Zucchini - Quick bread, yeast bread & some muffins

Happy weekend! It has been a long week - Cooper out of town, kids happy, grumpy, happy, grumpy... Just got back from doc to find out Gracie has a sore throat. That explains why today has been outrageous from start till now. I think they know I have a list full of things to do today. 


I was up at 530 & tried to grate my way thru a whole zucchini, but still have 1/3 of it to go - & it wasn't even a big zucchini. However, I found 2 new recipes that are awesome! One is a bread machine wheat bread & the other is a savory muffin. 


I will start w/ the quick bread - it is from my cousin's Project Graduation Cookbook Seniors 2002 (Still have it Morgan!) And this recipe is actually from one of their childhood friends - Jonathon.


Zucchini Bread
3 eggs
1 c oil
2 c sugar
2 c grated zucchini
2 tsp vanilla
2 c flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp soda
1 c nuts


Beat eggs, oil & sugar. Add all other items. Grease loaf pans. Makes 2 loaves. Bake for 1 hr at 325 degrees. 




Zucchini Wheat Bread


So, I was totally thinking quick bread recipe. It was 530am so I didn't really register yeast - duh... It is a soft wheat bread - I could barely see the zucchini. Josey loved it - he ate a whole slice himself. But he hasn't seen a piece of bread or cracker that he didn't like. 


Use this in your bread machine. My machine takes liquids first, then dry ingredients. But do as your machine requires. 


2 tsp or 1/2 pkg yeast
1 c bread flour
1 c whole wheat flour
2 T wheat germ
1 t grated orange rind
2 T honey
1 tsp salt
 2 T margarine or butter
1/2 c shredded zucchini
3/4 c water


Add all ingredients to the machine as required. Choose either regular or light crust. Push start. How simple is that!! :D






Now, on to the savory muffins - This is from the Taste of Home 2007 cookbook I got a long time ago from Sam's Club. I don't use it much, but pull it out every so often...


Baby Basil-Zucchini Muffins


2 1/2 c flour
1/4 c sugar
3 TB minced fresh basil or 1 TB dried basil
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
3/4 c milk
2/3 c veg oil
2 c finely shredded peeled (oops missed that), zucchini, squeezed dry
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese


In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, basil, baking powder, salt & baking soda. Beat the eggs, milk & oil. Stir into dry ingredients just till moistened. Fold in zucchini. 


Fill greased mini muffin cups 2/3 cull. Sprinkle w/ cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 till done in middle. Cool 5 min before removing to wire rack. Serve warm. 


yield 4 1/2 dozen






Well, Cooper & I have a weekend w/o the kids planned so I need to get ready for Girls Night Out, pack stuff for the kids, pack our stuff, find time to shower (it is nasty hot out there today), and who knows what else is on my list!! 


Take care & have a great weekend. 

Veggie & Beef Stir Fry - Zucchini Recipe

My kids love love love rice. At any given night I can use leftover meat to make stir fry or fried rice. Of course, after all Asian recipes, you are hungry 5 min later. Lately Josey has been cranky about sitting down for a meal.

Last night we had a major melt down. Cooper & I ate, Gracie had a couple bites & Josey screamed his disapproval. I made the ultimate decision I needed a snowmonster from Andy's Custard instead of listening to him. We packed up and headed out to get some ice cream & visit the in laws. Wouldn't you know when we got back, Josey crawled up into his chair & ate his AND Gracie's plates of food. Didn't even touch his milk till he was done.

If you know Josey - he is a milk-aholic, serious addiction.... He is sweet kid when he wants Gracie's milk. He stands by it, looks around to see who is watching. If a parent is around, he will offer it to Gracie. If you give him the ok nod, he sucks like a maniac... So funny!!

So, with these zucchini - I am on a mission to use them. This recipe is also from the Fix It & Enjoy It Healthy Cookbook. That justifies the snowmonster for dessert - you should try it!

And the more you read my posts, you will find I change things in the recipe, or use substitutes...

