Zucchini Bread (or Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins)

Zucchini Bread

Description:
Got this from my mom's cookbook. It is LaVee Kawakami's recipe.

Ingredients:
1 c brown sugar
1 c sugar
1 c oil
3 eggs
2 c grated zucchini (or pumpkin or applesauce)
3 c flour
1 tsp soda
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp cloves
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c chopped nuts*
1 c raisins*

*optional

Directions:
Beat eggs. Gradually add sugars and oil. Combine dry ingredients. Add first mixture alternately with zucchini. Stir in raisins, nuts, and vanilla. Pour into 2 slightly greased and floured 9 x 5 loaf pans. Bake at 325 for 1 hour. Let stand 10 minutes before removing from pans.

NOTE: I don't care for raisins, so don't use them in much of anything. I like zucchini without any nuts. I like pumpkin with chocolate chips, so leave out the raisins and put in the same amount of chocolate chips. I didn't try the applesauce, but we made it for Enrichment tonight with raisins, and they liked it. This also makes good mini muffins, which need to bake between 20 and 25 minutes.

Note from Kathi 9/30/08: I made one loaf from this reciple last night. Had to use a little more flour than 1/2 of what the recipe calls for - you want the batter to be a little thicker than pumpkin pie filling! It baked up very nicely in about 1 hr and 5 min.

I also made a loaf using splenda instead of sugar and about 7/8ths of a cup of rice flour and 7/8ths of oat flour. Everything else (except the eggs), I just halved. It also cooked up quite nicely in an hour. It is very very tender, but it has a nice texture and tastes really good.

Number Of Servings:2 loaves

Preparation Time:10-15 minutes, plus 1 hour to bake.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

I got the recipe here. I chose this one because the first comment cracked me up. She rated them 5 stars.

These Stink! August 17, 2009 By Angela.Emily
"I am so mad that these are delicious! They are unbelievably Amazingly Bad! I got so many complements on these. That is why I'm not rating these five stars."

Reminded me of my sister, whom I'll call DisGrace. haha.

Ingredients:

* 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
* 1/2 cup chunky or smooth peanut butter
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar
* 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
* 1 egg
* 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375°.

Cream the butter, peanut butter and sugars until light. Add the egg and mix until fluffy.

Blend the flour, baking powder, soda and salt together well. Add these dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Add the chocolate chips.

Drop cookie dough by teaspoonfuls onto lightly greased baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 375°.

*****

Per some of the other comments, I used about 2/3 c peanut butter and added vanilla. I also used an ice cream scoop and made giant cookies. It made 16.

We give this 5 stars -- soft, rich, yummy ... I could only eat one giant one!

Chocolate Biscotti

Got the recipe out of the parade magazine in the paper.

Chocolate Biscotti
2 c flour
1/2 c cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
6 Tbs unsalted butter, softened
1 c sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 c dried cranberries
3/4 c mini chocolate chips

Sift together dry ingredients. Beat butter and sugar together until very smooth, then beat in the eggs. Mix in dry ingredients until blended. Fold in cranberries and chips.

Divide dough; put pieces on opposite sides of a parchment lined baking sheet. Shape each into a 12-inch-long, 1/2-inch-thick log. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes; cool 20 minutes.

Slice into 1/2 inch thick cookies. Stand them up on the baking sheet; bake for 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

Makes 48.

I'd give them 4 stars. Kiddo didn't like them but she doesn't like cranberries, but the husband liked them and they were good enough I gave some away. I haven't heard back yet from the recipients though.