Using up Zucchini

  Now a post about using up zucchini might seem a little strange in the month of February - but I have my reasons. Zucchini always seems pretty easy to come by in the summer (whether it be from our garden or from generous friends and family) and so since I hate to waste (or turn down free, good for you food) I try to use the zucchini as much as I can which includes grating it up and freezing it to use throughout the winter.

  Well, now is the time to use up that lovely frozen zucchini. In some of the years past the zucchini would get frozen and pulled out occasionally to use to make zucchini bread or something like that but then come summer I would discover many packages of zucchini still sitting in the freezer (which by the way I did use - I don't like to waste!). But I am working on getting better at using up the zucchini throughout the winter.

   Here are some of the ways I have been using it lately:

• In our pancakes. Just add a bit (This morning I put in around 1 cup with the 4 cups of flour that I was using) to the batter and cook as usual. I don't generally think there is much need to adjust the recipe - just add the shredded zucchini.

• Add it to your yeast bread that you make. It does leave little green flecks (since I shred it with the peeling still on it) but otherwise doesn't really change the flavor.
• Add a bit to your hamburger when you brown it for tacos or for making a casserole.

• Make Zucchini patties. Here is the recipe (along with other ideas for using zucchini). They remind me of onion rings and I think they are yummy!
• Make zucchini muffins or bread. There are many recipes out there for this one.
• Add a little bit to your scrambled eggs.
• Add some to your meatloaf or meatballs.
• Use it in cake - especially chocolate cake. It makes it moister and I love it! Our favorite recipe for that is in this post.
• Include it in pies and crisps (for the most part it will blend in very nicely with the other fruit).

 Zucchini has Vitamin C, Vitamin K, riboflavin, Vitamin B-6, Folate, Potassium, magnesium and much more.  I doubt that the frozen stuff has as much as it does when it is fresh but since zucchini is so easy to come by (at least for us), it is quite good for you and does not have an offensive taste I think it is very worthwhile to freeze and eat.

   Maybe this post doesn't seem very useful to you right now because you may not have a bunch of frozen grated zucchini as I do - but I thought it would be good to bring it up now during the seed buying time as we get ready for planting. If you want to grow as much of your own food as you can I do heartily recommend adding zucchini - it is very easy to use and to store for later use and it is easy to grow and good for you. It is a winner in my book!

I am linking up with the Homestead Barn Hop hosted by The Prairie Homestead and New Life on a Homestead.