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Steamy Romantic Fun!

Laurie

 

 

Here's one of my daughter's favorite dishes that can be served as a side dish or as a meal.  It's not the most slenderizing way to eat zucchini, but it's one of the few ways my family enjoys that "ewww" green stuff.

 

 

Zucchini Bake

 

Blend together in large mixing bowl:

 

4 eggs

1/3 C Olive Oil

4 Tbsp. Melted Butter

½ -1 tsp. Garlic Powder—depending on how garlicky you like things.

3 T. Finely Chopped Fresh Parsley (If dehydrated use only 1T)

1/2-2/3 C Grated Parmesan Cheese

½ tsp. Salt

½ tsp. Black Pepper

 

Stir in:

 

3/4 C Jiffy or Bisquick Baking Mix

Plus 1 tsp Baking Powder

 

Fold in:

 

4 C  PEELED, thinly sliced zucchini (approximately 3 medium)  Pack the measuring cup.

2/3 C Finely Chopped Onion

 

Place in a 9X13 well-greased Pyrex pan.  Sprinkle with paprika and bake at 350º for 25 minutes (or until almost done).  Cover with a thin layer of sliced Provolone (a little thicker layer if serving as a meal) and bake another 5-10 minutes.

 

 

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                Birthday Carrot Cake

 

When my son married the sweetest girl in Texas, I discovered her absolute favorite dessert is carrot cake (which is also one of mine).  So for my daughter-in-law’s first birthday after becoming a part of our family, I set out to make her the best carrot cake she’d ever had.  I scoured various carrot cake recipes, taking what I liked and discarding what I didn’t.  Here’s the result. 

 

CAKE

PREHEAT OVEN to 325 degrees. 

 

With a mixer, blend the following wet ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Beat until smooth:

 

1 C      Sugar

1 C      Dark Brown Sugar (Packed)

4          Large eggs

1 C      Canola or other vegetable oil

2 t        Vanilla

1 T       Grated orange peel

 

Mix together in a separate bowl:

 

2 C       Flour

1 t        Baking Powder

1 t        Baking Soda

1 t        Salt

2 t        Cinnamon

 

Slowly combine the dry ingredients into the wet, beat until smooth.

Then add:

3 C      Finely shredded carrots (Packed)

3/4 C   Chopped walnuts

 

Grease and flour 9X13 pan.  Bake cake in 325 degree oven for 50-60 minutes.  When the cake is tone the center should spring back to the touch.  Also insert a toothpick into the center.  When it comes up dry, remove from the oven and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes before flipping onto a wire rack to finish cooling.  Wait until it’s completely cool before frosting.  Be sure to refrigerate the cake since it has cream cheese in the icing.  I generally prefer cake chilled, anyway.

 

Cream Cheese Frosting

 

(This recipe makes quite a bit of frosting, which I need because I usually cut the cake into two layers and put some icing in the middle.  If you don't care for a lot of frosting, you can cut this in half and still probably have enough to cover the cake without filling it.) 

 

12 ozs.   Cream cheese (room temperature)

1/2 C         1 stick of Butter (room temperature--NOT MARGARINE)

1 t          Vanilla

1 lb.       Box of confectioners sugar

1-2 t       Lemon zest to taste.

 

OPTIONAL -- 1/2 C toasted shredded coconut or chopped nuts sprinkled on top of the cake

 

 

Blend the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together with a mixer and gradually add confectioners sugar until it is the consistency and sweetness you prefer.  Then add lemon zest to your taste.  After frosting the cake you can sprinkle chopped nuts or toasted coconut on top before decorating.  (I personally prefer the toasted coconut)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Copyright 2008 Laurie Kellogg

 

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