Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Zucchini Bread


1 c flour
1 Tb. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla
1 large zucchini (enough to make 1 cup coarsely grated) Wash, dry, trim and DO NOT PEEL
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour bottom and sides of loaf pan.
Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and baking powder in mixing bowl and set aside. In another bowl, beat eggs, sugar, and oil with electric beater until thick and pale yellow in color. Beat in vanilla and flour mix. Stir grated zucchini into batter. Pour batter into pan and bake for 55-60 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool on rack. Enjoy!
This is one of my all time favorites, and a real crowd pleaser! Tye even loves it!

Friday, January 2, 2009

Sopapilla Cheesecake


I know it's been forever, but my sister, Susan made these at Christmas and they were amazing. So delicious, yet so simple. I found a picture online since I didn't take one.


2 cans Pillsbury Crescent rolls

2-8oz Cream Cheese (room temperature)

1 1/2 cups Sugar, separated

1 tsp. Vanilla extract

1 tsp Cinnamon (I like a little more)

1 stick butter (1/2 cup real butter not margarine)


Spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray. Unroll and press 1 can crescent rolls into the bottom of your baking dish press the seams together.

In a separate bowl blend the cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and 1 tsp vanilla spread over top of dough.

Unroll the second can of crescent rolls and place on top of the cream cheese mixture pressing seams together again. Melt butter and pour over top layer of crescents.

Mix the reaming 1/2 cup of sugar & cinnamon together. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture generously over the top. If you don't think that's enough cinnamon sugar on top add more it’s really up to you there's no rules on this part of the recipe.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until bubbly and bottom crust is slightly brown. Cool, slice and enjoy!


Yummy!!!!!!!

Chocolate Éclairs


These take a little practice and some patience too, but they are well worth the effort!


Pastries:
1 Cup water
2 ½ oz butter
1 Cup plain flour (sifted)
Pinch salt
4 eggs (3 if you use Jumbo)
1 teaspoon grated orange rind (optional)
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind (optional)

Filling & Chocolate sauce
Heavy Whipping Cram
¼ C Sugar
1 C Powdered sugar
Hot water
Cocoa
Butter (melted)

Pastries:
Place water and butter in sauce pan over low/medium heat until butter is melted. Bring to boil, quickly add sifted flour and salt, stir quickly until mixture forms a ball and leaves side of pan. Remove from heat immediately, let mixture cool slightly. 3-5 minutes.

Place mixture into metal or glass mixing bowl. Beat on low/med speed with electric mixer – add eggs one at a time. Beat well after each egg. Mixture will be thick, smooth and glossy. If using Jumbo eggs, you may only need to add two and one white (total of three) the key is to have the mixture smooth, glossy and thick.

Drop rounded teaspoon full of mixture onto greased oven trays. I use baking paper instead. Bake 10 minutes at 400*. Reduce heat to 370* (without opening oven) and cook for another 35 minutes, until golden brown.

Allow to cool completely on wire racks before filling. Fill with cream and frost top with chocolate.

Filling:
Whip heavy cram with electric mixer. Add sugar a spoonful at a time until cream start to stiffen. Use piping bag to fill each pastry with cream.

Chocolate Sauce:
Pour powder sugar into mixing bowl. Add melted butter and hot water. Mix well. Sauce will be think. “frost” the top of each filled pastry.

Chill for one hour. Serve cold. ENJOY!