Monday, July 19, 2010

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. 

7 comments:

Christian - Modobject@Home said...

I am amazed by what you can accomplish during nap time! The brownies sound delicious; one right about now for a mid-morning snack sounds perfect.

Margo said...

Christian, this was an extraordinarily smooth nap time. . .just so you don't think my afternoons are always this productive. I was feelin' my caffeine and the kids were worn out on their beds.

Anonymous said...

i had to read this to make sure the beets were not going in the brownies.

Margo said...

littlehouse, I have seen a recipe for "secret chocolate cake" and the secret is BEETS. My friend made it and said it was nasty. I even felt strange putting zucchini in the brownies.

KatB said...

Hi Margo! I just wanted to make sure to tell you, I saved this brownie recipe to try the day you posted it. I didn't meant to make it sound like an example of weird zucchini recipes when I commented on The Opulent Poppy! I've never had zucchini before, so even zucchini bread (which everyone I know swears is delicious) kind of scares me. Thanks for sharing this recipe! :)

beth said...

I am going to try the brownies! Thanks for the unusual recipe!

canning applesauce said...

thanks for sharing your ideas