If you have an overabundance of zucchini in your garden, here is a great way to use some of it up.

Cake:
1/2 C. butter (melted)
1/2 C. oil
1 3/4 C. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C. sour milk or buttermilk
2 1/2 C. flour
4 Tbsp. cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 C. peeled, shredded zucchini

Topping:
1/3 C. chopped nuts
1/3 C. brown sugar
1/3 C. chocolate chips

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Mix all ingredients and place in a greased 9 x 13 pan. Sprinkle with topping. Bake for 45-55 minutes.

Photo: Andre – Fotolia.com

This recipe is SO quick and easy and is delicious on any type of cake, or even on sugar cookies. For a quick treat I also like to make it and spread between two graham crackers – YUM! It’s easiest to make in an electric mixer, but you can certainly use muscle power to stir by hand.

1/3 C butter, softened
3 C confectioners sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2-3 Tbsp. milk

Beat together butter and sugar. Add in vanilla and 2 Tbsp milk. Beat until the frosting is smooth and spreadable. If too stiff or lumpy, add the additional milk. For colored frosting, add a few drops of food coloring.

If you need a chocolate frosting recipe, this is an AWESOME Easy Chocolate Frosting Recipe.

This simple Maple Glaze can be used to add a sweet finishing touch to muffins, breads or other baked goods. It is taken from an old church cookbook.

1 Tbsp butter, softened
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1/2 C. powdered sugar

Mix together and spread on cooled muffins or breads.

This is an “old school” recipe that I clipped out of a magazine years ago. It’s super easy and quick to make – only about 10 minutes to prepare.  It makes a basic chocolate fudge, or you can change it up a bit with a marshmallow variation (see below).

3 cups (18 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
1/2 to 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Line an 8 or 9 inch square pan with wax paper. In a heavy saucepan, melt chips with milk and salt over low heat. Remove from heat. Stir in nuts (if using) and vanilla. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Cool 2 hours or until firm. Turn fudge onto cutting board, peel off paper and cut into squares. Store covered in refrigerator.

Marshmallow Fudge: Prepare as instructed above, but omit nuts and add 2 tbsp butter to mixture. Fold in 2 cups of miniature marshmallows.

It’s handy to have a cake mix on hand to whip up a quick dessert at a moments notice. But you don’t have to pay the inflated prices of cake mixes at the store, you can make your own for a fraction of the cost. This simple mix can be used to make either white or yellow cake and you can store it in a cool, dry place for up to 12 weeks.

All-Purpose Cake Mix

10 cups flour
6 cups sugar
1 cup cornstarch
5 Tbsp baking powder
1 Tbsp salt
2 1/2 cups vegetable shortening (such as Crisco)

Sift together all the dry ingredients. Then, in a large bowl use a pastry blender or a stand mixer to blend in the shortening until the mixture is the texture of cornmeal. Store in an airtight container.

To Make a Yellow Cake from the Mix:

5 cups All-Purpose Cake Mix
1 1/3 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 13″x9″ pan or two round cake pans. Stir mix, milk and vanilla in a large bowl and beat at high speed with an electric mixer for one minute. Add eggs one at a time, beating well. Pour into prepared pans. Bake 35-40 minutes for the 13″x9″ pan or 30-35 minutes for round cake pans. Test by inserting a toothpick in the center – will be done when the pick comes out clean.  (You can also use the batter for cupcakes, bake 14-19 minutes.)

To Make a White Cake from the mix, follow the above instructions but use only the whites of the eggs.

This cute sweet treat is perfect to add a little fun to your Thanksgiving party.  They are easy to make and the recipe comes courtesy of Jolly Time Popcorn. 

• 1 bag popped JOLLY TIME Blast O Butter Microwave Pop Corn, popped
• 2 cups of 1/2 inch pieces of broken thin pretzel sticks
• 1 14 oz package caramels
• 2 Tbsp water
• Softened Butter
• 72 whole thin pretzel sticks
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Line 3 large cookie sheets with waxed paper.  Pop popcorn according to package directions. Coat inside of large mixing bowl with nonstick cooking spray.  Pour popcorn into the bowl, discarding unpopped kernels.  Add broken pretzels and stir. In large microwave-safe bowl, heat caramels and water, uncovered, on HIGH for 2-1/2 to 3 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring well every minute.  Pour over popcorn and pretzels.  Stir until well coated. Let stand 5 minutes.

Butter your hands and shape mixture into 1-1/4-inch diameter balls around whole pretzel sticks.  Press firmly and leaveg bottom half of pretzel sticks extending beyond popcorn ball to make “handles.” Place on cookie sheets and let stand until firm, about 15 minutes.  Melt chocolate chips according to package directions and let cool 2 minutes. Pour chocolate into a zip-top bag, squeeze out air and seal.  Cut small corner off bag.  While holding balls by the pretzel handles, squeeze chocolate decoratively over balls. Return to cookie sheet and let stand 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until until chocolate is set.