At their October 24, 2024, general meeting, the High Prairie Community Council elected new officers and directors. President Sharon Aleckson resigned from her position, commenting that she is “81 and done.” She has made sure over the last year that all HPCC documents were reviewed and brought up-to-date and is leaving everything in good order.
Sharon’s resignation left three positions open. Nominations were accepted from the floor. All nominees accepted their nominations, and none of the positions was contested, so a vote was taken to approve all the nominees into office. Officers and directors take office on January 1, 2025.
The Officers and Directors for 2025 are:
President, Erin Hartford (replacing Sharon Aleckson) Vice President, Anne Kanter Treasurer, Brenda Edin Secretary, Barbara Parrish Director, Andy Kallinen (replacing Erin Hartford) Director, Lacie Hatton (replacing Chris Sattem) Director, Joshua Wright (replacing Henry Gerhard) Director, Bea Wilson
This month’s newsletter from bearwise.org focuses on bears searching for a good winter den – it could be on your property where you least expect to find a bear. An amazing fact is that bears do not have a collarbone. Even ADULT bears can fit through what seems like an impossibly small opening – like the average dog door or crawl space opening under a building. If a bear can get its head inside, the rest of the bear can follow.
Whether a full-time resident or seasonal visitor, there are three items of note to discourage bears from denning up your property: Close and lock pet doors, sheds, root cellars and outbuildings. Check under porches and decks for areas or openings where bears might find shelter, and barricade the openings as best you can. Don’t leave garbage, bird feeders, birdseed, or food meant for other wildlife where bears can access it. The entire Bear Wise article has more tips and a link to an informative video on how to snug up your crawl space (https://bitly/4eN6JGS).
We can enjoy the occasional bear sighting in High Prairie and help to keep the bears wild. None of us want to deal with a surprise or problem bear
Did you know senior lunches are served every Tuesday in Lyle? And there’s a contingent of High Prairie folks who regularly attend, including our newest HP author, Doug Taylor, who even mentions the senior lunch in his book! This is a great way to beat the winter doldrums and connect with others. Lunch is served at noon at the Lions community center in the middle of Lyle, with plenty of parking, time before and after to visit over coffee, and–most importantly–enjoy a tasty and nutritional lunch, which includes favorites like mashed potatoes and gravy or sloppy joes and always a homemade dessert (often with ice cream!). A crew of volunteers serves up the meal, sets up and cleans afterward and bags your leftovers for dinner if you like–all for a $3.50 donation for people over 60 (and who isn’t these days?) and $6.50 for those under 60. Come join us! And call if you would like to carpool late morning and back after the lunch.
“My High Prairie,” the recently published collection of Doug Taylor’s stories, has sold out! All 200 copies are now in the hands of Doug’s appreciative fans. Doug is amazed and pleased, and he thoroughly enjoyed seeing so many friends at his signing party in late October.
Cynthia Henchell and Bonnie Long, producers of the book, extend huge thanks to everyone who ordered copies. They’re still receiving a few requests for books, but they have no plans to run a second printing at this time. Please stay tuned!
If you are a gardener, late fall to early spring can seem like the longest time of the year. Depending on where you live, it can be impossible to grow crops outdoors. Yes, you preserved as much as you could from the summer garden, but you miss the taste of fresh vegetables. This is when growing delicious, nutritious microgreens can come to the rescue.
Microgreens are bigger than sprouts but smaller than baby greens. When you eat sprouts, you eat all parts of the plant, including the root. Microgreens are harvested when the plant has the seed leaves (cotyledons), plus one or two true leaves. They are cut at soil level and the root is left behind.
Depending on what seeds you plant, your microgreens could be ready for harvest in as little as two weeks after planting. You can make an entire salad from microgreens or add them to a regular salad or sandwich for a bite of fresh flavor in the middle of winter.
To grow microgreens, you’ll need some indoor gardening supplies, including:
Seeds — Most seed companies will provide individual seed types, as well as seed mixes chosen to germinate and mature at about the same time. Your choices will likely be based on the taste flavors you prefer, but can also be based on how easy or hard they are to grow.
Container — There are commercial trays you can buy specifically for growing microgreens, or you can start out with any shallow container you can put drainage holes in, such as a disposable pie pan.
Soil — Ideally you want your containers to be filled with a soilless peat-based mix (either coco peat or peat moss) with vermiculite and perlite. Regular commercial garden soil varieties are not the best medium for microgreens.
