Most Amazing Zucchini Bread Ever

What do you do with zucchinis that are larger than your entire arm? Make the most amazing zucchini bread ever! That's what I did at least when my husband brought home giant zucchinis from a friend's garden. Lemon and rosemary is what makes this zucchini bread so special. The flavors are perfectly subtle so as to make you want more of it.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup canola or other bland vegetable oil
• 2 packed cups of shredded zucchini with excess water strained off
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1/4 cup lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. In large bowl mix all dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda, sugar, and rosemary).
3. In another bowl, add all wet ingredients (egg, oil, zucchini, lemon juice, and lemon zest).
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and combine well, but do not over mix.
5. Grease loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray and pour batter into it. Cook for 45 minutes or until knife test shows it is completely cooked. 

Beef in a Leaf

This is one of the delicious things my husband makes when he decides to cook. It is made of lean sirloin strips cooked in a spicy and sweet balsamic sauce and tossed with angel hair pasta, and eaten wrapped in lettuce leaves. We pulled it out of a Weight Watcher's cookbook many years ago and we love it because it's light, but satisfying, tastes great, is colorful, and fun to eat.

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 pound lean sirloin steak, cut into strips
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes - or more if you like it hot!
• 4 cups cooked capellini (angel-hair pasta)
• lots of lettuce (large leaves)

1. In large saute pan, cook steak in olive oil over medium heat.
2. Add soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, honey, and red pepper flakes, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
3. Add in pasta and toss. 
4. Serve about 1/4 cup in each lettuce leaf. 

"Aunt Jackie's" Noodle Bake

When I got married, my mother-in-law gave me a recipe book of my husband's favorite childhood meals. The recipe he asks me to make most often is his Aunt Jackie's Noodle Bake. For him, it brings back memories of big family get-togethers and being at his aunts house after church on Sundays. It's amazing how food can transport you to a different time and place.

This noodle bake is pretty indulgent, but I use lighter ingredients if possible (like light cream cheese) and you can't tell that I made the substitutions.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 8 oz tomato sauce
• 12 oz package egg noodles (I use pappardelle)
• 4 oz cream cheese (light okay)
• 1 cup sour cream (light okay)
• 3 stalks of green onion, finely sliced
• 1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. In saute pan, cook ground beef and drain off fat.
2. Add garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and tomato sauce, and stir together.
3. In pot, cook noodles according to package directions and drain. Add cream cheese, sour cream, 1 teaspoon salt, and green onion.
4. Grease 9 x 13 baking dish with non-stick spray. Layer noodle mixture with meat mixture, and top with cheese.
5. Bake for 30 minutes.

Bacon and Chocolate Chip Cookies, Perfected

It took me lots of experimenting to finally get this recipe right. You don't have to be a bacon fanatic like me to enjoy these either! Just think childhood breakfast: chocolate chip pancakes, bacon, and maple syrup. Yummm!

There are 3 pieces to this cookie:

1. The chocolate chip cookie. Just follow your favorit recipe or the Nestle Toll House recipe on the back of the chocolate chips bag, but leave out the nuts. I usually like my cookies soft, but you'll want these more on the well-done side. I find using a silicone baking mat works great as you can cook them longer, but they won't get too hard.
2. The bacon. Buy a good quality bacon! And you will need lot of it: about a pound per 2 dozen cookies. Cut the bacon into small piece and cook in skillet over medium heat until it's crispy and almost burning. Remove bacon and place in bowl lined with a paper towel to absorb the excess grease. Sprinkle with salt and some brown sugar, and toss to coat evenly.
3. Maple frosting. You don't need as much frosting as you think you will need. These amounts will more than cover 2 dozen cookies. Melt 1 tablespoon butter and stir in 1.5 cup of confectioners sugar. Add 1 tablespoon maple extract and 1/2 teaspoon salt. You will need to add a splash of water in order to mix it into a smooth paste. If it's too liquid, add in more confectioners sugar. If it starts to harden up, you can zap it in the microwave which re-melt the butter.

Now that you have your 3 components, you need to assemble. Spread just enough frosting on each cookie for a thin layer, and then press on some bacon crumbles. Taste the cookie and it's it's too sweet, you can also sprinkle on some more salt. If it's too salty, use a little more frosting. Let frosting set before storing or serving.

Chocolate Cloud Souffle

Taking a bite out of a souffle is like eating a cloud. A delicious cloud.

A souffle consists of 2 parts: the base and the lift (the eggs). The base of the souffle should be about the same consistency as thick cream sauce so the souffle is not weighed down. The base should be fully cooled before adding in the whipped egg whites. Over-mixing the whipped egg whites into the base will cause the air trapped in the egg whites to deflate, so fold the whipped egg whites in gently. Lastly, serve it as soon as it comes out of the oven as a souffle will fall after just a couple minutes of being taken out. Your guests will wait for the souffle, but the souffle will wait for no one.

Ingredients:

• 7 oz semisweet chocolate chips
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 large egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons warm water
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 8 large egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• garnish: confectioners sugar, fruit, or caramel sauce

1. Brush 6 6 oz ramekins with butter, then coat with sugar. Place them in the freezer.
2. Set oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 400 F.
3. Put the chocolate and butter in a medium heatproof bowl and place over double boiler. Stir the chocolate until it's melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Set aside.
4. Combine egg yolks and warm water in a large bowl and beat with electric mixer until frothy. Gradually add 2 tablespoons sugar, and continue beating until ribbons form, about 5 minutes.
5. Lightly fold the yolks into the chocolate mixture.
6. Place the egg whites and lemon juice in clean bowl and beat with electric mixer of medium speed until frothy. Then gradually add the 1/2 cup sugar and increase speed to high. Beat until the whites hold a stiff but not dry peak.
7. Working quickly, fold about a third of the egg whites into the chocolate to lighten; then fold in the remaining whites until blended.
8. Gently spoon the souffle mixture into the ramekins and place on a baking sheet. Level the surface with a straight edge, scraping any excess mixture back into the bowl.
9. Immediately bake until the souffle rises about 1 1/2 inches from the ramekins, and the tops are touched with brown, about 18-20 minutes. Remove the oven, garnish, and serve immediately.