Savory Zucchini Loaf

This recipe is inspired by one my sister shared with me from Chatelaine. My interest was piqued by a savory version of a zucchini loaf and we love it here. You can serve it warm for brunch, freeze it pre-sliced to take with cheese for a packed lunch or enjoy it with a bowl of soup.

Ingredients:

• 1 small zucchini 
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup unbleached/all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 2 cups grated monterey jack cheese (or what you have)
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup oil

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.
2. Coarsely grate unpeeled zucchini. If you like to hide it more, use fine side of grater. It will measure a bit more, but 1 - 1/2 cups is good. Drain only if there is excess liquid.
3. In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients and cheese.
4. In mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar with whisk. Stir in oil and add zucchini.
5. Stir in dry ingredients until just mixed and spread into loaf pan.
6. Bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick tests done. Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to cooling rack. 

Peaches and Cream Layer Cake

We have been enjoying fresh  peaches every-which-way for the past while, and soon peach season will be over for the year.  This peaches-and-cream birthday cake was a big hit at our place, so I'll share the recipe with you.  I used a boxed-cake mix with a few additions to make it 'extraordinary'.

Cake:

• 1 white boxed cake mix (Better Crocker Super Moist)
• 3/4 cup peach yogurt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup melted butter 

1. Line two 9-inch round pans with parchment paper.
2. Place cake mix and all other ingredients in a mixing bowl.  Beat on medium speed until smooth.
3. Spread batter evenly in prepared pans.
4. Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. 
5. Cool for about 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Filling:

• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 2/3 cup icing sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•  2 cups heavy whipping cream

1. Beat the cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla until smooth. 
2. Gradually add the cream, whipping until thick. (If you do not have a heavy-duty mixer, you may have to whip the cream separately and then fold into whipped cream cheese mixture.)

 Glaze for Peaches:

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 1/2 tablespoons peach or orange jello  

1. Combine water, sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl, using whisk to stir until smooth.
2. Microwave on High until boiling and thickened, stirring once in between. 
3. Stir in jello (adds colour and flavour) and cool to lukewarm before using. 

Assembling Cake:

• 2 cake layers
• cream filling
• glaze
• 3 large peaches

1. Place one cake layer on cake plate.
2. Peel and chop one peach. Fold into about 1 1/2 cups of the whipped topping. Spread over bottom cake layer.
3. Place second cake on top.
4. Spread with a generous layer of whipped topping, reserving some to pipe around edge.
5. Peel and slice two peaches.  Coat peach slices with glaze and arrange on top of cake.
6. Pipe whipped topping around the edge.

Bread for the Journey

Sometimes I need to become quiet and just simply remember that God sees me as precious. He celebrates me. The following verse says He sings over me.  Me, you, out of all the people in the world, He knows our names. He wants us, me to know Him too. To accept the gift of His forgiveness, love, mercy, grace, security and the freedom that is for all.

Simply because I said yes to His call and accepted His precious gift of eternal life, I am experiencing His nearness, power, and peace. It's not a life free of struggles, but He's my helper. And the sweetest of things...He rejoices and sings over me. That just makes me smile to think that the King of kings does that for me. May my thanks to Him be to above all things seek His glory and give Him first place in my life.

Zeph. 3:17
"The Lord your God is in your midst; a mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exalt over you with loud singing."

Raisin Bread gluten free

For Flashback-Friday , I'm pulling up an old recipe that I can't believe I posted eight years ago - you can find it here .
I had not made it for some time but recently baked it again,  tweeked the recipe somewhat and took a new photo.  So if you are craving a tasty slice of toasted raisin bread , try this recipe.

• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 teaspoon. sugar
• 1  tablespoon yeast
• 1/4 cup butter (room temperature)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup whole milk (warm)
• 1 teaspoon. vanilla
• 1 3/4  cup  Julie's flour mix (or your own 1 3/4 all-purpose gluten free mix)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1 cup raisins (if raisins are not plump, soak in boiling water for a minute or two) 

1. Proof yeast with sugar, and  yeast 
2. In mixer bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy 
3. Beat in egg,  then add milk and vanilla 
4. Add combined dry ingredients and beat on high speed for 2-3 minutes until batter looks smooth and stretchy. 
5. Add raisins.
6. Scrape dough into a medium sized loaf pan lined with parchment paper, cover with plastic wrap and let rise until loaf rounds top of pan. ( may take 60 to 90 minutes) 
7. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 45 - 50  minutes or until nicely browned. Don't under bake. 
8. Remove from oven and cool for several minutes before removing from pan to finish cooling on wire rack before slicing. 
9. Excellent toasted  -  also freezes well.

TIP - after scraping dough into pan, smooth top with wet hand.  Pushing dough down (creating a little trough)  around the edges  encourages gluten-free dough to rise/bake with a rounded top rather than flat.

Avocado Tomato Salad

 Delicious with Septembers garden fresh tomatoes. 

Salad for Two:

• 1 large ripe avocado
• 1 tomato, try to find one the same size as your avocado
• feta cheese
• balsamic vinegar
• lime juice

1. Cut avocado in half. Remove stone and peel each half.
2. Place each half on a plate and carefully make slices all the way along but not quite to the bottom.
3. Squeeze the juice of a piece of lime over each avocado.
4. Cut tomato in half. Remove any seeds with a small spoon. 
5. Slice thinly and tuck a slice of tomato between the slices of avocado.
6. Top with crumbled feta cheese.
7. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar. (or you can use an oil and vinegar type dressing, or more lime juice)
8. Give your salad a grind of fresh black pepper.

Homemade Italian Sausage Patties

We like  Italian Sausage so I tried making myself and we really like it. This is delcious for any time of the day, not only for breakfast.
For the sandwich I used -

• Crusty buns, toasted or plain or gluten free
• Eggs, poached or fried 
• grainy or dijon mustard
• guacamole, I used half the recipe and made it finer
• Italian sausage patties

For the Sausage you need-

• 2 lbs of lean ground pork or 1 lb ground pork and 1 lb ground Turkey.
• 1  teaspoon of toasted fennel seed
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper chili flakes (more if you want it spicier)
• 1 large garlic clove, finely minced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon of red wine or red wine vinegar (optional)

1. Toast the fennel seeds in a dry frying pan for a few minutes on medium high heat until you can begine to smell the fragrance. 
2. Combine the meat with the spices and wine if you are using it. Mix well until everything is well combined. 
3. Shape into desired shape and brown in a hot skillet for 3-4 minutes per side. 

Two Bite Brownies

These irresistible fudgy little bites come inspired by Martha Stewart's Chewy (pan) brownies.  I made a few adjustments to make the recipe fit 36 small muffins and was not disappointed. I think they are the perfect tiny treat to add to a lunch kit or gift box.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons oil (in 1/8 cup measure *)
• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cups white sugar
• 3/4 cups packed brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F and generously grease 36-count mini cupcake/muffin cups with cooking spray, or line with parchment paper cups. (parchment paper does not stick to the brownie and can be removed as soon as brownies are cooled off)
2. In top of double boiler, (or heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water) melt butter with chocolate chips and oil. 
3. In small bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
4. Once chocolate is melted, remove from heat. Stir in both sugars, stirring vigorously (use wooden spoon or whisk) until well blended. 
5. Add eggs, one at a time, stirring well for about a minute, after each addition.
6. Stir in vanilla and then the flour mix.
7. Using unwashed *1/8 cup measure that was used to measure the oil, scoop a measure full of batter into each prepared muffin holder. 
8. Bake for 18 minutes, or until toothpick comes out moist with no dough. Do not over bake.
9. Cool in pans on wire rack. Twist to rotate cooled brownie bites before removing or flipping pans. These can be kept in a sealed container for several days (room or fridge) or frozen.

If you want to make them in a pan, use a 9-inch square pan. Bake 35 - 40 minutes, until toothpick comes out moist with no dough. Cut into 25 - 36 pieces.