Light Source — To grow microgreens, there needs to be a good source of light. A south facing window will likely work, though you’ll have to turn the container frequently to prevent the seedlings from leaning toward the light and becoming leggy. If your indoor gardening supplies include a light for starting seeds, even better.
Spray Bottle — You will need a spray bottle to water your microgreens and to keep the soil optimized for healthy growth. The growing medium should be kept moist but not soaked.
Germination Dome — You’ll need a cover over the container during the germination stage. If you don’t have a dome, paper towels can be used as a substitute.
Fan to Prevent ‘Damping Off’ Disease — A small fan is likely enough to avoid this disease, which can occur between when a seed is planted and when it matures. It is caused by a fungus or mold that thrives in cool, wet conditions. Use the fan, set on low, while your seeds are germinating.
Harvest your microgreens once your greens have produced their first true leaves. Use sharp scissors and cut them just above the soil. Eat immediately or store in a sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to three or four days. These small plants will lose their nutritional value and flavor after cutting, so it is always better to eat the microgreens right after picking.
Then it’s time to replant. You can plant more seeds in the same soil, but it is preferable to remove the peat to be composted and replace it with fresh peat. You will learn how to time your planting so that you have a continuous supply of microgreens.
With a small amount of preparation and a little bit of work, you too can soon be growing and eating these fresh vegetables even in the heart of winter.
On November 13, while Gene Zitterkopf was at home and Sally Zitterkopf was at a lunch in The Dalles, a strange thing happened. Gene heard a rock from nowhere hit the side of their house. It left a noticeable dent approximately 3 feet up on the siding and took off some of the paint. The white showing on the rock in the photograph is paint from the house. Their house isn’t close to the road, and it’s still a mystery where the rock might have come from.
Looking for a project for the winter months? How about building a Bluebird House, or buying one pre-made through eBay (where I purchase mine) and even better, consider setting a Bluebird Trail starting with a few houses.
Here are a few facts of interest specific to the High Prairie area.
There are three Bluebird species found in North America: Eastern Bluebird (found primarily east of a line from Montana to Texas), Western Bluebird (found primarily in the Northwest, California and the Southwest) and — I believe the most beautiful, third species — the Mountain Bluebird (found in the same geographic area as our Western Bluebird but more so in high mountain meadows/prairies).
All Bluebirds, which are members of the Thrush family of birds, have had a serious population decline because of the lack of proper nesting trees/woodpecker holes, but when humans provide proper nesting boxes in the right habitat, they come back quickly. The right habitat is grassy areas with lots of grasshoppers/insects in the summer and with scattered trees and branches where the Bluebirds can sit and pounce on any insect moving on the ground or grass. Sound like High Prairie? When feeding, Bluebirds have a particular hunched appearance as they scan for insects below. Bluebirds will also flutter out to take wasps and other flying insects.
ENTRANCE HOLE DIAMETER:
There are many YouTube videos and Bluebird house plans you can find with a Google search.
One point to make, if you do purchase online or make your own, is that the entrance hole is larger for Mountain Bluebird than Western Bluebird, which is the most common nesting resident on HP. The entrance diameter is 1-9/16 inch for Mountain and 1-1/2 inch for Western – does not seem like much, but for a well-fed Bluebird, that could be significant on feather wear and tear. Mountain Bluebirds do nest on HP very selectively and perhaps you will be lucky enough to host a pair.
WOOD & PAINT:
Cedar is suggested as it has a natural repellent against nest parasites, but any wood will do as long as the wood is ½ inch thick for proper insulation in summer and early spring. Include ventilation slots or holes at the bottom and top of the nest box. Leave an overhang on sides and front to drain away rain. On HP, painting with a non-odor paint is recommended, ideally white to reflect sunlight and keep the interior as cool as possible with our possible high temperatures. Paint also helps preserve the box sides and roof.
LOCATION & MOUNTING:
Ideally in a grassy field area without serious disturbance in the spring/summer, with scattered trees where the Bluebirds can hunt from lower branches. Our neighbor mows his acreage in the spring under his Ponderosa Pines and thus provides short grasses where the nesting Bluebirds can easily see their prey on the ground.
I am not a fan of just mounting the nest box on a wooden pole, as mice, rats, even snakes, and others, can access the nest box and eat the young nestlings. I use 1-inch galvanized plumbing pipe instead of a wooden pole, and attach a plumbing fitting to the base of the nest box which screws into the 1-inch galvanized pole set in the ground. I have also used 1.5” PVC pipe around the galvanized pipe up to about a foot below the nest box to help protect it. Mount the nest box 6 feet or so from ground level, a distance away from the nearest tree so squirrels cannot jump on top of the box and gain access. It’s best to place the nest box about 20-25 feet away from the nearest tree so nestlings can land nearby on their first flight, as their flight muscles are not yet strong.
