Our first zucchini of the season proved puzzling.
It started like a normal green squash, but instead of getting longer, it got progressively plumper.
My husband, Derek, checked the garden marker he’d staked by the plant.
“It’s the same kind we get every year,” he reported.
We kept an eye out for her sprouting sisters and noticed the same development. They looked like normal zucchini until they reached about 4 inches, and then they just ballooned.
I posted a photo on Facebook and discovered we’re not the only ones with oddly shaped squash. Several gardeners reported similar results.
Spokesman-Review gardening columnist Pat Munts weighed in: “The smoke forces the bees into hiding, which affects pollination.”
Others opined that inconsistent watering early on, cross-pollination, or mixed-up seeds caused the deformity.
Since Derek was a Queen fan back in the day, I found the perfect name for our unusual crop.
“What we’ve got here are Fat Bottomed Girls,” I said.
The most important thing is, though they look odd, they taste great!
I chopped some up into a rich, savory Cheesy Zucchini Casserole topped with buttery Ritz crackers.
A large bowl of grated squash turned into two delicious loaves of Cheddar Chive Zucchini Quick Bread and two loaves of Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread.
I have quite a repertoire of zucchini bread recipes, so it was fun to add a new chocolate chip version.
Bottom line? This year’s crop may be plump and slightly unwieldy, but they cook up well, and my freezer is filling with enough baked goods to last until next year’s harvest.
Cheesy Zucchini Casserole
9 zucchini, peeled and sliced (I usually use medium size; obviously this year I had to Google how many cups that might be! Also, sometimes I don’t peel them and it works out fine.)
1 large onion, chopped
½ cup (1 stick) butter
1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
3 eggs, beaten
Salt and pepper to taste
48 Ritz or other buttery round crackers, crushed
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 2-quart casserole dish.
Boil zucchini and onion in a large pot for about 10 minutes; drain. Add butter, cheese, eggs, salt and pepper. Transfer to prepared baking dish and sprinkle cracker crumbs on top.
Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour.
Cheddar, Chive and Zucchini Quick Bread
I always double this recipe. One for the table and one for the freezer.
1½ cups shredded zucchini
¼ cup chopped chives
2 large eggs
¾ cup sour cream
¼ cup butter, melted and cooled
1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
Mix zucchini, chives, eggs, sour cream and butter well before mixing in the cheese.
Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients, then pour the batter into a greased 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.
Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven until a toothpick pushed into the center comes out clean, about 50 to 60 minutes.
Remove the dish from the oven, then add cheese and chives on top. Bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and cool.
Remove from pan and slice. Top with butter and enjoy.
Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
2 medium zucchini, grated (about 3 cups)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup canola oil
1½ cups sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup chopped toasted walnuts (optional)
1 cup mini chocolate chips (Make sure you get mini chocolate chips. Regular chips tend to stick to the bottom of the pan.)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans. Place zucchini in the center of a clean dish towel and wring out any excess water.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a separate large bowl, combine oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Stir in zucchini.
Add about a third of the dry ingredients to wet ingredients, stirring until just combined. Add remaining dry ingredients in two more installments, stirring until just combined each time. Fold in walnuts and chocolate chips.
Divide batter evenly between 2 prepared loaf pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before inverting onto wire racks to cool completely.
Cindy Hval 