Seasonal Veggie Tempura

Ingredients:
Assorted seasonal veggie or firm fruits (carrots, bell pepper, beans, squash, broccoli, apples, persimmons, etc)
1 cup Flour
1 cup Cornstarch
1 Egg
1 tbsp Baking powder
½ tsp Salt
Approximately 1 ½ cups water
Oil for frying in either an electric frier or a heavy pan

Directions:
1. Cut veggies and fruit into desired sized pieces.

2. Heat frying oil to 350 degrees.

2. In a medium sized bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, egg, baking powder, and salt. 

3. Add just enough water to achieve your preferred consistency, approximately 1 ½ cups depending on humidity, etc. (Batter should stick to dipped veggies in no more than ⅛" thickness, it will puff up when fried.)

4. Toss veggies into batter bowl and gently mix to coat all pieces thoroughly.

5. Carefully drop individual veggie pieces into frying oil. You can fry multiple pieces at the same time, just don't over fill your oil. Fry until golden brown.

6. Remove from oil onto paper towel. Serve warm with soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, or honey to dip as desired.

Creamy Zucchini Soup

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 ½ lbs zucchini, seeded and rough chopped
4 cups chicken broth
Fresh tarragon, basil, or other herbs, to taste
2 tbsp sour cream or creme fresh
¼ tsp chili powder
Salt to taste

Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.

2. Add zucchini and cook another 2-3 minutes, then add chicken broth.

3. Reduce heat to simmer and cook 20 minutes.

4. Add fresh herbs and puree soup with an immersion blender. Add sour cream, chili powder, and salt to taste.

5. Divide soup among bowls and garnish with sour cream, a sprinkle of chili powder, and additional herbs.

Enchilada Zucchini Boats

Ingredients:
Medium-large sized zucchini or summer squash
Taco meat
Enchilada sauce
Tomato, diced
Shredded cheese
Fresh cilantro or other toppings of choice

Directions:
1. Prepare taco meat as desired.
2. Cut summer squash in half, lengthwise or cut top out of patty pan squash and scoop out seeds.
3. Place squash, hollow side up, in a baking dish.
4. Fill hollowed out squash with taco meat and pour enchilada sauce over the top.
5. Sprinkle on diced tomatoes and top with shredded cheese.
6. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes, or until squash is soft and cheese is melted. This can also be done on a BBQ.
7. Top with fresh cilantro or any other favorite toppings.

Browned Butter Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, browned
1-1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini

Directions:
1. Brown the butter in a sauce pan.

2. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl.

3. Add eggs and vanilla to dry ingredients and lightly stir together. Add zucchini and mix. Finally, slowly add browned butter while stirring.

4. Pour batter into a buttered and floured loaf pan.

5. Bake at 350° for 60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into loaf comes out clean.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:
½ cup butter, softened
½ cup vegetable oil
1-¾ cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup sour milk (add 2tsp lemon juice and let stand 10min)
2-½ cup flour
4 tbsp cocoa powder
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground cloves
2 cups zucchini, grated
¼ cup chocolate chips
½ cup chopped walnuts

Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients together until blended.

2. Pour into greased and floured loaf pan.

3. Bake at 325° for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick instead in the center comes out clean.

Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2-¼ cup white sugar
3 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups zucchini, shredded
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Directions:
1. Grease and flour two loaf pans. Preheat oven to 325°.

2. Sift flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.

3. Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl.

4. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well.  Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.

5. Bake for 40-60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.

Sauteed Zucchini and Beans with Garlic

Ingredients:
1 handful of french beans or a box of snap peas
1 medium zucchini or summer squash
2 cloves garlic (red for spicy, elephant for mild)
1 tbsp fresh herbs of your choice, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan.
2. Prepare veggies. Take ends off of snap peas, cut squash into bite sized pieces, cut garlic into this slices.
3. Add all the veggies, garlic, pepper and salt.
4. Stir fry on high heat for 10 minutes.
5. Toss with fresh herbs before serving.

Fresh Veggies with Garlic and Parmesan

Ingredients:
Fresh veggies of your choice (2 boxes of snap peas, 1 medium zucchini, handful of beans, etc)
2 tbsp butter
4 cloves garlic
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Cook snap peas as desired (skillet, steam, grill).

2. Toss hot snap peas with butter, garlic, and parmesan.

3. Serve warm.