Zucchini Breakfast Muffins

This is my favorite breakfast right now: 2 zuchchini breakfast muffins, 1 banana, and a cup of black tea. Enjoy!

Ingredients

3 cups organic and/or unbleached flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon*
3 eggs
1 cup butter
2 1/4 cups brown sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract*
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chopped walnuts

*Next time, I might add more cinnamon and vanilla to this recipe. Or maybe a banana for added moisture. I bet this would be delicious with a cream cheese frosting too!

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).


2. Prepare 2 and 1/2 Dozen cupcake tins with compostable baking cups (the kind of cupcakes. and it's really cheap too! I got 60 for $2 at the natural foods store)


3. Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.


4. Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in another bowl.


5. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well.


6. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined.


7. Scoop batter into prepared cupcake tins, filling each baking cup up about 1/2 way to 3/4


8. Bake until golden carmel brown and slightly toasty looking. In my oven, this takes about 17 minutes, but every oven is different, so give or take a few minutes. Don't forget you can use toothpick or butter knife, if after you insert it into the center of the muffin and it comes out clean, you're done!.


9. Remove cupcakes from the tins immediately and let cool before storing.

Makes 2 1/2 dozen muffins! Yum!

Snickerdoodles

with a delicate sweetness and the best cookie name that ever was these snickerdoodles are a true delight on cool summer evenings.

Dough
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Coating
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder.

In a large bowl beat the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. The add the vanilla extract. You will have thick and airy sort of mixture.

Add the flour mixture to the thick and airy mixture in the large bowl; beat until you have a smooth dough.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F, place the rack in the center of the oven.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Now for the coating
In a shallow bowl mix together the sugar and cinnamon.

Shape the dough into 1 inch round balls; then Roll the balls of dough in the cinnamon sugar and place on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

Then, using the bottom of a glass, gently flatten each cookie to about 1/2 inch thick.

Bake the cookies for about 8 - 12 minutes, or until they are light golden brown around the edges. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

Enjoy!

Blueberry Coffee Cake

Having breakfast breads and cakes around to have with coffee or tea and sometimes an egg make for a quick and delightful way to make time for that morning meal. I've been buying cakes and eating them throughout the week for this reason; so this time I decided to try one myself! Here's how it goes:

Streusel Topping
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Cake Batter

1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup milk
2 cups fresh blueberries

Recipe
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter, or spray with a nonstick vegetable spray, an 8 x 8 inch (20 x 20 cm) square pan or an 8 inch (20 cm) round cake pan.

For streusel topping in a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, and ground cinnamon. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or fork until it resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside while you make the cake batter.

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Add the flour mixture, alternately with the milk, and beat only until combined. Spread the batter onto the bottom of the prepared pan, smoothing the top with an offset spatula.

Sprinkle blueberries on top of the cake batter and then sprinkle the streusel topping on top.

Bake for about 40 - 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

N*joy!

Apple Pie

Ingredients

• 1 pie crust in 9-inch pie tin
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter (that's half a stick of butter)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/8 cup of water
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 large, ripe Fuji Apples

Preparation
Preheat over to 425 degrees F. Now we're going to begin making molten sugary goodness for the filling and the order of operations is important: Melt the butter over a low fire in a saucepan. Stir in the flour to form a paste. Stir in water, then white sugar, then brown sugar. Simmer over a low fire to keep it warm and melted but watch for burning. If it burns, start all over. Slice the apples thinly and layer them inside the pie crust. Sprinkle cinnamon on top of the apples then gently pour the molten sugary goodness over the apples. Place the pie top lattice on top. Bake 15 minutes at 425 degrees F. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking for 35 minutes.

Candied Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

• Hella Sweet Potatoes (because people will destroy this dish)
• Brown sugar
• Cinnamon
• Pumpkin spice

Preparation

Shave and slice potatoes to desired thickness. Place potatoes slices in pot and add just enough water so the top layer of slices aren't completely submerged. Place pot with lid on stove top above medium fire until potatoes are soft, for 10-15 minutes. DO NOT STIR. In a bowl, mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin spice to taste. The amount of brown sugar used determines how sweet the dish is. After potatoes are soft and water level in the pot is half as low than before, add sugar and spice mixture, cut fire to low, then cover pot with lid and let sit until the sugar has completely dissolved. Allow to cool before serving.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts w/ Balsamic Vinegar

Ingredients

• Brussels sprouts
• Olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar
• Salt
• Pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to roast at 375°. Trim the ends, then cut brussels sprouts in half. Toss in a bowl with enough olive oil to coat evenly, then add balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Lightly oil a sheet pan, then spread out brussels sprouts, cut side down. Roast in oven for 15 minutes, flip the sprouts to cut side up, then roast for about 10 more minutes or until gently browned. Toss them with a touch of more oil and balsamic to taste for added flavor.

Roast Beef

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter, melted by not too melty
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest (finely grated lemon peel)
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 cloves of garlic finely minced
• 2 to 3 pounds beef roast - eye of round or rump roast
• Meat thermometer

Preparation

In a small bowl combine butter, lemon zest, thyme, and garlic. Sprinkle salt and pepper on it. Place meat in a shallow roasting pan. Roast at 450°, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 325°; roast beef about 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes. A meat thermometer should register about 150° for medium. Remove roast from oven, cover loosely with foil, and let stand for 10 minutes before slicing and serving immediately.

Serves 6 to 10 hungry people