Pineapple Zucchini Bread

Happy Monday! Hope you had a great weekend! Today I'm sharing one of my grandma's BEST recipes she ever handed down to me. If you like Zucchini Bread, you will LOVE this bread! 

We kind of got lazy with the garden this year. And that means we had a lot of H-U-G-E zucchini! So I shredded and shredded and shredded some more. I wish I'd thought to take pictures of some of these monsters! 

I have enough zucchini in the freezer to make about 30 loaves of bread, lol. This recipe is just one of about 15 Zucchini Bread recipes I own, but this is everyone's favorite. The pineapple helps make this bread super moist. 

Pineapple Zucchini Bread

3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup (8 oz) crushed pineapple, drained
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1-1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp nutmeg
3 cups flour
1 cup chopped walnuts, optional (never in my bread, lol)

Beat eggs. Add oil, sugar & vanilla; beat until foamy. Stir in zucchini & pineapple. Combine rest of ingredients & stir into zucchini mixture. Blend well. Bake in 2 greased & floured 9"x5" pans at 350° for 1 hour (or 40 minutes for mini loaves). Cool 10 minutes in pans, then transfer to wire racks to finish cooling. 

All my recipes are easy, lol. I love to bake but the recipe can't contain 25 ingredients & take 4 hours to prepare. I make this bread all the time & could probably do it in my sleep. I love making the mini loaves to give as gifts. With the holidays coming up, these are perfect to give to teachers, bus drivers, co-workers .... anyone you want to give a little something to. Who doesn't love baked goods? 

In other news, I have recently spent a bit of time at my craft table. I did finish something that I will share in the next couple of days,  however I want to prepare you. When someone no longer colors every day like someone used to, that someone's end result kind of sucks. LOL.....just trying to prepare you!

Now ....I'm off to watch the Packers kick the Bears behinds!! Happy Monday Night Football!!

What to do with all the tomatoes?

Yes, I'm WAY late posting this recipe - does anyone even have tomatoes in their garden anymore? 

The frost has hit Wisconsin, & everything is all shriveled up & sad. But for those of you more south, perhaps your gardens are still going strong. Or, maybe you thought to freeze some of those overachieving fruits! We had gobs of cherry tomatoes - red & orange - so here's what I did with a lot of mine:

Roasted Tomato Soup

6 cups (3 pints) cherry tomatoes
3 TBSP olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 TBSP unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chopped onion
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp thyme
1 cup whipping cream 

Preheat oven to 400. On a baking sheet, combine the cherry tomatoes, 2 TBSP of the olive oil, & the salt & pepper. Toss the ingredients to coat evenly & spread in a single layer. Roast the tomatoes until they're shriveled with brown spots, about 35 to 45 minutes.

In a large pot, heat the butter & the remaining 1 TBSP olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic & onion & saute until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes with their juice, the broth, the thyme & the roasted tomatoes, including any liquid on the baking sheet. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat & simmer, partially covered, for 40 minutes.

Using a food processor or blender, puree the soup until it's smooth. Return it to the pot & stir in the cream. Without letting the soup boil, warm it over medium heat, stirring often, until steaming. Add salt & pepper, if necessary. 

Makes about 10 cups. 


I don't like tomato soup of any kind - I know, shocking - but my family loved it. I think they were surprised when they first tried it. They were expecting it to taste like canned soup. This isn't Campbell's Soup, people!

No-Bake Cookies

Hello all, I hope you had a great weekend! We were busy busy - just a few days left until our County Fair, & all the things that go with it! Michael & I spent most of the weekend baking. I am entering on my own for the very first time - foods & photography. Next year, I think I will skip the foods & just enter photography. Sooo much easier ... just pick out some photos in the category ... order prints ... mount onto poster board .. VOILA! Fair Entry. Unlike foods, which you have to bake, cook, decorate, or can. I ended up making 4 foods with Michael, & just 2 for me. Which is fine ... he is more important as he is the one in 4H. But maybe next year I'll take the Monday before off. Which is tomorrow. Which I didn't take off. 