MAINTENANCE:
As mentioned, painting white is recommended but not necessary if you like the weathered look, and hopefully Mr. & Mrs. Bluebird will also. Dark colors are not advised as that will add significant heat to the interior. It is important, once nesting season is over, to open the box and clean out and discard the nest material, etc. You may wish to spray the inside lightly with an insecticide as there are nest parasites that can overwinter. Don’t do this too early, as Bluebirds will use nest boxes in migration even in groups of migrating Bluebirds headed south, and the old nest material may help maintain a warmer inside temperature.
THANK YOU! My heart was so warmed and happy with the wonderful remembrances many of you shared following Myrin Bentz’s Memorial at the Community Center.
You patiently watched the original video of his memorial in Portland. Then so many of you shared many beautiful and well-thought memories of his life on High Prairie.
All your wonderful compliments and meaningful words meant so much to me, that I wanted to shout it up to Heaven so Myrin could hear it too!
I remember our 20+ years on High Prairie as the highlight of our 68 years of marriage. Studying the gorgeous starlit sky filled us with awe – often enough to keep us sleeping outdoors all night in the summer!
I am thankful for the many close friends who came and for the major work setting all this up. Thanks also to Deborah Hansen and Anna Purcell for organizing it all, and lining up wonderful food!
I fell in love with these showy yellow sunflowers after moving to our home in Stacker Butte. A key inspiration for learning all I could about Arrowleaf Balsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittate) is from our local jewel of wildflower knowledge and preservation in our area, Barbara Robinson. She is an accomplished university academic as well as being an educator for the Oregon Master Naturalist program. She is also one of the reasons we have open, natural areas of land containing these beautiful wildflowers, due to her efforts acquiring land for conservation going back to the 1970’s; these efforts have been well documented through The Friends of the Columbia Gorge, The Discovery Center in The Dalles and The Klickitat Trail Conservatory. She is also the reason we now have Balsamroot growing in our local areas, such as Catherine Creek and surrounding the Discovery Center. She personally taught me the art of seed collecting, planting and continuing the tradition of land preservation.
The Balsamroot is one of Barbara’s favorite flowers. She has developed a specific technique to gather seed heads (early, when seed heads first begin to nod or bend down after bloom), to separate chaff from seeds (using brown bags with seed heads and shaking vigorously) and then using a fan and white sheets technique for final separation. She determines viable seeds by experience and touch. Techniques for replanting involve simple scraping a few inches of earth, dropping seeds and covering them by foot. This process increases germination significantly and she is conducting experiments to further increase germination.
More fun facts on these beautiful sunflowers…
Another name for this Aster plant is Oregon Sunflower. For history lovers, the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1806 collected the first specimens near the White Salmon River. They can be found growing in open fields without shade in cold, dry areas west of Colorado, west to the Sierra Nevada, and into Canada. Today this eye candy brings visitors far and near for viewing of these beauties… They have been an important food source to Native American groups, shared during ceremonial meals and daily life.
They have taproots of up to 8 feet long and 4 inches wide which are harvested, dried, and ground into a starchy flour. Wildlife and livestock also enjoy eating this plant, so you won’t see many flowers in pastures with active grazing. The entire plant can be eaten. The seeds are a protein source when pounded into flour. The leaves can also be used to wrap around other foods when cooked over a fire. The flavor is described as “piney”. The stems of immature plants can be cut and stripped to munch as a trail snack with a celery consistency. The young shoots make a good seasoning for stew. The leaves have antiseptic qualities so they can be used as a band aid (poultice) if you burn or cut yourself or have blisters. The roots can be boiled for a tea used to treat such ailments as rheumatism, whopping cough and headaches. The root has also been used as a coffee substitute! The Balsam portion of the name refers to the resin in the root.
Arrowleaf Balsamroot has an anxcient spiritual meaning associated with flowing energy and themes of strength, resilience, and enduring beauty for its ability to thrive in harsh environments.
The plant was once widespread throughout open arid meadows and now remains a testament to undisturbed healthy soils.
Hillsides covered with these flowers and perennial bunchgrasses and sagebrush can quickly become wastelands of cheatgrass and tumble mustard if cattle or other stock overgraze, consuming the herb and its energy reserves.
