frosting.

(Some grocery stores have a health food section where you could find this flour or online. I got this at our local Fareway)

Lastly, I bet you can fool your family with the following recipe… It tastes amazingly like apple crisp! But it’s made with, well, you know what! I have not made this recipe this year so do not have a picture.

Zucchini Dessert

8 c. peeled, seeded and cubed zucchini

1 c. sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

2/3 c. lemon juice

Cook together until zucchini is tender. Set aside.

Blend the following into crumbs:

4 c. flour

2 c. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 c. soft butter

Press half of the crumbs into the bottom of a 9×13 inch pan. Bake at 375* for 10 minutes.

Add half of the remaining crumbs to the zucchini mixture and stir. Pour over baked crust. Add 1 tsp. cinnamon to remaining crumb mixture and spread over zucchini mixture. Bake at 375* for 35 minutes. As it cools, it will thicken. This is wonderful served with ice cream! Used with permission from Stutzman’s Culinary Secrets.