Chocolate Zucchini Bread

CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI BREAD

This recipe is from one of my favorite cookbooks, from the Junior League of Yakima, my Home town in Washington State.

What to do with a vegetable that has taken over our gardens, our laundry rooms, the entire months of August and September with there plethora of green goodness?! We have fried it, grilled it, frozen it, sauteed it… slipped it into every dish possible… the best thing to do of course is....

ADD CHOCOLATE!!!

SO, lets begin!

2 1/2 cups flour (half whole wheat is good!)

1/2 cup baking powder

1 tsp each, baking powder, baking soda, salt

2 cups sugar

1 cup canola oil

3 eggs beaten

2 Tbls.vanilla

2 cups finely shredded zucchini

1 cup ( 6oz.) semi sweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Combine the cocoa, baking powder, soda and salt in a bowl. Combine the sugar, oil eggs and vanilla in a mixing bowl and beat until well blended. Add the zucchini and mix well. Add the flour mixture and stir just until moistened. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts. Pour into two greased 5x9 inch loaf pans. (YES! it makes TWO loaves one to enjoy and one to freeze or share!)

Bake at 350 for 45 to 50 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove the bread from pans to wire rack to cool.

MY Favorite way to eat this is warm with butter.

YES!! We Americans know how to eat our vegetables!

I think you are going to LOVE it!

                      



Blueberry Blackberry Shortcake

Blueberry Blackberry Shortcake

This shortcake is so easy and always a hit!

Got the recipe out of an old cooking light magazine (July 2004) been making it every summer for 8 years, which of course means, it's a keeper!

Best made with fresh berries so this is the month to make it.

Shortcakes

(if you are pinched for time, use Bisquick shortcake recipe, add lemon rind, hard to beat)

2 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 Tbls grated lemon peel

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp.baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 cup chilled butter, cut into small pieces

1/2 cup buttermilk

Cooking spray

1 tsp. water

1 large egg white, lightly beaten

2 tsps sugar

Filling

3 cups fresh blueberries divided

1/2 cup sugar

2 Tbls. fresh lemon juice

2 tsps. cornstarch

2 cups fresh blackberries

freshly whipped cream

Preheat oven to 400.

To prepare shortcakes: Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Cut in chilled butter with a pastry blender until it resembles coarse meal.

Add buttermilk, stir just until moist.

Turn dough out onto lightly floured board, knead lightly 4 times.

Pat into 1/2 inch thickness; cut with 3 inch biscuit cutter to make 8 rounds.

Place rounds 2 inches apart on greased baking sheet.

Combine water and egg white brush over tops of rounds and sprinkle evenly with sugar.

Bake at 400 for 12 or 13 minutes. Remove and cool on wire rack.

To prepare filling: Combine 1 cup blueberries, 1/2 cup sugar, juice and cornstarch in small saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until slightly thick.

Place in a large bowl; add remaining 2 cups blueberries and blackberries, stirring to coat.

Cover and chill.

To serve, cut rounds in half, spoon filling on bottom half, top with real whipped cream, and place top half over all.

* ( I have made this using 2 cups frozen Blueberries, 1 cup fresh

and 1 cup frozen blackberries 1 cup fresh. It is the fresh berries that make it so beautiful on the plate!)

Linked at: Hope in Every Season, Home Sweet Home, Think Tank Thursday

Spanish Rice

Spanish Rice

Fresh and easy!

1 large green pepper, coarsely chopped

1 large tomato coarsely chopped

1 medium onion coarsely chopped

2 Tbls butter

2 cups cooked rice

1/3 cup water

salt and pepper to taste

Cook vegetables in hot butter till crisp/tender

Stir in cooked rice, water salt and pepper

( I like to add a little cilantro )

Heat through stirring occasionally

Cilantro Chicken

Cilantro Chicken

Another tasty EASY favorite!

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped ( I use a big tsp of chopped jar garlic )

 2 Tbls butter

2 Tbls vegatable oil

4 boneless chicken breasts, cubed or sliced (your preference)

2 Tbls snipped cilantro

Cook and stir onion and garlic in butter and oil in a 10 inch skillet until onion is tender.

Add chicken, cook and stir over medium high heat about 5 minutes.

Stir in Cilantro.

Pour pan juices over chicken to serve.

Serve over rice, in your favorite flour or corn shell with shredded letuce and other taco trimmings, or as a lettuce wrap.

Squeezed fresh lemon is a nice touch too.

 We like it with Spanish Rice on the side.

Quinoa Salad

Quinoa Salad

3 Tbls. olive oil

1 cup Quinoa (rinsed/drained)

1 can chicken or vegetable broth

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp salt

2 Tbls. lime juice

1/8 tsp pepper

1 can black beans rinsed/drained (Bushes brand by far the best!)

1 can cut corn (rinsed) or fresh corn cut off cob is great!

1 large Roma tomato ( diced)

11/2 cups green pepper( diced)

2 green onions (chopped)

3 Tbls. cilantro (chopped)

2 Tbls. parsley (optional)

For nights when its too darn hot to cook!

" I am NOT turning on that stove!!!"

Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil in Skillet, add Quinoa. Cook stirring often for 5 minutes until brown.

Add broth, cumin,and salt. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer (covered) for 15 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. Let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with fork.

