Zucchini Bread

This year I've grown my first successful garden. Since I moved to the country I planned on planting extra because I thought I'd be in constant battle with the wildlife. So far, my garden has been untouched! Now I have abundant zucchini and squash. I've been eating it almost everyday on a pizza, fajitas, stir fry, on the grill, and I still have left overs. I've failed at making zucchini bread in the past, but I thought I'd try again, it's not like I don't have enough zucchini!

Ingredients:

3 cups shredded zucchini

3 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp allspice

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

3 eggs

1/4 cup plain yogurt

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1 cup vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla

Makes two loaves.

Recipe:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray and flour two loaf pans. Shred the zucchini and place in a towel to wring out the excess liquid. I left the skin on and used a food processor for shredding it. It was so much faster.

Whisk together the dry ingredients. Mix the wet ingredients in a separate bowl and add the shredded zucchini. Combine the two mixtures. Divide the batter between the two loaf pans and bake for 45-60 minutes until the bread is golden brown and a knife inserted comes out clean. 

Pancake and Veggie Sausage Muffins

I used to love eating pancake and sausage on a stick, but I haven't eaten them since becoming vegetarian. Thanks to the many varieties of soy products, I came up with this healthier version of the delicious pairing of pancake and sausage.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. flour
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1 1/4 c. milk
1 egg
3 Tbsp melted butter
Gimme Lean ground veggie sausage
Syrup
Olive oil for frying

Recipe:
The above pancake ingredients make awesome fluffy homemade pancakes if you're looking for a simple pancake recipe.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, and spray a muffin tin with cooking spray. Makes 12 muffins.

Roll out 12 balls of the veggie sausage. Fry balls in about one tablespoon of olive oil until browned.

Meanwhile, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a bowl. Whisk in the milk, egg, and melted butter making sure not to over-mix. Fill the muffin cups 2/3 full with the pancake batter.

Drop one "meat"ball into each muffin cup, and press down slightly so that the batter will cover the ball. Bake for approximately 15 minutes. Serve immediately and drizzle with syrup.

Almond Milk Biscuits

I didn't have any buttermilk so I improvised with my almond milk and added a small amount of vinegar to give these biscuits a buttermilk-like taste.

Ingredients:
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/3 c. butter, cubed
1/2 c. almond milk
1/4 c. plain Greek yogurt
1/2 tsp vinegar

Recipe:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Put the flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and butter in a food processor. Pulse until all the butter has been well incorporated. Slowly add the milk, yogurt, and vinegar while the processor is running on low. 

Turn out the mixture onto a lightly floured surface and knead until the mixture comes together. Flatten dough to 1/2 inch thick, and use a biscuit cutter or a round cookie cutter to form biscuits. Place the biscuits on the baking sheet and bake for approximately 20 minutes. Makes 10-12 biscuits.

Cheesy Jalapeno Artichoke Bread

I've posted a recipe for the artichoke bread a while back. This time I decided to make it spicy. The recipe is pretty much the same but with a few extra ingredients to add a kick!

Ingredients:
1/4 c. butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 c. Italian blend cheese
1/2 c. cheddar cheese
1/2 c. plain Greek yogurt
1 loaf French bread
2 Jalapenos
1 Tbsp. red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste

Recipe:
Melt the butter in a pan on the stovetop. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add artichokes, cheeses, yogurt, and spices. Stir to combine.

Set oven to broil. Slice the bread lengthwise and spoon mixture onto bread. Arrange jalapeno slices on top of mixture.

Broil 5-7 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Cinnamon Rolls

I've made these before and even had them on my blog, but I really wanted to feature them again. The cinnamon roll recipe is the same, but I did change up the frosting a little.

Ingredients:
Dough:
3/4 c. + 2 Tbsp warm water
2 Tbsp softened butter
2 1/2 c. flour
1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp yeast

Filling:
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp butter

Frosting:
6 oz. cream cheese
1/2 stick of butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Recipe:
I used a bread machine to prepare the dough. If you have a bread machine load it with the dough ingredients (in the order listed), set it on dough cycle, and let it work away for an hour and a half.

If you don't have a bread machine you have to knead it by hand, and let the dough rise for about and hour until it has doubled in size.

