Zucchini Bread

Well, September is here and with that brings the unofficial start or the Fall season. I have a love hate relationship with Fall. I love to bake so this means pumpkin and apple everything as well as another season to redecorate for. The negative, warm weather is slowly disappearing and the cold snowy season will be here before we know it.

We had a clam boil on Sunday and spent Labor Day recovering. After relaxing all day I decides to make a couple zucchini breads to start off the baking season. I came across a very very large zucchini on our garden that me and Scott both missed somehow, so it was the perfect excuse to get baking!
I went to my favorite cookbook, a gift from my brother and soon to be sister-in-law (thanks Krystal, as I know you were the one who actually picked it out), Betty Crocker COOKBOOK, Bridal Edition Here is what you will need and how to make the breads:

 Ingredients

3 cups shredded zucchini

1 2/3 cups sugar

2/3 cup veg. oil

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 large eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon of salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons nutmeg

1 cup chopped nuts

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease the bottom only of 2 8x4 loaf pans.  In a large bowl stir zucchini, sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla until well mixed.  Stir in the remaining ingredients except the nuts.  (Now at this point I completely overlooked the cinnamon and nutmeg, so I ended up just swirling it in gently after I had already placed the batter in the pans) Lastly stir in the nuts (I used walnuts since that is what I had but Pistachios or even topping it with sunflower seeds would be excellent choices as well!)  Divide batter evenly between the 2 pans.  Bake for 50-60 minutes or until lightly browned on top and a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool loaves for 10 minutes in pan on a wire cooling rack.  Loosen the sides of the breads and remove from pans.  Place top side up on wire rack to cool completely.  Wrap tightly and store at room temperature for about 4 days or refrigerate up to 10 days.

Now, I hate my oven so of course I used the toaster oven, you can really make anything in a toaster oven. Okay okay, maybe not a baked ham or a turkey dinner, but almost anything! I let my neighbor have half a loaf, since she saved me when I didn't have enough flour, and she ate half before I even left the house! Must be good, especially since my dad said it was the best he has ever had and needs the recipe!  Enjoy


***Nutritional Info (per slice)
CAL. 95 FAT 4g CHOL. 15mg SODIUM 110mg CARBS. 13g PRO. 2g

American Chop Suey

American Chop Suey is made differently in almost every home. I find it to be a recipe that you grew up with that gets passed down with small tweaks.  To be honest it was never one of my favorite meals since I don't eat hamburg so I always would take the noodles plain with some sauce before mixing it together.  On the other hand it is one of my husbands FAVORITE meals and his mothers version is much different than my mothers version so I have learned to make her version over the past year.  The one change that I made is that I add extra hamburg and Italian sausage since that is Scott's favorite part.

I start be removing the sausage from their casings (I use about 3 or 4) and adding them to about 1lb of hamburg in a large skillet.  I combine them and cook until no longer pink.  I then add a tablespoon or so of Basil, Italian Seasoning and garlic powder with salt and pepper to taste.  Once mixed together I add 1/2 of a large sweet onion, 1/2 a green pepper (I used orange this time since that is what I had) and 1/2 a red pepper.  I cover the pan and simmer until the veggies are tender. 

Once they are tender I add in a box of pre-cooked elbows or shells (- the bowl i took out for myself!) and a jar of vidalia onion spaghetti sauce and mix together.  I let this simmer for about 10 minutes and then it is ready to ENJOY!