Zucchini Tots

If you have a garden, and if you planted zucchini, you are going to thank me for this one. Every year I am excited to plant zucchini, and every year I am overwhelmed by them and scramble to find something new and exciting to do with them. Last year, I fell in love with zucchini fries. This year, it's zucchini tots. How do I begin to describe how wonderful these are? They do in fact taste like they are made of potatoes, but I'd liken them more to hash browns than tots. You can have these whipped up and in their spots in a mini-muffin tin by the time the oven is done preheating, and after about 15 minutes you will have a tasty and adorable bite to eat. These would make a great appetizer or snack, but I think would also pass at breakfast or brunch. They are eggy enough that you could possibly want to throw them into a frittata category (though not quite), but also could be your hash brown alternative. They are awesome, however you decide to use them. Now, before sharing the recipe I must pause to share my husband's additions/recommendations (only because he specifically asked me to)--he made a sriracha ketchup (a la The Loop) by mixing, you guessed it, sriracha and ketchup, to dip these in. I admit it was tasty. He also would like to point out that you could put some chopped cooked bacon in these if you wanted a more well-rounded breakfast and need more bacon in your life as he does. The end. Make these precious little bites of deliciousness ASAP.

Zucchini Tots

-2 cups grated zucchini
-2 eggs
-1/2 cup parmesan cheese
-1/2 yellow onion, diced fine
-1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
-1/2 t. salt
-pepper

Wrap the zucchini in a kitchen towel or layers of paper towels and squeeze all the water out. This is just what you do when you squeeze the water out of frozen zucchini, right? (The answer is yes). Get as much moisture out as you can. Combine the zucchini and all other ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Scoop 1 T into each of 24 mini muffin cups (both times I made these this weekend I ended up with exactly 24 Tablespoons and that made me REALLY happy). Pack the mixture down into the tins with your hands. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until golden and set.

Um no. Three is not enough.

Look at these little sweeties. P.S. They are good dipped in ranch. Perhaps better than in sriracha ketchup....don't tell my husband!