A Pie Disaster turns into a Yummy Crumble

I had a bit of a baking disaster the other day.  I was trying to make a gallette and while I was transfering it to the pan it fell apart.  It was a lovely peach pie turned peach crumble. 

Basil Cubes

Have a bunch of basil?  I do.  My neighbor grew a ton and has given me a whole pot!  So I've been making Basil Cubes.  Its really simple.  Just pull all the leaves off the stem and place them in a blender or food processor. Blend while pouring in water slowly until the desired consistency.  Pour into ice cube trays.  When frozen place them in a bag.  When cooking just add a basil cube.  Tastes so fresh!

Zucchini Brownies

I'm back from vacation and finally getting back into the groove of life again.  Here is a recipe I've tried recently.  Its a great mix of a brownie with Better Than Sex Cake and what's great is it was mostly an accident.

Zucchini Brownie with Chocolate Frosting

Adapted from Taste of Home’s Simple and Delicious cookbook

1 cup butter, softened

1 ½ cups sugar

2 eggs

½ cup vanilla yogurt or plain

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 ½ cups flour

¼ cup baking cocoa

1 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

2 cups shredded zucchini

Cream together the butter and sugar.  Then add the eggs.  Add the yogurt and vanilla. 

Mix together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.  Add slowly to the butter mixture.  Fold in the zucchini.

Bake in a 13x9 pan for 35-40 minutes at 350. 

When a toothpick comes out clean, take it out of the oven and pour on the frosting.  This will seep into the brownies and make them moist and delicious.  Just keep pouring.

Frosting

¼ cup butter

1 ¾ Tbsp. cocoa

1/6 cup milk

4 cups powdered sugar

½ tsp. vanilla

Combine the butter, cocoa, and milk in a saucepan and cook until the butter melts.  Cook for another two minutes and then add the powdered sugar and vanilla.

What to do with an Abundance of Zucchini... my Favorite Recipes

So, have your neighbors brought over some zucchini or have you grown some of your own and you don't know what to do with it all?  I think we all get in this situation at this time of year. 

My husband recently came home with three giants.  Its the equivalent of flowers for me.  I was so happy.  Here is what I used them to make...

Zucchini Cakes

2 cups shredded zucchini

1/2 cup bread crumbs (you can use any type but I prefer Panko bread crumbs)

1/4 cup mozzarella or some kind of combination of cheeses (Parmesan is also good.)

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 egg

salt and pepper to taste

Squeeze water out of shredded zucchini by placing it in between layers of paper towel and squeezing.  The dryer the better!

Mix the zucchini, bread crumbs, cheese, garlic powder, egg, and salt and pepper. 

Shape into thin patties while you heat up some oil in a frying pan.  Olive or canola oil work great.

Cook on medium heat for about two minutes per side.  Be careful to heat them all the way through.  I like them almost burnt.  I have a problem with them being raw in the center. 

Serve with any type of dressing- ranch, marinara sauce, or just eat them plain.  That's how I like em'.

Zucchini Bread

3 eggs

1 c. oil

2 c. sugar

2 c. peeled and grated Zucchini

1 c. nuts (optional)

3 tsp. Vanilla

3 tsp. Cinnamon

¼ tsp. Baking powder

1 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Soda

3 cups flour

            Beat eggs till foamy.  Add oil, sugar, squash, and vanilla.  Mix lightly but well.  Add dry ingredients.  Mix well and add nuts.  Place in 2 well-greased loaf pans.  Bake 1 hour at 350.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

½ c. margarine or butter melted

½ c. oil

1 ¾ c. sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. Vanilla

2 ½ c. flour

½ c. sour milk

4 Tbl. Cocoa

½ tsp. Cinnamon

½ tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Soda

1 tsp. Baking powder

2 c. grated zucchini

       

        Combine margarine or butter, oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla.  Alternate liquid, dry.  Add zucchini.  Put in cake pan.  Sprinkle with choc. chips, brown sugar, and nuts (3/4 c.).  Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes. 

If you have some little bitty zucchinis they are great too!  I love to just slice them thin and saute' in olive oil, sprinkled with salt and pepper.

Here is my new favorite though... my kids even ate them and my son said, "They just like chicken nuggets!"  I don't think you can get a better compliment about food than that from a five year old.

Fried, Breaded Zucchini

1 cup grated Parmesan (fresh is better)

1 1/2 cups Panko bread crumbs

1/2 tsp. parsley

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup flour

2 large eggs

2 small zucchini or yellow squash sliced into thin circles

Heat your favorite oil in a frying pan.

Stir Parmesan cheese, salt, and parsley into the Panko. 

Beat the eggs in another bowl.

Then put the flour in yet another bowl with a little salt and pepper mixed in.

