Lemon Zucchini Bread

A wonderful moist lemon zucchini bread that is so easy to make!  Original recipe is found here, I made few changes, mainly replacing the sweetened lemon yogurt with regular plain yoghurt instead.

Makes 2 loaves

Ingredients

3/4 cup canola or vegetable oil

1 cup Greek Yogurt, plain

2 Tbsp lemon juice

3 eggs

2 cups sugar

3 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

2 tsp lemon zest

1 tsp salt

2 cups grated zucchini, about 1 1/2 medium zucchini

1 tsp vanilla extract

Lemon Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

1-2 Tbsp lemon

2 Tbsp lemon zest

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat two 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" bread pans with baking spray.

In a large bowl, cream together oil, Greek yogurt, lemon juice and sugar. Once combined, add in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt. Add in lemon zest, and stir together. Add dry ingredients into wet ingredients, and mix just until combined.

Add in zucchini and vanilla extract, and stir.

Once combined, divide batter evenly between the two bread pans.

Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Allow to cool at least 10-20 minutes before removing from the pan and placing on a cooling rack.

To make the glaze, Mix lemon juice and powdered sugar together until well combined. With the bread on the cooling rack, pour glaze over the bread. Sprinkle zest over the top of the glaze.

Enjoy!

Tangerine Almond Cake

It been so long since I've updated my blog... so, my New Year's resolution is to share more in  2019.

This is a perfectly easy little cake that is easy to make and tastes so yummy.  The only thing that takes a while is to simmer the tangerines to soften them and reduce the bitterness. This gives it an intense orange flavor and a wonderful moistness too.

Here it is below with some fresh raspberries, but honestly, you don't need them.  Serve with coffee, or with champagne which is what we did today.

I use the Costco almond flour which is so nice and fine. 

Serves about 12-16
Ingredients

6 small seedless tangerines, washed

6 eggs

1 1/4 cup sugar

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

3 cups almond meal. finely ground
1 tsp Grand Marnier (optional)

Place the tangerines in a pot filled with cold water to cover them. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat & set your timer for 25 minutes. Drain off the oranges & refresh your water, setting your timer & repeating the process two more times.

Set your oranges aside to cool.

Preheat your oven 350°F. Spray a 9 inch spring form cake tin, or tart tin with non-stick spray. Roughly chop your oranges removing the white pith in the center (the "core" of your orange) as this may make your cake bitter, as well as any seeds. Blend in a food processor until a fine puree & measure out 1 1/4 cups of the orange puree.

In an electric mixer, beat your eggs until light & creamy then gradually add your sugar & baking powder and Grand Marnier (if using). Continue to beat until thick & pale in color. Gently fold in your almond meal & the orange puree with a metal spoon until well combined.

Pour mixture into prepared tin. Bake for 50 mins or until cake tested clean.

If you have any extra batter that doesn't fit into your pan, use a couple small dishes to bake them extras into small tarts or cup cakes.

It didn't overflow, but I was worried about it.  Always use a baking tray underneath, "just in case".

We had a nice time at brunch today, and this was just one delicious item on the table.

Elvis Presley Pineapple Sheet Cake

I know now why Elvis is dead.
If this is his favorite cake, then I know he ate entirely too much sugar!  LOL, it is a delicious cake though, and very, very easy to make. 

I was very intrigued when I saw this recipe online, but I was expecting that an Elvis cake would be peanut butter, banana and bacon. I mean, I always heard that was his favorite sandwich?  Obviously Elvis needed the help of a good dietitian.

This is a great recipe to bring to a pot luck, it travels well and it is very moist and yummy.
My advice?  Don't eat cake like this every day...

Note- (This makes a LOT of frosting, you could halve the recipe...)

Serves a bunch

Ingredients

1 package (18.25 ounce) yellow cake mix- prepared per the box

1 can (8 ounce) crushed pineapple, with juice

1 2/3 cup white sugar

1 package (8 ounce) cream cheese

1⁄2 cup butter, softened

4 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

Prepare cake according to instructions on the package. Bake in a 9 x 13 inch pan. Allow to cool.

Combine pineapple and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Spoon over cooled cake.

In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Add vanilla extract and pecans and mix well.

Spread cream cheese frosting over the cake.

Here's the cooled cake with the pineapple syrup poured over.

I used all of this frosting, but it was thick!  It would be just as good with half as much frosting.

Cooking Light Fudgy Chocolate Skillet Cookie

Fudgy delicious goodness baked quickly and easily in one bowl and a fry pan!  This was in Cooking Light a number of years ago, and I finally got around to making it.  I have a very hard time believing this is really a "light" recipe (here's the original recipe here).

A couple of the original reviewers said this cookie was dry, but in my experience this was a luscious, moist brownie like cookie wedge.  I had to let it cool thoroughly as it was too fudgy to serve.  I do think this would be great scooped hot into a dish and topped with vanilla ice cream.

