Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes!

Yield: 20 standard cupcakes

Cook Time: 30-35 minutes

ingredients:

For the cupcakes:

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
3/4 cup canola oil
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup dutch processed cocoa, sifted
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon

For the frosting:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2/3 cup dutch processed cocoa powder
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two muffin pans with paper liners and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together the brown sugar, butter, and oil. Beat in eggs, one at a time until well incorporated. Stir in vanilla extract, buttermilk, zucchini, and chocolate chips.

3. In a separate large bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients. Add the liquid ingredients and mix until well combined. Spoon batter into large muffin pans, filling them about 3/4 the way full. Bake in the center of the oven for about 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool cupcakes on a wire rack, while you make the frosting.

To make the frosting:

1. Melt the butter. Whisk in the cocoa powder, whisking until smooth. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. Frost the cupcakes with the chocolate frosting. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Store cupcakes at room temperature in an air tight container.

* Note-the frosting makes about 2 cups, you might have a little extra.

Peach Bread

Adapted from I Am Mommy

Peach Bread adapted from allrecipes.com

1 1/4 cups white sugar

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup room temperature butter

1 cup AP flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

3 eggs, beaten

2 1/2 cups peaches sliced + "mooshed" (about 5 peaches)

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350

Cream together butter and both sugars.  Add beaten eggs, peaches, salt, cinnamon, vanilla, flour, and baking soda.  Stir until combined.

Pour into prepared dish.

I used muffin pans for 20-25 minutes and mini loaf pans and baked them for about 40 minutes. 

Potato Salad - My favorite way

I'm not a big fan of mayo or eggs in my potato salad, so this recipe is much more akin to a German potato salad.

Ingredients
3 cups diced, peeled potatoes (red or white, and I left my peels on)
4 slices bacon (optional)
1 small red onion, diced
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 TB water
3 TB white sugar
1 teas. salt
1/8 teas. ground black pepper
1 T chopped fresh parsley

I also added 1 cup or so chopped zucchini and 2 cloves garlic.

Directions

Place the potatoes into a pot, and fill with enough water to cover.  Bring to a boil, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork.  Drain, and set aside to cool.

Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat.  Fry until browned and crisp, turning as needed.  Remove from pan and set aside.

Add onion to bacon grease (or use pan with olive oil/butter), and cook over medium heat until browned.
*I added garlic and zucchini here and sauteed until soft.
Add the vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and pepper to the pan.  Bring to a boil, then add the potatoes and parsley.  Crumble in half the bacon.  Heat through, then transfer to a serving dish.  Crumble the remaining bacon over the top, and serve warm.

Roasted Rhubarb Clafouti

Roasted Rhubarb Clafouti
Serves 4-6

For the Rhubarb:
2 cups (8 1/2 ounces, about 3 long stalks) diced rhubarb
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

For the Clafouti
1/3 cup (2 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (8 ounces) whole milk
1/2 cup (2 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon lemon zest
pinch of salt

Heat the oven to 350°F.

Combine the rhubarb with the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside for 5-10 minutes to dissolve the sugars and begin extracting the rhubarb juices.

Spread the rhubarb in the bottom of an 8x8" baking dish or 9" pie pan. Roast uncovered for 15-20 minutes, until the rhubarb is soft and the juices are bubbling. Allow to cool until the rhubarb is just warm to the touch.

Whisk together the eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Whisk in the milk. Whisk in the flour, lemon zest, and salt. (To avoid clumps, sift the flour into the bowl through a strainer.) This batter can be prepared up to 30 minutes ahead of time.

Pour the batter over the roasted rhubarb and bake for 35-40 minutes (still at 350°F). When it's done, the clafouti should be puffed around the edges and a toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean. It's ok if the middle still jiggles slightly, and the edges will collapse once the clafouti starts to cool.

The longer it cools, the most set the clafouti becomes. For a loose pudding-like dessert, serve while still warm from the oven. For a firmer custard, allow to cool to room temperature or serve chilled. If you're feeling fancy, sift a little confectioner's sugar over the top just before serving.

Leftovers will keep refrigerated for up to a week.

A Different Kind of Chicken Soup

Well, it's been quite awhile since anything has been posted in here, so here's a recipe to break the "fast" from posting.

I added the changes I made at the bottom of the recipe.

