Zucchini "Apple" Pie

With my abundance of zucchini this year, I decided to break down and try a recipe I have saved for many a year for Zucchini Pie.  Rumor had it that this pie tasted like apple pie.  I was skeptical.  I was very skeptical. However, I was running out of ideas with what to do with zucchini and I did find this recipe to be quite intriguing. I read a few different reviews online and took a few of the tips; use small zucchini and boil it.
The end result was quite fabulous.  In fact, I was so amazed by how this tasted that I had to take over three pieces to my in-laws to try and Neil's grandmother.  My father in-law is brutally honest and I suspected that he would find something to say about it.  Wrong! He practically licked the plate clean! They were all surprised by the taste and couldn't believe zucchini could taste like an apple pie. Feeling a little skeptical yourself?  I can't blame you.  But if you are willing to take the chance than this pie would be a pleasant surprise!

Zucchini "Apple" Pie 

no known source, have had this recipe for years

6 cups zucchini

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon vinegar

1/2 tablespoon butter

pastry for two crust pie

Directions 

Peel the zucchini, cut lengthwise, remove seeds and slice 1/4 inch thick

Cook zucchini slices in boiling water for 2 minutes.  You want the zucchini to still be tender and a bit firm. Drain zucchini.  Make sure the zucchini is well-drained and cool or else the sugar mixture will be a mess.  Tip: Mine still was quite liquid even after letting it cool and drain.  It did not affect the pie.

In a bowl, toss the zucchini with the sugars, cinnamon, cream of tartar, cornstarch and salt until well blended.

Place pastry in 9-inch pie pan.  Fill with zucchini mix.  Dot with butter and drizzle the vinegar of the the zucchini mixture.  Top with crust.  

Bake for 12 minutes at 475 degrees F.  Reduce heat to 350 and bake for another hour. Tip: I forgot to cover my pie rims with tinfoil and they burned slightly.  Be sure to keep rims covered until last half hour of baking.

Zucchini, zucchini, zucchini! : Marmalade and Pickles

My in-laws are awesome.  They grow a garden and I get the fruits of their glory :-)  I must confess though.... I am getting a bit zucchini(ed) out.  The rest of the zucchini I get will be frozen for future baking adventures.

Amply supplied though, I was able to experiment this year.  Previously I posted the recipe for some amazing zucchini relish (which I ended up making a second batch to have on hand!) and today I will share with you the recipes for the Zucchini Marmalade and Zucchini Pickles.  The marmalade is awesome tasting, even if it didn't quite jell to the consistency I like.  The pickles are pretty good, too. Although, the pickles don't quite have the zing to them that I like a pickle to have. 

yummy looking, isn't it!

Zucchini Marmalade
2 lbs zucchini or Summer squash
juice of 2 lemons, seeds removed
1 teaspoon grate lemon zest (yellow rind portion)
1 13.5 oz can crushed pineapple, drained
1 package Certo (or other powdered pectin)
5 cups sugar (no substitute)
2-3 tablespoons candied ginger, finely minced  (I had to substitute with 1/2 tsp ground ginger)
5-6 1/2 pint canning jars

Directions:
Have ready 5-6 1/2 pint canning jars, washed and sterilized .
Wash the zucchini, peel and slice. In a non-aluminum kettle, combine lemon juice, lemon zest (the lemon zest is the yellow portion of the peel which has all of the white parts removed), and the drained pineapple (save the pineapple juice for something else).
Bring to a boil and immediately lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally.
Stir in pectin and boil again. Add sugar, ginger, and continue to boil the mixture for another minute, stirring all the while.
Remove kettle from heat, skimming off any foam which rises to the surface. Allow to cool 5-10 minutes. Ladle into hot sterile jars and seal according to manufacturer's directions.
Process for 5 minutes in a boiling water bath canner.

Zucchini Pickles

2 pounds zucchini or summer squash, sliced, about 7 cups

2 medium onions, halved and sliced, about 2 cups

1/4 cup salt

2 cups white vinegar

1 to 2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons mustard seed

Directions:

Place squash and onions in a large non-reactive pot; add the salt and enough water to cover. Let stand for 2 hours; drain well. In a 2-quart saucepan, bring remaining ingredients to a boil; pour over the squash and onions. Let stand for 2 hours. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes; pack in hot sterilized jars and seal; process according to jar manufacturer's directions or process pints or quarts for 10 minutes from 1 to 1,000 feet, 15 minutes from 1,001 to 6,000 feet, or 20 minutes above 6,000 feet in altitude.

Makes about 3 pints.

Zucchini Relish

This week I'm putting up some items with the bountiful garden harvest my friends and family have shared with me.  First up is this Zucchini Relish - let me honest with you, when I was a kid the closest I would get to eating a zucchini would be if it was in a bread or muffin.  Until my thirties believed that the only good vegetable was one that could be completly disguised or doused with an incredible amount of ranch dressing! Pickles counted as a vegetable for me and so did french fries.  Then all of a sudden I started craving the weirdest things.... things that were green (and no I'm not talking about mold!) things that you could actually count on a food pyramid.  I don't know why my taste changed and I really don't care.  Now I'm just wondering why did I miss out on so much yumminess before??  There are still some things I dislike (brussel sprouts, asperagus and cauliflower come to mind) but in my new fascination with flavors of the healthy kind, I'm trying things I never tried before. 

I have never made relish but it seemed simple enough to try.  My in-laws have a garden and their zucchini is abundant so when asked if I wanted some I eagerly nodded my head up and down.  I looked through several different zucchini relish recipes and leaned towards this one with a few modifications.  Please make note.... I am not a professional.  You try these recipes at your own risk (I always wanted to use that disclaimer!! LOL) If you have questions about canning preserves it is best to ask your home extension office.

Zesty Zucchini Relish

(adapted from Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving for quantity)

6 c zucchini, finely chopped

2 c onion, chopped (I used red onion as it was what I had on hand)1 1/2 bell peppers, seeded & chopped (I like the red and yellow bell peppers so that is what I used )

2 1/2 T canning salt

1 1/4 c sugar

1 1/4 c white vinegar

1/2 T nutmeg

1/2 T ground turmeric (careful, this stuff will turn your plastics yellow!)

2 T prepared horseradish  (I wanted it to be more zesty so I used 4 tablespoons)

1 jalapeno, including seeds chopped  (one wasn't enough for me so I used two jalapenos)

In a stainless steel bowl put the zucchini, onion, peppers & salt  and cover.  Let sit for 12 hours or overnight at room temperature. Drain & rinse with cool water. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible with your hands.

Place the drained vegetables in a large stainless steel or enamel saucepan. Add the sugar, vinegar, nutmeg, turmeric, horseradish & chili pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce & allow to simmer for about 45 minutes stirring from time to time. It is done most of the liquid has been reduced & it has the consistency of a thin relish.

Prepare 5 half-pint jars by boiling them for 20 minutes. Boil the lids for five.

Fill the hot jars with the hot relish leaving 1/2-inch head space. Clean the rims. Put the top on & hand screw on the neckbands. Place the jars back into the boiling water & process for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat & let sit for 5 more minutes. Remove the jars, do not dry them, and let them sit for 12 - 24 hours to cool. If the top does not pull downwards the relish has not been processed properly, either refrigerate and use or reprocess.

  Ok, those are the instructions one should follow.  However, I read the directions incorrectly and accidently added all the ingredients together and instead of tossing it out and doing over I just let the entire mixture set over night.  Flavor wise it was spot on and since I had it cooking at a high temperature for the 45 minutes I wasn't too concerned.  It is yummy good!