Julie And Julia

So, here I am at almost the end of summer, and I have done SO much!  We've been to Garden of the Gods, Colorado National Monument in Fruita, CO, Mt. Princeton, St. Elmo, Amarillo, Beulah, San Isabel, even heading to Kansas next week, but through it all I have had one regret.... I didn't plant my usual garden of tomatoes, jalepenos, yellow squash and ZUCCHINI!  And after recieving a recipe for Zucchini Brownies last year, I've been really wanting to have zucchini on hand.  Oh sure, the thought has crossed my mind several times "just buy some at the store" but never simutaneously when I'm actually at the store!  But then it happened, my dear friend had a bag of these beautiful green vegetables and she just gave them to me:)  (Thank you, Joy!)  So, then there I was searching for the recipe in a file folder of poorly filed recipes that I've collected through the years...some given to me from friends, much like the zucchini brownie recipe, some given to me by family, like my Grandma who was hands down the best cook ever, and some that I had collected myself from various magazines, newspapers or internet.  As I sifted through the different shaped pieces of paper with widely different recipes on it, it dawned on me that I haven't even tried HALF of these recipes!  What a travesty!  My Grandmother was ALWAYS clipping recipes from magazines and newspapers, and up until she became weaker and older, she actually tried what she clipped.  Then, when she could no longer make them herself, she started sending them on to others, like me.  And I know she would have wanted me to at least try them!  Not just stuff them in a file folder and shove them in my cabinet.  That's when it hit me....these recipes DO deserve a chance!  And at the risk of sounding very "Julie and Julia", I have decided to dust off one of these recipes each week and prepare them.  I will then in turn, share my recipe with whomever decides to read my blogs! So without further ado, I give you the recipe that started this whole ordeal....Zucchini Brownies!  Happy Eating!!

Zucchini Brownies
from:  Michelle Wheeler

Mix: 2 cups grated zucchini, 1/3 cup oil, 1/2 cup water and 2 tsp vanilla
Add: 1 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup cocoa, 2 cups white flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 1/2 tsp baking soda

Mix well and spread in greased 9x13 pan.  Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.  Cool completely.

Frosting: Melt 5tbsp margerine
Add: 1 cup sugar, 1/3 cup milk

Bring to boil.  Boil 1 minute without stirring.  Stir in 1/2 package of chocolate chips.  Spread over brownies and ENJOY!