Heavenly Chocolate Zucchini Cake

This is easily the best chocolate cake I have ever indulged in!  Thanks to Lisa over at The Cutting Edge of Ordinary for sharing this addictive bit of goodness.  I followed the recipe to a T and used applesauce like she recommended.  There was a tiny applesauce incident the second time I made this cake.  Not really sure how it happened, but the applesauce jar fell from the counter and busted all over the floor.  I cleaned up the mess and knelt down to wipe up the sticky applesauce residue - well, all the glass was not cleaned up.  My knee found it and I lost a lot of blood, but survived.  I'm sitting here debating on getting in the shower because we all know how bad that burn is - especially with a cut this bad.  I won't go into too much detail, but there is some "floppage."  With that being said, mmmmmmm - enjoy the best chocolate zucchini cake ever.  This is the kind of recipe that makes you toss out the old standbys because it is so wonderful!

Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Courtesy of The Cutting Edge of Ordinary courtesy of Bon Appetit, November 1995

2 ¼ cups sifted all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 ¾ cups sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup vegetable oil (I used 1/2 cup applesauce instead)
2 large eggs
1 teasoon vanilla extract
½ cup buttermilk
2 cups grated unpeeled zucchini (about 2 ½ medium)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
¾ cup chopped walnuts (optional, I left them out)

Preheat oven to 325.

Butter and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan, or a bundt pan. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda & salt into a medium bowl. Beat the sugar, butter and oil in a large bowl until well blended. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract. Mix in the dry ingredients alternating with the buttermilk in 3 additions. Mix in grated zucchini. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and nuts. Bake 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool cake completely in pan.

Herb Crab Salad Stuffed Avocado Goodness

We love avocados and we love crab meat.  When we saw this tasty combo in the August 2010 issue of Everday with Rachel Ray, it was a no brainer that we had to try it.  It's a great light and healthy summer meal.  Healthy is such a relative term - according to our lifestyle it's healthy.  Good fats and nice lean meat, plus low carbs.  Well, to my dear husband low carb is sinful, but I like to eat lower processed carb meals. 

This is something that can be mixed up with various herbs.  We grow fresh sage and basil, so that is what we used. 

Herb Crab Salad Stuffed Avocados
Adapted from August 2010 Everyday with Rachel Ray

2 T chopped fresh herbs (I used basil and sage)
1/3 C Mayonnaise
1 t Red Wine Vinegar
Pinch Pepper
2 Cloves Garlic
Salt
1/3 C chopped celery
8 oz. Lump Crabmeat
4 Pitted Avocados, Halved

Chop garlic cloves and sprinkle a little bit of salt on them.  Work chopped cloves with the side of the knife blade smashing the garlic against the cutting board until the garlic is pastelike. 

In a small bowl combine the fresh herbs, mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, smashed garlic, pepper, and celery; mix well.  Add in the lump crabmeat and spoon into the avocado halves.  Enjoy because these are delicious!

Aggie's Kitchen Roasted Veggie Pesto Pizza

I've been gone for a couple months; mostly busy with school and homework.  Downloading the pictures  for this pizza made me realize how many recipes I have to post.  It has been so long that  I had forgotten about some of the things I made.

This is by far one of the best pizzas I have ever eaten in my life.  It's a veggie lover's dream, and meat could also be added if desired.  I made a few modifications to the recipe posted below.  I made a basic pesto, which follows the pizza recipe.  I also bought a fresh cooked italian herb pizza crust from our local Farmer's Market.  That part is really up to one's taste and could be adjusted.  I hope you love it as much as we did!

Roasted Vegetable Pesto Pizza
Courtesy of Aggie's Kitchen

store bought or homemade pizza dough
1-2 red bell peppers, chopped (I used 2)
1-2 zucchinis, chopped (I used 2)
2 yellow squash, chopped
red onion, chopped (I used 1/2 of a large)
4-5 garlic cloves, crushed
store bought or homemade pesto
pine nuts
mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper

In a large bowl, toss veggies, olive oil and salt and pepper. Spread evenly on large baking sheet and place in a preheated 425 degree oven. Roast vegetables for approximately 20-25 minutes, tossing about halfway through.

Spread pizza dough out on flat surface. Work dough out, pulling and stretching gently until reaching desired size. I use a pizza stone and try to get the dough just slightly larger than the stone since it does tend to shrink back slightly.

Spread pesto evenly over pizza dough. Spread roasted vegetables over pesto. Top with pine nuts and mozzarella. Bake in 425 degree oven for approximately 15-20 minutes or until dough is golden brown and cheese is melted. Be sure to lift pizza up and check that the bottom is browning as well. If it is not, place on lower rack for a few more minutes.

Basic Basil Pesto

2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan (use the REAL stuff - it'll make all the difference)
1/3 cup pine nuts
3 garlic cloves (more or less depending on size of cloves)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a food processor, combine the basil and pine nuts; pulse several times.  Add the garlic and pulse a few more times until the garlic and pine nuts are tiny pieces.  Slowly drizzle in the EVOO while the food processor is still running.  Scrape down the sides and add the grated parm cheese and pulse until well blended.  Add salt and pepper, adjusting to your preferred taste.

If the basil or garlic are overpowring, add some more cheese, nuts and EVOO.  Approximately 1 C.

Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries

I've been obsessed with oven baked sweet potato fries for at least 10 years now.  They are so delicious and one can flavor them with a plethora of spice combinations.  Mexican sweet potato fries fit into my most recent meal.  They turned out excellent and they always disappear too fast.

