More Zucchini And A Great Cause

Every year my cousin puts together a great event called Suevivor Idol.  The Suevivor’s raises money for Breast Cancer Run for the Cure, held each year in October.  Shannon does an amazing job at raising money for this great cause.  She organizes a variety of fundraising events like car washes, golf tournaments, garage sales and Suevivor Idol.  Idol is basically a karaoke competition where friends and family get together to enjoy the music, have some beverages and share some food.  To find out more about this great cause and all of Shannon’s incredible work you can visit the website at www.teamsuevivor.ca

Last year I made my chocolate chip cookie and they seemed to go over well.  I thought another cookie would be in order and with all of my zucchini kicking around I figured I would incorporate some zucchini.  I love a good oatmeal cookie and the zucchini really helps to keep them nice and moist.  I made about 4 dozen and they were all gone.  I kept an eye on people taking them at the dessert table, most took one and ate it while standing at the table then grabbed another one to take back to their seat.  A SUCCESS! 

After my little brother ate a couple I told him that he was getting some healthy zucchini in the cookies.  He was surprised and said he still thought they were good.  So this is a good way to sneak in a little vegetable at the same time.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Zucchini Cookies

Ingredients

·         ½ lb. zucchini

·         ¾ cup lightly packed dark brown sugar

·         2½ cup old fashioned oats

·         2/3 cup + 2 tbsp sugar

·         1¼ cup flour

·         ¾ tsp salt

·         ½ tsp baking soda

·         ¼ tsp nutmeg

·         1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temp

·         1 egg

·         2 tsp vanilla extract

·         2 cup chocolate chips

·         1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

1.       Preheat your oven to 375°F and lightly butter two cookie sheets.

2.      Grate the zucchini using a food processor or box grater to yield 1 cup grated zucchini. Toss the zucchini with 2 tbsp of sugar, transfer to the mixture to a fine-mesh strainer and set it over a bowl to drain for at least 30 minutes. This draws moisture out of the zucchini and prevents the cookies from becoming cakey and slimy, so don’t skip this step.

3.      In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining dry ingredients and set aside.

4.      In the bowl of your food processor (or of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), process or mix the butter until it’s light and fluffy. Add the sugars and mix well, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until well incorporated. Add the dry ingredients and oatmeal, mixing just until blended. If you’ve done all this in the food processor, transfer the batter to a large bowl and stir in the chocolate chips and nuts, otherwise just stir the chips and nuts into your mixing bowl.

5.      After the zucchini has drained, squeeze it between several layers of paper towels or cheesecloth or a dishtowel to absorb excess moisture. You want to remove as much moisture as possible, so you’ll have to work at it a bit. Fold the shredded zucchini into the cookie batter.

6.      Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared cookie sheets, spacing them about an inch or two apart. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until the edges begin to turn golden brown. Remove the cookies from the oven and cool on the sheets for 1-2 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.

ENJOY!

Zucchini Takes Over The World!

It’s begun and I’m not sure if I’m ready for it yet.  The zucchini plants in my garden are in full bloom and that means a never ending supply of zucchini. With zucchini number one I made this tasty Chocolate Zucchini Bread. 

The recipe doubles nicely and I was able to make one for home and one for work.  I think it was good success because there is pretty much nothing left.  I had to tell the hubby to leave a slice or two for me the take photos of so that I could post the recipe for all of you.

The loaf is very chocolaty and I would love to tell you that you get a great “zucchini” flavour but I would be lying, but it’s in there I swear.  I could definitely tell that there was something other than the chocolate in there but it could have been the allspice and cinnamon.  The zucchini did help to keep the loaf moist and it’s a good excuse to say you’re getting some veggies out of eating a tasty dessert:)

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Yields one 9 x 5 x 3 loaf

 Ingredients

·         1 1/2 cups shredded raw zucchini (about 1/2 pound or 227 grams)

·         1 cup all-purpose flour

·         1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted (not Dutch-processed)

·         1 tsp baking soda

·         1/4 ttsp baking powder

·         1/4 tsp salt

·         1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

·         1/4 tsp ground allspice

·         1/2 cup safflower or canola oil

·         1/2 cup granulated white sugar

·         1/2 cup light brown sugar

·         2 large eggs

·         1 tsp pure vanilla extract

·         3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Direction

1.       Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place rack in the center of the oven. Grease (or spray with a nonstick vegetable spray) a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan. Set aside.