When the dough is finished, roll it out to a 9x13 in. rectangle. Mix together the sugar, cinnamon and butter. Spread the mixture evenly over the dough.

Then tightly roll up the side. Cut into one inch slices. Place in a 9x13 in. pan that is slightly greased, cover with plastic wrap, and set them aside to rise for an hour.

Remove plastic and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Frost them after they have cooled slightly.
(Makes about 12 rolls)

Cheesy Artichoke Bread

Ingredients:
1/4 c. butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 c. mozzarella cheese
1 c. Parmesan cheese
1/2 c. plain Greek yogurt
1 loaf French bread
salt and pepper to taste

Recipe:
Set oven to broil. Melt the butter in a pan on the stovetop. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add artichokes, cheeses, and yogurt. Stir to combine. Slice the bread lengthwise and spoon mixture onto bread.

Broil 4-7 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Cut the bread into equal pieces and serve warm. 

Honey Beer Bread

 Ingredients:
3 c. flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp honey
1 bottle (12 oz) beer
4 Tbsp butter, melted

Makes 1 loaf

I'm not a big fan of drinking beer, but I don't mind cooking with it. I've made beer cheese soup and this amazing bread. It is sweet, yet has the sour yeasty taste of beer.

I used Milwaukee's own Oktoberfest Lager brewed by Lakefront Brewery.

Recipe:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in beer and honey and mix until combined. Pour half of the melted butter in a bread pan. Spoon bread batter into pan, then pour the rest of the melted butter on top.

Bake 50-60 minutes, or until golden brown. Let it rest in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

I like to eat it while it's still warm.

Blueberry Cream Souffle

Here is another recipe from my anniversary brunch.

Ingredients:
1 pkg cream cheese
5 c. french bread, cubed
1 c. fresh blueberries
4 eggs
1 c. milk
1/4 c. maple syrup

Blueberry Syrup:
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. light corn syrup
1/2 c. blueberries
1/2 tsp vanilla
(makes 1 cup)

This recipe is halved so that I could make smaller portions and bake it in my souffle dishes. Double it to make in a large casserole dish.


Recipe:
Place the bread cubes and blueberries in a large bowl. Cut half of the cream cheese into small cubes and toss with the bread cubes and blueberries.  Spray the soufflé dishes, and over-fill with the bread mixture.

Soften the rest of the cream cheese in the microwave. Wisk together the cheese, eggs, milk, and syrup until well blended. Pour over the bread mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Before baking bring to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the syrup. In a saucepan on the stovetop, blend the sugar, corn syrup, and blueberries. Bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and add the vanilla.

Let the baked soufflés cool for a few minutes before serving, and top with blueberry syrup.

Spinach Cheese Strata

This year for our anniversary we stayed in and I made a fancy brunch. The menu included spinach and cheese strata, blueberry cream souffles, fresh pineapple, and peach bellinis. 

Ingredients:
1 tbsp butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 (10 oz) pkg frozen spinach, thawed and drained
4 c. Italian or French bread, cubed
1 c. cheddar cheese
1 c. mozzerella cheese
4 eggs
1 1/4 c. milk
salt and pepper


Recipe:
In a pan over medium heat melt the butter, and sauté the onions for about 5 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, and spinach, and cook for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and set aside.

Spray a 2 ½ quart baking dish and layer the bottom with half of the bread cubes. Top with half of the spinach mixture and half of each of the cheeses. Repeat with the remaining bread, spinach, and cheese.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, and salt and pepper until blended. Pour the mixture over the bread, spinach, and cheese.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 8 hours for up to 1 day.

When ready to bake, remove from the refrigerator and let it sit for 30 minutes before putting it in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake uncovered for about 45 minutes. Let it stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Banana Bread with Sunflower Seeds

I used my friendship bread starter for this recipe, but you can still make regular banana bread (omit starter and pudding mixes) and add sunflower seeds to it.

Makes 2 loaves

Ingredients:

1 cup of friendship bread starter

3 bananas, mashed

1 c oil
1/2 c milk

3 eggs
1 c sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 c flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp allspice
3/4 c sunflower seeds
1/2 c oats
2 small (or one big) boxes of instant vanilla pudding mix

Recipe:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour two bread pans.
Mix together the starter, bananas, eggs, oil, milk, sugar, and vanilla. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, spices and pudding mixes.

