Group of friends makes all-zucchini dinner

Food is the ingredient that binds friends together. OK, I just made that up but it's what comes to mind when thinking about a group of longtime friends in the Iowa City area.

More than 35 years ago four couples began a lifelong friendship that formed through various ways - several worked together at the University of Iowa, one couple suggested another to the group and so on.

The group is made up of Dick and Jane Gibson of Coralville and Bob and Beth Engel, Verne and Pat Kelley and Dale and Kay Prediger all of Iowa City.

They call themselves the Pros/Cons because they discuss the pros and cons of almost any issue.

In earlier years they played volleyball and even took disco lessons together.

Along with dancing, going to the movies, listening to jazz and traveling, the group likes to get together for dinner. They celebrate each other's birthdays and still try to have dinner together once a week.

Back when they all had gardens, they began an all-zucchini dinner 30 years ago. They had another 10 years later and again this August. Not quite an annual event, but a milestone just the same.

While the others all live in condos, the Kelleys still have a small garden at their home and provided some of the zucchini. The rest was provided by the Predigers' daughter, Katherine Prediger, of Shueyville.

Like the first two dinners, everything had zucchini in it, from the appetizers and soup to the main dish and dessert.

A homemade sign was made to commemorate the event and a zucchini decoration with candles was placed on the table.

The menu included Zucchini Appetizer Squares, Cream of Zucchini Soup, Ratatouille, Noodle Casserole and Double Chocolate Zucchini Cake.

To top off the Pro/Cons' dinner, a Zucchini Tini was served. Yes, that is a martini made with zucchini. Here's the recipes. Enjoy.

Zucchini Tini

Serves 1

1/2 to 1 tablespoon zucchini water (scraped from a zucchini and filtered through a cheesecloth)

2 ounces unfiltered cold sake

1 ounce gin

Shake well and pour into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a thin slice of zucchini.

From Verne Kelley

Zucchini Appetizer Squares

Makes about 40 appetizers

3 cups thinly sliced zucchini

1 cup Bisquick mix

½ cup finely chopped onion

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon dried marjoram or oregano leaves

1/8 teaspoon pepper

½ cup oil

4 eggs, slightly beaten

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease sides and bottom of a 13-by-9-by-2-inch pan. Stir together all the ingredients and spread in pan. Bake about 25 minutes. Cool, and cut into squares.

Submitted by Kay Prediger

Cream of Zucchini Soup

3 cups sliced zucchini

½ cup water

2 tablespoons minced onion

1 teaspoon all-season

1 teaspoon parsley flakes or 2 tablespoons fresh parsley

2 teaspoons instant chicken bouillon

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 cup milk

½ cup light cream

Sour cream

Paprika

Combine zucchini, water, onion, all-season and half of the bouillon. Cook until tender. Puree in blender. In large saucepan, melt butter and add flour, rest of bouillon and pepper. Blend well. Add milk and cream. Simmer, stirring until thickened. Stir in zucchini puree and mix well. If soup is too thick, add more milk. Serve topped with spoon of sour cream and dash of paprika.

Submitted by Beth Engel

Ratatouille

Virgin olive oil

1 chopped onion

2 chopped garlic cloves

2 or 3 sliced zucchinis

2 medium sliced eggplants

1 or 2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 can stewed Italian tomatoes (or 7 or 8 fresh tomatoes, cored and peeled)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

Several basic and thyme leaves

Red pepper (optional)

Parmesan cheese

It is preferable to use a cast iron serving/cooking pan, but can be cooked in other pan and transferred to casserole before serving.

Cover bottom of pan with olive oil, add chopped onion and garlic and brown. Add sliced zucchini and cook on high until soft. Add sliced eggplant. (Warning: Do not put eggplant in before the zucchini is cooked – it will soak up all the oil and the vegetables could burn.) Moisten with soy sauce and add tomatoes. If using fresh tomatoes, they should be firm. Stir until all is cooked and then lower the heat and cook about 15 to 20 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and pepper and herbs. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on top and serve.

Submitted by Pat Kelley

Noodle Casserole

Serves 6

1 pound ground beef

2 8-ounce cans tomato sauce

½ teaspoon oregano

3 cups sliced zucchini

Salt

8 ounces wide noodles

1 cup cottage cheese

4 ounces, softened cream cheese

1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

4 finely chopped onions

¼ cup yogurt or dairy sour cream

Cook beef in skillet until meat loses its red color; drain off fat. Add oregano, tomato sauce and zucchini. Simmer 5 minutes; add salt to taste. In the meantime, cook noodles in salted water until tender; drain. Put half of noodles in shallow greased baking dish. Mix 1 teaspoon salt, cottage cheese, cream cheese, pepper, green onions and yogurt or sour cream. Spread this on noodles; add remaining noodles. Pour meat-zucchini mixture over top. Bake in moderate oven (350 degrees) about 30 minutes.

Submitted by Jane Gibson

Double Chocolate Zucchini Cake

3 medium zucchini grated to equal 3 cups

3 cups flour

1 ½ teaspoon baking powder

1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 ¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon cloves

1 ½ cup salad oil

2 ½ cups (1 pound) light brown sugar

4 eggs

2 squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened chocolate, melted

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate pieces

1 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan. In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and cloves. Set aside. In a large mixer bowl beat oil and sugar at medium. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat in the chocolate. Add dry ingredients and beat until smooth. Fold in the zucchini, chocolate pieces and nuts. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 1 hour 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack 20 minute. Remove cake and cool completely. Spread cake with glaze.

Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoons vanilla

3 tablespoons milk

Combine and beat until smooth.

Submitted by Kay Prediger