I like to make a little assembly line with all the bowls and my squash.

First dip the zucchini slice in the flour, then the egg, and then the panko.

Place in the heated oil.  They only take about a minute on each side.  Watch carefully. 

Serve immediately.  They are so good warm!  My husband ate his with Marinara.

How To Make a Superman Cake

My son wanted a Superman cake for his birthday, so although most of my cakes belong on Cake Wrecks,  I think this is one of my better creations.  First, bake a cake, any size, any shape and print off a Superman symbol for that size of cake.  Then cut out the yellow parts.

Make some buttercream frosting.  I like this recipe.  Frost the cake blue and then put the symbol in the middle.

 Frost the relief parts of the symbol and put in the writing.

 Then pipe red frosting around the edges or put on licorice.

 Take off the paper and then pipe in what is left.

 And Walla.  My son was thrilled.  The frosting was pretty good too for being decorative frosting.

Two of my Favorite Ice Creams Recreated at Home

I have two favorite ice creams Schwann's Rocky Road and a Cookie Dough Ice Cream my Grandparents-in-law took me to in Berkley.  I have been on a mission to recreate both since I can't get either where I live.  The thing I love about Schwann's Rocky Road is the marshmallow are not chewy pieces they are delightful ribbons of marshmallow.  Sooo good!

First, the Cooke Dough/Hot Fudge Ice Cream

Make Alton Brown's Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe found HERE.

At least 2 hours before you are going to mix the ice cream make up this cookie dough recipe:

5 Tbsp. brown sugar
6 Tbsp. sugar
4 Tbsp. butter softened
1 tsp. vanilla
3 Tbsp. whole milk
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips or chocolate chips chopped up
1 1/4 cups flour

Mix up and roll in waxed paper.  Freeze. 

Also sometime before you make the ice cream make some hot fudge sauce or buy some.  I like this recipe.  Make sure it has time to cool off before you add it to the ice cream.

When your ice cream is almost done chop up your cookie dough into bite sized pieces and add to your ice cream.  If it won't fit that's okay!  Mine wouldn't so I came up with a different plan.

Get the container you are going to put your ice cream in and put a layer of vanilla ice cream and then sprinkle on some cookie dough pieces, then pour on some hot fudge (not hot though).  Then some more ice cream, cookie dough, fudge, repeat until you are out of ice cream.

If your ice cream maker is like mine and its hard to get all the ice cream out.  Never fret.  Sprinkle in some cookie dough and hot fudge into the bowl and let your kids go at it.  They will scrape it clean.  And you can help... or you can sneak off to your room and scrape it clean yourself.

I would never do that of course.... *cough.

Your ice cream should firm up overnight and be amazing in the morning.  Not that you should eat it for breakfast! 

Next up.... Rocky Road Ice Cream

First make Alton Brown's Chocolate Ice Cream found here.    Then either make your own chocolate covered peanuts or buy some.  You will also need Marshmallow Fluff.

When the chocolate ice cream is almost done add the chocolate covered peanuts.

Then layer the ice cream into its container with marshmallow fluff.

Freeze overnight to harden up.

Homemade English Muffins and Egg Sandwiches

I've been wanting to try to make my own English Muffins for a while.  The recipe I used was extremely vague on the times and stuff so I'm going to try to improve it for you.

English Muffins

Ingredients:
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp. white sugar
3/4 Tbsp. yeast
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup melted shortening
6 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt

   Warm the milk in a saucepan until it bubbles then remove from heat.  Mix in the sugar.  Stir until dissolved.  Let this cool until its lukewarm in a large bowl you will be doing the mixing in (save yourself a dish!).  Dissolve the yeast in warm water in another bowl for about ten minutes.

  Combine the yeast and milk mixture in that large bowl.  Then add the shortening and 3 cups flour.  Beat until smooth.  Then add salt and the rest of the flour until it makes a soft dough.  I didn't use all of the flour.  Knead.  Place in a greased bowl, cover and let rise for an hour and 1/2 until doubled.

   Punch down.  Roll out to about 1/2 inch thick!  This is important!  Half of mine were too thick and 1/2 were too thin.  Cut out with anything you have that is round.  I used a glass.  Sprinkle cornmeal on top of a couple pans, place the muffins on the cornmeal, sprinkle some cornmeal on top of these, cover, and let these muffins rise for another 1/2 hour. 

   Heat a griddle and spray with non-stick spray.  Cook muffins on the griddle for about 10 minutes on each side.  Mine needed a little less time.  Then place in a 270 degree oven to keep warm while you make the rest.

Split and toast.  Spread with your favorite toppings.  Or make up some fried eggs, place some ham on top of that and you have a fantastic egg sandwich.

Enjoy!