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use-that-squash chocolate chip cookies

(recipe, Sarah Gilbert)

Introduction

It appears this year is a good year for squash. I know, it's a rare year that's bad for zucchini and her cousins, but this year is REALLY GOOD here in Portland. Friends tell tales of having to pull plants threatening to take over the garden; in my yard, I'm beating it back to keep the poor straggling basil and strawberry plants between it from being choked. And even the pattypan squash plant stuck in a space between two big old trees is producing enormous, pound-and-a-half, fruits every time I close my eyes for more than a moment. This recipe won't even use a whole zucchini or pattypan; at my garden's pace, it's not even a day's harvest. But it's something, and a way to soak up a little so no one (especially those children of yours and mine) will notice. I use three kinds of flour in this recipe; I just like using a variety of flours. They would probably turn out with only one or two sorts; I'd caution against using all white flour, as that will greatly decrease the nutritional content of the cookie. And these are vegetable cookies after all! The cookies will be more on the cakey side of the cookie spectrum, due to the use of honey, among other things. If your kids don't go for this sort of cookie, you may find you have to eat them all yourself. Shucks.

Ingredients

  1. ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
  2. ½ cup honey (preferably wildflower or another light-flavored variety)
  3. 1 large egg
  4. 3 oz. pattypan squash, or other vegetable, grated (about ½ cup)
  5. 1 cup whole wheat flour (a medium or fine grind, I use my 'all-purpose' Shepherd's Grain bread flour)
  6. 1½ cups white flour
  7. ½ cup brown rice flour
  8. ½ tsp. baking soda
  9. a pinch of coarse sea salt (or salt of your choice)
  10. ½ to 1 cup chocolate chips (I use malt-sweetened chocolate chips -- they work well here)

Steps

  1. Preheat oven to 315 degrees (it could be 300, or 325; I used 315 because I am just eccentric that way)
  2. Whip butter with wooden spoon or whisk until light; add honey and beat until well-mixed.
  3. Whip in egg. (Here if you are like me you will stir in a big spoonful of oatmeal leftover from breakfast.)
  4. Mix in squash.
  5. In separate bowl (if you're picky about these things) mix together flours, baking soda and salt. If you're not, just dump them all in the top and stir together lightly before mixing in with the butter mixture.
  6. Stir flour mixture and butter mixture just until well combined.
  7. Mix in chocolate chips.
  8. Drop by teaspoons onto cookie sheets and bake for 15-20 minutes until bottoms are golden brown.