Lemony Blueberry Zucchini Muffins

I really love zucchini muffins. You know the ones I mean~ the brown and heavily spiced kind sometimes dotted with walnuts. The banana muffins' brother. But sometimes, you just want something....different.

Well, THESE zucchini muffins certainly are that.  They are barely distant cousins to the zucchini muffins we know and love.  The zucchini makes them moist but it is the lemon and blueberries that really stand out for flavor.  They have only subtle sweetness, so if you prefer a very sweet muffin- use a bit more sugar.

These will be great for winter muffins, using frozen shredded zucchini from the summer and the frozen berries I put up in July.  Plus-they are just so sunny looking.

Here is what you do:

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup ( to one cup, depending on preference) white sugar
• 1 t. baking powder
• 3/4 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 cup shredded zucchini
• 1 (8 ounce) container yogurt (I used plain because that is what I had on hand.  Lemon would be awesome.)
• 6 T butter, melted
• 1 egg, beaten
•  2 T. lemon juice 
• 1 cup fresh (or frozen) blueberries   
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• Here is what you do:
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• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 12 muffin cups, or line with paper muffin liners. 
• Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl; make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Mix zucchini, yogurt, butter, egg, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon lemon zest in a separate bowl; pour yogurt mixture into well. Gently stir yogurt, slowly incorporating the flour mixture until just blended. Batter may be slightly lumpy. Add berries.  Pour batter evenly into prepared muffin cups.(I usually plop one or two berries on top of each cup of batter to make for prettier muffins too.  You don't have to-but can.)
• Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 20 minutes.

Tomato Sandwich NON-recipe

I hate cookbooks that print glaringly obvious foods and tout them as "recipes". That said, it can be inspiring to get new, fresh ideas for how to serve food because sometimes, let's face it~we don't think of these things ourselves.

I post this here but I declare it a NON recipe, just in case you have never tried the most delicious Tomato and Sugar Sandwich. I must needs get converts. I must lure you to the OTHER side.

I must warn you though: Do not eat these in winter with those cardboard tomatoes that are shipped green and somehow pass as food. These are a SUMMERTIME treat, meant to be eaten with garden tomatoes.

You know, the kind that TASTE like something.

Simply toast your favorite bread and butter. Slice up some delectable tomatoes and sprinkle with sugar. Not too much, just enough to sweeten (and bring out the amazing flavor). Top and snarf.

See? No recipe here. Just sheer garden bliss on a sandwich.

yum.

Creamy Corn Casserole

This is an interesting mix of cornbread and spoonbread. VERY moist, not at all like cornbread, and yet: definitely has a taste LIKE cornbread. OK. I don't know how to explain it. All you have to know is that it is good, right?

I'll never forget: (uh oh, MEMORY ALERT!): It was our first year of marriage. I was a new wifey and had a new home to call my own. If it was nice, it was all me. If it was awful, it was all my fault. I chose to make it nice, although marrying an obsessive compulsive clean guy sorta forced me into that box.

I married not knowing a LICK about cooking. In fact, as a joke, I was gifted an egg boiler thingy because I didn't know how to hardcook eggs. Yeah. Come to think of it, maybe it WASN'T a joke...

Well, had had a few run-in's with food flops (like, every night) but I was determined to fulfill all my womanly roles, and one of them was entertaining. I invited my parents' over for supper, and then worked tirelessly to find some good (infallible) recipes. I cooked, I cleaned, I primped and primed. We sat down to eat after I spent a good portion of time fluttering about the kitchen and on the menu was....THIS. I don't remember what ELSE there was (I mean, sheesh. It WAS six years ago!) but that isn't important anyway. The fact that I remember THIS just goes to show you how...memorable a dish it is.

We sat. We ate. We visited. And then. Moment of truth: I got up to go refill something and as I stepped into the kitchen I heard Dad quietly say something to my mother.

My Dad, southern boy born and raised, said "Now THAT is what cornbread is supposed to taste like!"

No. He didn't say it to ME---that is what made it so special. Because anyone can say "Oh, this is DELICIOUS" out of kindness for your hospitality. And if anyone is going to conveniently and extravagently exaggerate, it will be your dear Dad. The fact that he said it to Mom out of admiration and not to make me feel good was what...made me feel good!

I walked back to my seat just a wee bit puffed up, sat just a wee bit taller, and smiled just a wee bit bigger. A "SCORE" was just what I had been needing after so many strike-outs.

It has been a delicious standby ever since.

• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 T. sugar
  
• 1 (8.5 ounce) package dry corn bread mix
• 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 (14.75 ounce) can creamed corn
• 1 cup sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and lightly grease a 9x9 inch baking dish.
2. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients. If you really like sugar, you can sprinkle a wee bit on top too. That is one of my secret tricks. But keep it a secret, will ya?!?
   
3. Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top is golden brown.

This is EXCELLENT served with chili, soups, or beef cuts. I usually make it with a meat the first night, and then crumble it on the bottom of our bowls and ladle chili on top. yum.

Cappuccino Chocolate Chip Bread

Sooooo....

It's been 67 days: 10+ weeks: almost two months since I have had a stove or oven capabilities. The same story minus a few days for refrigeration. For those 67 days, 10+ weeks and nearly two months I have been thankful for the gallon of milk in the cooler-even though it didn't quite taste like fresh COLD milk, and for the grill-even though I got sick of 'grill food' about two days after I fired it up.

You see- we moved. Into a construction zone. Into a home with a shell for a kitchen, power cords for decorations and wood dust as a flour substance. Yes. It was bad (and good) and awful and amazing all at the same time. At times I laughed it up-other times I curled into the fetal position and sucked my thumb for hours.

So-if you wonder why this virtual kitchen 'o mine has been on a seemingly endless hiatus- there you have it. There were several times I made killer meals throughout those days, weeks, and months without a real kitchen-or countertops. Or even running water, for a while. But the truth is, the numbness of it all forced me to repress those times in order to maintain some form of sanity.

If I claw my way through all those deeply repressed memories of those horribly frustrating, fetal position days I may recall making a few winning things but I honestly can not think of a single thing presently. All I recall is...chicken nuggets. Hamburgers and Hotdogs. Kielbasa. Barf. Gag. Reel in horror. Even my coveted and much loved chicken spiedies eventually became something old and tiresome.

So-please don't blame me for not being a miracle worker and having five course meals from the microwave plastered on this blog. Trust me- it just ain't me. I never want to look another processed food in the face again as long as I live. Never ever, ever never.

That said:

I am pleased to report now, that I am on day number 5 of HAVING a stove/oven and it has been five days since I have even glanced toward the grill. Wait. Do we even still HAVE the grill? I might have burned it, along with all the empty boxes that pile up outside my door daily...

Needless to say: I hope to be a little bit more faithful in recipe posting from henceforth. I'll tell you one thing, right about now- cooking and baking and working in the kitchen is about the biggest luxury I can afford. And a little secret? I pretend I am on a cooking show as I prepare the meals now. BUt shhhhh- don't tell anyone that. My reputation would be shot. And DON'T look on youtube for my home video cooking show episodes. Please. Don't.

ANYWAY.

About at day 60 of my plight, after having one of those reverting to childhood tantrums, I opened a box (the last) labeled "kitchen" and found: my BREAD MACHINE. Then, I proceeded to fall to my knees in thanksgiving and cry amidst laughter.

Then, I got up and found my flour (the real stuff, not the wood stuff).

THEN, I suddenly felt at peace and all seemed right with the world.

Then my body began salivating in uncontrollable amounts and I was forced to add more flour to the recipe in order to compensate for the saliva spillage. (joking on that last part...maybe.)

One of my fresh from the bread-machine breads I made was this: Cappuchino Chocolate Chip bread. It sounds like a breakfasty-danishy type bread but I assure you- it is a normal bread consistency with just a touch of coffee taste and a bit of bitter sweetness. Makes a killer piece of breakfast toast, I assure you, but as with all bread machine recipes- fresh and warm from the pan is the best way to eat 'er up.

May the recipes begin!

Chocolate Chip Cappuccino Bread

3/4 c. warm milk
1 egg, beaten
3 T. cappuccino mix granules- I used vanilla toffee. Yum You can also use instant coffee.
2 T sugar
2 T water
1 T. butter, softened
1 t. vanilla
3/4 t. salt
3 cups bread flour
2 t. active dry yeast
1/3 cup chocolate chips

Add all but chocolate chip ingredients into your bread machine pan in order suggested by manufacturer. Set machine on Basic or White bread setting.

Before final kneading, add chocolate chips.

After 3 hours of doing nothing but catching whiffs of baking bread and hearing the whirrrr of the machine going full throttle- presto chango! You've got a unique loaf ready to be slathered with honey butter. Or pumpkin butter. Or apple butter. Or pear butter...

Belgian Molasses Bread

I know, I know- another bread machine recipe. But hey-that's what I was stuck with-so that is what YOU are stuck with. That is, until I can stop diving into my homemade meals with such vengeance that I actually take a moment to snap a photo before it is eaten to it's last crumb. After all, it would be a sin to post a recipe without a photo...

Belgian Molasses Bread

* 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
* 3 tablespoons molasses
* 3/4 cup warm milk
* 4 1/2 tablespoons warm water
* 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
* 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Place ingredients in the bread machine pan in the order suggested by the manufacturer. Select Basic or White Bread and 1 1/2 pound loaf settings.