Last year we were just getting home from Disney World. Talk about stress, lol! Michael & I baked cookies before we left & froze them. That is a good plan if you have no other choice, but if I'm going to be judged on a food item I really want it to be fresh. We'll see what next year brings. 

Anyway, I wanted to share a recipe that is PERFECT for summer - because you don't need to turn on the oven. I wish I could remember where I got this recipe but it was handwritten, so it was a loooong time ago LOL. I don't hand write anything anymore! So here ya go:

NO-BAKE COOKIES

2 cups sugar
1 stick butter
3 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups old fashioned oats (not instant)

Mix the sugar, butter, cocoa & milk in a medium saucepan. Boil for 1 minute. Add the peanut butter & vanilla. Mix quickly until peanut butter melts, then add the oatmeal & mix until blended. Drop spoonfuls onto tin foil, wax or parchment paper. Allow to set & cool completely. Makes 2 dozen 3 inch cookies. 

See? Not only perfect for summer because there is no stove heat, but also a perfect recipe for a young one to make, say for a 4h project? 

(BTW, if anyone can guide me as to how to make recipes printable, I would really appreciate it. I can't figure it out. I'll send you cookies! Well, virtual cookies .....)

We made a few other goodies that I will share with you soon, hopefully my computer will speed up by that time. I upgraded a couple of weeks ago & it's been SO slow. I'm so glad I'm paying MORE per month now, to have HALF the speed I had before. Doesn't the internet know I have things to do? They should have special speedy-as-lightning service JUST for busy moms!

Have a super week! 

Rhubarb!

Lots & lots of rhubarb! A few weeks ago I posted a picture of my rhubarb that was just starting to come up:

We've been super busy the last few weeks, & not home much. We barely had time to eat, much less check the garden (the rest of which is still bare). Here's what I found when I went out last weekend:

Yep, that rhubarb grows FAST lol - you gotta be quick!

So I picked as much as I could carry back to the house with me, because of course I didn't bring anything to carry it IN. 

I quickly looked through my rhubarb recipes & decided to just make some compote. My grandma used to make this & my boys LOVE it. It takes very little time, & I happened to have a whole bunch of strawberries sitting in my freezer. 

You simply cut up all the rhubarb (I tripled the recipe, if you are thinking it looks like a LOT lol)

Add strawberries, sugar, water & lemon peel. 

Cook over medium heat until it boils, then reduce to low heat.

When it's done, add vanilla & VOILA - a yummy side dish that the kids will love! Mine is all gone & I just made it on Saturday. My older son is in track - & when he comes home from practice or meets he is generally not very hungry. This is the perfect something for him to have. It didn't get quite as thick this time around as it usually does, I think because the strawberries were a bit iced. Taking that into consideration, I did use a bit less water but I think I should have used a LOT less water. BUT - it was still good. Did I mention it is GONE?!

STRAWBERRY RHUBARB COMPOTE

2 cups rhubarb, cut into 1/2" pieces
2 cups strawberries, halved
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
2 tsp finely grated lemon peel
1 tsp vanilla extract

Place rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, water & lemon peel into pot. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil; reduce heat to low. Cook 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rhubarb is fork tender. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla. Refrigerate. May or may not last longer than 2 days :)

Mandarin Orange Cake

So I was chatting with a co-worker recently about desserts - one of our favorite topics - & we started talking about orange cake. I told her I had some orange frosting & was looking for an orange cake mix. She told me she was also looking for an orange cake mix for her Mandarin Orange Cake that she used to make all the time, until it became impossible to find the mix. Oooooo.... that sounds better than what I was going to make. So that day after work I went to a higher-end grocery store, since the usual Walmart & Target didn't carry it. And VOILA! I found it! But you do NOT want to know what I paid for it! 

