Lily learned how to climb out of her crib last week, and no one - not even those parenting books that intend to scare the living daylights out of you - warned me that it would be a milestone that would completely kill any bedtime routine that once existed. Our girl who used to happily go to bed and sleep for 12 hours now thinks that bedtime is fun-time and the idea of wasting it with sleep is absolutely ridiculous. It literally takes HOURS for her to finally knock out. And for some reason, this playing must be accompanied by a parent, and if we dare to sneak out of the room there will be hysterical screaming. Lord help me! (But how could you stay mad at a face like this?)
So, when the morning comes, these zucchini pancakes are an awesome way to refuel sleepy-eyed people for a new day (and a splash of cranky, tired toddler thrown in!). They are quick and easy to make, and are even more delicious than I expected. Much like potato pancakes, they are savory and go well with apple sauce or plain greek yogurt (or sour cream if you're traditional like that).
If you have any leftover zucchini, don't forget to try this zucchini bread!
Zucchini Pancakes
2 medium zucchini (I used about 2 cups) 2 tablespoons grated red onion 2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten 6+ tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Unsalted butter and vegetable oil
Grate the zucchini into a bowl and immediately stir in the onion and eggs. Stir in 6 tablespoons of the flour, the baking powder, salt, and pepper. (If the batter gets too thin from the liquid in the zucchini, add more about 2 Tbsp at a time.)
Heat a large saute pan over medium heat and melt 1/2 tablespoon butter and 1/2 tablespoon oil together in the pan. When the butter is hot but not smoking, drop heaping soup spoons of batter into the pan. Cook the pancakes about 2 minutes on each side, until browned. Remove the finished pancakes and wipe out the pan with a dry paper towel. Add more butter and oil to the pan and continue to fry the pancakes until all the batter is used. Serve immediately or keep warm in a 300 degree oven for up to 30 minutes.
Source: Ina Garten
