Canning Beets, with Brownies

Last week, I canned pickled beets, a delicious pickle that brightens winter meals for many Pennsylvania Dutch and Amish (recipe in Simply in Season; or say the word and I'll print it here).  I told the farmer I wanted two gallons of beets;  he charged me a measly $6 for what turned out to be three gallons of local, organic beets.  I put my children down for their quiet times and tied my apron on with grim purpose.

First I had to cook those softball-sized beets for an hour until they were tender:  a vat of boiling beets heating up my house!  The boiling canner was next.

I whisked the hot jars of beets outside to get as much heat out of my house as possible - you know, like the pie cooling on the back porch that the kids like to steal.

I rewarded myself with a brownie, straight from the freezer, and an ice cold glass of milk.  Plus a cold shower and fresh clothes.  Then the children woke up and we took a picnic supper to the park.

Frosted Zucchini Brownies
from Country Home Cooking by Marjorie Rohrer

Combine in large bowl:
1 c. WW pastry flour
1 c. white flour
1/3 c. cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

Combine separately:
2 c. shredded zucchini
1 1/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. oil
1/2 c. chopped nuts
2 tsp. vanilla

Add the wettish stuff to the dry.  Mix well.  Spread in greased and floured 9x13 and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.

For the frosting, bring to a boil over medium heat:
3 Tbs. butter
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. milk

Boil and stir for one minute.  Off the heat, add:
1/2 c. chocolate chips
1/2 c. mini marshmallows (or ripped/chopped big ones, which is what I had to do)

Spread this glop over the brownies.  They're easiest to cut after the frosting has dried and hardened somewhat.

The unbaked brownies just look strange.  And I want to go on record as being anti-hiding-vegetables-in-food; I was happily surprised with how successfully the zucchini replaced the eggs in this recipe.  And according to this post, zucchini adds fiber too.