Anyway, she gave me her recipe - I made it - um .... GONE in 2 days! So..... I am sharing with you..... if you are able to find the Duncan Hines orange cake mix (or any orange cake mix, but I don't know anyone else who makes it), then you must try this!

MANDARIN ORANGE CAKE

1 box orange cake mix
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 (11 oz) can mandarin orange segments with juice
1 (8 oz) container Cool Whip
1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple with juice
1 (3.5 oz) pkg Instant Vanilla pudding mix

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease & flour a 9"x13" pan. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, oil & mandarin oranges with the juice. Beat until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until it passes the toothpick test. Allow to cool.
To make topping: In a large bowl, beat Cool Whip, pineapple with the juice & the dry pudding mix until blended. Spread on cake. 


That's it! Sooooo good when it's cold! A perfect summer dessert ~ thanks for sharing, Kim :)

Easter Carrot Cake

I hope you all had a fabulous Easter!! We sure did -- any excuse to get together & eat!!  

As usual, I brought dessert. This time it was Carrot Cake. I'd never made a Carrot Cake before - but found a great recipe stuffed in my recipe box. Of course, I didn't know it was great until I made it & everyone ooh'd & aah'd - whew! Got lucky :)

I am not a fan of Carrot Cake AT ALL. No veggies in my dessert, thankyouverymuch! But - the other 8 people did love it, so I'm sharing with you. Because I appear to be in the minority - Carrot Cake is GOOD & I have no idea what I'm talking about. 

CARROT CAKE

3 cups shredded carrots

1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple, well-drained

2 cups sugar

1 cup oil

4 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp ground cinnamon

FROSTING

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 3/4 cups confectioners sugar

In a large bowl, beat the first 5 ingredients until well blended. In another bowl, mix the flour, baking soda & cinnamon; gradually beat into carrot mixture. Transfer mixture to a greased 9"x13" baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. 

For frosting, in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter & vanilla until blended. Gradually beat in confectioners sugar until smooth. Spread over cake. Cover & refrigerate leftovers.

Super easy! I have no idea where I got this recipe from - I know it was pre-Pinterest so it wasn't there (where I get most of my recipes from these days). But I'm glad I did save it - this one's a keeper! 

I sure hope it's warm where you are -- here in SE Wisconsin, we are very patiently waiting for spring. It's coming .... soon ..... right around the corner .....

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Graham cracker pralines

And so a new year begins!

My resolutions this year ~ to improve our financial situation & to get ORGANIZED. I spent last weekend cleaning carpets & organizing the chaos that is our house. 3 big boxes are ready to go to Goodwill ~ & that is just the beginning! 

I came across these photos as I was going through my Christmas photos (the organizing resolution applies to my photos as well! I'm a bit behind on ordering prints, & getting the pictures I do have into albums. This is why I'm not a scrapbooker!)

In case it's not quite clear what my kids are doing, let me help you out. They are roasting mini marshmallows over a candle. I am a proud mom :)

I power baked the weekend before Christmas. I was a bit worried, starting so late, but I got quite a few cookies made. I found a great new recipe that was a total hit & SUPER EASY, so I thought I'd share.

GRAHAM CRACKER PRALINES

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup chopped pecans

graham crackers

Preheat over to 350. Line the bottom of a cookie sheet that has sides with graham crackers. You might need to cut a few to make them fit. (I used a medium pan - the size that isn't quite the jelly roll pan). Melt the butter in a small pan, & add the brown sugar & pecans. Bring to a boil, then boil for 2 minutes. Pour the mixture over the graham crackers, spreading evenly with a knife. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven & allow them to sit for a few minutes before cutting them into squares. Cool completely before removing from cookie sheet.

Seriously, I brought some to work & had 3 people ask me for the recipe. They couldn't believe they were so easy. So .... you're welcome :)

Pudding Cookies

Hello all, happy Heat Wave!! Seriously, if I wanted triple digits I'd move to Arizona!