Arrowleaf Balsamroot gained its name because of its leaf shape, which is triangular and pointed. It grows very slowly, taking appropriately 7 years to develop from seed to flower when germinating in a positive environment. They bloom from spring to early summer depending on the elevation. While individual flowers are not particularly fragrant, a sunlit field has a spicy, chocolaty aroma. It is a perennial, and during the winter you can see the lifeless leaves in the High Prairie that may crunch under foot.
Dreams of these joyful sunflowers covering our open prairie help us endure our cold winter months. We can also plant our saved seeds during these fall and winter months, knowing in 7 plus years there will be more Balsamroot for us all to enjoy!
All Klickitat County Burn Bans have been rescinded as of October 23, 2024. Thankfully, High Prairie only experienced 2 wildfires this season: 1 caused by a lawnmower striking a rock and 1 caused by lightning. Both fires were small. Thank you again for all your efforts in keeping High Prairie safe!
Please follow the outdoor burning requirements listed below. If an outdoor fire started by you escapes, you may be responsible for paying costs associated with the extinguishment of that fire.
Outdoor Burning Requirements:
1. Fire size no larger than 10 foot diameter, only burn one pile at a time. 2. Minimum five (5) gallons water, shovel, fire extinguisher and/or charged garden hose. 3. Fire is built on bare soil. 4. Debris that can be burned: natural wood products, non-treated lumber scraps, trimmings, clippings. and natural vegetation. (Citations are issued due to this violation in Klickitat Co.) 5. Ditch and fence line burning can be done in 10’ X 10’ sections at a time with adequate water to put out the area burned. The next 10’ X 10’ section can then be lit. Caution: Must have containment lines such as roads, driveways, plowed fields, or hand trails down to mineral soil. 6. Burn Barrels are not approved. WAC 173-425. (Citations are issued due to this violation in Klickitat County) 7. In the event of air inversions, it is recommended by DOE to monitor media coverage for our area. If an inversion occurs, stop burning until DOE has lifted restrictions. (For more information, contact DOE 1-800-406-5322. Website: http://www.ecy.wa.gov) 8. Agriculture burns must be approved by DOE. Call 1-509-575-2490. 9. Minimum of 50 feet from any structure. 10. Fire must be attended to at all times.
This is the time of year when prescribed burns occur on forestry lands. These burns are intended to prevent future wildfires. Please DO NOT call 911 about prescribed burns. There are normally only 2 people in our 911 dispatch call center and unnecessary calls keep them from managing true emergencies.
Finally, in preparation of the winter season, please contact chief@highprairiefire.com if you need a blue address number sign. These signs are vital in helping first responders find you in a timely manner when you’re experiencing an emergency. If you already have a blue sign, be sure to keep it clear of debris, vegetation, and snow.
Given the hot temperatures in India this past summer, I should not have been surprised that when I got out of the airport taxi at 3 am, my glasses fogged up in the heat. For 3 minutes. I’m still not sure what my signature looked like on the hotel register. But somehow I survived 3 weeks in that heat, 3 liters of water a day, a hand fan and bucket showers notwithstanding. We’re talking 100+ degrees with 91% humidity. Worse than Iowa in July!
I spent a week touring palaces and forts, notably the Taj Majal, which really was a gem at dawn. I went ballooning over villages à la Around the World in 80 Days, took an Indian cooking class in the cook’s home and even cycled at dawn (going to the flower market and monuments before they opened, having a masala chai in a terra cotta cup (recyclable!) and, unbelievably, feeding the cows that wander the streets). Then I spent 2 weeks horseback riding, logging 102 miles in 8 days.
The native Indian Marwai horses are distinctive. Their ears turn in – and all around to tune into the rider, and they are ‘desert horses’ with phenomenal stamina to canter and ride out 6 hours a day). Farming families welcomed us all along the way (imagine a hippo parade with Australians tromping through High Prairie; you’d come to the gate to wave for that, wouldn’t ya?). We would, blessedly, stop at noon for lunch and a long rest in someone’s walled yard, under a tree. Then we would engage with the family (and their numerous neighbors who were called) to dance the Hokey Pokey, listen to jazz on my headphones or do “gymnastics” with the children. The 9 women in our group stayed in safari tents with funky bathrooms with buckets, but it was a grand adventure for sure. The 30 guys who made our trip happen, from kitchen to tents to bar would serve up cold cloths and G&Ts the minute we got off those horses in camp; their favorite phrase was “No problem!” even though half the time I wondered if they really knew what we were asking. One of the great ironies of the trip was all the “health hints” the Indian men (it’s a very patriarchal culture) seemed to want to parlay (a favorite: “Indian spicy food is so good for you and clears out your system”), a tendency I thought hilarious given that their public health sewage and garbage problem is completely out of bounds.