Combine the wet and dry ingredients, and then stir in the sunflower seeds and oats. Pour the batter into your prepared pans. Sprinkle oats over the top and bake for one hour.

Mac and Cheese Pizza

Yet again I found another pizza crust recipe that I like more than the last. It is easy and cooks up great. If you've never tried mac and cheese pizza, it's a delicious creation you're missing out on.

Ingredients:

For Pizza Dough-

1 c warm water

1 pkg active dry yeast

1 Tbsp sugar

2 tsp salt

2 Tbsp olive oil

3 c Flour

Pizza Topping-

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp butter, softened

Cooked elbow macaroni 

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 shallot, chopped

8 oz cheese (I used a mix of mozzarella and cheddar)

1/4 c milk

4 oz plain greek yogurt

3 Tbsp butter

Recipe:

Dough- Makes 2 crusts

Stir the yeast and sugar in warm water and let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy. In a large mixing bowl, or a stand mixer, pour in yeast mixture, salt, oil and flour and mix together until well incorporated. Then knead for 6 minutes. The dough should be smooth and not too sticky. Grease a large bowl, place the dough ball inside and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise for 1-2 hours. Divide into two dough balls.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Topping-

Combine 2 minced garlic cloves with 2 Tbsp butter and spread over the pizza crust. In the pot that you boiled the pasta, combine the cooked macaroni, minced garlic, shallot, cheese, milk, yogurt and butter. So much dairy deliciousness!

Spoon the mac and cheese mixture over the crust and bake for about 12 minutes.

Five Cheese Pizza on Homemade Crust

The dough recipe makes two pizza crusts.

Ingredients:
1/2 c. warm water
1 pkg. instant yeast
1 1/4 c. water at room temp.
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp salt

Minced garlic
Extra olive oil for brushing
Cheeses: Mozzarella, Provolone,
Parmesan, Romano, Asiago


Recipe:

Mix the warm water and yeast together and let it sit for 5 minutes. Add the other water and oil. In a separate bowl mix together the flour and salt. Add the liquid to the flour and mix until a mass forms. I used my Kitchen Aid mixer with the dough hook attachment to knead the dough for 5 minutes. After a ball has formed place it in a deep oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

After the dough has risen, press it down to deflate it. At this point you can divide it into two dough balls. I froze one, and used the remaining one. Cover with a damp cloth for 10 minutes before rolling it out.

Brush the dough with olive oil and spread minced garlic over the top. Add your toppings and bake. I just put mine on my Pizzaz which I feel didn't get hot enough, but it still tasted delicious. If you have a pizza stone it's best to heat it in a 500 degree oven and bake your pizza for 10-12 minutes.

Soft Pretzels

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 package active dry yeast
3 ounces unsalted butter, melted
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil
3 quarts water
3/4 cup baking soda
1 whole egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water
Coarse salt

Recipe:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the water, sugar, yeast, and butter. Mix with the dough hook until combined. Let sit for 5 minutes. Add the salt and flour and mix on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and knead until the dough is smooth and begins to pull away from the side of the bowl, about 3 to 4 minutes. If the dough is too wet, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Remove the dough from the bowl, place on a flat surface and knead into a ball with your hands.

Oil a bowl with vegetable oil, add the dough and turn to coat with the oil. Cover with a clean towel and let rise in a warm spot until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot over high heat and add the baking soda (do this part slowly or you will have a mess to clean up).

Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a flat surface. Divide the dough and roll into long ropes then twist to create a pretzel shape. Boil the pretzels in the water solution for about 30 seconds. Remove with slotted spoon and place pretzels on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Make sure they are not touching. Brush the tops with the egg wash and season with coarse salt. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown. Place pretzels on a cooling rack and let rest for 5 minutes before eating.

Banana Bread

I always get a few bananas that become overripe, but they are still good for banana bread. So if I don't feel like making bread right away I put them in the freezer to use later. Then when they are thawed out and ready to use they are easy to mash.

Recipe:
3 bananas mashed

1 1/2 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 sugar
1/4 c oil
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
nuts optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Combine mashed bananas, sugar, oil, egg, and vanilla.


Mix together the wet and dry ingredients.

Pour batter into a greased and floured bread pan.

Bake for about 50 minutes.