2.      Grate the zucchini, using a medium sized grater. Set aside.

3.      In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, and ground allspice. Set aside.

4.      In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the oil, sugars, eggs, and vanilla extract until well blended (about 2 minutes). Fold in the grated zucchini. Add the flour mixture, beating just until combined. Then fold in the chocolate chips.

5.      Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the bread has risen and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 to 65 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes, then remove the bread from the pan and cool completely.

Makes one - 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf.

ENJOY!

Finally....Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

When I sat down to write today's posting I couldn't figure out how to start things off.  I told the hubby that I was having trouble getting started and he blurted out "Cookie Burgers".  I think he was trying to say that these cookies are like burgers but with cookies instead of bread and icing instead of meat.  I shrugged him off, mostly because lately whenever I ask him what I should make for dinner he ALWAYS says burgers. So hearing the word burger from him automatically annoyed me.  Turns out his comment helped because I ended up having something to start with.

I have had these cookies in mind for almost a year now.  I finally decided that no matter what I would make them this weekend.  These cookies are very decadent, filling and packed full of calories. One serving gets you two cookies and a generous portion of peanut butter chocolate chip icing sandwich in the middle.  The cookie takes a little longer to put together than your average cookie but they are sure to impress and definitely deliver a great tasting treat.

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

From Fine Cooking Magazine

For the cookies:

·         6 oz. (1-1/3 cups) all-purpose flour

·         2 oz. (2/3 cup) cake flour

·         1/2 tsp. baking soda

·         1/4 tsp. salt

·         6 oz. (12 Tbs.) unsalted butter, completely softened at room temperature

·         3/4 cup smooth peanut butter

·         1/2 cup sugar

·         1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

·         1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

·         1 large egg

For the filling:

·         1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

·         3 oz. (6 Tbs.) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature

·         3/4 cup smooth peanut butter

·         3 Tbs. heavy cream

·         1/4 cup coarsely chopped roasted unsalted peanuts

·         1/4 cup coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate, or mini semisweet chocolate chips

Directions 

To make the cookies

1.       Heat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment.

2.      In a medium bowl, sift together the two flours, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter, peanut butter, and sugars with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and egg; continue creaming until smooth and fluffy, about 3 min. with an electric mixer (longer by hand).

3.      Stir in the flour mixture by hand just until it's incorporated; don't overmix or the cookies will be tough.

4.      Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of batter, spaced about 2 inches apart, onto the lined baking sheets. With floured fingers, flatten each dab of batter into a 2-inch round. Bake until the cookies are puffed and golden, 12 to 14 min., rotating the baking sheets if needed for even baking. Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool.

While the cookies cool, make the filling

5.      In a small bowl, cream the confectioners' sugar, butter, and peanut butter until smooth. Add the heavy cream; continue creaming until smooth and fluffy. Stir in the chopped peanuts and chocolate.

To assemble

6.      Transfer the cooled cookies to a work surface, flipping half of them over. With an offset spatula or a butter knife, spread a scant teaspoon of filling onto each turned-over cookie. Set another wafer on top of each filled cookie, pressing gently to spread the filling. Store sealed at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

ENJOY!

Hard Work Gets You A Mocha Chocolate Chip Banana Muffin

Yesterday was a great day!  One of the great features of our home is a beautiful flower garden surrounding the front of the house and another huge garden to the right of the house.  Except I am no gardener!  Over the past 3 years my inexperience and neglect have been slowly killing the poor gardens.  It was actually getting embarrassing because it began to look more like a giant long grass patch in our front yard.  