Combine in a small bowl remaining 2 Tablespoons olive oil, lime juice, pepper. Stir into Quinoa.

Add remaining ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Great to make day before!

You can add more tomato, peppers and cumin to taste!

Quinoa is Beautiful

Health benefits are amazing! If you haven't included it in your diet yet, google it!

You can buy it in bulk, I buy regular and red, mix it up and keep it in a mason jar!



Pushcart Spaghetti

                 
                               

PUSHCART SPAGHETTI

THIS IS AN OLD FAV OF MINE. NO MEAT, EASY PREP, AND IT IS DELISH!

28 oz can tomatoes

                   

1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

3 large garlic cloves chopped (I just put in a couple T. jarred chopped garlic)

5 T. extra virgin olive oil             

1 pound dry spaghetti

Fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and Pepper

IN A SKILLET OVER MEDIUM HEAT, BRING TOMATOES, BASIL, GARLIC, AND 3 TBLS. OLIVE OIL TO SIMMER AND COOK UNTIL THE TOMATOES REACH A SAUCE LIKE CONSISTENCY, AT LEAST 25 MINUTES. SEASON WITH SALT AND PEPPER.

COOK SPAGHETTI TO AL DENTE. DRAIN.

POUR REMAINING 2 TBLS. OLIVE OIL IN HEAT PROOF BOWL THAT HAS BEEN HEATED IN 2OO DEGREE OVEN. TOSS DRAINED PASTA IN OIL.

(I HAVE SKIPPED THIS OUT OF PURE "THIS IS COMPLETELY UNNECCESARY' ATTITUDE..IT IS MUCH BETTER WITH IT :) )

POUR THE BEAUTIFUL SAUCE OVER THE PASTA AND TOSS. PLATE UP AND SPRINKLE WITH FRESH PARM AND FRESH PARSLEY IS NICE TOO!

                             

MEATLESS MONDAY…YES WE CAN!      

            

BECAUSE SERIOUSLY…WHO DOES NOT LOVE PASGETTI??!!!

Shared at: Weekend Potluck, Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Monday Meal Plan, Mouth Watering Mondays, Better Mom Monday, Menu Plan Monday,  Homemaking Party

Dry Creek Path

So..about this path (the literal path)...…

   It is two blocks from my neighborhood and I found it by chance shortly after we moved here to Eagle Idaho.It is hidden by trees at the end of a soccer field, like a treasure, like going through the wardrobe in the book of Narnia, is what it felt like  (and still does) to me when I first followed it.

   It was in October of last year, when I first wandered it with my faithful Black Lab, Chandler. I knew no one here at the time so it was just the two of us. But what I would soon learn, it was traveled by a regular group and their canine companions daily as well.  A rare and wonderful place you can actually let your dogs run free to explore the woods, fields, lake and creek that runs along side. All dogs on this path literally are grinning from ear to ear with their tongues hanging out in the middle!

   As we would greet the same people almost everyday, first for some reason we would learn the dogs names, Chauncy, Forrest, Lucy...then we started remembering the owners names by pairing them with their dogs.

    Some of us haven't combed our hair yet,or brushed our teeth, we most the time have on the same coats, boots sweats we wear everyday..beauty of it is..? No one cares!

   Dogs on the path love the excitement of other dogs, chasing squirrels and an occasional fox..but we two legged creatures? We walk this same trail day after day for other reasons. The physical walk of 2 miles is reason enough of course. But we also are breathing in Nature,Beauty Peace, and Faith in the God that  placed it all around us. We see the changing of the Seasons, The Circle of Life if I might borrow a line from The Lion King. The Leaves that turned more amazing colors than are describable, that shone in the Autumn sun in all their glory, then fell one by one to paint the path and carpet the way into Winter, which came with sparkling white branches and the sound of frozen snow under our boots.

    It was such a joy to see Spring unfurl as we walked along, The green that emerged and spread on a daily basis..The birds who inhabit all this beauty go wild with joy! Blackbirds, robins, sparrows, singing their different and beautiful songs, chasing each other through the air, carrying sticks and grasses to build their nests! Two owls that sit up above a large branch Hanging overhead sing their haunting song in the late evening,telling us all to go home and let them have their way with the night.

    There are box turtles who sun themselves in the sand on the edge of the lake, Bullfrogs emerge in the reeds of the marsh, and the two elusive" Stars," a small Red Fox, (whom Ive still yet to see) and a Large Golden Fox who graced me with his beauty two weeks ago (FINALLY!) Everybody had seen him but me. As I wandered past the field of Marsh grass, there he was! He was lying in the deep grass with just his head showing, watching my every move..I froze except to slide my ever present iphone out of my pocket to try for a picture, but as if to say "You cant catch me!" He rose and silently flew gracefully through the soft grass, his beautiful fluffy ringed tail flying behind him, he was gone so fast, I just had time to blink and wonder..Did I just see that??? It made my day! I have also heard there has been a Cougar spotted here ....I'm O.K. with just keeping that one an un-seen legend!

    I truly feel,  that this has been such a blessing in my life right here, right now. A Place to reflect, to talk to The Father, to Listen to Him, To thank Him, for this gift of Life, filled with Love, Joy, sorrow, heartache... to lift up those I love to His Care, and to keep walking on and on the path laid out before me that ultimately will continue around the bend over the bridge and to an Eternal home so beautiful even a visual person like me cant imagine!