Zucchini Custard Pie

Here is a new zucchini recipe! You know how I am about zucchini...
An older lady from church gave me this recipe. Actually, she made this pie using zucchini I had given her, & then she called & asked for more zucchini to make another pie! She had told her sister she would save her a piece of pie, but then she got company & she served the rest of the pie to them. She told me her sister was mad at her, so she wanted to make another pie for her sister. I told her I must have this recipe! She gave it to me at church a few weeks ago.


As you can see from the picture, you put little pats of butter on the top when you put this in the oven. I don't think I'll do that again, it really doesn't need that. It was good, but I just didn't see the need of it, really. This is a wonderfully creamy, custard pie. And to be honest, you can't even taste the zucchini. So if you didn't want to tell anybody that it has a cup of zucchini pulp in it, you really don't have to. I didn't tell my family it had zucchini in it until we were nearly done eating it. *snicker*
Here's a picture of the piece I ate.


Zucchini Custard Pie
1 cup of zucchini pulp (peel & seed a zucchini. Cut it into chunks & cook in water until tender drain well. I used my hand mixer to turn it into pulp.)
1 C. sugar
1 C. evaporated milk ( like Milnot)
3 T. flour
2 eggs
pinch of salt
1 t. vanilla

Blend all ingredients in blender (I used my food processor) for 1 minute, put in pie shell. Top with cinnamon & add about 3 pieces of butter in chunks. Bake 375 for 45 minutes.


This was very tasty. It's a nice old fashioned custard. I had my pie cut into 8 pieces. I would say that my family of 4 really liked it, because there were only 2 pieces left.

And we had to split these last two pieces up the next day so we could all get another piece. :)
When we had this for dessert after supper that first evening, it was still a little warm. But I have to say that I thought it was even better really cold. Oh! it was delicious!
I want some more!

Deep Fried Zucchini Sticks

This is one of my favorite ways to eat zucchini.

Deep Fried Zucchini Sticks

Zucchini, peeled, cut into sticks, or wedges like big oven fries
eggs
milk
Italian style bread crumbs OR flour
salt
pepper
and any spices you'd like to add...I usually add garlic & onion powder. Somtimes I add seasoned salt.

In a large bowl, stir together eggs, milk, salt & pepper.
In another pan (I usually use a pie pan, it's a good size for this) place the bread crumbs. OR you can use flour that you've add some seasoning too, like salt, pepper, & garlic & onion powders.

Drop each stick into a deep fryer with the oil set to 375 (you can use a big pan with oil in it on the stove, oil temp at 375). Fry for 3-4 minutes. Drain well, blot with paper towl, sprinkle with salt.
Let it cool a little (this is hard for me!), eat, & enjoy!

Here is a picture of the deep fried zucchini sticks made with store bought Italian bread crumbs:

And here they are dipped in flour:

I love them both.

:)

Buttered Zucchini

I would have thought that I would have tried this method of cooking zucchini by now, but believe it or not, I haven't. I was looking for a quick way to cook up a zucchini the other day for lunch. I didn't feel like the mess of regular fried zucchini (dipped in egg then flour then fried...YUM)
so I just decided I'd saute them.

Zucchini sauted in Butter

2-3 T Butter (NOT margarine)
1-2 zucchini (depending on size) peeled (or not), & sliced
salt & pepper
garlic salt (opt.)

Melt butter in large skillet. Add zucchini, salt, pepper, & garlic salt. Cook until tender.
I like mine to get a little browned. The browning from real butter gives it such a nice flavor.
Mmmmmmm....it's so good! We'll be having some with supper again tonight.

I'm thinking zucchini needs a catagory all to its own on my side bar. Maybe I'll do that...yes, I will!

ZUCCHINI CRISP

YES, ZUCCHINI CRISP!

LOL

I've had this recipe for years, but I made it for the 1st time tonight. The note at the top of this recipe says, "Everyone swears this is made from apples!" I have to agree. You could probably trick someone into thinking it is apple crisp. Not that I'd ever do that.....

Crust:

4 c. flour

2 c. sugar

1/2 t. salt

3/4 pound of butter or margarine

Filling:

6-8 cups seeded, peeled, sliced zucchini (about size of chunk pineapple)

2/3 c. lemon juice

1 c. sugar

1/4 t. nutmeg

1- 1/2 t. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375. Prepare the pastry by combining the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the butter or margarine until crumbly. Press half the mixture in the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan. Save the other half of the mixture for later. Bake for about 10 minutes, then remove from oven and set aside.

In a sauce pan, cook the zucchini in lemon juice until tender, about 10-15 minutes. Add the sugar, nutmeg, & only 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon. Simmer for a minute or two. Now add a half cup of the saved pastry mixture. Simmer until this thickens, stirring constantly. Let cool, (I didn't) & pour the zucchini mixture over the crust. Mix 1/2 t. cinnamon with the rest of the pastry mixture in a bowl then sprinkle it over the zucchini. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until lightly browned.

This smelled SO good while cooking. Like apple crisp. :)

We couldn't wait to get a taste, even though it was after midnight when it came out of the oven!

We let it set for about 10 minutes & then we dug in. Here it is fresh out of the oven:

And here it is with ice cream. mmmmmmm.......Because it was still very, very warm, the ice cream got all melty creamy. mmmmmm

My dd, who is very tired of zucchini (I can't understand why!) LOVED this. Dh & Ds had fallen asleep. So it was just us girls having a zucchini crisp & ice cream party at almost 1am! I know what I'm having for breakfast in the morning!

Edited on 8-12-09 to add this recipe to Tammy's Recipe Swap.
You can see more squash/zucchini recipes at her site.

I also wanted to add that I took this too the ice cream social at our chuch a few weeks ago. I called it "Apple Crisp Surprise" , & no one knew any different. The next day at church I told them what the surprise was....& they could NOT believe it!
If you have lots of zucchini, you really should try this at least once. You'll be glad you did. :)

ONE OF MY FAVORITE ZUCCHINI RECIPES

GRILLED ZUCCHINI



I think this has got to be one of my favorite ways to eat zucchini (besides fried!). Grilling it gives it such a different flavor. A roasted flaver. It is DELICIOUS.

I slice them on a diagonal line so the pieces are longer & have less of a chance of falling through the grate on the grill. Coat each piece with olive oil. (although, yesterday I was out of olive oil & used canola oil & it was just fine.) Grill until tender. I add salt & pepper when done.

You have to try this sometime. It is SO good!

If you're wondering....I'm not tired of zucchini. It will be gone before I know it. lol

Another Zucchini Recipe

MOCK CRAB CAKES

2 C. zucchini, grated
1 lg. egg
1 c. fine bread crumbs
1 onion, diced small
2 t. old bay sea food seasoning
1 T. mayo

If too wet, add some more crumbs, if too dry (I doubt it, ya know how zucchini is...) add another egg.

Fry in oil in skillet, a few minutes on each side. 3 of the 4 of us love this.