Zucchini Bread

Last year, my mother-in-law introduced me to this recipe.  It is so good!  With all the garden goodies we have been picking, I am using all my leftover zucchini to make multiple loaves and freeze them.

Ingredients
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup water
2 cups grated zucchini
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, nutmeg, baking soda, cinnamon and sugar. In a separate bowl, combine oil, eggs, water, zucchini and lemon juice. Mix wet ingredients into dry, add nuts and fold in. Bake in 2 standard loaf pans, sprayed with nonstick spray, for 1 hour, or until a tester comes out clean. Alternately, bake in 5 mini loaf pans for about 45 minutes.


Recipe: Paula Deen

Slow Cooker Chicken Caesar Sandwiches

This turned out great and was a perfect summer meal.  I'm not sure the pepper was necessary though, since it added quite a zing to the sauce.  Next time I will omit it.  I also served this on pretzel buns instead of hamburger bun...huge hit!

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 3/4 cup caesar dressing
• 1/2 cup parmesan, shredded
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 2 teaspoons pepper
• Romaine leaves
• Hamburger buns

Arrange chicken breasts in abase of slow cooker. Pour 1/2 cup water into basin and cook on low for 3-4 hours. Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred with two forks. Drain water. Return chicken to basin and stir in caesar dressing, parmesan, parsley, and pepper.

Serves 3-4

Recipe: http://rachelschultz.com/2013/05/09/slow-cooker-chicken-caesar-sandwiches/

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

I think I've finally found an icing recipe that I like!  I feel like I have been on this mission for a long time.  I made cupcakes last night for our Bunco group and this icing was a huge hit.  Mission accomplished!

Ingredients:

• 5 1/2 tbsp butter
• 5 1/2 cups powdered sugar (I used C&H brand...come to realize brand makes a difference in flavor)
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 8 oz. low-fat cream cheese

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat all ingredients (gradually adding sugar in the bowl) on high speed until light and fluffy, at least three minutes.

Pipe onto cupcakes using a pastry bag with a large round tip.

Recipe: http://www.getsweetsmart.com/vanilla-bean-cupcakes-with-vanilla-cream-cheese-frosting/

Gooseberry Pie

• We have a family heirloom gooseberry bush in our backyard which honestly, I had never thought to do anything with.  I didn't grow up with gooseberries so I wasn't sure what they tasted like and therefore had no idea when they were ripe. After inspecting our bush one day with all the green berries ripening, my husband inspired me to look up this recipe. Apparently, gooseberry pie can be made in a variety of ways but this is the "tart" version (meaning the berries are green). From the feedback I received, it turned out pretty good!

Ingredients:

• 2 pie crusts (I used my recipe)
• 4 cups fresh or frozen gooseberries
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon light cream or milk
• Sugar (about 2 teaspoons)

Directions

1. Prepare pie pastry. Roll out half of the pastry to a 12-inch circle. Ease into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim pastry even with rim of pie plate. Set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine berries, and 1 tablespoon water. Cook over medium-low heat until the berries "pop," stirring occasionally.
3. Combine the 1-1/2 cups sugar, the flour, and nutmeg; add to the gooseberries in the saucepan. Cook and stir until mixture just begins to bubble.
4. Spread mixture in the pastry-lined pie plate. Roll out remaining pastry. Cut slits to allow steam to escape. Place remaining pastry on filling; trim pastry to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold top pastry under bottom pastry. Crimp edge as desired. Brush top crust with cream or milk; sprinkle with a little sugar. Cover the edge of the pie with foil.
5. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil. Bake about 20 minutes more or until top is golden. Cool. Makes 8 servings.

Recipe: http://www.midwestliving.com/recipe/pies/gooseberry-pie/

Pie Crust

2 cups flour

1 cup cold butter, cut into cubes

1/2 cup ice cold water

1 tsp salt 

Blend flour, butter and salt together using a pastry blender until it resembles cornmeal.

Add ice water stirring until all water is gone. Divide in half. Refrigerate for 30 mins. Roll one half on floured surface for bottom crust. Use the other half for top crust, or freeze to use later if you only need one crust.

Recipe: ALBC Women

Traditional Chicken Salad

This recipe reminds me of the delicious chicken salad sandwich I had a few times at the Mockingbird Cafe in Warsaw! I love the various textures with grapes, pecans, and celery.
Note: I seasoned my chicken with salt & pepper and realized, after the fact, that I should have tasted the mixture prior to adding additional salt and pepper into the recipe. It was a little over-salted, but no complaints from the husband so it wasn't terrible :) I ended up adding more sour cream to balance out the salt, but I will remember this next time around!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 tbs. chopped fresh tarragon (I used 2 tsp. dried)
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 3 cups chopped cooked chicken
• 2 cups halved red grapes
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped toasted

Croissants
Green leaf lettuce

In a large bowl, stirl together mayonnaise and next 5 ingredients. Add chicken and next 3 ingredients, stirring to combine. Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. Serve on croissants with lettuce, if desired.

Makes 7 cups

Recipe: Cooking with Paula Deen, March/April 2014 issue

One Pan Mexican Quinoa

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapenos, minced
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (14.5 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 cup corn kernels
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and diced
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and jalapeno, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Stir in quinoa, vegetable broth, beans, tomatoes, corn, chili powder and cumin; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer until quinoa is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Stir in avocado, lime juice and cilantro.
• Serve immediately.

Recipe: http://damndelicious.net