The whole adventure was once-in-a-lifetime and made me so grateful for High Prairie Washington’s weather, clean highways and water!
High Prairie had a very fire-quiet 2024! The fire seasons for some communities near and far were, and continue to be, catastrophic. News and social media sources have daily stories of wildfires and evacuation orders. California and the US East Coast are the first impacted areas that come to mind, but Europe and other areas of Planet Earth are now part of the wildfire impacts discussion. Our environment – weather, climate, human development, population growth, etc., are but a few of the dynamic factors in all wildfire, and in fact all emergency incidents, natural or man-made. Within the given challenges or potential for tragedy posed in these events, however, are stories of life and property survival for individuals and communities that were prepared for any advent of sudden, potentially disastrous calamity and possible immediate or longer term impacts.
The FireWise & Ready, Set, Go! programs are excellent resource foundations for your ‘Be Prepared!‘ efforts. I will continue to be the contact person for the FireWise program effort for all residents on High Prairie and KCFPD 14 as well as any other interested communities or individuals. I’ll keep my contact information as item #1 in the resource listing at the end of these High Prairian articles. I will also continue to provide links to information and other sources related to living safely and actively in the beautiful wildland urban interface environment (WUI, aka Woo EE!!!) we call home.
If you would like to participate, present information or assist in planning, participating in or becoming more involved in the FireWise effort on High Prairie… please contact me !
FireWise Activities – Urgent!
Get these done now or by December 25!
All pruning, complete removal, or FireWise fire ladder fuel trimming (8-10’ up from the ground, not more than 1/3 of the tree’s height), particularly pine trees close to all homes and structures… then out to a 200’ perimeter boundary as a fire fuels buffer. This is not ‘clear cutting!’ It is selectively cleaning up fire-friendly forest debris and removing problem trees for your protection plan.
Following your pruning in the next few weeks, haul all the trimmings well away from any healthy trees into an area for chipping or burning as part of later spring [mid-April] vegetation clean up/disposal.
Doing this work in the time frame from November into early January interrupts pine bark beetle reproductive patterns; provides for pine tree natural wound healing for happy, healthy pines; and eases the task of keeping your home safely FireWise.
Remember, Ips and other boring bark beetles are still with us! Read these articles for more about the problem:
[FireWise zones 0’ to 5’ / 5’ to 30’ / 30’ to 200’]
In the 0’ to 5’ zone (especially since all the oaks and shrubs are bare right now)
• Walk around your house, other buildings and property
• Inspect them from roof peak to the ground, taking note of debris and leaf litter in gutters, valleys and other nooks and crannies. These need to be safely cleared for winter rain and snow and rechecked in the spring before fire season.
• From the foundation at ground level, identify all natural litter or vegetation needing clean up or maintenance and any firewood or other items that would be more safely stored away from structures out 30’.
In the 5’ to 30’ to 200’ zones (with the grasses matted and bushes and trees bare of leaves)
• Identify for spring and summer work any clear-up trimming or removal that would reduce chances of fire traveling to a structure.
• Develop your maintenance plan for mowing or landscape work to keep these areas safe from windborne embers or fire running on the ground.
Attending to these tasks now will make accomplishing the work and maintaining the safety of your property throughout the coming 2025 fire season simple and easy!
Resources
Contact me, Tom McMackin, if you’d like more information on the ‘Firewise’ and ‘Ready, Set, Go!’ programs; if you have comments or suggestions; or if you would like to be more involved with the High Prairie Firewise effort. I can answer questions and get you connected with the resources we have available as a recognized Firewise Community. Contact me by email at Firewise.onhighprairie@gmail.com or by phone message by calling 509-365-2786. Please call me if you don’t receive a timely response to your email!
With winter on its way, it’s the perfect time to update your reading list and find new indoor activities for the whole family. Here are some new and trending reading suggestions–the library has something for everyone!
FVRL provides Books By Mail (www.fvrl.org/books-mail) if you live more than 10 miles away from a library. You can also place items on hold and have it delivered on the Bookmobile (www.fvrl.org/bookmobiles) to your closest location!
For Fans of Science & Nature
One of the NY Times must-reads of 2024 that explores the emerging science of plant intelligence.