So we did nothing for the 4th yesterday. It was TOO. HOT. We sat inside & played games, I did a bit of laundry, & I made a batch of cookies with Michael. What? You don't like baking when it's 105 degrees outside? Yeah, well -- as I may have mentioned Michael is entering "baked goods" into the County Fair for 4H, & since we get back late the night before he is judged, we are baking ahead of time & freezing. 

I also know me, & I know I will never remember to post this recipe unless I do it now. Yes, I should probably be packing & getting ready for our trip. But -- cookies are a priority :)


Pudding Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 small pkg chocolate instant pudding
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups flour
1 pkg (6 squares) white chocolate (I didn't have squares so I used     white chocolate chips)


Heat over to 350 degrees. Beat butter & sugar in large bowl until light & fluffy. Add dry pudding mix; beat until well blended. Add eggs & baking soda; mix well. Gradually beat in flour until well blended. Stir in chocolate. Drop tablespoons of dough, 2 inches apart, onto baking sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned. Cool 1 min on baking sheets; remove to wire racks. Cool completely.

                                                                 *****************

So super easy it's a great cookie for the kids to make. My son LOVED the smell while making them .... SO chocolatey. They are really yummy & I'm optimistic that he will receive a blue ribbon for them :)


So Sunday is D-Day (Disney Day!) -- I'm super excited, yet a bit anxious. I have a ton to do, plus I'm not looking forward to the flying part. I keep telling myself 3 hours in the air is way better than 20 hours in the car -- but I really don't like flying. I will be brave, since my kids will be with me & it probably wouldn't be good if I started to cry like I did the *first* time I flew!

A slice of apple heaven

Hello everyone! I told you I would share the recipe for the yummy dessert I made for Easter so here it is!! 

I've always shied away from any apple dessert because the thought of PEELING a ton of apples just gave me the shivers. But....I found this FANTASTIC peeler on Amazon ..... Best. Invention. EVER!! 

It only peels, it doesn't core or slice, & I am good with that. I don't mind the cutting part at all. If you'd like one for your very own, click HERE. 

It's extra cool because it's clear so the kids might like helping you peel all those apples :)

I peeled 14 apples in less than 5 minutes. It doesn't matter if they aren't perfectly round -- the blade moves with the apple. 

I love how in one fell swoop you get this.......(you can see Michael was MORE THAN THRILLED to help me get a picture of this, lol. He thinks I'm nuts)

So here is the recipe. It's not one of my usual easy peasy recipes -- you'll have to work a bit for this one. My grandma used to make it all the time but she's not able to anymore. Everyone else who's made it, has made it ONCE, lol. 

SLAB APPLE CAKE

3 c. flour

1/2 tsp. salt

3 tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1 c. soft shortening

2 egg yolks

8 tbsp. water

Apple filling*

Powdered glaze**

Mix dry ingredients until well blended. Cut shortening into flour mixture. In separate bowl, mix egg yolks and water. Add to flour mixture. Mix well until dough forms a ball. Separate into two balls. Roll out 1 ball to cover jelly roll pan. Place on pan for bottom crust.

*APPLE FILLING:

14-16 med. tart apples

2 tbsp. flour

1 1/2 to 2 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

2 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. lemon juice

Cut, pare, quarter and core apples. Cut into uniform slices, arrange on bottom crust. Blend flour with sugar, sprinkle apples with flour and sugar mixture and cinnamon. Dot with butter and lemon juice. Roll out second dough for top crust and place over the fruit. Pinch edges together. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Cool and frost with powdered sugar glaze.

