Zucchini Bread (Paula Deen's recipe)

This was my first time making this recipe and it turned out very yummy. It is NOT low fat or low sugar, so beware! I had trouble with one loaf sticking to the pan, so be sure and spray your pan well! This recipe makes two loaves.

3 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (I used freshly ground Spelt flour)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups sugar (I used Sucanat with Honey) **next time I will use 2 cups sugar instead of 3**
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup water
2 cups grated zucchini
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (I used pecans)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, nutmeg, baking soda, cinnamon and sugar. In a separate bowl, combine oil, eggs, water, zucchini and lemon juice. Mix wet ingredients into dry, add nuts and fold in. Bake in 2 standard loaf pans, sprayed with nonstick spray, for 1 hour, or until a tester comes out clean. **I checked after 45 minutes and they were done**

Crockpot Yogurt

--8 cups (half-gallon) milk

--1/2 cup store-bought natural, live/active culture plain yogurt (you need to have a starter.)

--thick bath towel


Directions:

Plug in your crockpot and turn to low. Add all 8 cups of milk. Cover and cook on low for 2 1/2 hours.

Unplug your crockpot. Leave the cover on, and let it sit for 3 hours.

When 3 hours have passed, scoop out 2 cups of the warmish milk and put it in a bowl. Whisk in 1/2 cup of store-bought live/active culture yogurt. Then dump the bowl contents back into the crockpot. Stir to combine.

Put the lid back on your crockpot. Keep it unplugged, and wrap a heavy bath towel all the way around the crock for insulation. I have an insulated carrying bag for my crockpot, so I use that. I do place a few dish towels on top of the lid before zipping up the bag.

Go to bed, or let it sit for 8-10 hours.

In the morning, the yogurt will have thickened---it's not as thick as store-bought yogurt, but has the consistency of low-fat plain yogurt.

Chill in a plastic container(s) in the refrigerator. Your fresh yogurt will last 7-10 days. Save 1/2 cup as a starter to make a new batch.

Neal likes to add honey and blueberries to his yogurt. I add Truvia and grape nuts and sometimes mini-chocolate chips. The kids add honey or sucanat with honey and grape nuts and chocolate chips.

** I usually like to start my yogurt around 4 or 5 in the afternoon. That way I'm finishing up with my part around bedtime. **

Do You Need a New Breakfast Dish for Christmas?

This is my all time favorite breakfast dish for Christmas morning! It's pretty easy to make and tastes wonderful! I received this recipe many years ago from my friend, Colleen, and it has become a favorite for my Mom and I! (Neal doesn't like Cinnamon, so he doesn't partake!) First I'll give you the original recipe:

Baked Cinnamon French Toast Custard

12 slices cinnamon bread (I like the kind without raisins)

soft margarine

9 eggs

1 qt milk

2 cups half & half

1 cup sugar

4 1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line bottom of 9 x 13 pan with half of bread. Butter remaining bread. Place with buttered side up over bread. Beat eggs and add other ingredients. Mix well. Pour over bread. Let stand 15 minutes. Set pan in larger pan and pour boiling water about half way up the dish. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes or until knife comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

This dish melts in your mouth!

Since there are only 3 of us that eat this dish, I cut the recipe in half. I have also been known to substitute some of the ingredients for lower fat/calorie ingredients. It has never turned out bad!

(recipe for 7" x 11" pan)

6 slices of cinnamon bread

4 or 5 eggs (I've also used an egg beater/real egg mixture and it worked fine)

2 cups milk (I use skim)

1 cup half and half (I use fat free 1/2 and 1/2) I've also just used 3 cups milk and omitted the half and half.

1/2 cup sugar (or Splenda)

2 1/4 tsp vanilla

Follow instructions above. I hope I didn't confuse you with the second recipe, but it's actually really easy. I don't think you can mess it up!

Merry Christmas!

Favorite Kitchen Gadget #1

I'm not saying that this is my #1 favorite gadget, I'm saying that out of all of my favorite kitchen gadgets, this is the 1st one I'm going to talk about here. :o) I know there are many different brands of rice cookers out there, and I'm sure there are many good ones. This is the only rice cooker/steamer I've ever had, so my knowledge on these appliances is very limited. That said...I love my rice cooker!

Neal bought this for me a couple of years ago when we started growing our own asparagus. There is a steamer basket that fits in the top of the cooker (it's in the dishwasher right now, or I would have taken a picture of it). This year I only used it with the asparagus a time or two because our new favorite way of fixing asparagus is to grill it; however, I do use this a lot for cooking rice.

My favorite rice is Brown Basmati. As Rachel Ray would surely say "it has a nutty flavor." Does she say everything has a nutty flavor, or is it just me? Well, this does have a nutty flavor, and the aroma is to die for! I'm cooking some for breakfast right now, and I wish I could make this an "aromatic post" so that you could appreciate how wonderful it smells!

Speaking of having it for breakfast, I want to share how we make our "Breakfast Rice Pudding."


2 cups cooked brown rice
1 Tbsp butter
real maple syrup
milk

After my rice has finished cooking, I add the butter right away. Stir until the butter is melted, and then add maple syrup to taste. Spoon into individual bowls, and add a bit of milk. I like to add a dash of cinnamon to mine, as well.

I've tried this with pancake syrup, but real maple syrup has a much better taste. I buy a bottle to keep on hand just for this breakfast.

What is your favorite rice to cook? Any favorite recipes?

Sausage Balls

Although these are not the most healthy breakfast food in the world, Ben loves them and always requests them for his birthday breakfast! His 11th birthday was yesterday, so I made them up on Wednesday night and baked them Thursday morning. They were a huge hit -- as always -- and he finished them off by noon! :o)

1 lb sausage (I used Jimmy Dean's Regular Sausage)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups Bisquik (I use the low-fat Bisquik)

Combine all three ingredients. This is a very stiff consistency and you will most likely have to use your hands to get it mixed well. Roll sausage mixture into 1-inch balls. On a greased cookie sheet, place sausage balls side by side (I was able to get all of these sausage balls onto one large cookie sheet). Bake for 15 minutes in a 375 degree oven.

Enjoy!

Rice Pudding

This recipe is not what I think of when I think of rice pudding. However, my kids and I love it...and it's so easy! We eat this for breakfast and it's nice and warm and satisfying!

1 cup brown rice
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups water
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup maple syrup (I've used pancake syrup and real maple syrup and the real stuff tasted much better!)
milk

Bring water and salt to a boil. Stir in rice, cover and simmer for 45 minutes. (You can make the rice ahead of time and warm it up in the morning. I use my rice cooker and make a double batch.) Stir in butter and syrup. Put in bowls and pour a little milk into each bowl. Serve warm.