Zucchini madness

I received a very unexpected and welcome email a few weeks ago from a little boy I sat next to on a plane.  I had candy, so we chatted, and I told him about this blog.  His name is Max and he is pretty darn cool. Max helps out at a local farm, and currently has a whole lotta zucchini and squash.  Max, I believe you are probably not alone. This time of year we all seem to have a few too many green zucchini and yellow summer squash and not enough recipes to use them up. I do believe I can make a small contribution to ending this problem.  Zucchini bread is a no-brainer.  I have one for ya, but I make them as cupcakes and add chocolate (for obvious reasons).  I hesitate to call them cupcakes because they really aren't very sweet at all. They are a  really nice breakfast treat. I guess you could call them a muffin-cake.

My Tata (arabic for grandma) also makes a wonderful dip out of the yellow summer squash with mint and yogurt.  It is one of my favorite summer snacks, served with toasted pita bread, of course. Enjoy, Max! (I bet I know which recipe you will try first...). 

Chocolate-Zucchini Cupcakes
1.5 cups sifted cake flour*
1 tsp baking soda
1/4c sifted cocoa powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cardamon
1/4 tsp ground clove
salt
2 large eggs
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup safflower oil
2 cups firmly packed grated zucchini
chocolate chips as desired

Preheat oven to 350 with muffin tin in oven.
Combine dry ingredients and whisk to combine.
Beat eggs, sugar, and oil for 2-3 minutes until smooth.
Add zucchini to wet mixture and combine.
Add wet to dry ingredients and fold in chocolate chips.
Remove muffin tin from oven and grease. Fill muffin cups almost full with batter and bake 20-25 minutes.

*You do not need to run to the store and buy cake flour!  All you need is all purpose flour and cornstarch. Just fill a dry measure with 2 tbs cornstarch and the rest with all purpose flour and sift together.  

Summer Squash with Yogurt and Mint Dip 
2 cups chopped yellow summer squash
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 small clove very finely chopped garlic
1 Tbs fresh chopped mint
squeeze of lemon
salt and pepper

Steam  the squash until it is soft enough to mush with a fork. My Tata just covers it with a little bit of water and puts in the microwave...but I use the stove top.
Mash it up with a fork and add the yogurt, mint, garlic, small lemon squeeze, salt and pepper.  Mix to combine. Drizzle with olive oil and serve with crisp toasted pita bread. 





*So I am no food photographer, but some picture is better than no picture!