Zucchini Bread

Had some large zukes and thought I would try this recipe.I didn't have plain yogurt so I used sour cream instead. Worked just fine. Just a note...This bread when finished baking didn't have a "hump" in it like most quick breads seem to have. It was however still moist and tasty. So don't let the look of it scare you. : )

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Zucchini Bread
One 9-inch loaf

1 pound zucchini, ends trimmed
1-1/2 cups sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, toasted and chopped coarse*

Directions:
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees. Generously coat a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan with vegetable oil spray.

Shred the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater. Squeeze the zucchini between several layers of paper towel to absorb excess moisture.

Whisk the sugar, melted butter, eggs, yogurt, and lemon juice together in a large bowl.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice and salt together in a separate large bowl.

Gently fold the zucchini and the yogurt mixture into the flour mixture with a rubber spatula until just combined. Do not overmix! Fold in the nuts.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface.
Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs attached, 55 to 60 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.
Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes before unmolding onto a wire rack to cool for at least one hour before serving. (The bread can be wrapped with plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.)


*To toast nuts: Spread the nuts on a small baking sheet and toast at 350* F. until fragrant, 5 to 7 minutes, shaking the baking sheet every few minutes so as not to burn.

Easy Double Chocolate Chip Brownies

Another brownie recipe. I wonder how many zillions of them are out there? Anyway, this one was tasty. Not my favorite but a good one. Enjoy!

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Easy Double Chocolate Chip Brownies

2 cups (12 ounce package) Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips*
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, cut into pieces
3 large eggs
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional

Preheat oven to 350* F. Grease a 13x9 inch baking pan.

Melt 1 cup of the chocolate chips and butter in a large heavy duty sauce pan over low heat; stir until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar until combined. Stir in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour and baking soda. Stir in remaining chocolate chips and nuts. Spread into prepared pan.

Bake for 18-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out slightly sticky. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

Makes 2 dozen brownies


* Try using half semi sweet chips and half peanut butter chips, white chocolate chips or any other of your favorite flavors. If you can find them try the mint flavored chips. They are very good in brownies!

White Almond Sour Cream Wedding Cake Recipe

Okay obviously this isn't a wedding cake. I made this for my sons end of the baseball year party. But boy oh boy is this cake good! It's moist and flavorful yet dense enough to layer and hold fillings. This recipe starts with boxed cake mixes then is doctored up with sour cream, flour, sugar and flavorings (I prefer Betty Crocker. But you can use what ever brand you so desire.)

Keep in mind this makes a large batch of batter but can easily be halved and several flavor variations are listed below. The picture above is of a 1/2 sheet cake made in Wilton's 18x12x2 inch cake pan. (and isn't finished being decorated I might add.) I greased the pan well with Crisco using a pastry brush, lined bottom with parchment paper, then greased paper and floured the whole pan. Cake popped right out with no troubles. I recommend this pan. I torted this cake and filled with 3 cups of Rose Levy Beranbaums "Lemon Curd" (from The Cake Bible). I then frosted and decorated with about 6-7 cups of cream cheese frosting. Got rave reviews!

*NOTE* Be sure all wet ingredients are at room temperature. This really does make a difference.

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White Almond Sour Cream Wedding Cake*

SERVES 40 -50

2 (18 ounce) boxes white cake mix (Betty Crocker or Pillsbury)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 2/3 cups water, room temperature
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons real vanilla
2 teaspoons almond extract
2 cups sour cream, room temperature
8 large egg whites, room temperature (save yolks for a lemon curd)

Sift all dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Stir with a whisk.
Add the remaining ingredients and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stopping and scraping sides of bowl as needed.
Pour into greased and floured cake pan/pans, filling each pan a little over half full.
Lightly tap cake pans on counter to bring air bubbles to top.
Bake in preheated 325° F. oven until cake tests done. (18x12x12 in. pan 40-45 minutes)

*Baking time varies according to the size and depth of pans being used.

In 2" deep pans, this recipe makes:
One 14" round and one 6" round
or One 16" round
or One 12" round and one 10" round
or One 12 X 18 X 2" sheet cake
or One 12" round and one 8" round and one 6" round
or Two 9" squares.
or 5 dozen cupcakes.

Half the recipe makes:
Two 7" rounds
or Two 6" rounds and 6 cupcakes.

For chocolate cake: use chocolate mixes and substitute 6 whole eggs for the egg whites.

For liqueur flavors: substitute alcohol (such as champagne or Kahlua) for about 1 cup of the water in the recipe.

For berry flavors: use frozen berries, thaw reserving the juice. Substitute the berry juice for part of the water in the recipe, and stir the berries in at the end.

For lemon cake: substitute lemon juice for about 1 cup of the water in the recipe, use 6 whole eggs instead of the whites, stir in 1 Tbsp. lemon zest, and use 1 tsp of a good lemon extract in place of the almond.

For white chocolate: melt 8oz white baking chocolate & cool slightly. use 6 whole eggs in the recipe instead of the whites, temper the chocolate by stirring in a small amount of the batter, then add the white chocolate to the entire batter and stir well. Doesn't bake up quite as high as the original, so add a pinch more batter to the pans.