“Raging ambition. Towering egos. Competition under a veneer of courtesy. Heroic effort combined with plagiarism, theft, exaggeration, and fraud. This was the state of bird study in eastern North America during the early 1800s, as a handful of intrepid men raced to find the last few birds that were still unknown to science.” –Dust jacket flap.
“[A] vibrant scientific saga . . . at once important, outrageous, enlightening, entertaining, enduring, and still evolving.”–Dava Sobel, author of Longitude
Instant New York Times Bestseller & Financial Times Best Books of 2024
Climate investor and activist Tom Steyer shows us how we can win the war on climate–and why fighting for a sustainable future can help bring meaning and prosperity to our lives.
For Fans of Biographies and Memoirs
The Friday Afternoon Club is no mere celebrity memoir. It is, down to its bones, a family story that embraces the poignant absurdities and best and worst efforts of its loveable, infuriating, funny, and moving characters–its author most of all.”–Dust jacket flap.
“The acclaimed Pulitzer Prize finalist and #1 New York Times bestselling author of Galileo’s Daughter crafts a luminous chronicle of the most famous woman in the history of science, and the untold story of the many remarkable young women trained in her laboratory who were launched into stellar scientific careers of their own. –Provided by the Publisher (on order)
A riveting, difficult, and surprisingly beautiful story, The Widow’s Guide to Dead Bastards is also a lyrical exploration of grief, mental health, single parenthood, and betrayal that demonstrates that the most moving love stories aren’t perfect–they’re flawed and poignantly real”– Provided by publisher.
For Fans of Fiction (different genres)
“Historical fiction of the highest order . . . an absolute joy of a book, warm and romantic, and with so much to say about the lives of women in the years following World War I.”–Ann Napolitano, bestselling author of Hello Beautiful
“[An] uproarious saga [set in 1087]. . . drawing on contemporary accounts, fantastical folk tales, and [Anderson’s] own knack for high jinks.”–New York Times Book Review
An exquisitely original and feverishly fun fusion of genres and ideas, The Ministry of Time asks: What does it mean to defy history, when history is living in your house? Kaliane Bradley’s answer is a blazing, unforgettable testament to what we owe each other in a changing world”– Dust jacket flap.
“A gripping tale that reads like a Sherlock Holmes novel set in a broken future…Turton is an exciting writer with a knack for strange tales that push the envelope, and this strange story of murder, survival, and the importance of memory might be his best work yet.” –Gabino Iglesias for NPR
King Arthur Baking Company, contributed by Debbie McDonald
Debbie’s comment: “This is a delicious way to use up excess summer zucchini. We found no frosting was required as these brownies are very rich and moist (with no hint of zucchini color.)”
Do these dark, super-moist fudge brownies look like they’re made with zucchini? No, they don’t — and trust us, no one enjoying them will be the wiser. Rather than the usual method of shredding zucchini for your sweet treats, this time we purée it — so that all it adds is moisture, not any unwelcome “stringy” texture.
Prep 7 mins Bake 25 to 30 mins Total 37 mins Yield 16 brownies
Ingredients
Brownies:
• 1 1/2 cups (182g to 225g) zucchini, cut into chunks, lightly tamped down
• 3 tablespoons (43g) butter, melted
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon King Arthur Pure Vanilla Extract
• 3/4 cup (149g) granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup (57g) unsweetened cocoa, Dutch-process or natural
• 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder, optional; for enhanced chocolate flavor
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• heaping 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1/2 cup (60g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 3/4 cup (128g) semisweet chocolate chips or bittersweet chocolate chips
Frosting:
• 3/4 cup (128g) semisweet chocolate chips or bittersweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup (57g) heavy cream or 3 tablespoons (43g) milk
Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9” square pan.
2. To make the brownies: Combine the zucchini, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla in the work bowl of a food processor, and process until smooth.
3. Add the sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, salt, and flour; process briefly, just until well combined.
4. Add the chips, and pulse several times, to break up the chips just a bit.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
6. Bake the brownies for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs clinging to it; you shouldn’t see any sign of wet batter. Remove the brownies from the oven, and allow them to cool completely before frosting.
7. To make the frosting: Combine the chocolate chips and milk or cream in a microwave-safe bowl or small saucepan. Heat until the milk is steaming, and the chips are soft. Remove from the heat, and stir until smooth.
8. Spread the frosting atop the brownies. Place them in the refrigerator for an hour or so, to set; then store them at room temperature, covered, for several days.