Ingredients
2 Sweet Potatoes
2 T Olive Oil
1/2 T Cinnamon
1/2 T Cumin
sea salt

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.  I was too lazy to get a teaspoon out, so I just used 1/2 tablespoon for the cumin and cinnamon.  I also added a sprinkle of sea salt w/out measuring it.

I halve my sweet potatoes first, then cut the half in half, then cut that into fries.  There might be an easier way, but this works for me, and I keep all my fingers. :)

In a bowl, toss the uncooked fries w/the olive oil, then add in the seasonings.  Spread the fries out on a baking sheet and place them in the oven.  They usually take anywhere from 20-30 minutes, and be sure to flip the fries half way through baking so they do not get burned on one side. 

Super simple, super tasty, and super healthy!

Getting ready to go in the oven

Delicious!!!

The PERFECT Chocolate Chip Cookies (To-Date)

I rarely follow a recipe exactly as stated. I often times adjust it before I even try it, and sometimes combine 3 or 4 recipes that offer different things I like. Well, as odd as this chocolate chip cookie recipe seemed to me, I decided to follow it (did not even include my usual cinnamon that I put in almost all baked goods). It paid off, this cookie is amazing! I even weighed the ingredients down to the ounce. It was actually much easier then I had ever anticipated; I had lots of time while the butter was browning and Matt was stirring it for me. I left out the nuts b/c I do not like nuts in really any of my baked goods, and I made the cookies a little bit smaller than suggested so we would have more to eat and share. These cookies disappeared fast, I'm sure only to reappear on my rear!

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies courtesy of Cooks Illustrated

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (8 3/4 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
14 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 3/4 sticks)
1/2 cup granulated sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
3/4 cups packed dark brown sugar (5 1/4 ounces)
1 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips or chunks
3/4 cup chopped pecan or walnuts, toasted (optional)

Instructions
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large (18- by 12-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.

2. Heat 10 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and, using heatproof spatula, transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter until completely melted.

3. Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. Let mixture stand 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth, and shiny. Using rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (if using), giving dough final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.

4. Divide dough into 16 portions, each about 3 tablespoons (or use #24 cookie scoop). Arrange 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets, 8 dough balls per sheet. (Smaller baking sheets can be used, but will require 3 batches.)

5. Bake cookies 1 tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 10 to 14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool cookies completely before serving.

Chocolate Chip Cookies are so yummy to look at!

Guacamole Taco Burgers

Here's a super easy recipe that ended up amazing!  We used Laura's Ground Beef for the burgers, hit them with the homemade taco seasoning (recipe here), topped them with homemade guacamole (recipe here), colby jack cheese, and some amazing carmelized onions.  We finished it off with a EVOO'd whole grain bun grilled outside with the burgers.  The taco seasoning mixed with the ground beef made for some really tasty burgers.  Grilling outdoors feels great and we've gotten a few nice days here in the Midwest lately.  Try this one, you won't regret it!  Just look at those carmelized onions, beautiful green guac, and melting  colby jack!

I caramelize onions by sautéing them in olive oil and butter seasoned with salt and pepper. When the onions start to get a light brown color, I add a little bit of sugar, and mix it in well. Then I reduce the heat, cover, and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. I prefer caramelized onions to sautéed. I never measure the butter and oil, but I’d say, depending on how much onion one has, about 1 T butter and 1 T olive oil. I also use approx 1T of sugar.

Spanikopita (sorta) Meatballs and Fresh Tzatziki

Matt and I LOVE Greek food.  It has a very special place in our life and hearts, so when I saw these on a fellow bloggers website, I knew they were in our near future.  You can find the original recipe here, along with a lot of other tasty dishes.  I only altered 1 or two things; I left out the grill seasoning b/c we did not have any.  Tzatziki is an amazing Greek cucumber yogurt condiment; but we've been told by our Greek friends that us wimpy Americans must have our Tzatziki with sour cream.  Well, I wouldn't have any of that b/c I want the real deal!  And this is the real deal and it was AMAZING!  The first night we ate our meatballs and tzatziki in an Ezekial pita, but ate them without the pita the following night.  They were delicious both ways.

Spanikopita Meatballs

1 T olive oil
1/2 onion, grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 box frozen spinach, defrosted (used Green Giant)
1 C crumbled feta (we used fat free)
1 lb. ground chicken
2 t oregano
2 t onion powder
2 t garlic powder
Sea salt and cracked black pepper season to taste
juice of one lemon

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Using a kitchen towel or cheesecloth, squeeze all the liquid out of the spinach.  Place the spinach in a large mixing bowl with the rest of the ingredients, and mix with your hands until well incorporated.  Roll the mixture into meatballs (I made about 30 of them, they were on the smaller side) and place on a cookie sheet.  Drizzle with a little bit more olive oil and place in the oven and bake for about 12 minutes, turn over and bake another 10-14 minutes or until the meatballs are golden brown and cooked. 

Tzatziki

2 C Greek yogurt (used Oikos brand)
1 large english cucumber, peeled, shredded, and drained (make certain it is dried well)
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 T mint, chopped
1 T, dill chopped
1 ounce lemon juice (about one lemon)
salt and pepper to taste

To prepare the yogurt, line a strainer with a cheesecloth and set over a bowl.  Put the yogurt in the strainer, loosely covered, and let it drain overnight in the refrigerator.  Discard the liquid and use the strained yogurt as directed.

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate overnight before serving. 

This is totally worth the work, I think.  It was so tasty and I love the traditional flavors over the Americanized version.