I love the beautiful coloring of this bread. Honey brown-ish. And it goes superbly with Crockpot Pea Soup.

Stromboli

These are wonderfully versatile as they can include any 'innards' that you prefer. You could have a ham and cheese stromboli, all veggie, meat and veggie, pizza topping, sausage and EGG even. You are only limited by your own imagination. This particular loaf includes a mixture of nearly all the suggestions above.

To make the dough you can do it the easy way or the 'not AS easy way'.

The easy way? Use thawed frozen bread dough.

The 'Not Quite as Easy' way: make the dough using your breadmachine.

Here is how to do version one: Go the store. Go to the freezer section. Find frozen dough. Purchase it and bring it home. Allow it to thaw on your countertop and then allow to 'rest' until it has risen just a bit.

Here is how to do version two:

Put: 6-7 oz. warm water
3/4 t. salt
2 T. olive oil
2 1/2 c. all purpose flour
2 t. sugar
1 3/4 t. active dry yeast

...all in the bread machine in that order and turn on dough setting.

Regardless what method you get your dough-the following steps are the same.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.


Roll out your dough-or stretch it (as I prefer doing) into a large rectangle and place on a greased and cornmeal sprinkled cookie sheet.

Now simply add whatever "toppings" you would like.

I layered mine with:

pepperoni
ham
green peppers
onion
garlic
and mozzerella cheese.

Then I sprinkled the whole thing with Italian Seasoning.

FIll it up in the center, leaving about two inches on the two long sides and one inch on the short sides. Bring the long sides up and pinch together to create a seal. Pinch the short sides together as well.

Now CAREFULLY flip the 'boli over so that the seal is underneath. Take a sharp knife and make a few shallow slashes on the top.

Place in a preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes or until nicely golden brown.

Some notes: The dough recipe is easily doubled so that you can make an extra 'boli for larger families or to freeze for another day.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

Are you getting sick of Autumn treats yet?

Me, either.

Here is a treat I enjoy making each year-and I have already done so twice in the last month. Each batch makes two loaves of bread. So, you can make one for now and freeze one for later...or you can make muffins with the other half, OR you can make two 'gift loaves' to give away and keep one standard size loaves for yourself. So versatile! ;-)

You will need:

3 cups all purpose flour
2 t. ground cinnamon
1 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
4 eggs
2 c. sugar
2 c. cooked or canned pumpkin
1 1/4 c. veggie oil
1 1/2 c. chocolate chips

In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients. In a seperate bowl, mix all wet ingredients-making sure the eggs are beaten nicely.
Stir into dry ingredient and mix just until moistened.

Fold in the mixture your chocolate chips.

Pour into two greased 8x4x2 inch pans, paper lined muffin tins, greased gift loaves or any combination thereof.

Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes (for large loaf) or until a toothpick near the center comes out clean. Keep in mind that the smaller variations require less cooking times...

Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Scrumptious.

Bread Machine Pizza Dough

This dough is large enough to make two large round (or sheet) pizzas. Just be sure to catch it before it has risen right out of the bread machine! ;-)

1 1/3 c. warm water
6T. butter, softened
1 egg
1 t. salt
1/4 c. sugar
3 c. bread flour
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 1/4 t. yeast

Put these ingredients in the bread machine under the dough setting and in the order listed.

Once it is done, split into two, roll it into desired shape. (I can NEVER roll pizza dough. So, I usually just stretch it by hand-like the real pizza guys do...well. Not quite. My version is the awkward one.)

To bake-grease and sprinkle cornmeal on pans. here is the KEY: Turn your oven on 450 for about 10 minutes BEFORE you are ready to pop the pizzas in. IN fact, turn it on when you get the dough out of the bread machine.

Having the oven already HOT will allow the crust to get crispy. It has taken me literally YEARS to figure this out!

Should I be admitting that?!?

Top your pizza however you like then pop in the oven until the crust is golden and the cheese is turning that way too. Yum.

Cheesy French Loaf

I use a bread machine to make dough, so that is how my recipes are written. Of course, you can do the process with or without it, depending upon your circumstances...or even purchase premade bread dough from the store.

A delicious bread, fantastic as an accompaniment to the above chicken dish (as we had it) or would be fabulous as a side to ANY main dish. Or maybe, you don't NEED a reason to eat it.

I don't.

Basic French Bread Recipe for a 2 # loaf:

12-13 oz. warm water
1 3/4 t. salt
2 T. softened butter
1 T. sugar
4 cups bread flour
1 3/4 t. active dry yeast

Put all ingredients in bread maker and put on dough setting, if you have it-french bread dough setting. Sprinkle counter with some flour and some cornmeal.

