Zucchini Bread

Mmmmm...Zucchini Bread!  I remember helping Grandma pick tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet corn, gourds, zucchini and many more vegetables when I was a kid.  With the zucchini's we picked she always made zucchini bread.  

My favorite kind of homemade bread is...I bet you can't guess...zucchini bread.

I start off by grating the zucchini so it is ready when I need it.

 Combine well beaten eggs, white sugar, vanilla and oil.  Blend it together well.

In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and baking soda.  Mix these ingredients together.

 

Mix the dry ingredients into the egg, sugar, vanilla and oil mixture.  Once that's combined, mix in the grated zucchini.  I add all the zucchini juice to it as well.

Split the batter between two different greased and floured loaf pans.  Bake it and it should turn out like this!

Here's the whole recipe:

Zucchini Bread
2 eggs, well beaten
2 cups white or brown sugar (Grandma always used white sugar so of course, that's what I use)
3 tsp vanilla
1 cup oil
Blend well.

In separate bowl mix
3 cups flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
3 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda

Combine the flour mixture into the egg and sugar mixture.  Then add the zucchini and mix well.  Put in 2 greased and floured loaf pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

The recipe I got from Grandma said to bake it one hour.  I always start at 30 minutes.  It usually ends up taking around 45 minutes.

Enjoy!  This is the best zucchini bread you will ever consume.

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

I enjoy trying new recipes for the fun of it.  This time I choose Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting.

2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground ginger
2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups canola oil
4 large eggs
3 cups peeled and grated carrots
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line 24 cupcake inserts with paper liners or butter and flour them.  (I prefer the paper liners because it's easier to clean.)  Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger in medium bowl to blend.  In a separate large bowl, whisk sugar and oil until well blended.  Whisk in eggs 1 at a time.  Add flour mixture and stir until blended.  Stir in carrots, walnuts and raisins.  Divide batter among the 24 liners, filling each 3/4 full.  Bake cupcakes 14 to 18 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.  Let cool in pans for five minutes then transfer to cooling rack.  Let cool completely before frosting them.

Using this exact same recipe it will make one two-layer cake. (As you can see in the picture I made the cupcakes.  I have not tried the layer cake yet.)  Butter two 9 inch diameter pans.  Line bottom of pans with waxed paper.  Butter and flour paper; tap out excess flour.  Divide the batter between the prepared pans, bake the layers about 40 mins each, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.  Cool cakes in pans for 15 mins.  Turn out onto racks.  Peel off waxed paper; cool cakes completely.

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting:
I ran short on time so I just used cream cheese frosting (without the maple syrup) and piped it onto each cupcake.
2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup

In a stand mixer beat all the ingredients on medium until fluffy.  Chill the frosting for 10 to 20 minutes, until it has set up enough to spread smoothly.

To assemble a carrot layer cake, frost the top of one cake, place the other cake on top.  Frost the sides and top, swirling decoratively.  Refrigerate the cake for 30 mins to set up frosting.  For the layer cake, you will probably have a bit of frosting left over, which you can tint and use for decorating, or save and put on gingersnaps.

Snickerdoodles Recipe

This recipe is one mom used to use when she was a kid.

Cookie:

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Coating:

1/3 cup granulated white sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and place rack in the center of the oven.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.  Using hand mixer, beat butter and sugar until smooth (about 2-3 mins).  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in vanilla extract.  In separate bowl mix flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt; stir into other mixture.  Shape dough into 1 1/4 inch round balls.  Mix coating in a separate bowl.  Roll balls in the cinnamon and sugar mixture.  Space cookies about 2 inches apart and gently flatten each cookie on the pan.  Bake for 8-10 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges.  Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool.

Can be stored in airtight container, at room temperature, for about 10-14 days.

Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Bars:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2-3 mashed bananas
1/2 cup full-fat sour cream
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp. cinnamon, optional
Cream together butter and both sugars. Add eggs, mixing well. Stir in bananas. Dissolve soda in sour cream. Add flour, salt and cinnamon to batter alternately with sour cream mixture until well blended. Pour into greased 10x15 baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:
6 oz. cream cheese (I use 8 oz. because I can't find a 6 oz. cream cheese)
4 tbsp. butter, softened
2 tbsp. milk or cream (I use milk)
2 cups powdered sugar (I use 2 1/2 to 3 cups because I like thicker frosting)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Mix all ingredients together with electric mixer.  A mixer will give you a fluffier frosting than mixing by hand.  Spread over cool bars.

Banana Bread

I believe this recipe came out of one of the many cookbooks mom has.  She has used this recipe as long as I can remember.

1/2 cup margarine or butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3 bananas
2 cups flour
1 tsp. soda
1/2 cup nuts, optional
Cream shortening and sugar until light.  Add eggs and vanilla; beat until smooth.  Add mashed bananas, flour, soda and nuts.  Bake in 2 greased and floured loaf pans at 350 degrees F for 60 minutes.  (I bake it for 30 to 40 minutes).  Can be doubled or add chocolate chips.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I use the recipe off the back of the Nestle Toll House bag of chocolate chip and typically double the recipe as one batch just isn't enough.  The posted recipe is for one batch only.

The recipe (not doubled) says it makes 60 cookies but that all depends on what size you make them.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 9 minutes
Cooling time: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups (12-oz. package) Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 cup chopped nuts (I have never put these in as my family isn't a big fan of nuts)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in small bowl.  Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Gradually beat in flour mixture.  Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.  Drop by rounded teaspoon onto ungreased baking sheets.  Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Recipe states: May be stored in refrigerator up to 1 week or in freezer up to 8 weeks.  I leave my cookies set on the counter in a covered container until they are gone.