We garden and grow most of our own vegetables for the summer and usually get enough to make it well into winter. We usually get a bounty of fresh, organic veggies that are our favorites. The last two years we have had quite a bit of zucchini. Lots and lots of zucchini. We have found some very creative ways to use it up. One of our favorites is zucchini bread. The batter is so versatile that you can use it for bread, cake, muffins or pancakes. Once you have baked and cooled the bread, it makes a wonderful french toast.
Zucchini Bread
3 c. all purpose flour
1 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1 T. cinnamon
3 eggs
1/2 c. vegetable oil
3/4 c. applesauce
1 c. white sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1 T. vanilla
2 1/2 c. grated zucchini
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour two 8x4 inch loaf pans.
Sift flour, salt, soda, baking powder, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
In a separate bowl, beat eggs, oil, applesauce, vanilla, and sugar together. Add dry ingredients to wet mixture and beat well. Stir in zucchini until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake 45 to 60 minutes or until center is set and toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans for 15 minutes and the remove from pan.
Note: There are no preservatives in this bread. Keep it in the fridge or package into serving sizes and freeze.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Monday, July 15, 2013
Get your grill on!
With grilling season well upon us here I wanted to share a few of our family favorites and some safe grilling tips with you.
Tips :
1. Always have a spray bottle with water and a box of baking soda near by for flaming flare ups
2: Make sure your grill is on stable ground with good clearance to walk around it
3: Keep your clothing safe. No baggy shirts or apron strings that could get too close and catch fire
4: Never try to move a hot grill
5: Have a designated work space close enough to be convenient, but far enough away that you have free movement around the grill
6: Use flame retardant pot holders and mitts for grilling
We love to grill and will often cook a lot and freeze it up for later. Some of our favorites are:
Hawaiian Chicken
2 cups pineapple juice
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup teriyaki marinade
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
3 lbs chicken breast
Mix first 4 ingredients and reserve 1/2 cup. Put chicken in gallon sized zipper bag and add marinade. Seal bag and mix thoroughly. Marinade in your fridge for at least 4 hours, overnight is better. Grill your chicken 4 to 5 minutes each side or until internal temp is 165 degrees. Baste 2 times on each side with reserved marinade.
Grilled Summer Veggies
1 to 2 lbs summer squash cut lengthwise
1 to 2 lbs zucchini cut lengthwise
2 bell peppers sliced from top to bottom, seeded
1/3 cup olive oil
1 t salt
1/2 t cracked black pepper
Put all veggies in large mixing bowl. Add oil and seasoning. Mix well and put on grill for 5 to 10 minutes, turning once or until veggies yield under gentle pressure from your tongs.
We also grill many fruits during the summer. Grilled peaches and home made vanilla ice cream is a wonderful finish. If we are in the mood for something lighter we will grill fresh pineapple and pear slices. We let our grill do double duty by roasting bell peppers of many colors and jalapenos and other hot peppers for use in other recipes. Once the peppers are skinned and minced, we freeze them into ice cube trays and put in zipper freezer bags for later usage. My wife's favorite roasted pepper recipe is :
Roasted Red Pepper Straws
2/3 cup chopped roasted red pepper
1 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese
1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese
2 sheets puff pastry, thawed but chilled
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out one sheet of puff pastry to about 1/16th of an inch thick. Spread roasted peppers evenly and sprinkle with cheese. Roll out second pastry and use it to top the first. Gently press together and cut into 1 inch wide strips. Twist each strip and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Tips :
1. Always have a spray bottle with water and a box of baking soda near by for flaming flare ups
2: Make sure your grill is on stable ground with good clearance to walk around it
3: Keep your clothing safe. No baggy shirts or apron strings that could get too close and catch fire
4: Never try to move a hot grill
5: Have a designated work space close enough to be convenient, but far enough away that you have free movement around the grill
6: Use flame retardant pot holders and mitts for grilling
We love to grill and will often cook a lot and freeze it up for later. Some of our favorites are:
Hawaiian Chicken
2 cups pineapple juice
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup teriyaki marinade
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
3 lbs chicken breast
Mix first 4 ingredients and reserve 1/2 cup. Put chicken in gallon sized zipper bag and add marinade. Seal bag and mix thoroughly. Marinade in your fridge for at least 4 hours, overnight is better. Grill your chicken 4 to 5 minutes each side or until internal temp is 165 degrees. Baste 2 times on each side with reserved marinade.
Grilled Summer Veggies
1 to 2 lbs summer squash cut lengthwise
1 to 2 lbs zucchini cut lengthwise
2 bell peppers sliced from top to bottom, seeded
1/3 cup olive oil
1 t salt
1/2 t cracked black pepper
Put all veggies in large mixing bowl. Add oil and seasoning. Mix well and put on grill for 5 to 10 minutes, turning once or until veggies yield under gentle pressure from your tongs.
We also grill many fruits during the summer. Grilled peaches and home made vanilla ice cream is a wonderful finish. If we are in the mood for something lighter we will grill fresh pineapple and pear slices. We let our grill do double duty by roasting bell peppers of many colors and jalapenos and other hot peppers for use in other recipes. Once the peppers are skinned and minced, we freeze them into ice cube trays and put in zipper freezer bags for later usage. My wife's favorite roasted pepper recipe is :
Roasted Red Pepper Straws
2/3 cup chopped roasted red pepper
1 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese
1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese
2 sheets puff pastry, thawed but chilled
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out one sheet of puff pastry to about 1/16th of an inch thick. Spread roasted peppers evenly and sprinkle with cheese. Roll out second pastry and use it to top the first. Gently press together and cut into 1 inch wide strips. Twist each strip and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
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