Zucchini cupcakes with caramel frosting

This is a recipe I got on my email from Taste of Home. Since I am still trying to use up some of the zucchini in my household..I thought I would bake some up and share them with my coworkers tomorrow on our first day back to school:)

Zucchini Cupcakes Recipe

* 18-24 Servings
* Prep: 20 min. Bake: 20 min. + cooling

20 20 40
Ingredients

* 3 eggs
* 1-1/3 cups sugar
* 1/2 cup canola oil
* 1/2 cup orange juice
* 1 teaspoon almond extract
* 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1-1/2 cups shredded zucchini
*

CARAMEL FROSTING:
* 1 cup packed brown sugar
* 1/2 cup butter, cubed
* 1/4 cup 2% milk
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1-1/2 to 2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

* In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, oil, orange juice and extract. Combine dry ingredients; gradually add to egg mixture and mix well. Stir in zucchini.
* Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.
* For frosting, combine the brown sugar, butter and milk in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Cool to lukewarm.
* Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until frosting reaches spreading consistency. Frost cupcakes. Yield: 1-1/2 to 2 dozen.

chocolate cream pie

So yesterday I made a pie for my brother-in-law..and there was a smidge of pie dough left..really too much to throw away. So I rolled it out, and it just fit in one of those disposable pie plates. What to do with it? How about a chocolate cream pie for my sweetheart? I have never made one and this recipe comes from the William and Sonoma baking cookbook.

Chocolate Pudding pie

5 0z. finely chopped semisweet chocolate
2 c. milk
Heat these two together in a saucepan until the chocolate melts, whisking very frequently.
While the milk is heating mix with your beater

4 egg yolks
3/4 c. sugar
Then mix in
1/4 t. salt
1 1/2 t. vanilla
3 T. cornstarch

Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the egg mixture. Pour back into the saucepan and heat over medium heat for 5-6 minutes until the mixture thickens. Whisk for around one more minute until smooth. Pour into a baked prepared pie crust (either regular or cookie crumb). Top with whipped cream and maybe even a chocolate curl.

strawberry rhubarb pie

Today we will be going over to my sister-in-laws to celebrate her husband's 50th birthday..happy birthday Ronnie! He requested a strawberry rhubarb pie. Here is the recipe I made:

1 unbaked double crust (top and bottom) pie dough: either store bought or make your own!

4 c. sliced strawberries -fresh or frozen (I used frozen and defrosted and drained them)
3 c. diced rhubarb (about 3-4 stalks)
1 c. sugar
2/3 c. flour
Mix together and put in pie crust. Cover with other pie crust. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes. Check ..if the crust is getting brown on the edges cover with aluminum foil. Bake another 20 minutes.

I am making homemade vanilla ice cream as a special treat for Ronnie's birthday to go with this. But this pie is also great on it's own. Happy baking:)

oh too Easy pizza dough

This is a recipe I have used for years...it takes only a short time to mix up and the dough-even though it has yeast-does not require a rising time. Quick, easy and delicious!

Homemade pizza dough

1 c. warm water
1 T. yeast
1 T. olive oil
1 t. salt
1 t. sugar or honey
4 or more cups of flour

Mix warm water and yeast. Whip in remaining ingredients. Begin mixing in flour until it forms a non-sticky ball. Knead until smooth. Form/roll into a circle. Put on desired toppings. Bake @ 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

Chicken Marsala

This is a very easy and quick dinner that is sooo good. Great recipe to throw together at the last minute but appear like you must have really slaved over the stove!

* 4 ea. chicken half-breast, boneless
* 1 egg
* 1/4 c. flour
* 1/2 t. salt
* pepper to taste
* 1 T. frsh parsley
* 2 T. butter
* 2 c. fresh mushrooms
* 2 c. Marsala wine
*1T. oil
*

Directions

Pound chicken breasts flat. Combine flour, s and p, and oregano. Dredge chicken in flour mixture. Heat oil and butter in frying pan over med. heat. Cook the breasts for 2 m. til lightly browned. Turn over. Add mushrooms. When lightly browned add the Marsala, cover and simmer about 15 minutes. Serve with mashed potatoes.
Cook's Notes:


This is one of those recipes that seems gourmet but is easy, easy easy!

This is a recipe I got from a vendor at the Pike Place Market in Seattle. His stall was selling all kinds of yummy flavored pastas. If you make your own pasta, you can add a little creole seasoning to your pasta for this recipe...but if you don't, that's Ok just add about 1/2 T. of seasoning to the sauce.

Calypso pasta with coconut shrimp and mangoes

1# fettuccine
1 jalapeno, diced
2 cloves garlic, miced
1" ginger, peeled and grated OR 1 t. powdered ginger
2 T. brown sugar
2 T. soy sauce
1 lime, zested and juiced
1 c. coconut milk
1/2 c. fresh basil, chopped
1 T. olive oil
1 t. salt
1 # shrimp, peeled and de-veined
2 c. diced mango

In a mixing bowl combine the jalapeno, ginger, garlic, brown sugar, soy sauce, lime, coconut milk, basil, olive oil and salt. Add the shrimp and allow to marinate for 30 minutes to 4 hours.

Heat a pan to medium high heat and add shrimp, leaving marinade in bowl. Cook shrimp until done. Add reserved marinade from bowl. Bring to boil and add mango.

Cook pasta and toss with sauce.

Bread that is too easy to believe

OK so I came across this bread recipe and at first it sounded complicated and too weird to work..but it did work and it's not complicated at all! You mix a few ingredients in the evening, in the morning dump it on a floured towel for the day, and when you get home you pop it into a cast iron casserole dish and bake it...and that easy you have homemade artisan bread. REALLY...it works!

Overnight Bread

3 c. flour
1/4 t. yeast
1-1/2 t. salt
1-5/8 c. warm water
Just mix the flour, yeast and salt well. Add in the warm water, mixing well.
Cover with a towel and let sit overnight.

In the morning. flour a cotton towel, or even just your counter, dump the dough onto the flour and knead only about 3-4 times. Let sit on the flour all day.

When you come home later in the day, grease your cast iron casserole dish and put in a 450 oven--empty--yes, empty for 1/2 hour. When the 1/2 hour is up, drop your bread dough into the pan and bake for 1/2 hour with the lid on. Then take off the lid and bake for 2o minutes more. Remove from pan while hot.

It will seem when you drop the dough into the hot pan that all is lost...but have faith and you will soon have a wonderful loaf of homemade artisan style

bread with your dinner:)

Lemony Linguine with Shrimp

This is a recipe adapted from Trader Joe's Cookbook. The original recipe did not call for shrimp, and included mushrooms. This would be a great alternative for those of you who are vegetarians.

8 Oz. thin spaghetti or linguine
1 c. heavy cream
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
juice of 1 lemon (2 T.)
zest of 1 lemon
2 c. shrimp
3 garlic cloves, minced
Prepare spaghetti or linguine according to package directions.
Prepare the sauce: Heat cream and cheese on medium heat until cheese is melted.
Add lemon juice and zest.
Cook shrimp in a little olive oil with garlic until pink. Add to sauce.
Combine sauce and noodles.

Serve with a spinach salad, french bread and bruschetta...YUM!