Grandma Tiny’s Zucchini Cookies (They’re vegan!)

While I was in Idaho a few weeks ago, I found a recipe for Zucchini Cookies (These just happen to be vegan!) in my mom’s recipe box that was hand written by my Grandma Tiny (who is my dad’s mom).  Grandma Tiny was called that for very good reason as she was not more than four feet nine inches tall, four foot ten at the most.  Oh how I loved Grandma Tiny and all the little memories I have of her.  She died in October of 1984, I was almost 14.  (She had lung cancer for a number of years.)

I searched and searched for the pictures I have of her, but since we just moved, I cannot find the photos.  I asked my mom to send me a picture of her to include with this post and here’s the great photo she sent---

I remember Grandma with gray hair and looking a bit older, but that’s because this picture was taken on my parent’s wedding day.  That beautiful bride is my mother!  Though I always thought she looked a little older, that is the same hairdo my grandma always had. 

Not that it’s a pleasant thing, but I remember my grandma always had a cigarette in one hand and either a Budweiser or coffee in the other.  I DO NOT like the smell of cigarette smoke now!  But there was something I LOVED about the smell of Grandma Tiny’s house.  It was a combined smell of cigarettes and April Fresh Downy Fabric Softener.  You could always smell fresh laundry in her house with the underlying smell of smoke.  When she died, I kept a dish towel of hers and used to smell it all the time.  To this day, I still have the towel wrapped in a plastic bag, but it does not smell anymore. :(

We would often get to take turns, one or two of us six at a time, spending the night with her and Grandpa Oral—O.T. (who I think died in 1981).  I remember the most time spent with Grandma after he died.  When we’d get to spend the night at her house, she would watch all the soap operas during the day.  My sister, Mandi, and I were hooked on General Hospital for a few years way back in our teen years because of Grandma.  Grandma also always read The Enquirer and I guess even the little things are passed down because my dad has always faithfully reads it too.  (Funny, he says he just likes it for the facts and things that are true.  You figure that one out!  Love ya, Dad!)

While Grandma would be sitting and watching her shows and we’d be there playing cards or something (Solitaire or War anyone?) , she would always click her long fingernails together.  It was a sound I loved hearing and always think of her still when I hear someone click their nails.  Grandma used to watch all the daytime game shows, too, like Match Game and Password.  I think she is the reason I have always LOVED game shows.  The Price Is Right always being my favorite.  In 2006, my mom and sister-in-law, Monica and I were at the show with Bob Barker!  Dream come true.

Grandma always made good hearty dinners.  Besides all her meals, Grandma always had something for dessert.  I don’t know why I vividly remember angel food cake.  She’d often make our cakes for our birthdays and I remember it always being angel food cake with lots of thick pink icing.  Then she would decorate the cakes with those big hard sugar decorations.  If I’m correct, I think Grandma worked in the bakery at Safeway for years. 

I don’t at all remember Grandma ever making Zucchini Cookies, but I love finding her writing on a recipe.

I HAD to make the cookies, after all, it is zucchini season and someone gave me a perfect size zucchini.

  I halved the huge recipe.  Grandma’s recipe had 2 cups of brown sugar, one cup of oil, four cups of flour and an enormous two cups of raisins!  Here is the half recipe as I made it.  I only changed some of the spices a little.  Grandma’s recipe only called for ginger and nutmeg.  I added some cinnamon, which if you look at the recipe, you can see some different writing with cinnamon added.  That was done by my mother.

Grandma Tiny’s Zucchini Cookies (They’re vegan!), by Katrina, Baking and Boys!

Stir together in a medium sized bowl: (No electric mixer needed.)

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup grated zucchini (I use the fine grater)

1/2 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

Sift together in another medium sized bowl:

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon fresh nutmeg

3/4 cup toasted pecans, chopped (or walnuts) 

1 cup raisins (optional, I left them out so these would get eaten by others and not just me)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until combined.  Stir in the nuts and raisins.

Drop by spoonfuls on parchment lined baking sheets.  Bake for 12 minutes.  Remove cookies to wire rack to cool.

These are great cookies and perfect for using up more of that zucchini you have.  I thought I’d miss that there is no butter taste in them, but I was pleasantly surprised that I didn’t miss it.  No butter, no egg = vegan cookies.  Next time I make them, I will probably use whole wheat flour for that added health factor.

Until we meet again, Grandma Tiny! (Blows kiss.)