Zucchini Bread

Ingredients

bread:

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

topping:

2/3 cup oats

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup flour

1/3 cup butter

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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 15 minutes. Then mix the topping and sprinkle over the top of the bread, return to oven.
5. Bake for 20 to 30 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.

This is a modified recipe of Mom's Zucchini Bread from allrecipes. Modifications were made based on the reviews. Thanks for all the great tips!

Extreme Chocolate Cake

I recently tried the extreme chocolate cake recipe from allrecipes.com and it was oh so chocolaty good. I made a few modifications from the original recipe based on the reviews (something I love about that site).

Ingredients

• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup freshly brewed coffee
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch cake pans.
2. Use the first set of ingredients to make the cake. In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla, mix for 3 minutes with an electric mixer. Stir in the boiling water by hand. Pour evenly into the two prepared pans.
3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to cool completely.
4. To make the frosting, use the second set of ingredients. Cream butter until light and fluffy. Stir in the cocoa and confectioners' sugar alternately with the milk and vanilla. Beat to a spreading consistency.
5. Split the layers of cooled cake horizontally, cover the top of each layer with frosting, then stack them onto a serving plate. Frost the outside of the cake.

Comments: I did not split the two cakes so I had over 1/2 of the icing left over. The icing is seriously chocolaty and seriously sweet. The original recipe called for 5 c of sugar. I used 4 and could have probably used 3. This was my first time EVER making a cake from scratch and it is a pretty easy recipe.

Blueberry Sunrise a.k.a Blueberry French Toast

This recipe was given to me by friend Yoannis. It's super yummy!

Ingredients

12 slices day-old white bread, crusts removed (I like french bread)

2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (I have always used frozen)

12 eggs

2 cups milk

1/3 cup maple syrup or honey

For the Sauce:

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup water

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

1 tablespoon butter

Cut bread into 1-in cubes (or just leave in slices), place half in greased 13x9 in baking dish. Cut cream cheese into 1-in cubes, place over bread (I like to spread the cheese on the bread). Top with blueberries and remaining bread cubes/slices.

In a large bowl, beat eggs. Add milk and syrup, mix well. Pour over bread mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hrs or O/N.

Remove from the refrigerator 30min before baking. Cover and bake at 350 for 30 min. Uncover, bake 25-30 min longer or until golden brown and center is set.

In small saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and water until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 3 min. Stir in blueberries, reduce heat. Simmer for 8-10 min or until berries have burst. Stir in butter until melted. Serve with french toast. (I usually make the sauce the night before)

slow cooker chicken taco soup

I make this all the time but have never posted it. It's a keeper!

Ingredients

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 (16 ounce) can chili beans
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans
• 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer
• 2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
• 1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning
• 3 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)
• sour cream (optional)
• crushed tortilla chips (optional)

Directions

1. Place the onion, chili beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, beer, and diced tomatoes in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning, and stir to blend. Lay chicken breasts on top of the mixture, pressing down slightly until just covered by the other ingredients. Set slow cooker for low heat, cover, and cook for 5 hours.
2. Remove chicken breasts from the soup, and allow to cool long enough to be handled. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup, and continue cooking for 2 hours. Serve topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips, if desired

compliments of allrecipes.com

Pineapple Coconut Crunch Muffins

Ingredients:

Crumb Topping

1/3 cup flour

1/3 cup sweetened flaked coconut

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

3 tablespoons finely chopped, unsalted macadamia nuts

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Muffin Batter

1-1/3 cups flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut, chopped

2 large eggs

1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil

3 tablespoons unsweetened pineapple

3/4 cup drained canned unsweetened crushed pineapple.

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375

2. Line a 12-cup regular muffin pan with paper liners or grease with nonstick cooking spray.

3. Topping: In a small bowl, combine flour, coconut, sugar and macadamia nuts. Whisk together until well blended. Using a fork or clean fingers, work in the butter until evenly combined and mixture resembles coarse crumbs and starts to come together.

4. Muffins: In a large bowl, whisk eggs until lightly beaten. Gradually whisk in oil until well blended. Stir in pineapple juice.

5. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and stir just until combined. Fold in pineapple. Spoon batter into prepared muffin pan, filling cups 2/3 full. Crumble topping over top of batter.

6. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

I had been eyeing these muffins on Kimmy'sKitchen a recipe blog I found linked on the TastySensations recipe blog. They have awesome recipes, check them out! These muffins were amazing!

Dutch Apple Bread

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups apples - peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped
• 1 cup broken walnuts

DIRECTIONS

1. In bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside. In large mixing bowl, place oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla and apples. Stir into flour mixture. Add walnuts and mix. Divided mixture between two greased 8-in. x 4-in. bread pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until bread test done. Cool for 10 minutes on wire rack before removing from pan.

This bread was great! It's another goodie from allrecipes.com

Curried Coconut Chicken

Yum, Yum, Yum!

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 1 teaspoon salt and pepper, or to taste
• 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed, diced tomatoes
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 bell pepper, chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil and curry powder in a large skillet over medium-high heat for two minutes. Stir in onions and garlic, and cook 1 minute more. Add chicken, tossing lightly to coat with curry oil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in center and juices run clear.
3. Pour coconut milk, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and sugar into the pan, and stir to combine. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, approximately 30 to 40 minutes.

This recipe was found and modified from allrecipes.com

It is so so good!!