Zucchini adds rich flavor to rocky road bars

When Angie Wheeler decided to enter The Virginian-Pilot's 2009 Dream Team competition, she chose the bar cookie category. The Suffolk resident figured it would allow her the versatility to develop something unique and delicious.

The zillions of zucchini her garden produced provided her main ingredient. Wheeler had made breads and brownies with zucchini; using it in a bar cookie recipe made good sense.

"Making a Rocky Road Zucchini Bar gave me the layers and flavor I wanted - rich and sinful," Wheeler said. "I'm a personal trainer, so 90 percent of the time I'm cooking healthy. But my sweets are a different matter. The only thing healthy about these bars is the zucchini!"

 Lorraine Eaton, (757)446-2697, lorraine.eaton@pilotonline.com

Rocky Road Zucchini Bars
Makes a 13-by-9-inch pan of brownies
3 cups graham cracker crumbs
¾ cup melted butter
2 cups peeled, grated zucchini
1½ cups sugar
½ cup oil
2 cups flour
½ cup cocoa powder
1½ teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup nuts
1½ cups mini marshmallows, divided
1 cup chocolate chips, divided

FROSTING
½ cup butter
½ cup chocolate chips (reserved from the 1 cup above)
2 ounces cream cheese
¼ cup milk
3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Mix graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Press into bottom of 13-by-9-inch baking pan lined with greased foil. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

Meanwhile, mix together zucchini, sugar, oil, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, vanilla and salt. Fold in nuts, ½ cup mini marshmallows and ½ cup chocolate chips. Spread batter on top of prepared crust. Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Two minutes before bars are done, sprinkle reserved 1 cup of mini marshmallows on top.

About halfway through baking time, prepare frosting for bars. In a saucepan heat butter, ½ cup chocolate chips, cream cheese and milk, stirring constantly, until butter, chips and cream cheese are melted and almost smooth. Remove from heat and stir in powdered sugar and vanilla. Stir until smooth.

When bars are done, pour frosting over marshmallows and swirl with spatula to spread. Refrigerate until completely cool. Remove foil-lined bars from pan. Pull edges of foil away and cut bars into pieces. Keep cookies refrigerated.

Source: Angie Wheeler, Suffolk