**POWDERED SUGAR GLAZE:

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. soft butter

4 tsp. warm water

Now let me share with you my little glitches & some tips:


First, you'll notice there is no pan size. I wanted to surprise my mom with this dessert, as it's her favorite & I'm sure she thought she'd never ever have it again, lol. So I didn't want to tell her I was making it -- meaning I couldn't ask her or my grandma any questions. So I used my largest jelly roll pan, which is I think 11x17. I remember my grandma saying something about always making extra dough because it was never quite enough. So -- using this pan, I made another 1/2 batch of dough. I'm guessing if I'd used a slightly smaller jelly roll pan, the amount of dough the recipe makes would be enough, but then I would use less apples. Even with a batch & half, I felt like I was really stretching the dough. 


For the top sheet of dough, you will not be able to just roll it out & set it on top. I pieced mine together with about 5 or 6 pieces. Which is ok, because openings on the top layer of crust is a must. It's like a pie -- steam needs to escape. 


Lastly, you MUST MUST MUST pinch the two layers of dough together. You can NOT randomly pinch here & there, you MUST pinch all the way around. Do you know what will happen otherwise? All the sugar & cinnamon will ooze out, making a huge, HARD WHEN IT COOLS, mess. Ask me how I know. Let's just say I had to figure out a way to get this very large sheet cake from one pan to another, for the sake of presentation. Nobody would have touched it if they'd seen what was oozing all around it. 

It turned out really well. I was nervous to try it but the minute that first bite  hit my mouth I remembered exactly what I love about this dessert. And yes, a nice size piece WAS missing when I brought it to my mom's for Easter. I had to taste-test it before letting anyone else eat it, lol.

I would love to know if you try this dessert. It looks like a cake but it tastes like a pie. It's delicious AND it freezes well. If you have any left to freeze :)

****  Click HERE to check out my blog candy post ****

Lemon Cheese Bars

I know, I KNOW!!! I'm posting way more recipes than cards these days. I'm sorry, I don't know what's come over me. Oh wait, yes I do .... PINTEREST!

So many gosh darn good ideas on that site -- & it's all neat & organized & SIMPLE. I *love* simple. 

Ok -- actually this recipe is NOT one I found on Pinterest -- I've had it a while. But who knows -- maybe it will find its way there somehow :)

Lemon Cheese Bars

1 package (18.75 oz) yellow cake mix

2 eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp lemon extract

In a bowl, combine the dry cake mix, one egg & oil until crumbly. Set aside 1 cup for topping. Press the remaining crumb mixture into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth; add the sugar, extract & remaining egg. Spread over crust. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate leftovers. 

******************

Another super easy recipe that turned out FANTASTIC!! They were gone pretty quickly :)

I went to a Pampered Chef party last night -- talk about good eats!! I bought a few gifts for myself :)  & I can't wait to get them. The unglazed stoneware is on sale this month so I had to get the large bar pan. I have all the other stoneware & *love* it. I bought a few other goodies as well -- can't wait to test them out. I think I'm going to have a catalog party myself in the next month or so --- if you are interested in ordering something -- please let me know. I still have to work out the details with my consultant, but I think all I would need is your email address so she can send you the info. I've had a party at my house in the past, & while they are great fun it seemed to be a lot of work for me -- plus the expense of the food -- so this time around I'm going the catalog party route :)

I hope you all are having a great weekend -- another super day for us here -- & they predict upper 30's & 40's for the coming week. Now THIS is how winter in Wisconsin should *always* be :)

Chocolate Chip Cake Mix Muffins

Hello all, & happy Sunday to you! I hope you've had a swell weekend. I *heart* Sundays :)  That is my day to stay home, clean & do laundry (ok, I definitely don't *heart* cleaning & laundry) but I usually get to spend some time in the kitchen which is fun for me. It used to be a chore, but now that I work I look forward to baking & cooking, especially when I'm trying new recipes. I used to spend hours browsing through cookbooks. Now I spend hours browsing an evil site called Pinterest. If you've heard of it -- you are probable as addicted as I am. If you haven't heard of it -- then go check it out so you can be as addicted informed as I am!

