Zucchini Bread

LeGreg has a newly planted veggie garden at his place. When I was up last weekend, there was a pile of giant zucchinis on the table and I was told that I wasn't leaving without some. Arm: twisted.

My plan was to make zucchini bread. And it was an epic journey.

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 1/4 cups white sugar
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (No. Gross)

Directions

1. Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
3. Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.
4. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.  

So. Here's the thing. I assume that, like my parents kitchen, MY kitchen will ALWAYS be stocked with the essentials. You know, flour, sugar, vanilla, etc. I mean, I've baked like twice before, so I'm sure I'm good and stocked up. 

 

I was not good and stocked up. 

 

And I was NOT going back to the effing store. 

 

Loaf pan? Didn't have. Used an 8x8 glass dish. 

 

White sugar? Didn't have. Used light brown sugar. 

 

Veggie oil? Didn't have. Stole some from Nic. (Hey Nic, I stole a cup of oil. SORRY FOR PARTYING). 

 

Vanilla? Didn't have. Used honey, because it was the only sweet thing I had. Even though vanilla isnt necessarily sweet.  

 

Baking soda? Didn't have. Didn't use. 

 

 So I basically didn't have or subbed half the ingredients. Given my track record in the past, the chances of this succeeding was...0%. But I was already balls deep and committed, so I continued on.

 

I thought that maybe it would cook faster, since it was shallower, so I set the timer for 45 mins. 45 mins later it was a dark wobbly mess. Ok, this isn't going well. I set the timer for another 15 mins. Stuck a knife in and it was covered in goo. About 30 mins LATER, the knife was finally clean! Cripes! 

 

I tasted a little bite when it cooled....and it was GOOD! Miracles happen, people. And they taste so good. It even has a nice crunchy crust along the top. I think that's from the brown sugar.

 

 I brought some in for "team food" at work, and it got a resounding THUMBS UP. 

 

I should just stop now, while I'm ahead.  

Spinach and White Bean Dip

Another dip from that Real Simple article!!

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 15.5-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed
• 2 1/2 cups spinach
• 1/4 cup fresh dill sprigs (...I used dried. SO KILL ME)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• kosher salt and black pepper
• crostini, for serving

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, heat the oil with the garlic over medium heat until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes; let cool.
2. In a food processor, combine the garlic oil, beans, spinach, dill, and lemon juice. Season with ¾ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and puree until smooth. Serve with the crostini. 

Ok. This dip. SO GOOD. And really? Pretty healthy!! Took just a few mins. I ate mine with some flax tortilla chip things I had from Trader Joes, rather than crostini. Bottom line? SUCCESS!

Feta and Sun-Dried Tomato Dip

Real Simple had a page of super easy dips in their July 2011 issue, and this was in there. Real Simple? Easily one of the best mags ever. Thank God LeGreg's mom subscribes so I can scour every issue and take notes. 

Ingredients

• 4 ounces crumbled Feta
• 1 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (next time I'm just going to use the oil from the tomatoes)
• 1/2 cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained (I got the herby kind from Trader Joe's)
• kosher salt and black pepper
• pretzel crisps, for serving (or whatever. I used some other crack type thing)

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mash together the Feta, yogurt, and oil until mostly smooth. Mix in the sun-dried tomatoes and season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Serve with the pretzel crisps. 

Dudes. After chopping up the tomatoes (could prob use a food processor if you're fancy and have one), this took like 8 secs to make. It was SUPER tasty and I will fo sho be busting it out again. Not too often for myself, with the whole lactose intolerance thingy, but it might end up being my signature "bring an appetizer" thing. I haven't tried any other dips yet from that feature, but I'm definitely gonna. Woot!

(Pic from the Real Simple site, by Tom Schierlitz)

Bourbon Slushie

The gift that keeps giving! (Bee tee dubs-go read the rest of her blog. One of my ultimate favorites.)

I made this at Christmas, so this is a mere 6 months late. What are you gonna do, ya know?

I can't WAIT for the weather to warm up to drink this all the damn time this summer.


1 can frozen Orange Juice Concentrate
1 can frozen Lemonade Concentrate
7 cups strong brewed Black Tea (3-4 bags)
Fifth of Bourbon Whiskey
2 liter of Sprite (Can also use 7Up, Ginger Ale, or Sierra Mist…gag)

1. Boil water and steep tea until strong (about 20 minutes)
2. In a freezer safe, sealable bowl, mix tea, all the juices (DO NOT ADD WATER), and bourbon whiskey.
3. Freeze overnight.
4. Before serving, mash it up a bit to get desired slush-like consistency.
5. Scoop desired amount of slush into glasses, and top off with Sprite.

