Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

Greetings from New York City!  I've been here this last week attending Teachers College at Columbia University.  This probably doesn't mean anything to you unless you're one of my teacher friends.  Pretty much, it's the coolest literacy professional development taught by the best gurus in the country.  Plus, it's in New York, which makes it an even greater adventure!  So, I've spent the week figuring out the subway, attending classes, and eating too many delicious bakery treats.

 

I have to stop here and make a side note about some of my favorite treats and eats:

Have you heard about the banana pudding from Magnolia Bakery?  People are always raving about it.  I've made a version of it at home before and couldn't imagine that it would be that amazing, but, lo and behold, it was.  What is it about softened vanilla wafers that is so good?  It seems like a weird thing to taste good, but they do.  They really do.   

Second favorite treat thus far:  chocolate chip walnut cookie from Levain Bakery.  These are more like cookie mounds.  Typically I like cookies on the flat side and without nuts, and, actually, cookies aren't usually my treat of choice, but I'll make an exception here; the mound was substantial with an awesome texture and the nuts didn't ruin it at all.  It was very different from a typical cookie and I liked it.   

One more food fave:  Shake Shack.  Everyone and their brother has recommended this place and now I get it.  I went to the original location in Madison Square Park.  It was lovely: strung with lights, outdoor seating, just a cool vibe all around.  While I wasn't overly impressed with the fries (probably a good thing), the burger was one of the best I've ever had.  And I've sampled my fair share.  They are made with high quality beef and I feel like I could tell.  I also had a creamsicle shake which was fantastic. 

Here's a pic in Columbus Circle after a walk through Central Park.  I saw fireflies for the first time.  After I realized I wasn't hallucinating, I was amazed! Those things are magical.  Why do we not have them in Seattle?!

Didn't mean to make this a NYC post, but I just couldn't help myself.

OKAY, on to zucchini bread . . .

Or should I say bikini bread?  When my niece Grace (now 13), was much younger, she used to talk about the big 'bikini' they grew in the garden.  I can't help but think of her any time I make something with zucchini.  I found this recipe a few years back when I was the recipient of some of the 'bikini' from the garden.  So, if you're looking for another way to use up zucchini, make this yummy bread!  The orange zest really makes the recipe so don't leave it out.  Also, I've adjusted the recipe to include more zucchini.

 

Note on Zucchini:  When I first made this I wasn't sure if I should leave the peel on or not, so here's a tip for prepping the zucchini.  Wash, dry, cut off the ends, leave the peel on, and use a box grater to grate the zucchini. 

CHOCOLATE CHIP ZUCCHINI BREAD

• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2-3 cups grated zucchini
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon orange zest

 

Preheat oven at 350 degrees F.


Grease two loaf pans.

 

 

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, spices and baking soda.

 

 

In a large bowl, beat eggs with a whisk until light and fluffy.

Add sugar, and continue beating until well blended.


Stir in oil, vanilla, zucchini, chocolate chips, and orange zest.


Stir in sifted ingredients.


Pour into prepared loaf pans.


Bake for 50 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted in the middle comes out clean.


Remove loaves from pans and cool.


Source:  Paula Deen

Buttercream

I think it's pretty normal to have tastes and preferences change as you get older.  Buttercream would not have been my frosting of choice as a kid.  A few years ago my mom was making my sister's wedding cake. {She's talented like that.}  She made and decorated the cake, but ordered the buttercream from a local bakery.  Making enough buttercream for a wedding cake would be pretty labor intensive.  I think this is when I really fell in love with this grown-up version of frosting.  She had a huge bucket {literally} of buttercream and I used cake scraps, graham crackers, or just about anything that would make a suitable vehicle for the silky goodness that is buttercream. 

True buttercream does not have powdered sugar, a common ingredient in most frostings.  It's made by making a meringue from egg whites and combining it with a cooked syrup and, of course, a truckload of butter.  It's not super sweet, but is smooth and light and amazing.  I've noticed that many cupcake shops say their frosting is buttercream, but very few places actually use true buttercream.  There's a tiny little cupcake shop in downtown Seattle called Yellow Leaf that has lots of different interesting and delicious flavors of buttercream.

I made this tonight for cupcakes for a church event, but neglected to take pictures of any of the cupcakes.  Good thing I had a little dollop left for a graham cracker.  It made for the perfect snack since I mostly care about the frosting anyway. 

