Whole Wheat Zucchini Nut Bread

What to do when you accumulate too much zucchini? Quick bread! Christian has eaten the entire loaf this week as his breakfast.

Whole Wheat Zucchini Nut Bread
From King Arthur Flour

2 large eggs
1/4 cup molasses
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup granulated or brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup shredded, unpeeled zucchini (1 small to medium)
3/4 cup raisins (golden are nice)
3/4 cup chopped walnut

Preheat the oven to 350°F; lightly grease a standard 8 1/2" by 4 1/2" loaf pan, or line it with parchment. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs, oil, molasses, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

Stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture.

Stir in the zucchini, raisins and walnuts.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until the loaf tests done (a wooden tester inserted in the center will come out clean). Remove the bread from the oven, and place on a rack to cool for 20 minutes before removing from the pan and returning to the rack to cool completely.

Crab, Corn, and Tomato Salad with Lemon-Basil Dressing

Crab, Corn, and Tomato Salad with Lemon-Basil Dressing
Adapted from Cooking Light: Cooking through the Seasons

If I could eat only seafood, I would.I just could not pass up the crab that has been available at my grocery store lately. This salad was so refreshing and delicious. The tart dressing contrasts with the sweet corn, tomatoes, and crab. Yum!

1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears)
1/4 cup thinly sliced basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
1 pound lump crabmeat, shell pieces removed
3 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

Combine rind, 3 tablespoons juice, and next 5 ingredients (through black pepper) in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add remaining 2 tablespoons juice, corn, and remaining ingredients to remaining juice mixture; toss gently to coat. Drizzle about 1 teaspoon reserved juice mixture over each serving.

Double Chocolate Almond Cookies

I am not a chocolate fiend unlike some people I know (Grandma) but these cookies were so good. They were not too chocolaty, too sweet, or too crunchy. After four days, they are still soft in the center! Perfect!

Double Chocolate Almond Cookies

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 sticks salted butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 cup firmly packed dark or light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (or half white and half semisweet chocolate chips)
½ cup almonds, chopped or slivered

(You can use more nuts if you subtract some chocolate chips)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream the butter and sugars. Add the egg and vanilla and mix together. Add the flour mixture and continue mixing until just combined.

Add the chocolates and almonds and mix until combined. Using two tablespoons or a small ice cream scoop, drop the dough two inches apart on sheet pans lined with parchment. Bake for 13 - 15 minutes.

Cool the cookies on the cookie sheets. The cookies should be very soft when they are removed from the oven. They will firm up as they cool.

Brandied Apple Honey Muffins

I am always looking for a quick and healthy breakfast. These were really great. They were moist and flavorful and not overly sweet. The sugar on top added a lot to the texture.

Brandied Apple Honey Muffins
Adapted From King Arthur Flour

2 cups (8 1/2 ounces) white whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/3 cup (4 ounces) honey
3/4 cup (6 ounces) milk
1/4 cup (2 ounces) brandy (apple or pear brandy is good)
1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) vegetable oil
1 ½ - 2 cups peeled, chopped tart apples
1/2 cup (2 ounces) chopped walnuts or almonds
Turbinado sugar

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together egg, honey, milk, brandy and vegetable oil. Gently stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients, then fold in apples and walnuts.

Spoon muffin batter into 12 greased muffin tins. Sprinkle each muffin with turbinado sugar. Bake muffins in a preheated 375°F oven until they're golden brown and test done, about 25 minutes. Remove muffins from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

Tiramisu Parfaits

Who doesn't love tiramisu?? The flavor is great but getting it out of the pan is not. Problem solved!

Tiramisu Parfaits

6 egg yolks
3 tablespoons sugar
1 pound mascarpone cheese
1 1/2 cups strong espresso, cooled
2 teaspoons dark rum
24 packaged ladyfingers
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate shavings, for garnish

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer with whisk attachment, beat egg yolks and sugar until thick and pale, about 5 minutes. Add mascarpone cheese and beat until smooth. Add 1 tablespoon of espresso and mix until thoroughly combined.

In a small shallow dish, add remaining espresso and rum. Dip each ladyfinger into espresso for only 5 seconds. Letting the ladyfingers soak too long will cause them to fall apart. Place the soaked ladyfinger on the bottom of a tall parfait glass, breaking them in half if necessary in order to fit the bottom.
Spread some of the mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers. Arrange another layer of soaked ladyfingers and top with remaining mascarpone mixture. Continue until you have used all ladyfingers and mascarpone mix.

Cover tiramisu with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 8 hours.

Before serving, sprinkle with chocolate shavings or dust with cocoa powder.

Tuna Tapanade

I don't have a big repertoire of appetizers. When someone asks me to bring one I always want to bring something beyond crudités. This dip looks like a lot of work but it was fast, easy and delicious!

Tuna Tapenade
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa How Easy is That?

10 to 12 ounces canned or jarred Italian tuna packed in olive oil
2 teaspoons anchovy paste
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons good olive oil, plus extra for brushing bread
1/3 cup Italian mascarpone cheese
1 tablespoon drained capers
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
36 slices French bread, cut diagonally

Drain all but a tablespoon of olive oil from the tuna and then flake the fish into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the anchovy paste, thyme, parsley, lemon zest, and garlic and pulse a few times. Add the lemon juice, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and the mascarpone and process until almost smooth. Add the olives, capers, salt, and pepper and pulse just to incorporate. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Serve on toasted slices of French bread or with crackers.

Pasta with Creamy Pimenton Sauce

This is one of my favorite quick dinners. Its easy to make and always hits the spot. The flavor of the pimenton (smoked paprika) is delicious and special. I found it at Whole Foods and also use it on fish, chicken, and roasted veggies.

Shrimp Pasta with Creamy Pimenton Sauce
Adapted from Martha Stewart

2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes (12 ounces)
4 thyme sprigs
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch thick (2 cups)
3 garlic cloves, halved
Coarse salt
1 pound shell pasta
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon pimenton
1/8 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Gently toss tomatoes with thyme and 1 tablespoon oil. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes. Add zucchini and garlic; toss to combine. Roast until tomatoes are just broken down and zucchini is cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, season shrimp with salt. Heat remaining tablespoon oil in a large skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking. Cook shrimp, stirring occasionally, until just opaque, about 3 minutes. Add cream, pimenton, red-pepper flakes, and roasted-tomato mixture. Bring to a simmer. Toss in pasta and reserved cooking liquid.