Zucchini Tots - My New Favorite Side

I thought I was done with writing about zucchini recipes for the year, I really did.

I've gone a little crazy with them, but they've received such great feedback I couldn't help but share this one more.  It's the last, I promise!  I think I promise.  I promise for now at least :-)

We already know that I love dippable veggies, right?

These definitely fall into that category.  They're so much like tator tots in size and consistency, I had a hard time stopping myself from eating the whole batch.  Seriously.

Ingredient-wise they're a lot like the Zucchini Patties I wrote about a couple of months ago, but rather than parmesan and mozzarella they use cheddar and they're baked in a mini muffin tin rather than being pan fried.

Zucchini Ranch Meatloaf and Bountiful Gardens

So you're still drowning in zucchini, you say?

Still overwhelmed by the sheer volume of ginormous specimens your plant has produced?

Missed out on "Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor's Porch Night"?  Didn't know that was a thing?

Well, judging from the sheer volume of you that have been checking out the zucchini recipes on the blog lately, I'd say there's a good chance you're suffering from whatdoidowithallofthiszucchiniitis- and thankfully I've got you covered!

Just to recap (and help you out with your zucchini issues!) I've written about...

Asian Zucchini and Chicken Burgers

Easy Zucchini Banana Bread

Zucchini Patties

Amazing Muffin Cups with Zucchini Crust

and Zucchini Scallion Frittata Cups

Garden's Bounty: Zucchini Patties and Homemade Marinara

I'm relatively new at gardening, in fact this is only my third year planting a garden of my own.  I've really been blessed with beginner's luck and a bountiful garden from the beginning.  I've also learned that just because I can grow something doesn't mean that I should grow it...

My first garden was chock full of different veggies- tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, four types of bell peppers, an accidentally purchased lemon verbena plant, cayenne, jalapeños, poblano peppers, banana peppers, cucumbers, watermelon, honeydew melon, and cantaloupe.

I had a LOT of stuff going on out there- to be honest, more than I needed, especially pepper-wise.

My second garden was was just as large but the variety of plants was pretty pared down- tomatoes, jalapeños, banana peppers, zucchini, and cantaloupe.

Garden's Bounty: Zucchini Scallion Frittata Cups

I have absolutely no idea why I continue, year after year, to plant zucchini in my garden.

I don't really like zucchini.  My family doesn't like zucchini.

Yet- until this year- I continued to plant it.  Makes no sense, right?

Perhaps it's the enjoyment I get out of watching those plants grow to outlandish sizes.  Perhaps it's the fun of seeing the squash (that is what they are, right?) grow- seemingly overnight- to the size of my calf.  Perhaps it's those gorgeous, big, leaves that I love (until they're inevitably attacked by squash bugs sometime over the summer...).

Amazing Muffin Cups with Zucchini Crust

This time last year I was swamped.

Overwhelmed.

Trying to keep my head above the flood of zucchini my garden was throwing at me.

Boy am I glad I didn't plant four zucchini plants this year!  What was I thinking last year??

Anyway, even if you were smart enough to only plant one, you're most likely a little overwhelmed yourself right about now- those can be some CRAZY prolific plants.

There are only so many ways you can fix zucchini before you're just done, you know?

Earlier this year I was lucky enough to work Johnsonville again.  We were asked to make their popular recipe for Amazing Muffin Cups.

No-Noodle Pad Thai

I wanted Asian food today, specifically pad thai.

Like NEEDED it.

Guess what?

Not low carb.

My body likes staying low-ish carb.

I had just pulled into the grocery store parking lot, on a quest for ingredients for a last-minute popcorn order this afternoon, and I sat in the parked car pondering for a minute.

I needed a dinner solution- and then it came to me.

Spaghetti squash.

That stuff is so versatile, seriously.

Banana Bread and Clean Freezers

I have this really annoying habit.

I got it from my mother, it's stuck with me, and I'll probably pass it on to my daughter.

My husband absolutely can't stand it.  I just can't help myself, though.

What is this horrible offense?

Well...I just can't throw away a banana.

As they reach that brown speckled stage where most people would throw them away, I throw them in the freezer.

Perfect for banana bread later!  Why waste their sweet ripeness?

 But then...well, then the problem escalates...have you ever been attacked by a flying rock-hard frozen banana?  An ugly, brown, tropical, projectile?

Yeah well...neither had my husband before he married me :-)