Cooking recipes

Cheesy Zucchini Bake

A number of years back, my cousin, egged on and assisted by a few other members of the family, put together a collection of the family recipes, seeing as the family was full of great cooks, some of whom were getting pretty old and we wanted to get our hands on their recipes before they died*, as well as any other great recipes floating around in the family. Treasured Recipes of the Mount Family, it was called. As a member of that family through my mother, I both contributed to the content and purchased a number of the subsequent copies. Roses Zucchini Squares was one of the recipes in the book. Not contributed by me. Contributed by, er, Rose. Who I cant quite place at the moment, having lost** my family chart. However, her Zucchini Squares are killer.

I have modified the recipe, by cutting back the oil quite a bit but then promptly adding rather a lot more cheese.  The result is a thin quiche or flan-like slice. The original was cut in small squares and served as an hor doeuvre, in which capacity it is mighty fine, but it makes a great lunch or supper as well, in larger pieces served with a salad and perhaps a bit of bread. And yes, our zucchini are still churning them out. Can you tell?

4 to 6 servings as a main dish
24 to 36 squares as an hors doeuvre
45 minutes - 15 minutes prep time


3 cups thinly sliced zucchini (4 medium)
1/2 cup minced green onions  (the greens of 1 large fresh onion)

2 tablespoons minced parsley
2 or 3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon oregano

2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil
3 extra large eggs
1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup grated old Cheddar

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil a 9" x 13" baking (lasagne) pan.

Wash, trim and slice the zucchini. Wash, trim and dice the green onion. Wash and mince the parsley. Peel and mince the garlic. Put them all in a large mixing bowl.

Measure the flour and stir into it the baking powder, salt, pepper and oregano. Whisk the vegetable oil, eggs and milk in a small bowl.

Toss the vegetables with the flour until it is evenly distributed, then stir in the egg mixture. It will seem dry at first, but keep stirring until the mixture is evenly moistened. Scoop it into the prepared baking pan and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.

Bake for 30 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly all over. Im told, although I havent tried it, that you can re-heat this from a baked but frozen state by returning it to a 350°F oven and baking for 10 to 15 minutes.





* Yes, my family does have its priorities, and food is at the top of the list.
** Thrown up my hands and given up trying years ago, is more like it. 




Last year at this time I made Peach & Blueberry Pie.