Thankfully my Mom, Step-Father and the Hubby helped me rescue the gardens yesterday.  Before everyone started working I whipped up a batch of Mocha Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins.  At first I was a little unsure of how coffee and banana would taste together, I knew coffee and chocolate would be good and chocolate and banana is delicious as well but the three together, who knows?  Well, it’s good! 

We started working around 11AM after it poured for most of the morning.  The muffins were great because everyone could take a small break and enjoy a little sugar boost.  Luckily the rain never started again and we were able to get everything finished, look how beautiful it turned out.  The pour garden hasn’t looked this nice since we moved in:)

I packed up muffins and sent them home with my Mom.  I even ate another muffin for dessert. 

Mocha Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 cup margarine
• 1 1/4 cups white sugar
• 1 egg
• 3 ripe bananas
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules, dissolved in
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Blend butter or margarine, sugar, egg, banana, dissolved coffee, and vanilla in food    processor for 2 minutes. Add flour, salt, baking powder, and soda, and blend just until flour disappears. Add chocolate chips and mix in with wooden spoon. Spoon mixture into 15 to 20 paper-lined muffin cups.

3. Bake for 25 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

ENJOY!

Raspberry Upside-Down Cake

I'll be completely honest with you, I planned on posting a dinner recipe.  Dinner was good but there are a few tweaks that I want to make to the recipe before I pass it along to all of you.  I'll work on it and hopefully get back to you next week.  I felt guilty that I haven't posted in a little while so I made this delicious cake. 

The recipe calls for cardamom in the cake.  Cardamom can be a little pricey but it goes  a long way. Most recipes call for no more than 1/4 tsp and thats more than enough.  Cardamom adds a unique flavour that is sweet and fragrant.  You might be tempted to leave it out of the mix but trust me... don't!  Feel free to use the berry of your choice, like strawberry, blueberry or blackberry.  Even pineapple would taste great.

The hubby and I enjoyed a warm slice with a scope of ice cream but I have a feeling the cake will be just as tasty when it's cooled off.  I'll have to find out tomorrow at work, hopefully my co-workers will join me for a slice.

Raspberry Upside-down Cake with Cardamom

makes: one 8-inch cake

Ingredients

For the Topping:

·         2 tablespoons unsalted butter

·         1/4 cup brown sugar

·         1 cup sliced strawberries

For the Cake:

·         1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

·         2/3 cup brown sugar

·         1 large egg

·         1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

·         1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

·         1 teaspoon baking powder

·         1/4 teaspoon baking soda

·         1/4 teaspoon salt

·         1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

·         2/3 cup sour cream

Directions

1.       Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2.      I used an 8-inch round with 3-inch tall sides.  You can also use a 9-inch round with 2-inch sides.

3.      Place butter in the cake pan and place in the oven.  When butter is melted, remove pan from the oven.  Using two pot holders, tilt the pan around and around, coating the sides of the pan with butter.  Once sides are coated, set aside.

4.      In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cardamom.  Set aside.

5.      In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and brown sugar on medium speed.  Cream until slightly pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Stop mixer, scrape down the bowl with a spatula, and add egg and vanilla extract.  Beat for 1 minute.

6.      Turn the mixer off, scrape the bowl, and add the dry ingredients.  Beat on low speed while adding the sour cream.  Beat until the batter just comes together.  Batter will be pretty thick.  Remove the bowl from the mixer and finish incorporating ingredients with a spatula.

7.      Sprinkle 1/4 cup brown sugar into the melted butter in the cake pan.  Sprinkle strawberry slices over the butter and sugar in a single layer.  Spoon batter over the strawberries and spread evenly with a spatula.  Bake for about 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

8.     Let cake rest for 10 minutes before running a knife around the edge of the cake and inverting the cake onto a cake plate.  Serve warm with sweetened sour or whipped cream.

ENJOY!