When bread dough is done, bring it out and loosely stretch, pull, and roll dough into a 12- 15 inch log and flatten out just a bit.

Spread dough generously with :

butter (about 1/4 cup)
1 heaping T. minced garlic
2 T. minced onion
generous sprinkling of Italian Seasoning until covered.
1/4- 1/2 c. mozzerella cheese

Then, fold dough in half and press dough together with fingers to close up loaf.

Put on a greased, cornmeal sprinkled cookie sheet.

Slice top of dough with sharp knife and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size.

Bake in a 375 degree preheated oven for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown on outside and sounds hollow when tapped.

Don't even bother putting butter on the table with it-THIS bread can stand on its own. PS~it is JUST as good the next day. ;-)

Dipping Oil

Ever been to an Italian restaurant that served oil with bread? I never liked that concept-or at least, their version of it. It was 95% oil and 5% spices. IF that. So, I made up my own version that is nearly the opposite. It is DELICIOUS. A great, simple but impressive addition to any meal. If you have the crusty bread, you should DEFINATELY make this.

In a small dipping bowl, add:

3/4- 1 cup olive oil (depending on size of party)
1 1/2 t. garlic powder
2 shakes onion powder
a pinch of Thyme-crushed
2 shakes Oregano

Mix well.

Add two sage leaves...but be sure to pinch or rub them first, as this allows the flavors to meld a bit more.

Then just dip away!

This is very garlicy-just how I like it. Only eat it with those whom you love. Or especially DON'T like and won't be in close proximity to. If you like less garlic, by all means, change the proportions.

Baking Powder Biscuits

Until recently I have avoided biscuits like the plaque-making them 'from scratch' out of a jiffy box. All because of two bad (BAD!) experiences. Then I found this recipe and it is the best I have ever seen/tested, bar none.

The BEST part about these light and fluffy biscuits? They can be cut out and frozen, then baked just before using! The convenience of Pillsbury without the cost! WA-HOO!!!

6 c. all purpose flour
1/2 c. instant nonfat dry milk powder
1/4 c. baking powder
1/4 c. sugar
2 t. salt
2 t. cream of tartar
1 c. cold lard, cut into chuncks
1 c. (2 sticks) cold butter, cut into chunks
1 3/4 c. buttermilk, approx.

Preheat oven to 400. In a VERY large bowl (I actually use a stock pot), combine alldry ingredients. With a pastry blender, cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center and pour in buttermilk. With a fork, quickly and lightly combine the ingredients. Not all of the flour will be incorporated at this point.

Turn the dough onto a well-floured pastry cloth (or counter) and with floured hands, knead it 8-10 turns until smooth.

Roll out until about 3/4 inch thick. Cut out using biscuit cutter, glass or (what I often use) the ring to a canning jar. Prick the tops of each biscuit with a fork-3 times.

Bake or freeze.

Bake: 13-15 minutes until LIGHTLY browned.

Freeze: place unbaked biscuits on a cookie sheet without touching one another. Freeze until hard. Then transfer to freezer bags.

To serve: remove as many biscuits as needed and bake frozen on oiled cookie sheet for 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned on top.

Easy peasy and OH SO GOOD!

Apple Butter Spice Muffins

1/2 c. sugar
1 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/8 t. allspice
1/2 c. pecans (or walnuts), chopped
2 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1 c. milk
1/4 c. veg. oil
1 egg
1/4 c. apple butter

~Preheat oven to 400
~Combine spices and sugar in large bowl. Toss 2 T. sugar mixture with pecans in small bowl, set aside.
~Add flour, BP and salt to remaining sugar mixture
~Combine 'wet ingredients' and add to flour mixture, mixing just until moistened.
~Spoon 1 T. batter into each prepared muffin cup. Spoon 1 heaping tsp. apple butter into each cup. Spoon remaining batter evenly over apple butter layers.
~Sprinkle reserved pecan mixture over each muffin.
~Bake 20-25 mins or until golden brown and wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Immediately remove from pan-cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Serve warm or cold.

Oat Pan Rolls

2 c. quick cooking oats
2/3 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. butter, cubed
1 T. salt
2 1/2 c. boiling water
4 1/2 t. active dry yeast (or two packages 1/4 ounce, each)
1/2 c. warm water (110-115 degrees)
5 1/2 to six cups all purpose flour
Additional melted butter

In a bowl combine 1st four ingredients. Stir in boiling water. Cool to 110-115 degrees
In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water; let stand for 5 minutes.
Add oat mixture and 2 c. flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.

Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes.
Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about an hour.

Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into 20 pieces. Place in a greased 13x9 in pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to wire rack and brush with melted butter. Yield: 20 rolls