Chocolate Chip Zucchini Brownies

Got zucchini? One of my favorite things to do with a summer surplus (besides a dense chocolate cake, muffins or a loaf) is to make brownies. These are like a cross between fudgy brownies and dense chocolate cake itll cure your craving for chocolate, make the kids happy when they come home from school, and use up some of the zucchini hiding out in your fridge, all in one go.

Grate zucchini with its thin skin on it contains so many of the vegetables nutrients, and has such a fine texture that youll never notice it. Chocolate chips add an extra chocolate dimension to these brownies, but feel free to substitute chopped walnuts or pecans or add both.

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Brownies

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 packed cup grated raw, unpeeled zucchini (1 small)
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a large bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together melted butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla until smooth. Add the egg mixture and the zucchini to the flour mixture and stir by hand until almost combined; add chocolate chips and stir just until blended.

Pour into an 8 x 8 pan that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake for 30 minutes, until the edges are springy to the touch but the middle is still soft a slight indentation should be left when touched. Do not overbake! Cool in the pan on a wire rack or eat them warm from the pan.

Makes 12-16 brownies.

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