I wish you all a wonderful and safe holiday season!

P.S. The bourbon can be completely substituted for RUM. The rum slushie is the bourbon slushie’s way sluttier cousin.

(allll of the bold is straight from her site).

Mixing the brown bourbon and the orange/yellow juices didn't exactly yield a beautiful drink. But who the EFF CARES.

It tastes like fairies. Dancing drunk fairies in poofy sparkly skirts. I basically didn't stop drinking it until it was gone. All night? Yes, please. Mimosa for brekky? Nah. Bourbon slushie, thx. Close enough.

It's delicious and wonderful...like The Barefoot Foodie herself... 

Pesto Orecchiette With Chicken Sausage

Found in Real Simple.

Two things made me need this recipe in my life. First, I love weird shaped pasta. Spongebob mac and cheese? Hell yes. Weird little circle things? I'm in. Second, I'll eat damn near anything with pesto on it. I wanted to add asparagus to it, but that crap is like $4/bundle right now!! Eff that.

Ingredients

• 12 ounces orecchiette (like little discs)
• 1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (I used frozen ones from Trader Joe's)
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 ounces fully cooked Italian-style chicken sausage links, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup pesto (I used the jarred pesto from Trader Joe's)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan (2 ounces)

Directions

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions, adding the green beans and peas during the last 3 minutes of cooking. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water; drain the pasta and vegetables and return them to the pot.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, 6 to 8 minutes.
3. Add the sausage, pesto, Parmesan, and ½ cup of the reserved cooking water to the pasta and vegetables and toss to combine (add more cooking water if the pasta seems dry). 

Ok, that pic looks kinda gross. Mostly because my green bowl blends in the green sauce and is all kinds of tacky 70's-y. I assure you, however, that it's REALLY REALLY GOOD! Super good. I think you could put broccoli or asparagus or other green things in it. 

Cheat Sauce

I didnt take pictures, but I was pretty impressed with how my spaghetti sauce came out last night. You know I like cramming veggies in anything and everything. Last night I sauteed up one chopped (big ol chunks) red bell pepper and one zucchini until both were soft. I threw those in a blender with one small can of diced tomatoes. Blended it for like 5 seconds (basically just until the blender sucked down all veggies. I wanted it chunky). Served over angel hair. Done. In immediate retrospect, I should have thrown a ton of garlic in there. I was starving and in a time crunch, so I'll save that for next time.

Split Pea Soup

Two weekends ago, I was at LeGreg's house and his parents were gone for the weekend. His mom usually cooks a lot, so that left us on our for food. He cooked all 3 dinners. Just whipped them up from whatever was laying around. And it was all deelish.

Fast forward to this weekend: he's coming down here. I want to cook for him. I take all effing week to plan ONE dinner. Picking it out, shopping, all that. Cripes. I do NOT win at cooking.

While babysitting on tuesday, I was going through a Barefoot Contessa cookbook that they had. I've heard her name a million times, but I've never seen any of her shows or anything. I came across this recipe for split pea soup. It caught my attention because of the short/easy ingredient list. I always assumed that split pea soup had a ham hock or something weird like that in it. Sold!

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 1 cup chopped yellow onions
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/8 cup good olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups medium-diced carrots (3 to 4 carrots)
• 1 cup medium-diced red boiling , unpeeled (3 small)
• 1 pound dried split green peas
• 8 cups chicken stock or water (I always use low sodium. Plenty of flavor.)
  
• (I also added one of those thick slices of ham, diced. Split pea soup needs ham, RIGHT??)
  

Directions

In a 4-quart stockpot on medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with the olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper until the onions are translucent, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the carrots, potatoes, 1/2 pound of peas, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. off the foam while cooking. Add the remaining split peas and continue to simmer for another 40 minutes, or until all the peas are soft (here is where I added my ham, too). Stir frequently to keep the solids from burning on the bottom. Taste for salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Until close to the end, I was worried that the peas weren't going to get mushy. Split pea soup must be MUSHY, damn it!! But it did. And holy balls the flavor! It tastes nice and smoky and the carrots and potatoes make it really hearty. Maybe the bestest part? WAY cheap. I made it tonight, thinking that maybe it'll be even better if it sits for a day before I the boy has to pretend that he loves it. We'll see!