Chocolate Zucchini Cake

My mom made this cake when I was a kid and I probably haven't had it in about 30 years. But my garden is growing zucchini like crazy and I figured it was the perfect time to pull the recipe out and try it again.

I have to say it's even better than I remember it... :)

Cream together:
1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/3 cup sugar

Blend in:
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk

Stir in:
2 1/2 cups flour
4 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt

Fold in:
2 cups grated zucchini

Pour in greased and sugared 9x13 pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips on top. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes or until pick comes clean.

Cool for 10 minutes. Remove from pan or cool on rack.

Even Better Soft Pretzels

Every time I think I have found the perfect soft pretzel recipe, I find a better one. This one is a combination of a few recipes that make amazing soft pretzels. Unfortunately it makes 12 and they are best when still warm... ;)

Mix in stand mixer bowl:
1 cup warm water (110-115 degrees)
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Sprinkle with:
1 package or 2 1/4 teaspoons of yeast

Let sit 5 minutes until it gets foamy.

Add:
2 Tablespoons melted butter
2 cups flour

Mix on med-low speed until sticky dough comes together and becomes smooth.

Add 1/4 cup of flour at a time until the dough pulls away from the bowl and is not longer sticky and springs back when touched. This takes about 5 minutes.

Place dough in greased bowl and cover with towel. Put in a warm place to rise for 20 minutes.

Punch dough down a few times and cut into 12 equal pieces using a pizza cutter or bread knife.

Roll into long ropes and twist into pretzel shapes.

Boil 8 cups of water in large pot. Add 3/4 cup baking soda and stir to dissolve.

Place pretzels into boiling soda water and boil 1 to 2 at a time for 45 seconds. Flip pretzels half-way through. Remove from water and let drain on baking rack.

Put pretzels on well-greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.

There are lots of options for washes and toppings:
1. Egg wash- 1 egg yolk and 1 Tablespoon water (be generous!)
2. Coarse salt
3. Butter - brush with melted butter before and after baking
4. Garlic and Italian seasoning with EVOO
5. Cinnamon sugar (this is best with butter)

Bake at 450 for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Buttery Cracker Apple Pie

I have wanted to try making this pie for as long as I can remember but have never done it until this week. I really had a hankering for apple pie but didn't have apples and it snowed this week! But I did have left over crackers from holiday parties last month.

When you read the recipe, you can't imagine how this could be tasty much less taste like apple pie. But it is both! I loved it and it was just what the bourbon caramel sauce I bought at a bazaar needed... <3

Since my husband doesn't like pie, I made a small pie with half the recipe. I know... how can you not like pie??? :)

Prepare one 9" pie shell. You can buy one or make your own using this RECIPE.

Preheat oven to 400.

1 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cream of tartar

Bring these to a boil in a saucepan on medium-high heat.

Put 30 whole buttery round crackers (like Ritz or Town House) into the boiling sugar mixture. If the crackers are a bit small, throw in a few extra.

Simmer on medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Trust me... it feels weird but works just fine.)

Gently stir in 1 Tablespoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.

Let it sit while you make the crumb topping.

26 crackers, crushed into coarse crumbs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup melted butter

Mix all of the ingredients together.

Pour pie filling into crust and top with crumb topping.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Then reduce oven temperature to 350 and bake for 20 minutes or until crust and topping are golden brown.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and caramel sauce, if desired.

Store leftovers in fridge.

Quick & Easy Rice Pudding

About two years ago, I posted a recipe for stovetop Norwegian-style rice pudding. It took quite a while to make and it was a bit too smooth for me. I like my rice pudding with a little more texture. And on cold winter mornings, I don't want to spend 40 minutes standing at the stove.

So here's my super quick and easy version to do with leftover cooked white rice.

This isn't really a recipe, it's more of just directions. You can do this however you want to your taste...

Put some cold, cooked white rice in a small saucepan.

Cover it with sweetened vanilla almond milk.

Simmer and stir constantly on medium-high heat until it is thick.

Serve hot with desired toppings. I like butter, cinnamon sugar and dried cranberries...

Pumpkin Spice Mochi

I had pumpkin mochi at a hot pot restaurant while in China and I've been craving it ever since. This recipe isn't exactly the same but it still satisfied my craving. It is an interesting cross between cake and mochi and is the perfect accompaniment for a good Asian meal on a Fall day. I think it would be especially tasty for dessert with my Sichuan Style Pork Stew and rice.

1 1/4 cup Mochiko rice flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Mix dry ingredients in small bowl.

In a large bowl, mix together:
2 eggs
7 oz sweetened condensed milk (regular or coconut)
1/2 cup melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
15oz can pure pumpkin

Sift dry ingredients into bowl with pumpkin mixture. Whisk until smooth. Pour into greased 8x8 glass baking pan.

Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes, or until edges turn golden brown.

Cool on wire rack 2 hours. Turn out onto rack and continue to cool 4 hours.

Cut into small squares before serving.

Blackberry Orange Muffins

After many many years of eluding me, I think I have finally found the perfect berry muffin recipe. They even have a nice round top! :)  Next I will try it with blueberries and lemon and we'll see...

I took some bits and tips from several different recipes and put them together to make these:

Preheat the oven to 425.

Spray muffin tin with cooking spray and sprinkle them with sugar to coat.

2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix 2 cups of flour and sugar in large mixing bowl. Mix the last 1/2 cup flour and remaining dry ingredients in small bowl. Then sieve them into the flour/sugar mixture. Mix well.

Make a well in the flour. Pour in the following ingredients:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
grated zest from 1 orange

Stir just until mixed.

Gently stir in 1 - 1/2 cups small fresh blackberries.

Spoon into greased/sugared muffin tin.

Sprinkle tops with coarse sugar and top each one with 1 small blackberry.

Bake for 5 minutes at 425. Without opening the oven, turn the temperature down to 350 and bake for about 10 more minutes or until pick comes out clean.

Remove from tins immediately, running a knife along edge to help get them out.

Cool for a few minutes on baking rack before eating.

Orange Bacon Scones

Who said scones have to be sweet? This savory scone is just the right side for a bowl of soup or a nice salad. The bacon and orange make for a very nice combination.

Use a vegetable peeler to take off just the rind (no white pith) from 1 large orange. Bake at 200 for 25 minutes. Blitz in a food processor (I used my coffee grinder to get it really small) along with:
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups flour
scant 1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup softened butter
1 very small beaten egg (or only use 1/2 of a large beaten egg)
Stir the sour cream and baking soda together in a small bowl and set aside

Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Cut in butter.

Stir in egg and sour cream mixture.

Mix the orange, thyme and pepper mixture into the dough.

Knead a bit on a lightly floured surface. Pat in a circle 1/2” thick. Cut with biscuit cutter or into wedges with pizza cutter (separating triangles slightly).

Bake on greased cookie sheet at 400 for 20 minutes, until light golden brown on bottoms and not doughy in the centers.