Veggie & Beef Stir Fry


1/4 lb beef tenderloin (I used Pork) 
2 tsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped coarsely (used some from my frozen pods -ask me if I love Beaba)
1 sm zucchini, coarsely chopped
3 c coarsely chopped broccoli
half a small squash, you guessed it, chopped coarsely
1 tsp low sodium teriyaki sauce (I used hoisin sauce)


Cut beef into 1/4" wide strips.


In a good sized skillet, I love my Pampered Chef huge skillet, yes I am an infomercial for lots o' products, stir fry beef in olive oil just till no longer pink, about 2 min. 


Add onion & other veggies. Stir fry til tender crisp, about 5-7 min. 


Just before serving, add teriyaki sauce to beef & veggies. Serve w/ rice.


RICE: did you forget to make some rice ahead of time - no worries!! Use Minute Rice & cook it in your bean pot. Follow directions on box. I am the healthy type of person so I used brown Minute Rice. Love it!

Per serving w/ brown rice: calories 206; protein 11g; carb 30g; Total fat 5g; Sodium 80 mg; Fiber 4g.

There wasn't much left for leftovers, but it is a great way to use up leftovers. Tonight I need to do something w/ chicken thighs. We are going to adjust our eating time to later & maybe avoid Josey's meltdowns.

Have a great night!

b

What to do w/ Zucchini...

Oh, to be home again! Everyone loves vacation, but we came back exhausted. We spent double our budget when we purchased our bed a couple years ago & it was the best purchase of the century! We love it. It was so nice to sleep in our own bed last night. Plus kids slept in till 730am! 


Who has zucchini running out their ears... We do! Well, except for this morning because yesterday my dear FIL cleaned out the garden of squash & zucchini & took it to the Food Bank, which is just down the street. I found 2 perfect sized zuc this morning & will make them for dinner. 


As my SIL decided the family needed a new upright freezer, Cooper cleaned out the chest freezer, leaving me w/ several packages of shredded zucchini from last year. I babysit for a 9 yr old girl during the summers & M LOVES zucchini bread. We took her to Branson with us on Sunday & the first thing she said was - when we get back can we make zucchini bread??


So, I made a recipe out of A Matter of Thyme cookbook & it was ok, took a huge amount of brown sugar. Today I grabbed my Fix It & Enjoy It Healthy Cookbook for some reason. I was amazed there are a ton of zuc recipes! One was a Zucchini Bread w/ Cranberries - I love dried cranberries!


It is in the oven. I will take a pic in a few minutes. And I doubled it cause the baggie of zuc gave me just about a cup of zuc.


Zucchini Bread w/ Cranberries


1/2 c sugar
1/2 c zucchini, shredded
1/3 c skim milk (sorry, used 2%)
1 TB corn oil (sorry, used canola)
egg substitute equivalent to 1 egg or 2 egg whites
1 c whole wheat flour (since I double the recipe, I used 1 c whole wheat & 1 c regular)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 c dried cranberries


Preheat oven to 400 deg. 


In a large bowl, combine sugar, zucchini, milk, oil, & egg substitute. Mix well.


In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. Fold in dried cranberries.


Spoon into bread pan that has been sprayed w/ non stick spray. 


Bake at 400 degrees for 12-19 min (mine took closer to 35 min). 


8 servings


Per serving - calories 148; Protein 3g; carb 30g; sodium 80; fiber 2g


After the baking - I would go easier on the cloves. It is a great tasting recipe! I will definitely be making it again. One loaf is already gone. 

On another thought - the Petite Casseroles are becoming more & more my fav piece of stoneware. Gracie who will eat eggs, but not often, ate her eggs, plus part of her brother's eggs this morning. I used 2 eggs, 2 TB milk & microwaved w/ lid on about 1 min 30 sec. Not only were they perfectly cooked, but they were gorgeous! 


Well, time to go find something to go w/ our pork chops for dinner. 


Cook w/ you later
billie