courgettes

Dear Mom,

Zucchini as the "octomom" of the garden?  I suppose it is because the plant tends to produce a lot of zucchinis?  The more I think about that, the more it grosses me out.  I am generally not impressed with the woman they call the "octomom," and I am also slightly concerned for the well-being of her offspring.  Considering how healthy and bountiful zucchini usually is at the farmer's markets, I would assume that the zucchini plant is a far better "parent" to its little fruits than the "octomom." In other words, don't insult the zucchini!

I happen to love zucchini, its versatile, colorful, and tasty.  I even love the word zucchini, it's fun to say.  So is courgettes, by the way, which is the french term for them.  (Another random fact, is that I called them fruits above, because they are fruits not vegetables.)  Next time you're in the kitchen and you want to impress the people you're cooking for, you can refer to the lovely green fruits you're cooking as "courgettes."  You can fry, saute or grill zucchini; you can layer it into a quiche or a galette (then call it a courgette) or on top of a pizza (in that case, zucchini).  You can even bake them into bread.  I just happened to do the latter last week, with this tried and true recipe also from Cooking Light magazine for Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread.  Yes that's right, not only chocolate zucchini bread, but chocolate chip zucchini bread.  This recipe is absolutely delightful.  In fact, it is so good that when I brought it into work last week it was gone so fast, I only had the time to photograph one slice! 

I highly recommend eating a slice almost right after you take it out of the oven, when its still warm and the chocolate chips are still gooey.  It's also delish at room temperature or toasted so that the chips are gooey but the bread is a little crusty from the toaster.  I would recommend no butter, but if you are a chocoholic like me, you could spread some Nutella on it.  Unfortunately, it has never lasted long enough in our kitchen to make it to Saturday breakfast where it could be transformed into french toast.  This is such a brilliant idea I really need to strive to save a slice or two for Saturday morning, I will keep you posted.

chocolate chip zucchini bread

3/4 cup sugar
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 cup applesauce
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1-1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1-1/2 cups shredded zucchini (about 1-1/2 medium/small sized zucchini)
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I usually over flow the measuring cup a little)
cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 350.  In a large bowl stir together the sugar through applesauce.  In another bowl, stir with a whisk the flour through salt until well combined.  Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and stir until moist.  Fold in the zucchini and chocolate chips. 

Pour the batter into a loaf pan coated with cooking spray.  Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. 

cosmo's notes:  For shredding the zucchini, I just use a cheese grater.  I have a mandolin that could make a finer shred, but I actually like seeing little bits of green in the bread (it makes me feel healthier). 

Also, I highly recommend instead of buying a big jar of applesauce, just buy those little cups of applesauce.  Just like what Mom used to put in your lunch box that you immediately traded away for a bag of chips or a Hostess cupcake...  (oops!  sorry Mom!)  Anyway, you can just leave these little shelf-stable pups in your cupboard until your ready for your next loaf of zucchini bread (or chocolate chip cookies with applesauce, which is a recipe for another day).  They're the perfect size, and you're not worrying about the science project that has started growing in the applesauce jar that has been in the fridge for 6 weeks.

that resolution

Dear Mom,

So the resolution for healthy eating is going great!  We just finished a very healthy lemony spinach salad with white beans and tuna...  So since we've been so good, its time for dessert!  (Well at least we tried to be healthy.)

I came across this recipe the other day when I was completely out of any thing for dessert except for a bag of chocolate chips. Although I have been known to just sit down with a bowl of chocolate chips and a spoon, I decided to try to find something to do with them other than cookies (or said spoon).  I've had these types of cakes many times before and I always assumed they were difficult to make.  Not only are they not difficult, they're ridiculously easy to make, and most of the ingredients you'll have in your pantry.  With Valentine's Day on the way, if you're cooking at home, this would make a wonderful and easy ending to a romantic meal.

molten chocolate cakes

1 cup chocolate chips
10 tbs butter
1/2 cup flour
1-1/2 cup powdered sugar
3 eggs
3 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbs orange liquor or bourbon (optional)

Preheat oven to 425F.  Grease 6 oven safe custard cups.

Melt the chocolate and the butter together in the microwave and stir until smooth.  In a separate bowl whisk together flour and powdered sugar.  In another bowl whisk together the eggs, vanilla and liquor.  Add the flour mixture slowly to the chocolate, stirring until somewhat combined (it will be pretty thick).  Add the egg mixture and stir until mostly smooth. 

Divide batter among the 6 prepared custard cups.  Bake in the oven for 14 minutes (they should look slightly set on top).

resolutions

Dear Mom,

I'm sitting here enjoying a rather strong beer while my cookies are baking away in the oven.  That is what the holidays are all about.  "Beer and cookies???" you may ask, no-no not just beer and cookies, but everything I've been eating the past week, a.k.a. over-indulgence.  Yes, spending time with the family is great, chestnuts roasting on a open fire and jack frost nipping at your nose and all, but what it's really about is the fact that I ate some type of pork for the last 6 days in a row.  Bacon, slow-roasted pork shank, all-day Italian-style pork, pulled pork (from two different restaurants) and, of course, ham! 

So now it is time for the sweet stuff, and considering that John and I have made a resolution to eat healthier in the New Year, I have to get it all out now!  So that means beer and cookies.  Right now I've got a batch of cowboy cookies in the oven.  (You know that cowboys would not have milk with their cookies, they would have beer!)  I went with cowboy cookies because I wanted to prepare us for the upcoming year of healthy eating, so we get the sinfulness of the chocolate, but the heart-healthy oats at the same time.  Also, this is my reduced-fat, reduced-sugar cookie recipe, which as any cookie-lover knows, you can eat twice as many! (Three-times as many on a holiday!)

cowboy cookies

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup quick oats
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup apple sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. molasses
1/4 butter, softened
1 tbsp. vanilla
1 large egg
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375.

Place the 1/2 cup apple sauce in a strainer over a bowl and stain the liquid from the apple sauce for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine flour through cinnamon in a bowl with a mix.

In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the drained apple sauce and the rest of the ingredients through the egg.  Blend together in the mixer until combined.  Slowly add dry ingredients. 

Place cookie dough in the fridge for 15 minutes.  Scoop rounded tablespoonfuls on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Bake cookies for 10 minutes, until almost set.  Let cool on the baking sheet 2-3 minutes and then transfer to wire racks.