So here is one of the fabulous recipes I came across just a few days ago. We LOVE muffins around here, especially muffins involving chocolate chips. This recipe makes 18 muffins, & since I made these 4 hours ago, 6 of them have mysteriously vanished. 

Chocolate Chip Cake Mix Muffins

source: Bake Me More

• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 1 (4 serving) box instant vanilla pudding
• 3/4 cup water
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips (I used mini)

Preheat oven to 350. Line 2 muffin pans with paper cups, or spray. Combine all ingredients except for chocolate chips. Stir until moist, then fold in chips. Batter will be lumpy - don't overmix. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full & bake 23-29 minutes. Makes 18 muffins.

How easy is that? I made these while my kids were out in the snow, & when they came in they had these fresh out of the oven, plus some hot chocolate. Mmmmmmm....

I haven't been spending a whole lot of time in the craft room. When I do have extra time, it's usually in the kitchen --- or playing our new favorite game Ligretto with the boys --- or trying to get my house organized. I don't make New Years resolutions but I did decide this year is the Year of Organization. Thanks to Pinterest I have found some great blogs that are completely dedicated to organizing. Oh, the inspiration! I see a lot of trips to Goodwill in my future. If you are trying to get organized as well, I'd love to hear about it -- what your plan is, what you've done so far, & any tips & tricks you've learned :)

Have a super week!!! 

Pull Apart Bread aka Monkey Bread

Hello all! Happy Tuesday. So far... not a good week :(  A couple of rough days at work -- hopefully things will turn around or I may have to hit the bottle (Just kidding! I don't drink. Much).


I do have a card all ready for my Sundays with Crissy post, but alas.....my day is the 13th. A few more sleeps! Meanwhile, I wanted to share an oldie-but-goodie recipe with you -- for Monkey Bread! I made this for my monkeys this weekend & they loved it (Ok, my 13 year old MAY NOT like being called a monkey. Monkeys are babies. He's an ape, at least).

MONKEY BREAD

2 (7.5 oz) tubes refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

3 TBSP butter or margarine, melted

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup syrup

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 cup chopped nuts (I omitted the nuts)

Spray bundt pan with cooking spray. Combine the melted butter & & syrup in small bowl. In another bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon & nutmeg (& nuts if you are adding these). Pour half the syrup mixture in the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture on top. Lay the biscuits around the pan, overlapping the edges. Top with remaining syrup & brown sugar mixtures. Bake at 350 for approximately 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool for a few minutes, then invert onto a plate.

Made this Saturday morning, it is Tuesday & it is GONE. Such an easy treat that the monkeys themselves can help with :)


See you back here on Friday for my Sundays with Crissy card! Have a super week!

Chocolate Cream Pie

Happy after-Christmas to you! Hope everyone had a fabulous holiday! Ours was very low-key. Small family = no chaos. It went by too quickly, though -- I only had off yesterday & it was TOUGH getting up this morning while everyone else was snoozing away!

I just HAD to share another recipe with you -- I know, I know -- I'm spending WAY more time in the kitchen lately than in the craft room. I go in spurts. I really do love to bake -- much more than cook -- probably because I *choose* to bake, but I *have* to cook. And when I'm cooking dinner I'm usually really rushed & I hate that.

My wonderful mom had both Christmas Eve & Christmas Day at her house, & all I had to bring was dessert. I made 2 pies, including my very first *real* (meaning not out of a can or box, actually cooked on the stove!) chocolate cream pie. It turned out AWESOME!

CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE

1- 2/3 cup water
4 TBSP cornstarch
6 TBSP baking cocoa
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
3 egg yolks, beaten
2 TBSP butter
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of cinnamon
1 baked pie crust
Whipped cream

Mix water, cornstarch & baking cocoa until smooth. Stir in condensed milk & egg yolks. Cook until thick in saucepan. Stir in butter & vanilla. Cool slightly, whisking constantly. Pour into baked pie crust; chill. Add whipped cream.

