Mom's fried zucchini cakes

I live in the South, land of the fried okra, and apparently even my Chicago-born mother isn’t immune to the siren song of sizzling oil. She recently gave me some zucchini grown by her friend Dina, and suggested I prepare them with her recipe for Fried Zucchini Cakes.

Normally, I like my vegetables pretty plain, with some salt and pepper and maybe some butter — simple and fast. But I was feeling especially Betty Crocker-y, so I thought I’d give them a shot.

I hadn’t eaten them since I was a kid, and back then I didn’t like them that much. But I’ve learned it’s worth it to give foods another chance now that I’ve grown up.

These cakes are definitely best right after you make them. They’re crunchy on the outside, warm and gooey on the inside. Honestly, you wouldn’t even know they started out healthy.

Below is my mom’s recipe. You may want to try them with a little more seasoning, or possibly some spices to add some heat.

FRIED ZUCCHINI CAKES

• 3 cups shredded zucchini (for me this was about 3 large)
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 3 tsp. parsley
• 1/8 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. salt
• dash pepper
• 1 cup flour
• 1 Tbs. minced onion

Mix the ingredients together. Drop by spoonfuls into hot oil. Fry until golden brown. For me, this recipe made about a dozen portions.