Zucchini Candy-In honor of National Sneak Zucchini On Your Neighbor's Porch

National Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor's Porch Day is today!  Have any of you dropped any off on your neighbors?
It always happens.  The zucchini that hides until it is soooo huge!  I've had a couple of them so far this year.  How about you?  What do you do with your bat size zucchinis?

This year I've been making candy.  That's right, zucchini candy!  I have a batch in the dehydrator right now.  They taste a lot like gummi worms. 

I have two recipes.  The one I am trying right now is one my mother gave me.  I think she found it on the internet but not sure where:

Ingredients:
A large zucchini
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 pack Kool-aid
8 cups water

Peel the zucchini.

Cut it into 1 inch chunks, be sure to cut off the center part with seeds (as uniform as you can so they dry evenly).

Add Kool-aid, water, and sugar (recipe can be doubled) in a large pot and bring to a boil.

Add zucchini chunks and turn down to a simmer,  stir occasionally. Cook until zucchini turns translucent, about 20-25 minutes. Drain using a colander.

Place them on the food dehydrator racks making sure no pieces are touching each other.  Use a fruit leather mat if you have one. This makes clean up easier. I only use mine for about the first hour then remove.

Let it dehydrate until it feels squishy but firm,  about 18 hours.

When they are done, put 3 Tbs of powdered sugar, and 1 Tbs corn starch in a bag and toss candy pieces in with it. This keeps them from sticking together in the bag or jar.

I'll let you know how we liked this recipe once it is done.

Another great recipe is:

10 cups peeled diced zucchini 1/2 inch cubes or  "worms" about 3 inches long and 1/2 inch thick and wide.
3 cups water
2 pkgs. unsweetened Koolaid (Everyone says black cherry or cherry is best, all I had was strawberry)
2 1/2 cups sugar

Peel zucchini,  dice/slice, removing seeds. Mix the liquid syrup together. Add zucchini. Bring to a boil and them simmer for 25 min. Drain. Put on dehydrator trays. Dry 14
hours at 125 degrees. Turn pieces over and dry another 4 hours. They will
feel dry and not sticky when done. Store in jars or other tightly sealed
containers. If you dip in sugar when you turn them, they will be more like
"gum drops" on the outside.


Next I will be trying these two recipes to use up large zucchini:

Zuke Chips
Take the large size zukes and slice them 1/8 inch thick, blanch them for 30 seconds, pat dry, and sprinkle salt (use Kosher or french fry seasoning) and onion powder on them. Dry them in the dehydrator until crispy like potato chips.

Zuke Burger
Take a large zuke, slice 1/2" thick, brush with olive oil, season with salt & pepper, (or any hamburger seasoning you use) and  grill.  Serve on potato roll buns.

So you still have too much zucchini and are going to sneak some on your neighbors porch, be sure to include a few of these recipes for them! lol