Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

2 cups grated zucchini
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 T vanilla
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking powder
2 T cocoa
2-2.5 cups flour
3 beaten eggs
1 cup oil
1 package chocolate chips
1/2 cup nuts (optional)

Mix together and bake at 350 for 50 mintutes. Makes 4 small loaf pans or 2 full size bread pans.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sorry there are no mixing instructions. This is one of those reecipes. I just mix it in the order given, but you could also mix wet and dry ingredients then combine.

[from Valerie]

Zucchini in a Skillet

I love Zucchini just fried in a skillet. I melt a couple of T of butter in the skillet. I dice the zucchini and toss it in there. I then drizzle a bit of olive oil over the top. I cook it over medium until it starts to turn golden brown. Then I sprinkle some dried parmesean cheese over it (I am sure fresh would be good, too). It melts. Stir it around and make sure there is parmesean as you want it. Then turn the heat off and eat it!


[from Valerie]

Fried Zucchini

We love to do oven "fried' zucchini. You dip zucchini slices in a beaten egg and then a mixture of bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper. Then bake. We love to dip them in ranch dressing. So good!


[from Mama2Henry]

ZUCCHINI PIZZA BITES

ok, last one I promise! I haven't tried this one yet, but thought it looked cute and a good way to get Caleb to eat zucchini (NOT his favorite veggie so far). I might have mentioned this before though.

ZUCCHINI PIZZA BITES

We made some Zucchini Pizza Bites today using our first zucchini from the garden. 

    

What You’ll Need:

• 1 medium zucchini
• pizza sauce
• fresh oregano (or dried)
• shredded mozzarella cheese
• shredded parmesan cheese
• pepperoni
• onions (optional)

What You’ll Do:

1. Preheat broiler; set rack in the middle.
2. Trim ends on zucchini and cut into diagonal slices.
3. Spread a teaspoon of sauce over each zucchini slice and sprinkle on some fresh chopped oregano.   Top each zucchini slice with cheeses.  Add pepperoni and onions, if desired.
4. Broil about 3 minutes or until cheese is melted.

My kids tolerate zucchini, it’s definitely not their favorite.  I on the other hand LOVE zucchini, so guess who planted lots of it in the garden this year? 

The verdict ~ add some sauce, cheese and pepperoni and the kids have decided that they like zucchini after all.  Do you have a favorite zucchini recipe

http://gironlife.blogspot.com/2010/07/zucchini-pizza-bites.html

[from improvingmama]

BAKED ZUCCHINI AND GROUND TURKEY

DH wasn't wild about this when I cooked it, but I liked it.  He's not a veggie eater and just wanted normal spaghetti :)

BAKED ZUCCHINI AND GROUND TURKEY *

INGREDIENTS
3 tbsp. oil
3 lbs. sliced zucchini
1/3 c. chopped onion
1 1/2 pkgs. Italian spaghetti sauce (dry)
1 3/4 c. water
1 tbsp. oil
1 (6 oz.) tomato paste
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
1/3 c. bread crumbs
1 (8 oz.) pkg. Mozzarella cheese
1 lb. ground beef (I used ground turkey)

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine first oil, zucchini, and onion and saute until tender. Put in 2 quart casserole dish.

2. Brown the beef. Add one package of sauce, water, tomato paste and 2 tablespoons oil. Heat to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Pour over zucchini.

3. Mix Parmesan and bread crumbs. Sprinkle over top and mix gently.

4. Top with Mozzarella. Bake to a golden brown at 350 degrees.

Serves 4-6.

(I was concerned Pen wouldn't eat this, so I cooked some spaghetti noodles too...of course he ate it with the noodles instead of the zucchini)

ZUCCHINI BREAD

This is the zucchini bread recipe I often use; I've also made it with whole wheat flour.

ZUCCHINI BREAD *****

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 1/4 cups white sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini


DIRECTIONS
1. Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
3. Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.
4. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.

[from Improvingmama]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Becca I have a similar regular bread recipe.

It has 1.5 cups sugar instead.

It has 3 T vanilla instead

It has 2.5 cups flour instead

It has 1/2 tsp baking poweder

It has only 2 tsp cinnamon

It has an additional 1 tsp nutmeg

[from Valerie]

stuffed crepes with roasted red pepper sauce

I love this idea. Any herbivores out there? I'm always looking for new vegetarian or vegan recipes.


Tonight we had stuffed crepes with roasted red pepper sauce.


Ingredients

8 crepes

Filling:

• 1 tbs olive oil
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 tomato, cored, seeded, and diced
• 1/4 tsp fennel seed, crushed
• 2 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into sixths and thinly sliced
• goat cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Sauce:

• 1 7 oz. jar roasted red peppers, well drained and patted dry
• 1/4 cup tomato sauce
• 1 minced garlic clove
• dash of cayenne
• salt

To make the filling:

1. saute the garlic and onion in the olive oil for 5 min.
2. add tomato and fennel, cook 1 min.
3. add zucchini, cook 10 more min.
4. season w/ salt and pepper to taste

To make the sauce:

1. combine all ingredients in blender and puree. Heat in a sauce pan.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees

Assemble the crepes:

lightly butter a baking dish

spoon in some of the zucchini mixture along the center of a crepe and top it with some goat cheese

roll the crepe to make a log and place it seam side down in the baking dish and repeat with all crepes.

lay a lightly buttered sheet of wax aper on the crepes, cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Serve with sauce.


