Zucchini Brownies

Recipe Source Taste of Home Magazine Oct. 2006

Now to be honest I've never used the frosting that they have for this recipe.  I just substitute it with a Texas fudge cake frosting that I have.  If anyone tries the frosting before I do let me know how they taste.  The brownie portion of it is really good and moist.  I wouldn't really classify this as a brownie either.  It has a more of a cake like texture to it but good none the less.  

Zucchini Brownies

5-18 Servings

Prep: 20 min. 

Bake: 35 min. + cooling

Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded zucchini

Frosting:
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup Jif ® Creamy Peanut Butter

Directions
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add
eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in
yogurt and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt;
gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in zucchini.

Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for
35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes
out clean.

For frosting, in a small saucepan, combine chocolate chips and peanut
butter. Cook and stir over low heat until smooth. Spread over warm
brownies. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Yield: about 1-1/2
dozen.

Cookie Dough Truffles

Recipe source Tasteofhome.com

I'm finding as I sort through my recipes I have a bigger 'dessert' folder then anything else.  Is that a bad thing?  That's slowly changing as I've had more of a desire as of late too find different meal ideas.  We were out of town this weekend and I found it so helpful to have all my recipes at my disposal.  When we go up to Clifton Dad hates to cook and hates to grocery shop.  Thankfully those two things are right up my alley.

My husband loves cookie dough ice cream and I always wondered how they could get away with putting in cookie dough that probably had raw cookie dough in it.  Well the answer to that is they don't add the eggs.  There is a magical thing called sweetened condensed milk that makes it possible.  I'm considering taking this cookie dough truffle recipe and putting the cookie dough bits into vanilla ice cream.

The only thing I suggest for this recipe is if you put the cookie dough balls in freezer they will be a little easier to handle when dipping.  Just make sure that your chocolate is not too warm when dipping or else you're chocolate will crack or you'll have these little wormy cookie pieces that ooze out.  More often than not if given a choice I'll dip my truffles in milk chocolate.  Try switching out the vanilla extract with almond...it will add a nice flavor.

Cookie Dough Truffles

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1-1/2 pounds dark chocolate candy coating, coarsely chopped

Directions

In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and
fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Gradually add flour, alternately with milk,
beating well after each addition. Stir in chocolate chips and
walnuts.

Shape into 1-in. balls; place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets.
Loosely cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until firm.

In a microwave, melt candy coating; stir until smooth. Dip balls in
coating; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper-lined baking
sheets. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes. If desired, remelt
remaining candy coating and drizzle over candies. Store in the
refrigerator. Yield: 5-1/2 dozen.  

White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

Recipe source allrecipes.com

This cheesecake is pictured in my blog heading. It works up really nice and has a good texture. I chose to try this cheesecake in particular because it allowed me to make my own raspberry sauce. You'll find a lot of the raspberry cheesecakes out there will just use preserves. I could imagine Danish dessert would also taste amazing swirled into this cheesecake. I just might have to try that at some point.

If you ever have the chance to try Fat Daddio's Cheesecake Pans I highly recommend them.  They have worked wonders for baking my cheesecakes evenly.  I bought a little 7 inch to fit in my pressure cooker.  Yah, did you know you can cook a cheesecake in a pressure cooker?  Pretty cool, right?!?!  Anyway, I love it so much much I got myself a 9 inch.  Don't worry I don't aimlessly spend money...I wait for my birthday money each year to buy them.  So, come this September I can get two small 4 or 5 inch pans so I can give little cheesecakes as gifts for birthdays.

White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

Prep Time: 1 Hour
Cook Time: 1 Hour
Ready In: 10 Hours
Servings: 16

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup chocolate cookie crumbs
3 tablespoons white sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 (10 ounce) package frozen raspberries
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water
2 cups white chocolate chips
1/2 cup half-and-half cream
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese,
softened
1/2 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a medium bowl, mix together cookie crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar, and melted butter. Press mixture into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.
2. In a saucepan, combine raspberries, 2 tablespoons sugar, cornstarch, and water. Bring to boil, and continue boiling 5 minutes, or until sauce is thick. Strain sauce through a mesh strainer to remove seeds.
3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). In a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, melt white chocolate chips with half-and-half, stirring occasionally until smooth.
4. In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Blend in vanilla and melted white chocolate. Pour half of batter over crust. Spoon 3 tablespoons raspberry sauce over batter. Pour remaining cheesecake batter into pan, and again spoon 3 tablespoons raspberry sauce over the top. Swirl batter with the tip of a knife to create a marbled effect.
5. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until filling is set. Cool, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 8 hours before removing from pan. Serve with remaining raspberry sauce.

Apple Pie Popcorn

Recipe from Julie M.

Photo by Bri L. 

