I learned how to make caramel icing

As a result of working with my stash of zucchini! Who knew there could be a connection?

I found a recipe for zucchini cupcakes with caramel icing and made these on Tuesday afternoon. I wasn't feeling the cupcake part but the caramel icing was delicious. That recipe is definitely a keeper. I think it will be amazing on yellow, pumpkin or applesauce cupcakes.

I handed these out to several taste testers and as proof that food is such a personal and subjective matter, one of my friends LOVED everything about this creation; cupcake and all.

I still have four zucchini left and the wheels in my head are turning as to what to create next.

F00d P0rnographer's note (9-11-2011):  these cupcakes were a commentary to how subjective food can be. I've never experienced this before but this creation received really mixed reviews. I loved the icing, but was kind of meh on the cupcake. One of my friend's loved the cake but felt the icing was too sweet. Yet another friend disliked it. Period. Yet another loved everything about it.

On another note, here is a great use for zucchini: put it in pasta sauce. One Sunday afternoon, I was working a batch of pasta sauce and was dicing zucchini when a brilliant idea struck me: why not puree it? Using a grater, I pureed the remainder of the zucchini I was dicing and added it to my sauce. This received RAVE reviews when I served it to friends later in the day.

One dozen zucchini cupcakes with caramel icing

....cut in half on dessert plate

Fun with zucchini

One of my co-workers gave me several pounds of zucchini and yellow squash fresh from her garden. Of course, I had to think of creative ways to use it.

On Sunday morning, I had some time in the morning before Zumba so I decided to bake zucchini muffins. These filled my home with the aroma of nutmeg and cinnamon as they baked and were done just on time for me to enjoy one as a pre-Zumba snack.

As the recipe made eighteen, I handed a lot out to friends and co workers and so far the feedback has been very positive.

Today, I decided to take advantage of the break in the relentless heatwave we've been having in MD and spend a rainy afternoon creating zucchini brownies.

These are moist have a more cakey than brownie texture and are delicious. I brought some to my friend about an hour ago and plan to bring some to my co workers tomorrow. I cannot wait to receive their feeback about my new, different creation.

I have six more of these beautiful zucchinis and am trying to figure out what to create next. Until then, stay cool and keep creating.

Zucchini muffin.....

Iced zucchini brownies.....