SOOOO easy but a couple of notes. First -- make sure you are whisking the entire time the filling is cooking AND while it's cooling. Whisk whisk whisk. Do not stop whisking. It is key to keeping the filling smooth & unlumpy. Second -- when you put it in the fridge, put saran wrap tightly over the filling. Don't worry, it won't stick. This is a must or else it will get rubbery. Third -- what pie isn't better with a homemade pie crust? I use the Pillsbury refrigerated crusts - I haven't tried my own yet because I'm usually making the pie for others, & I would really hate for the pie crust to completely SUCK. So I really need to make a pie just for us & try to make my own.

I can't even tell you how good this is. And you know what else is good? BREAD!! Guess what I got from my mom for Christmas -- a bread machine!! I've wanted one for a while & just couldn't decide which one I wanted, so my mom decided for me! It's not top-of-the-line, but it's perfect for someone who has never ever used one. I made my first loaf yesterday -- just basic white bread -- & it turned out fantastic. I will be doing lots of 'sperimenting in the near future. If you have any good bread machine recipes, let me know!

You'll be happy to know that I haven't had time to go through all my Xmas photos, lol -- so no pics of cats or kids -- just food today :) I will be glad when the holidays are over & we can all get back into our routine. Kids in school, husband at work, & hopefully me in my craft room at some point!

Cap'n Crunch French Toast

Hello all, & Merry almost-Christmas!! I am DONE with everything & feeling quite proud. At the beginning of the week I hadn't finished shopping, I hadn't wrapped one present & had done no baking. Now I'm done shopping, everything is wrapped, baked a few cookies (alas, not as many as I wanted), made many batches of brownies for various potlucks, went out to dinner with some family that was in town, & tonight I had a power session in the kitchen. I made 2 pies, a pumpkin banana bread, a huge batch of Puppy Chow. All this between working, & I gotta tell ya I was NOT feeling 100% this week. Not down & out -- but not quite up to par. I only get one day off for Christmas - Monday. My husband has been off of work since the 15th. He is off for the rest of the year. In his time off so far, he changed our shower head & picked up his prescription. I'm ok with that. Not feeling at ALL like he could have helped out a bit with preparations......nope, not at all.


Anyway, in between baking tonight I made my kids a fun little dinner. I *love* the show Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives on Food Network. In one episode, Guy visited a little diner in Baltimore named Blue Moon Cafe. One of their creations is Cap'n Crunch French Toast. I knew I had to try it -- so I visited my friend Google & found a few variations of the recipe. I am sharing the one I tried -- it was definitely a hit! (I noticed after posting the picture that there is a container of sour cream that squeezed its way into the picture -- makes it look like I used it for this recipe but NO I did not LOL)

Cap'n Crunch French Toast - Blue Moon Cafe

3 eggs

2 1/2 T sugar

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup milk

1/2 t vanilla

1/4 t cinnamon

1/4 t nutmeg

Cap'n Crunch cereal, crushed

bread (I used Texas Toast)

Beat the eggs & sugar until smooth. Pour in the cream, milk, vanilla, cinnamon & nutmeg; whisk until smooth. Pour the crushed cereal into a shallow dish. Dip the bread into the egg mixture, then press into the cereal until coated on both sides. Cook on a hot skillet.

I served butter & syrup, but whipped cream & berries would be soooo good -- that's how they served it on the show. Will have to try that next time -- syrup was quicker & I was in a hurry, lol.

We are spending both Christmas Eve & Christmas Day at my mom's -- works for me since I only have to bring dessert! I am looking forward to relaxing & enjoying the holiday after all the hustly bustly trying to get ready for it. I hope that you all have a very Merry Christmas & that you get lots of goodies from Santa. I'm getting a bread machine & I can NOT wait to use it!! I know what I'll be doing December 26th :)

Strawberry Zucchini Bread

It's that time of year again --- too much zucchini on our hands! Time to prowl around for new recipes. I found this one a couple of week ago & made some over the weekend -- it was a HUGE hit, I highly recommend it!



