PSA to Zucchini Gifters

By Eri Matsumura | Fort Collins Nursery

Have your neighbors stopped waving back to you on your morning walks? Do they close the blinds as you pass by their house? Has even your own mother stopped returning your calls? You’ve delivered at least six zucchinis throughout the neighborhood this week alone, so why is everyone avoiding you? 

Zucchini is an infamous summer squash, easy to grow and easy to hand off to anyone and everyone. It hadn’t always been this way, though. Halfway through summer, when your first zucchini was born, you waited days for it to become big enough to harvest like a kid, counting down the days until Christmas. But now it feels more like Groundhog Day, a never-ending harvest. You’ve had your fill of zucchini banana bread, zucchini pasta, zucchini fritters, and zucchini, zucchini, zucchini. Surely, it would be best if you shared the wealth of this bumper crop. At first, your neighbors were excited to receive a homegrown squash, but after a while, the receiving smiles seem sadder, more burdened.

Instead of offloading a cold courgette on an unsuspecting porch, start gifting the zucchini in different ways. Of course, the first thought is zucchini bread, and no, adding chocolate chips does not make it more exciting after the third loaf. It’s time to think outside the box. One of the best things about this produce is its versatility. The squash offers a low-calorie, fiber-rich way to moisten up any baked good without impacting the flavor. They can be added to different cakes, cookies, and even zucchini brownies!

Recipe for  Zucchini Brownies

1 cup of softened butter

1½ cups of sugar

Two large eggs

1 tsp of vanilla extract

2½ cups of all-purpose flour

¼ cup baking cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

2 cups finely shredded zucchini

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Start by mixing the wet ingredients and the dry ingredients in separate bowls, then combine. Fold in your shredded homegrown organic zucchini, then fold in chocolate chips. Let the mixture rest for about 5 minutes. Pour into a greased pan and bake for 25-35 minutes. Everyone knows the toothpick trick; the brownies are done when the inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let the brownies cool before cutting them into squares. Add chocolate frosting if you’d like, and maybe an apology note. If that’s all too much, grab a brownie box mix from the store, use half the water listed, throw in a cup of shredded zucchini, and follow the baking instructions!

The end of summer can be marked by two things: the sun setting at 6 p.m. and a daily zucchini haul that could compete with your local grocery store. This season, share your garden’s wealth in different ways by making homemade zucchini desserts. If that doesn’t patch things up with your neighbors, you can always donate to the food banks, where people can actually choose to take the squash home.