Very yummy dish.



*This recipe comes from Main-Course Vegetarian Pleasures*

 
[from Maryea]

Bacon-Tomato Cheese Toast

Ingredients

•2 ripe tomato

•kosher salt

•8 strips bacon

•4 slices Texas toast or other thick sandwich bread

•3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

•3/4 cup grated part-skim mozzarella cheese

•3/4 cup mayonnaise

•5 scallions, finely chopped

•1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

•1/2 small zucchini, very thinly sliced

•Freshly ground pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Core the tomatoes and thinly slice. Place in a colander in the sink and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt; let drain for at least 15 minutes.



Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Pour off and reserve the drippings, leaving 1 tablespoon in the skillet; toast the bread on one side in the drippings until golden (do this in batches, adding more drippings as needed). Place the bread, toasted-side down, on a baking sheet.



Combine the cheeses with the mayonnaise, scallions and parsley in a bowl. Spread the cheese mixture on the toasts, reserving about 1/3 cup. Crumble the bacon on top. Shake any excess liquid from the tomatoes; distribute the zucchini and tomatoes among the toasts. Dot with the reserved cheese mixture and season with pepper. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve warm.



Per serving: Calories 680; Fat 55 g (Saturated 15 g); Cholesterol 65 mg; Sodium 1,181 mg; Carbohydrate 28 g; Fiber 2 g; Protein 19 g

[from Molly]

Autumn Soup

Autumn Soup

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 chopped onion

brown together and drain fat

Add six cups water and 3 beef bullion cubes

Add:

• crushed bay leaf
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• pinch oregano
• pinch basil
• 1 cup chpped celery
• 1 cup diced pototoes
• 1 cup zucchini
• 1 cup carrots
• 1 small can tomatoes
• Add a little worcestershire sauce

Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes or until veggies are soft


*spices are approximate--change to your liking. You can add more veggies, too.

[from Valerie]

Ginger Pork and Stir Fry Veggies ****

INGREDIENTS

1 (whole ) pork tenderloin, about 12-oz., thinly sliced

2 tablespoon(s) (grated peeled) fresh ginger

1 cup(s) (reduced-sodium) chicken broth

2 tablespoon(s) teriyaki sauce

2 teaspoon(s) cornstarch

2 teaspoon(s) canola oil (I use EVOO)

8 ounce(s) snow peas, strings removed, fresh or frozen

1 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise , in half and thinly sliced crosswise

3 onions, cut into 3-inch pieces



DIRECTIONS

1. Toss pork with ginger in a bowl. Mix broth, teriyaki sauce and cornstarch in a cup; set aside.



2. In a nonstick 12-inch skillet, warm 1 tsp. oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add snow peas, zucchini and green onions, and stir-fry until lightly browned and tender-crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer vegetables to large bowl.



3. In the same skillet, heat remaining 1 tsp. oil; add pork mixture and stir-fry until pork just loses its pink color, about 3 minutes. Transfer pork to bowl with vegetables.



4. Stir cornstarch mixture to blend; add to skillet and heat to boiling. Boil until sauce thickens slightly, about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Return pork and vegetables to skillet, stir to combine with sauce and heat through. Serve with brown rice, if you like.


[from improvingmama]

Veggie Cincinnati Chili

My DH used to be a complete vegetarian, so here was a veggie version of the chili Spaghetti:

PREP: 15 minutes COOK: 55 minutes

• 2 large onions, chopped
• 3 med. Zucchini, chopped small
• 3 large carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 large green pepper, diced
• 1 large red bell pepper, diced
• 4-6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (28 oz.) Peeled Tomatoes in Puree, chopped
• 8oz. can Tomato Sauce
• ¼ cup Chili Powder
• 2 tsp. Sugar
• 1 ½ tsp Cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• ¾ tsp Allspice
• 1 can red Kidney Beans, drained & rinsed
• 12 oz. Spaghetti, cooked & drained
• 8 tbs reduced fat Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• Oyster Crackers
• 4 Scallions, trimmed & sliced

*Cook onion over med. High heat for 5 minutes in large pot. Add ½ cup water, if needed to keep from sticking to pan. Add other veggies to pot and cook 5+ minutes, until veggies are softened.

*Add tomatoes, sauce and all spices. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil over high heat and reduce to heat to simmer for 30 minutes.

*Add beans and simmer an additional 15 minutes.

*Cook pasta. Drain.

*Serve Chili over cooked pasta. Garnish each serving with cheese, scallions and oyster crackers.

*8 Servings

346 calories 4 grams fat 10 grams fiber

[from doodiebug30]