STRAWBERRY ZUCCHINI BREAD

2 cups shredded zucchini
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 TBSP ground cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
3 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups white sugar
1 pound fresh strawberries, cut into 1 inch pieces

Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl combine flower, salt, baking powder, baking soda & cinnamon. In a large bowl beat together eggs, oil, vanilla & sugar. Fold in shredded zucchini. Add dry ingredients & mix well. Gently fold in strawberries. Transfer to pan (I used mini loaf pans). Bake 45-50 minutes. Cool 15 minutes in pan before removing.


I prefer to use the Pampered Chef mini loaf pans -- love love LOVE all their stoneware. I love to freeze the mini loaves & give them as gifts - I always wrap mine in 2 sheets of foil, then place them in a freezer bag. Can't even tell they'd been frozen :)

Let me know if you try this recipe. And if you have a bread recipe -- or any recipe for that matter -- feel free to share. I'm always looking for new ideas!

Are you sick of zucchini yet?

Well we are! About a month ago a co-worker gave me a HUGE zucchini to make bread with, because mine were still eeny weeny. Well, now we've got an obscene amount. And they're all HUGE! One day I go out & they're not ready to pick, the very next day they have tripled in size! So all I can do is shred them & come up with interesting things to make with them. I've made zucchini chocolate bread, zucchini pineapple bread, zucchini banana bread --- & in my batch of "grandma recipes", I found this --



ZUCCHINI PEACH JELLY/JAM

6 cups shredded peeled zucchini
6 cups sugar
2 T lemon juice
1 can crushed pineapple with juice
2 pkgs peach Jello

In a large pan, combine zucchini, sugar, lemon juice & pineapple with juice; bring to a boil. Cook, stirring often, at a full boil for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in Jello. Spoon into clean jelly jars. Cover & cool, store in fridge.

So easy & apparently, really good. I'm not a fan of zucchini (go figure) but my son & the co-workers I've shared with really like it. I left the shreds of zucchini in, but of course to make it jelly you would strain it out. I'm going to make zucchini strawberry jam next because I also have a ton of strawberries! I've also found a recipe for zucchini strawberry cake, so I'll give that one a go as well.

Let me know if you have any superb zucchini recipes! We love to try new things!

S'More muffins!

I apologize, peeps -- busy busy busy & I have been a blog neglecter! The last week of school was really busy, but now baseball is in full swing & I just finally finished planting my flowers today & there is just not enough time for everything! That's my motto -- NOT ENOUGH TIME!

So today I have a yummy recipe -- I bought one of those JUMBO muffin tins & the first recipe I tried was one for S'More muffins -- what a great summer treat!



Warning -- these are just as messy as real S'Mores!! LOL


S'MORE JUMBO MUFFINS

1-1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1-1/2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1-1/4 cup mini marshmallows, divided

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Combine egg, buttermilk & oil; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in chocolate chips & 1 cup marshmallows. Fill greased JUMBO muffin cups 3/4 full. Sprinkle with remaining marshmallows. Bake at 375 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.


Ok well I had a teensy more batter so I just shoved it into the 6 cups --- resulting in even JUMBO-ER muffins. You can't really get how big they are from the pic, but they are big & they are GOOD. Well, OF COURSE I had to taste one -- can't give my kids something that may not be good :)


So summer vacation officially starts tomorrow. My son is officially a middle schooler. Yikes, not sure I am ready for that. Middle school is a WHOLE different world. He will need to catch the bus at 6:45 which is just rude. Ahhhh....thank goodness for a couple of months of relaxing summer to get us ready for that crazy schedule! Even though *I* no longer get a summer vacation ***sniffle***


As you can see Elwood is *thrilled* to have the boys home all day -- Matthew left a shirt or something on the floor of his room & Elwood promptly went over & parked his orange furry behind on it :)



Ahhhhh......summer......