Vegan Zucchini Bread

When I think of vegan, I think healthy and not tasty. This bread is tasty and not healthy. It is also moist, tender and very easy to make... Enjoy!

1 cup grated zucchini

3oz unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup melted coconut oil

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup sugar

Mix well.

Stir in:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Do not over mix.

Pour into greased and sugared bread pan.

Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes or until pick comes out clean.

Let cool on rack. Remove from pan. Let cool before serving.

Chewy Molasses Bars

February 8th is National Molasses Bar Day. So, in honor of the occasion I went searching for a recipe in my 1963 Betty Crocker Cooky Book. I didn't find one, but I modified a recipe I did find in the Heritage Cookies section.

They turned out amazing! They are just like a molasses-y brownie: chewy, moist, a little spicy and delicious! I'm going to celebrate with a couple of these and a mug of our own hand-pressed spiced apple cider... Mmmm!

1/3 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
2 Tbsp milk
1 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup raisins
1 tsp vanilla

Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs, molasses and milk. Mix well. Blend dry ingredients together and add to creamed mixture. Mix well. Stir in raisins and vanilla.

Pour batter into a greased 9" square baking pan.

Bake at 350 for 15-20 or until pick comes out clean.

Let cool on wire rack before cutting.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Sometimes your food and your movie just have to coordinate. And I believed that Sherlock's Abominable Bride needed Sticky Toffee Pudding. I was right...

1 cup dates, cut up
1 1/2 cup water

Cover dates with the water in small saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil. Lower heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. And let sit.

1/3 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla

Cream together.

2 eggs

Add 1 egg at a time, mixing well after each egg.

3 Tablespoons molasses
2 Tablespoons dark corn syrup

Beat well.

1 2/3 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Mix together. Add to butter and eggs in 3 equal portions, mixing after each one.

Take the date and water and puree them together in a blender or food processor. Stir in 1 teaspoon baking soda.

Mix into the batter until smooth.

Pour into greased and sugared muffin tin. This will make about 18, depending on the size.

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, or until center is firm.

Sauce

1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tablespoons molasses
4 Tablespoons dark corn syrup
4 teaspoons vanilla

Bring to a slow rolling boil over medium heat. Boil for 2 minutes.

Let cool a couple of minutes.

Serve puddings warm with sauce poured over the top.

Store leftovers in fridge and rewarm before serving.

Crock Pot Caramel in a Can

The first time I heard of this was like 20 years ago from my husband. He and a friend used to put cans of condensed milk in a pressure cooker to make caramel. Nothing about that sounded like a good idea (except the caramel part). I am terrified of pressure cookers and nothing, not even caramel, could entice me to try doing it.

More recently I saw tons of recipes on Pinterest using a crock pot instead. But I had doubts that it would really work like they said.

Then my friend, Kate, brought an unmarked can of golden caramel-y goodness to my house that came from her crock pot! I was too preoccupied with making 160 pounds of sausage to try it, but everyone raved about it.

So, I gave it a try…

IT IS AMAZING! SIMPLE, FAST, EASY, DELICIOUS! Not to mention that it looks gorgeous!

If you love caramel, you simply must try it!

I would suggest, starting it before going to bed, taking it out to cool in the morning, and then it will be ready for dessert after dinner.

Here’s all you do:

Peel the label off of a can of sweetened condensed milk.

Place wax or parchment paper in the bottom of crock pot.

Place unopened can on paper in crock pot.

Pour water into crock pot until the can is covered by at least 1/2”.

Cover and cook on high for about 8-10 hours. (Mine took about 8 1/2 and was perfect).

This is the hard part! Remove can from crock pot using tongs (it is very hot) and let cool on the counter until it is room temperature. This will take several hours. This step is also important to have a smooth creamy finished product.

Once it has cooled, you can store it on the shelf (unopened) for a very long time (or so I’ve read).

You can also open it and eat it right away…

 

Any leftovers should be kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. (If it lasts that long…)

Enjoy over ice cream, on apple pie or crisp, or as a dip with sliced fruit.

Crock Pot Beef Burgundy

This is a super easy meal to cook in the crock pot when you are short of time or forgot to start it earlier in the day. It was super tasty and tender! And it’s French… ooo la la! ;)

1/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

2 pounds beef stew meat

2 Tbsp oil

1 onion, sliced

8 mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

3 cloves minced garlic

2-3 bay leaves

1 cup burgundy wine

1/2 cup beef broth

Dredge the stew meat in the flour, salt & pepper mixture. Heat oil in large skillet and brown meat on medium heat. Place beef in crock pot. Pour wine and broth over meat. Top with remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 3 hours. Serve with mashed potatoes.

Apple Fritters

This is a variation of one of my boys’ (and my dad’s) favorite breakfast foods. And just the thing to make when you have a bunch of apples!

1 cup milk

2 eggs

1 Tbsp oil

Whisk these together in a bowl.

2 cups flour

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

4 Tbsp sugar

Whisk in flour 1/2 cup at a time. Add remaining dry ingredients after first cup of flour is mixed. Mix until smooth.

Stir in 1 medium apple, peeled and finely chopped.

Drop into hot oil heated to 375. Cook until golden brown on all sides. Turn while cooking if necessary.

Remove from oil and let drain on plate lined with paper towels.

Toss while still hot in a bag of cinnamon sugar.

Eat right out of the bag! :o)

Strawberry Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast

This summer has been glorious and sunny! If only every summer in the PNW was like this!!! In celebration of yet another sunny morning, I took some homemade strawberry freezer jam out (made with strawberries from my own garden no less) and created this…

1 1-lb loaf Italian bread

1/2 cup strawberry jam (I think it would be pretty tasty with orange marmalade instead)

2 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/8 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

3 eggs

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Slice the bread into 9 slices. Cut each slice in half, making a pocket. Do not cut them all the way through! I made all my pocket slices before cutting them into thin slices all the way through…

Mix the cream cheese, sugar and orange zest with electric mixer until smooth. Spread it inside of each slice of bread.

  Next, spread a thin layer of jam on top of the cream cheese.

Beat the eggs, milk and vanilla well. Pour into shallow pan for dipping.

(I made too much egg, so I changed it in the recipe)

  Dip each piece of bread in the egg mixture on each side. Don’t soak it too much! Place on a preheated and lightly greased griddle. I set mine at 350.

Cook until both sides are browned.

Serve immediately dusted with powdered sugar.