Ingredients


Olive Oil

2 chicken breast filets (I used frozen ready-made, because I’m lazy)

2 small onions

2 tbsp curry

5 handful fresh spinach or the equal amount frozen

½ tsp powdered nutmeg

3 chicken bouillon cubes

1 liter/34 oz. water

Salt & Pepper

Egg noodles

Directions:

1. Heat a pan over medium heat. Pour olive oil in the pan, just enough to cover the surface. Add the chicken filets and brown the fillets about 5 minutes on each side. Remove the fillets from pan.

2. Cut the 2 onions in slices and heat up a separate pan on medium heat. Add 1 tsp olive oil and the fresh, washed spinach. Add the nutmeg and stir untill the spinach has wilted. Put aside. (If you use frozen spinach, just thaw in a casserole with some water over low heat)

3. In a medium sized pot, pour in olive oil to cover the surface and warm at medium heat. Add the sliced onions and stir from time to time. After 3 minutes add the curry powder and mix well with the onions. Turn down heat to low and let sit about 5-10 minutes untill the onions are soft. Stir now and then.

4. In a casserole add water and put in the chicken bouillon. Turn on heat to medium. The cubes will dissolve in about 10 minutes

5. While the chicken bouillon cubes are dissolving, pull the chicken apart in small chunks

6. Add chicken and spinach to onions and stir well.

7. Add the chicken bouillon water and bring soup to a boil. Simmer for about 2 minutes.

8. Add the noodles and let cook as said on the package directions. Add salt and pepper if needed.

*Step 3:  I also added a medium potato cut up into chunks.  In between steps #6 and #7 I added half an apple cut into chunks.  I added at least 3-4 cups of chicken broth, too!

Lastly, right before serving the soup, I stirred one spoonful of Greek yoghurt into each bowl.

Crustless Spinach Quiche

This was fabulous! It's called a "tart" in my cookbook, but I use the term quiche- if anyone knows the technical difference between the two, please do let me know! :) So here is my vegetarian tweaked recipe! Original recipe is from:: Incredibly Easy Gluten-Free recipes

.: quiche ingredients :.

1 tsp olive oil

1 c. finely chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed & drained

1 c. milk

3 eggs

1/4 c. grated parmesan

1 TB minced fresh basil OR 2 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

.: topping ingredients :.

2 TB grated parmesan

.: directions :.

(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9-inch glass pie plate.

(2) Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onions and garlic. Stir in spinach. Spread mixture evenly into pie plate.

(3) Combine the remaining quiche ingredients in a medium bowl and gently stir until combined. Pour mixture evenly into pie plate. Bake 50 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Sprinkle with the 2 TB parmesan topping.

.: notes :.

- I used Goya's extra virgin olive oil {that's essentially what we use in everything unless otherwise indicated!}

- I used 2% milk, as that's what we have in the house. I imagine any would type would work just fine though!

- As you can see in the photo, the spices all float to the top. Don't worry! That is how mine looked, and it tasted fabulous- not over spiced or anything :)

- I placed a cookie sheet on the rack below the rack that the quiche was on, just in case there's any overflow. The mixture pretty much fills a 9-inch pie plate to the brim, but I didn't end up having any overflow in the oven.

tomato salad

This is one of my newest favorite meals/appetizers/salads... it's super simple, super quick, and easy to scale for any size dinner or party!! This recipe came about as a combination of a caprese salad and cucumber salad. You'll see those two listed as "variations" below!

MAKES:: side dish for 2

.: ingredients :.

3 roma tomatoes

1/3 c. sweet onion

2-3 TB balsamic vinegar

1-2 TB extra virgin olive oil

Adobo {optional}

.: directions :.

1) Slice tomatoes into bite-sized pieces.

2) Dice onions.

3) Toss together onions and tomatoes in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add additional olive oil and balsamic to fit your taste buds :)

4) I like to sprinkle on a thin layer of Adobo {a garlic powder-based Latin spice}.

5) Chill or serve as is!

.: variations :.

- sprinkle with Italian seasoning, oregano, or other spices

- add about 3/4 cup of mozzarella, cut into bite-sized pieces. Garnish with fresh basil or sprinkle dried basil.

- substitute the tomatoes with 1 cucumber, and switch out the balsamic vinegar with white vinegar. Let marinate for 2-3 hours in the fridge to enhance the flavors.