Chocolate Zucchini Bread

A couple of years ago, when visiting my Mom around this time of year, she had made batch after batch of this wonderful zucchini bread.  I could not get enough.  Sadly, she already had homes for most of the loaves.  I could not wait to get home and have a reason for making some of my own, but really, lets be honest, do you need a reason other than wanting a little chocolate?!? And it must be healthy right?  It has zucchini in it!  Anyway, back to this healthy bread...

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

2 (1 oz) squares unsweetened chocolate

3 eggs

2 C. white sugar

1 C. oil

2 C. grated zucchini

1 tsp. vanilla

2 C. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

3/4 C. semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease (2) 9 x 5 loaf pans.  In a microwave safe bowl, microwave chocolate until melted, stir occasionally until smooth.

In a large bowl combine sugar, eggs, oil, zucchini, vanilla and chocolate.  Mix well.  Stir in the flour, soda, salt and cinnamon.  Fold in the chocolate chips.  Pour batter into prepared loaf pans.

Bake in preheated oven for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

I have to admit, every time I have made this, mine stick to the bottom, not all of it, just a few chocolate chips here and there.  I called to complain to my mom and she said she has had the same problem in the past and she recommended that I use a little parchment paper lining the bottom.  I am trying this trick tomorrow, hopefully I get to it, and I will let you know how it goes!  :)

Happy Baking!

~Rachel~

It is THAT time of the year again....

ZUCCHINI TIME!!

So this is the time of the year that you hope, beyond all hope, that your neighbors, family and friends did not plant any zucchini, and if they did you hope theirs died, because you have enough to share with your whole neighborhood and more.  :)  You know what I am talking about, right?  

Well, I am in that position now.  We ever only plant one zucchini plant and we still always have WAY more than we can handle (and we love zucchini bread).

This week alone we picked 10, yes 10, zucchinis.  More than enough to make dozens of loaves of bread.  I was so excited when my husband told me of an elderly gentleman in our ward who is celebrating his 85th birthday this week (one loaf down!)

So anyway, today is bread making day, so we can use this zucchini that is taking over my kitchen.

I cannot remember where I found this recipe, or who was the wonderful person that shared it with me, but we have been using it for years, and I love it!!

Zucchini Bread

3 eggs

1 C. oil

2 C. sugar (I use 1 C. brown and 1 C. white)

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

3 tsp cinnamon

2 C. grated zucchini (seeds scraped out)

3 tsp. vanilla

3 C. Flour

Preheat oven to 325*

Beat the eggs well.  Add oil.  Add in the remaining ingredients and mix well.  Pour into greased loaf pans, filling 3/4 full.  Bake for one hour at 325*

This makes about 1 large loaf pan with 2 little, or almost 2 large loaf pans.

I take the smaller pans out at 45 minutes and check the middle with a toothpick to see if they are done.  Sometimes they need just a little bit longer.

Depending upon how big you let your zucchini grow, it usually takes one per batch.  I picked most of mine this time when they were about 12" long and that was about perfect.  But if you love to let them get huge, be my guest, just more bread for you!

 I use a small spoon and scoop out the seeds in the center.

 My wonderful husband got me a cool grater attachment for my kitchen aid that works fabulously, but you can use any grater and grate up the zucchini.

The finished product!  The house smells so wonderful right now!!

~Rachel~

30 Minute Breadsticks

Easy Pizza Dough & Bread Sticks

1 Tbsp Yeast                           1 tsp salt

1 ½ cup warm water                About 3 cups flour

2 Tbsp sugar

Mix together as for bread.  Knead 3-5 minutes.  Raise 10 minutes. Knead 3 minutes more.  Roll out thin for pizza or thicker for bread sticks.  Cut into strips and raise 1o minutes more.  Bake 10-15 minutes at 425 for bread sticks; brush with melted butter and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Cinnamon Twists

1 ½ cups warm water                        ½ tsp salt

¼ cup sugar                                      flour

4 Tbsp butter (soft)                           2 eggs, beaten

1 Tbsp yeast                                     1 tsp. vanilla 
                                                        (optional)

Mix ingredients together.  Continue to add flour, ½ cup at a time, until dough isn’t sticky.  Let rise 1 hour.

Roll dough into rectangle approximately same size as cookie sheet.  Melt 1 cube  butter.  Pour ½ on dough, other half in cookie sheet.  Sprinkle white sugar & cinnamon on dough.  Cut with pizza cutter into ½ inch strips.  Fold over on itself, then twist from both ends.  Place in pan.  Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.  Cool & frost with powdered sugar glaze.

These are some really great breadsticks.  They are quick and easy, and super yummy!  My little 4 year old asks for breadsticks for days after I make them.  I sometimes melt butter on the pan and then dip the breadsticks in the butter.  I then fold the breadstick in half and twist it.  Sometimes I add Parmasan, sometimes just plain.  We love them both ways! 

~Rachel~