zucchini bread

when a zucchini is staring you straight in the eyes, it's best to make a bread, you will not win that stare down. Dan's mom gave me two HUGE zucchinis from her neighbor's yard.  I used one to make these two loafs of bread.  I shredded the other one and froze the shreddings, I am hoping to break it out of the freezer at a later date, probably for a special occasion and bake something else.  Zucchini bread is really a lot like carrot cake, only we don't call it cake, even though it has all the same ingredients. Because it is a BREAD and not a CAKE it means you are allowed to eat it for breakfast.

This trial run, I did half whole wheat flour and half regular.  Although it makes for a healthier final product, it also made it slightly dry and a little more dense.  I'd recommend either doing one cup of whole wheat and two cups of regular or, better yet, use all white flour. 

ZUCCHINI BREAD  
Yield: 2 loaves or approximately 24 muffins

3 eggs
1 cup olive or vegetable oil (or a mix of the two, I used 3/4 veg and 1/4 olive)
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 cups grated zucchini
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
1 cup dried cranberries, raisins or chocolate chips or a combination (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease and flour two 8×4 inch loaf pans or line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the eggs. Mix in oil and sugar, then zucchini and vanilla.

Combine dry ingredients (flour, cinnamon,cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt, as well as nuts, chocolate chips and/or dried fruit) in a separate bowl.

Stir this into the egg mixture. Divide the batter into prepared pans.

Bake loaves for 60 minutes, plus or minus ten, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Muffins will bake more quickly, approximately 20 to 25 minutes.

trust your instincts.

especially if you are hanging out with bears. 

 Designed by Ashley G.

classic babycakes

B-day treats for Erin: babycakes with yellow cake and chocolate frosting.

 mmm chocolate.

naked babycakes.

rolled in sprinkles.

all dressed up and ready to go.

CHOCOLATE SOUR CREAM FROSTING


This recipe is adapted from The Dessert Bible

Makes 5 cups of frosting, or enough to frost about 90 babycakes (srsly.)
15 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 1/4 cups sour cream, at room temperature
1/4 to 1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place the chocolate in the top of a double-boiler. Stir until the chocolate is melted. You can also melt it in the microwave, just check every 30 seconds to prevent burning. Remove from heat and let chocolate cool until tepid.

Whisk together the sour cream (room temperature), 1/4 cup of the corn syrup and vanilla extract until combined. Add the tepid chocolate slowly and stir quickly until the mixture is uniform. Taste for sweetness, and add 1 tablespoon at a time, until it’s sweetened to your liking.

Let cool in the refrigerator until the frosting is a spreadable consistency. This should not take more than 30 minutes. Should the frosting become too thick or stiff, just leave it out until it softens again.

Serve it with a yellow cake.  It's a classic!

lemon + capers = chicken piccata

ever since my mom introduced me to this dish a few years ago, I have been obsessed.  I became even more obsessed when I discovered that it's pretty breezy to make.  it's just browning some chicken, squeezing some juice and making a little sauce out of the juice and capers. easy breezy. lemon and capers. pure enjoyment.

CHICKEN PICCATA

2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, butterflied and then cut in half
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour, for dredging
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup brined capers
1/3 cup fresh chopped parsley

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt half of the butter with half the olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes. When chicken is browned, flip and cook other side for 3 minutes. Remove and transfer to plate. Melt remaining butter and olive oil together. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add the other 2 pieces of chicken and brown both sides in same manner. Remove pan from heat and add chicken to the plate.

Into the pan add the lemon juice, stock and capers. Return to stove and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor. Check for seasoning. Return all the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove chicken to platter. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to sauce and whisk vigorously. Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley.

Serve with pasta, I usually toss the pasta with the remaining sauce from the chicken.

cuppy cake puppy love

sprinkle organization

cuppy loves in the making

cuppy loves on a cake platter.  pretty alex posing in the background.

the final batch, hearts of blue and green.

flowers and feathers

in the spirit of making things and then thinking about them, these are a couple little things i've made recently.

lily taught me this new flower technique. it's  more mod than the others and it's not trying so hard to look real. we saw a girl who made these and clipped them to a little pair of shiny heals. 

Last night Jean and Allison made all kinds of fancy feather barrettes and headbands.  they created some very cute hair pieces out of peacock feathers, polka dot feathers, jewels and pearls.  they were kind enough to share supplies with me. I made the bigger barrette from some of the peacock feathers and green polka dot feathers and the little on a bobby pin out of grey and yellow polka dot feathers.

this is my attempt at trying to fulfill lily's dream, making the perfect peony for her wedding.  it's still not quite there, but we're getting closer.

makes me want to make things

By Clifton Burt, from Jen Bekman's 20x200 cheap art project.

 

By Matt Jones, also found at 20x200