Every time I want to quit this project I get a friendly nudge from people to continue.  This blog is just for good old fashioned recipes that I want to pass down to my kids.  So thank you to Kathryn for her comment and the nudge to keep me posting these recipes up here.  For Christmas this last year I went on a popcorn kick and made every kind of popcorn the mind could think of.  Popcorn in my mind is comfort food.  My husband was out on church business the other night and I found myself getting my air popper out at 9:00 at night popping myself some popcorn to keep me company.  And yes I sprayed it with olive oil and tossed it in salt.  Sounds gross but I like it!  TOTALLY against my rules for eating after 7:00.  My SIL gave me this recipe to try.  To be honest at first it was almost too rich for me.  But as the taste buds settled I was craving more and I ate so much I got a little sick but it was worth it at the time.  She also gave me a caramel corn recipe to accompany it and I will get that posted up here too.  You can cut down on the powdered sugar a little bit and it won't lose too much of the flavor.  You can half the recipe the first time you make it to see if you like it.  You really need a very sweet tooth for this candied popcorn.

Rule of thumb: a 1/2 cup of un-popped corn will produce about 12 cups of popped corn.

Apple Pie Popcorn

6 quarts of caramel corn (the crunchy kind, you can buy or make it)
24 oz white chocolate
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 Tbsp apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice

Stir powder sugar and spice together until fully blended.  Put 3 quarts of caramel corn into a large bowl, melt 12 oz of white chocolate in microwave until smooth stirring occasionally.  Pour onto caramel corn and mix well.  Then toss with 1/2 of the powder sugar mixture while chocolate is still wet.  Repeat with the other half of the ingredients.  Enjoy!!

Garlic Chicken Pizza

Recipe source allrecipes.com

I like the combination of ingredients of this pizza.  Instead of fresh tomatoes I like to use the sun-dried tomatoes.  I also use the Jay's Signature Pizza Crust.

Garlic Chicken Pizza

Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Ready In: 2 Hours 50 Minutes
Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/8 cups warm water (110 degrees F
/45 degrees C)
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
3 cups bread flour
2 tablespoons dry milk powder
2 teaspoons active dry yeast

2 tablespoons cornmeal
1 cup roasted garlic and parmesan
cheese sauce
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
10 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 grilled skinless, boneless chicken
breast, diced
1/4 red onion, sliced
1 tomato, cut into thin wedges
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced

DIRECTIONS:
1. Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select dough cycle; press Start.
2. Preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Sprinkle a large pizza pan with cornmeal. Roll or pat dough out on a lightly floured surface until it is the diameter of the pizza pan; place on pan.
3. Spread dough with sauce, then sprinkle with garlic. Cover with cheese. On top of the pizza, arrange chicken, green pepper, onion and tomato.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until dough is baked, cheese is melted and toppings are lightly browned.

Blender Wheat Pancakes

Recipe from Julie M.

My sister-in-law is the master at using her food storage.  I unfortunately don't have a wheat grinder yet.  I want one but it just hasn't been in the cards yet but here is a way that you can use your food storage wheat without a grinder.  I say this with caution...make sure your blender can handle this.  Dad'd blender is a Bosch and it works like a champ.  My blender...we'll just say my motor has never worked the same since then.  In it's defense it is 11 years old and on it's way out but it keeps limping along.  I add cinnamon to my pancakes and it reminds me of eating cinnamon graham crackers for breakfast.

Blender Wheat Pancakes

1 c. wheat kernels
1 c. milk
Blend on high speed for 2 minutes

2 eggs
2 Tbl Olive Oil
1/2 t. salt
2 Tbl. flaxseed
Blend until all combined.  Transfer to a mixing bowl.
Right before cooking add 1 Tbl of baking powder.

Cinnamon Oatmeal Pancake Mix

Photo by Bri L.

Recipe from Julie M.

I got this pancake mix from my sister-in-law from an extension class she was attending.  It's nice to be able to know exactly what is in the pancakes you are eating.  And I'm a sucker for cinnamon.  I store mine in a plastic container with an airtight lid and it keeps pretty well.  I also put a printed label of the ingredients on it you need to mix in.  It comes in handy so you don't have to constantly keep getting out your recipe book.  

Cinnamon Oatmeal Pancake Mix

4 c. quick cooking oats
2 c. flour
2 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. non-fat dry milk
3/4 c. sugar
2 TBsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. salt
5 TBsp baking powder
1/2 tsp. cream tartar
1 tsp. baking soda

Mixing Directions:

In medium bowl.  Beat 2 eggs.  Beat in 3 TBsp oil gradually.  Gradually sitr in 2 cups pancake mix and 1 cup water.  Drop by spoonfuls onto lightly greased skillet over medium-high heat.  When batter shows broken bubbles, turn pancakes over.  Cook about 2 to 3 minutes.