I sent most of these to work with my hubby to give to one of the housekeeping guys at work who we love.  The norm is to leave the treat on the office kitchen counter with his name on it, and he always gets it (and appreciates it).  However, yesterday somebody took liberties with the cute Halloween container and ate about 2/3 of the cookies.  I guess they thought they were up for grabs, but someone was powerfully disappointed. Luckily these are easy to make, so I need to whomp one up for him to replace the pilfered treats.  Now these two guys have a system to stealthily communicate that the treats are hidden in the back of the fridge, LOL, I love their strategy... "the eagle has landed, i repeat, the eagle has landed"

Makes about 16 wedges
Ingredients

1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted

3 Tbsp canola oil

2 Tbsp butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips, to mix in seperately

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine semisweet chocolate, canola oil, and butter in a bowl. Microwave at HIGH 45 seconds, stirring occasionally. Stir in brown sugar, granulated sugar, and egg. Stir in flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Stir in chopped milk chocolate. Scrape into a 10-inch cast-iron skillet. Bake at 350° for 19 minutes.

It looks pretty doughy and soft here, but I let it cool completely and then cut into wedges.  

Chocolate Stuff

I can't really explain it, part pudding, part brownie, part cake and all gluten free too.  
And yum, chewy chocolaty goodness.

A co-worker brought this in for my birthday, and the whole gang loved it.  I've been meaning to blog it forever.  I actually think this would be a great summer dessert as the chocolate cake ("stuff") is chilled before serving.

Serves 6-8
Ingredients

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour an 8” square pan.

1 Bar (4 oz) of Baker German Chocolate (48% cacao/sweetened-green packaging)

1 cup Evaporated Milk

1/2 Cube Butter (1/4 cup)

1 tsp Vanilla

Dash of salt

2 eggs

3 Tbsp Cornstarch

1 ½  cups Sugar

Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler.  Beat the eggs, sugar, cornstarch and vanilla together.  Stir the milk with the butter and chocolate mixture.  Combine all ingredients and bake for 50 minutes, or until the top cracks.  It will feel a little like gel, but will firm as it cools. Chill and serve with whip cream, and sprinkles, if desired.

Enjoy!

Need some regular cooking or travel ideas?  "Like" my Facebook page

One Bowl Apple Torte

This is a simple, delicious, homey dessert that I completely had forgotten from our childhood! My sister made it when we were over for dinner one night, pulling a little scrap out of her recipe box, and put the recipe on the counter.  I picked it up to have a look and noted that it was written in another sister's handwriting. It was completely yummy and so easy to make.  I need to do this one again soon.

Love to my Mom and sisters as I think of this dessert tonight.

NOTE- In the pan shown, we doubled the recipe as its about a 11" square dish.

Mom's Apple Torte

Ingredients
Makes on 8x8 dish, serves 4-6

1 egg, well beaten
1 cup chopped apple* (peeled)
3/4 cup sugar
2 heaping Tbsp flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2-1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Mix altogether, pour into 8x8" greased pan and bake at 325 degrees for about 45 minutes.

*Note, adding more than 1 cup of apples will makes it thicker and more pie-like.

Serve warm with whipped cream, or ice cream.  Also is good cold.

Mixing it up, ready to go in few minutes.

Here it is ready to go into the oven

Out of the oven, cooling a bit before we dig in!

Orange Cornmeal Skillet Cake

This is a somewhat unusual cake with cornmeal, thyme and caramelized oranges and I really, really loved it.  Thyme might be a little different item to put into the cake, but it added a taste nuance that I enjoyed.  If you don't have any, or you're unsure you'd like, by all means, leave it out.

I made it for a family function, and we ended up going out for dinner and when we returned to the house, everyone was too full for dessert.  I cut the cake into wedges and sent it home with people.  I cut my piece into wedges and took it for my work breakfast, throwing it in the microwave to heat up a bit to enjoy with coffee. I was kind of amazed at how enjoyable it was.  Thick and dense, not too sweet with great flavors from the caramelized oranges, thyme and hints of vanilla.

I used King Arthur brand Gluten Free flour, Measure for Measure, which is by FAR the best GF flour I have ever used.  You can always use regular flour if you don't need GF.

Link to the original Better Home & Gardens recipe 

Makes one cake, serves 10-12
Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour (I used King Arthur's "measure for measure" GF flour)

1/2 cup cornmeal

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

4 eggs

1 cup whole milk

4 teaspoons orange zest

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

1 large orange, 2 small oranges or 3 tangerines, sliced 1/8-inch thick

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. For batter: In a medium bowl stir together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and 1 tsp. salt. In a large bowl beat the 3/4 cup butter with a mixer on medium to high for 30 seconds. 

Add granulated sugar. Beat 1 minute or until fluffy, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each until combined. Add milk, beating until just combined. Stir in the orange zest and the 2 tsp. vanilla; set aside.

Heat a 10 inch (what I used) or 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the 1/2 cup butter. Stir the butter around until melted and the bottom of skillet is coated. Whisk in the brown sugar, 11/2 tsp. vanilla, and 1/8 tsp. salt. Bring to boiling; boil 1 to 2 minutes or until thickened and caramelized.  

Stir in the thyme leaves. Remove from heat. Lay the orange slices in one even layer in the bottom of the skillet. 

Spoon batter over orange and butter mixture; spread evenly.

Put skillet on a baking sheet* and bake 45 to 50 minutes or until top is golden and knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in skillet 5 minutes. Invert onto a serving plate; transfer any fruit stuck in skillet to cake. Cool 20 minutes. Garnish with thyme sprigs.

*The butter mixture will most likely drip from the pan, this will avoid a big mess in the bottom of your oven.

Need some regular ideas?  "Like" my Facebook page