Zucchini-Feta Flapjacks

When I asked a friend of mine what she was doing today, she replied that she was making flapjacks for a bonfire tomorrow night.  Her comment reminded me that I had not posted my recent gluten-free recipe for making a savory pancake (aka flapjack) as a brunch, lunch or dinner side dish or entree. 

So here it is!

Ingredients:

1-1/2 pounds of Zucchini, grated (about 3 cups)

1/4 cup Feta Cheese, finely crumbled

2 eggs + 1 egg white, beaten

3/4 cup All-Purpose Gluten Free Flour

3/4 teaspoon Baking Powder

1/2 Sea Salt

1/8 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (or 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper) 

1/2 teaspoon dried Oregano

Olive Oil (spray) for coating fry pan

Directions:

1. Once the zucchini is grated, squeeze out excess liquid using just your hands pressing down the zucchini in a fine strainer, through cheesed cloth, or like in my case since I had neither at hand, pressing the moisture out into layers of paper towels (worked great).
2. In a large mixing bowl, blend well the zucchini, feta, eggs, flour, baking powder and seasonings.
3. Heat over medium-high heat, a wide frying pan that is coated with the olive oil.
4. You should be able to cook 3 to 4 flapjacks that are 2-3 tablespoons of mixture each, spreading them out to make 4-inch rounds.
5. Cook the flapjacks for about three (3) minutes per side, or until golden. 
6. Serve warm as is, with butter, sour cream, greek yogurt, savory cream sauce or condiment to taste.

These were a BIG hit at my dinner table!

My All-Time Favorite Cream of Zucchini Soup

As soon as you harvest zucchini from your garden patch, make up a batch of this soup.  It has great flavor and is a wonderful soup to enjoy year-round!

Ingredients:

3 cups sliced Zucchini (4 small OR 1 lb.)
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon Instant Minced Onion (or fresh onion very finely minced)
1 teaspoon Season-All (McCormicks)
1/2 teaspoon Parsley Flakes or finely minced Fresh Parsley
2 teaspoons Chicken or Vegetable Stock Base
2 tablespoons Butter
2 tablespoons Flour (for gluten-free, use rice flour or potato starch to thicken)
1/8 teaspoon White Pepper
1/4 teaspoon Bon Appetit (McCormicks)
1 cup Milk
1/2 cup Light Cream
Sour Cream, to top
Paprika, to garnish

If you have fresh onion and parsley on hand, use it rather than the dried.

Directions:

1. In a medium-size pot, combine zucchini, water, onion, Season-All, parsley flakes and 1 teaspoon of the stock base.
2. Cook until zucchini is tender and very little water is left.
3. Put the zucchini mixture in a sieve to mash, or puree in a blender (my preference).
4. In a medium-size sauce pan, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour, remaining stock base, pepper, MSG and Bon Appetit; blend well.
5. Stir in the milk and light cream. Simmer, stirring until it thickens.
6. Stir in the zucchini mixture and thoroughly blend. If the soup is thicker than you prefer, add more milk until it is the consistency you like.
7. Serve the cream of zucchini soup with a dollop of sour cream and garnish with paprika.

Makes 4 Cups

Recipe from McCormick's 1978 Spices of the World Cookbook.