When Life Gives You Zucchini, Make Zucchini Pie!

Now isn't that better advice for those of us here in Utah, who are a lot more likely to get zucchini from life than lemons?! So here is yet another recipe to add to the collection on my blog. And like the others, a bit unconventional and boundary-stretching. But only if you want it to be. It is so delicious, you may want to keep the zucchini a secret and just call it "apple pie."

From my mother (and FOR my mother who called me because she'd lost her recipe):

Mock Apple Pie
1 pie crust
5 cups peeled, sliced zucchini (peeling and slicing zucchini by hand is infinitely easier than apples! I use the giant zucchinis this season produces with gusto, and just scrape out the inside stringy, seedy part after I've got the zucchini in half crosswise and again lengthwise.)
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 c. real lemon juice
3/4 c. water

Boil zucchini, sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice and water. Simmer 'til soft. (I haven't scored myself a monster zucchini yet, so it's been since last season that I made this, but if I remember correctly, I don't add nearly that amount of water or lemon juice. I give the apples a good splash of lemon juice - after all, it's part of creating the flavor. And I pour a bit of water into the pot, but I keep in mind that I am making a pie filling, so I rather steam and keep all the liquid than need to pour some of the sugar away before I bake it. THAT said, pie fillings are really about taste anyway, so you could eyeball ALL the amounts and adjust according to preference.)

When the zucchini is soft, pour the filling into the unbaked crust and top with crumb topping. Bake at 325 for 25 minutes. Let cool. This pie is perfect to eat strait and a bit warm. It's actually not as good with ice cream.

Oh, so here's the crumb topping:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
6 tbsp butter (at room temp or just a tad cooler)
1/4 tsp salt
Mix it all up 'til it's crumbly.

Now, does this recipe have a metaphor? Absolutely! Are all homeschooled kids special or gifted? Yours may be. Mine are about as average as zucchini. But with a little creativity and willingness to think outside the box, I am hoping to help them become something surprisingly remarkable! Enjoy the pie, and your own creative, unconventional process of parenting! If you have a hit recipe for turning out fantastic, sweet kids, be sure you share it here! :)