Pina Colada Zuchinni Bread

OH MY GOODNESS!!!!! I just finished a boot camp workout at the gym and treated myself to a slice of this homemade goodness and I am feeling GOOD!!! I made the loaves and took them out of the oven just before I left. I gotta say that this is what I am doing with the rest of my zuchinni...watch out neighobrs because these are coming to your doorsteps! :)

Pina Colada Zuchinni Bread

4 cups flour (I used 2 all-purpose and 2 whole wheat)

3 cups sugar ( I used 1 1/2 white and 1 1/2 brown)

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp salt

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups canola oil (I substituted applesauce or you can even sub pureed white beans)

1 teaspoon each coconut, rum, and vanilla extracts

3 cups shredded zuchinni (FRESH FROM THE GARDEN:))

1 cup canned crushed pineapple, drained REALLY well

1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

1/2 cup coconut (optional)

Grease 3 loaf pans and preheat oven to 350.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl whisk together the eggs, oil (or substitute) and extracts. Mix into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in zuchinni and pineapple and nuts.

Transfer to prepared pans and sprinkle tops with toasted coconut(optional). Bake 45-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool at least 10 min. before transferring to wire cooling rack.

Makes 3 delicious "what's your recipe" loaves!

Yummy Plummy Leather

I had an abundance of plums this week and I have officially finished them. I made 25 jars of plum jam and 2 large cookie sheets of fruit leather. It was soo easy and I was able to make it without making my house a sauna!!

YUMMY PLUMMY FRUIT LEATHER (or any fruit)

6-8 cups pureed fruit ( I pitted and put it in a fruit processor)

2 Tbsp Honey

2 Tbsp Lemon Juice

2 Parchment or plastic lined baking sheets

Start by pureeing fruit until smoothie consistency. Add honey and lemon juice and stir in.

Line baking sheets with parchement or plastic wrap and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Pour fruit until 1/8 in thickness onto lined baking sheets.

INDOOR METHOD:

heat oven to 200 degrees and bake for 2-5 hours until dried out and dry to the touch.

OUTDOOR METHOD:

Place baking sheets on a flat surface outside where they will get lots of sunlight. Cover with a screen, cheesecloth or tulle to keep bugs or anything out without taking the sun away. Place a few cookie sheets covered with foil (shiny side out) to reflect sun onto leather. Let the sun bake it for 4-8 hours or until dry to the touch.

use a knife or pizza roller to cut leather into strips and wrap in wax paper or plastic. Make pieces as big or small as you like.

I stared out in the oven, but my house started to get really hot so I moved it outside. It was ready by the time naptime was over and my kids just ate it up!

Wannabe Chili's Margarita Chicken

Everytime that I go to Chili's, I get the same thing. Their margarita chicken and chips and salsa. I wanted to see if I could re-create the tasty dinner at home and so I got on the ball and came up with this!

Margarita Chicken Knock-off

1 1/2 lbs chicken

1 pkgs McCormick Grill Mates Mojito Lime marinade mix

1 1/2 cups white rice

15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

8 oz pineapple chunks, diced

1 jalapeno pepper

5 oz cherry tomatoes, grilled

1 Tbsp vinegar

4 Tbsps olive oils, separated

1 cup whole kernal corn

Place chicken in a bag or pie plate with 2-3 Tbsp marinade mix and 1/2 cup pineapple juice from the can. Let sit to marinate. Grill unil juices run clear.

In a bowl, combine beans, jalapeno and diced pineapple chunks (reserve the remaining pineapple juice for the rice) Dice and add tomatoes and 1/2 cup corn with 1 tsp seasoning mix, vinegar, and 2 Tbsp oil.

In a 2 qt saucepan, heat oil and rice until browned. Add remaining pineapple juice with water (total 3 cups liquid) and remaining seasoning mix. Bring to boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer 15-20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed into rice. Add remaining corn to rice when cooked through.

Serve 1 cup rice with 1/2 cup black bean salsa and top with grilled chicken.

It is less than 400 calories per serving and much cheaper to make than going out!

New Cookie recipe from an author that I LOVE!!!

So I was just browsing some of my favorite blogs and websites and came across this decadent cookie recipe that sounds like it is TO DIE FOR!!!! The webiste is through EVERYDAY FOOD STORAGE. and she just came up with a new cookbook that reduces fat and adds fiber with BEANS!!! I am excited to check the book out and take it for a spin. You can bet that it will be on Christmas list this year (if I don't give in and buy it before! :))

LOW FAT ULITIMATE DEATH BY CHOCOLATE COOKIE

1 pkg devils food cake mix

1/2 cup bean puree (white or black - pureed in processor or blender until smoothie like consistency)

2 eggs

1 Tsp Vanilla

1 8 oz pkg cool whip (fat free)

1/2 pkg dark chocolate chips, melted

Preheat oven to 350. Combine half of the cake mix, beans, eggs and vanilla in mixer for 2 minutes or until thouroughly combined. Add in second half of cake mix unitl thouroughly combined. Drop balls of cookie dough onto greased cookie sheet and bake 10-13 minutes or until done. Remove from oven and drop sheet onto counter or stovetop from about 6-12 inches to flatten cookies and make them chewy. Allow to cool

mix cool whip and melted chocolate to make a mouse. Sandwich between 2 cookie.

Lemon Zester Cookies

I swear these are some of the easiest knock-offs EVER!!!! I really like going to Paradise Cafe for their AWSOME cookies! They have some of the tastiest Chocolate Chip Cookies (my knock off recipe to be posted soon!) and in the summertime, I look forward to the Lemon Zester cookies. I decided to try and make my own because I am a Cheap-o and The cookies are expensive at the store. Here is my knock off recipe!

Lemon Zester Cookies (like Paradise Cafe)

1 box lemon cake mix

2 eggs

1/3 cup oil (for chewier version - if you like them crumbly, use cold shortening)

1/4 cup lemon zest

Easy peasy...mix it all together and shape into balls. Bake at 375 for 7-11 minutes or until set around the edges. When the cookies are done, drop the cookie sheet about 4 inches to cooling rack. Let cool 1-5 minutes and remove from sheet.

Have a bowl or plate of powdered sugar right there and just cover cookie in the powdered sugar or else sprinkle over the tops before they are completely cooled.

Its as simple as that. I had 2-3 dozen cookies made and plated in 30 minutes....perfect for moments when you forget that you volunteered desserts for a party!