Zucchini Brownies

Yes, it is another zucchini recipe. I know, you're probably yelling at the computer chanting "No more zucchini...NO MORE ZUCCHINI..."

Think of how I feel? At one point I think I had seven ginormous ones in my crisper drawer. Unfortunately, two didn't make it through. When you get a pile of veggies that just keeps growing...things get forgotten underneath.

Alas, only one is left. I haven't had to buy zucchini for dinner in over a month. In another few weeks I'll be grumbling at the prices and wishing I wasn't having to buy it to make these brownies again.

Because, my friends, I will be making these brownies again. They are delightfully fudgy, due in part to the chocolate frosting on top.

I'm going to digress for a minute and talk about frosting. My Grandma (my mom's mom) used to make the best vanilla frosting. It was smooth and soft and got kind of crunchy after sitting on the cake. Problem was, my Grandma never measured. So no one was really sure how she made her wonderful frosting. In making the Zucchini Bars and then these brownies, I think I've figured out her secret: melted butter. I can't wait to experiment more to see if I can make the frosting from my memories.

So...back to the brownies. I was raving about how good they are. And they are. And they have zucchini in them. So they're healthy. Practically a vegetable.

One note about them - there are no eggs in this recipe. I was stymied at first, thinking I didn't print the whole thing. A quick search confirmed my printout - no eggs needed. The zucchini gives the moistness to the brownies. (This also makes them good for those will egg allergies.) The batter is very crumbly. I had to press it into the pan. It really all depends on how wet your zucchini is. If you have a drier zucchini, you may need to add a little water. If you zucchini is more wet, you won't need to. I've covered it all in the recipe directions.

I hope you enjoy these as much as I do! I apologize in advance if you end up spending to much at the grocery store because you've run out of zucchini in your garden. They are that good.

Oh, and, I started a Linky Party! In case you missed it on Tuesday, click HERE to join the fun. The link is open until this evening.

Oh, and if you're not tired of me begging yet, you can still VOTE for me!

Zucchini Brownies
Recipe from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
For the brownies:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded zucchini (1 large or 2 small zucchinis)
up to 1/4 cup hot water
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional

For the frosting:
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/4 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the oil, sugar, and vanilla until well combined. Add the dry ingredients and stir. Fold in the zucchini. If your mixture is still very powdery, add up to 1/4 cup hot water (start with 1 tablespoon and work up from there, stirring well after each addition). The batter will be crumbly, but shouldn't be powdery. Add walnuts, if desired.
4. Bake 25-30 minutes until the brownies spring back when gently touched.
5. To make the frosting: Melt butter and cocoa together, stir and set aside to cool. Stir together milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Stir in the cocoa mixture. Spread over cooled brownies. Cut into squares.

Yield: about 24 brownies.

Enjoy!

This recipe may be linked with:

Monday: Mingle Monday (Add a Pinch), Joy of Desserts. Tuesday: 2 Maids a Baking (2 Maids a Milking), Tea Party Tuesdays (Sweetology). Wednesday: Cast Party Wednesday, Made It On Monday (Lark's Country Heart), This Chick Cooks.  Thursday: Sweet Treats Thursday (Something Swanky), Chic-and-Crafty (Frugal Girls), Turning the Table Thursdays (Around My Family Table), Tasty Thursday (The How-To Mommy). Friday: Sweet Tooth Friday (Alli-n-son), I'm Lovin' it Fridays (TidyMom). Saturday: Sweets for a Saturday (Sweet as Sugar Cookies). Sunday: A Well-Seasoned Life,Sharing Sundays (Everyday Sisters)