A few notes on buttercream:

• You'll need a candy thermometer to keep track of the temperature of the syrup. 
• If the mixture looks a little soupy while mixing, don't fret, it will come together in the end. 
• The buttercream is done when it thickens slightly and the soupiness disappears.
• Although the recipe calls for unsalted butter, you can use salted if you'd like.  I like the sweet-and-salty combo so I like to use half salted and half unsalted butter.   
• Buttercream can be made 1 week ahead and chilled, covered, or 1 month ahead and frozen. Bring to room temperature (do not use a microwave) and beat with an electric mixer before using.

BUTTERCREAM

• 4 large egg whites at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces and softened
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or almond or coconut extract)

Combine egg whites and salt in bowl of a standing electric mixer with whisk attachment or other large bowl.

Stir together sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over moderately high heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved.

 

 

When syrup reaches a boil, start beating whites with electric mixer at medium-high speed.

 

 

Once whites are frothy, add lemon juice and beat at medium speed until they just hold soft peaks. (Do not beat again until sugar syrup is ready—see below.)

Meanwhile, put thermometer into sugar syrup and continue boiling, without stirring, until it reaches soft-ball stage (238–242°F).

 

 

Immediately remove from heat and slowly pour hot syrup in a thin stream down side of bowl into egg whites, beating constantly at high speed.

 

 

Beat meringue, scraping down bowl with a rubber spatula, until meringue is cool to the touch, about 6 minutes or longer. (It's important that meringue is fully cooled before proceeding.)

With mixer at medium speed, gradually add butter 1 piece at a time, beating well after each addition until incorporated.

 

 

(If meringue is too warm and buttercream looks soupy after some butter is added, chill bottom of bowl in a larger bowl filled with ice and cold water for a few seconds before continuing to beat in remaining butter.)

 

 

Continue beating until buttercream is smooth.

 

 

NOTE:  Mixture may look curdled before all butter is added, but will come back together before beating is finished.

 

 

Add vanilla extract and beat 1 minute more.

 

 

Source:  Epicurious

Green Enchiladas

I came across this recipe a few years back when I was looking for something that I could make using all of the tomatillos that my sister-in-law Britney gave me from her garden.  She had a particularly good harvest that year! 

This is, hands down, my favorite enchilada ever!  I love the green enchiladas at Cactus and Pesos, and these come pretty darn close.  Also, they taste even better the next day. Most things do. 

The roasted tomatillo salsa is so good that I always make more than the recipe calls for to have extra and sometimes make it on its own to have with tortilla chips or quesadillas.  It is pretty easy and so flavorful. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GREEN ENCHILADAS

ROASTED TOMATILLO SALSA

• 1 pound tomatillos, husked
• 1 white onion, peeled and quartered
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 jalapenos
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
• 1/2 lime, juiced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

On a baking tray, roast tomatillos, onion, garlic, and jalapenos for 12 to 15 minutes.

Transfer the roasted vegetables to a food processor.

Add the cumin, salt, cilantro, and lime juice and pulse mixture until well combined but still chunky.

ENCHILADAS

• olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups chicken stock
• cilantro
• 1 rotisserie chicken, meat shredded (If you want your enchilada meatier, use the meat from 2 rotisserie chickens or add a couple of cooked chicken breasts.)
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 10 flour tortillas
• 1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

GARNISH

• sour cream
• chopped tomatoes
• cilantro

Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

Add the onion and cook until soft and caramelized, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Add the garlic and cumin then cook for a further minute.

Sprinkle on the flour and stir to ensure the flour doesn't burn then gradually add the chicken stock to make a veloute.

Continue stirring over a low simmer until the flour cooks and the liquid thickens.

Turn off the heat, add half of the roasted tomatillo salsa, some additional fresh chopped cilantro and fold in the shredded chicken meat.

Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Change the temperature of the oven to 350 degrees and begin assembling the dish.


Take a large baking dish and smear the bottom with some of the reserved tomatillo salsa.


Put a scoop of the shredded chicken-enchilada mix followed by a sprinkle of the shredded cheese in each tortilla.


Roll the tortillas and place seam down in the baking dish. 


Pour some salsa over the top of the enchiladas and top with the remaining shredded cheese.


Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes until bubbly and cracked on top.


Garnish with a dollop of sour cream, chopped tomatoes, and cilantro. 


Sourc: Tyler Florence