Blueberry Zucchini Bread

I make zucchini bread and yellow squash bread all throughout the summer months, and happened to have a few ( actually 4!) pints of fresh, plump blueberries to use up before they went bad. So blueberry zucchini bread it was. Sweet, with a hint of cinnamon ! I make it in a bundt pan, but one large loaf pan, or 6 mini loaf pans would be perfect! Plan to double the recipe and share with friends. They will thank you!

Blueberry Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
3 c all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 T ground cinnamon
3 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
3 tsp vanilla extract
2 c sugar
2 c shredded zucchini
1 pint fresh blueberries

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a bundt pan ( or loaf pan) and set aside
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
3. In a separate medium bowl, beat the eggs, oil, applesauce,vanilla and sugar until creamed.
4. Stir in the flour mixture a cup at a time, until the flour is incorporated into the batter.Fold in the zucchini . Then gently fold in the blueberries.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
6. Bake 1 hr 10 minutes for a bundt pan, and @ 50 minutes for a loaf pan, or until the center of the loaf is cooked through.
7. Cool 20 minutes in pan, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Coconut Granola

On Sunday I meal prep for the upcoming week. It makes my mornings so much easier if lunch salads are made, breakfast sandwiches are made and frozen , pancakes are cooked and ready to be warmed and fruit salad is made to eat with cereal or oatmeal on rushed mornings. My husband loves anything made with coconut, so I make a batch of this coconut granola for him to take to his office and snack on during the week. It is so easy and it costs way less than buying granola at a store. Those prices are ridiculous when you can make it in half an hour at home and you control what goes in it. This recipe calls for coconut oil, maple syrup and a tad bit of sugar to sweeten it up and it is out of this world. Sometimes I add mini chocolate chips or dried pineapple and extra roasted coconut chips, but even without the additions it is a winner.

Coconut Pecan Maple Granola

1 1/2 c old fashioned rolled oats
1 c roasted coconut flakes ( I use Trader Joe's)
1 c sliced almonds
1 c pecan halves
1 T sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3 T coconut oil
1/3 c quality maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla  or coconut extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together the oats, coconut flakes, almonds, pecans, sugar and salt.
In a saucepan, add the coconut oil and maple syrup. Stir until melted and mixed well. Add the vanilla or coconut extract and mix well.
Pour the coconut oil mixture over the oats and stir very well to make sure all of the oats have been coated.
Spread the granola on a baking sheet in an even layer and bake for 12 to 14 minutes.
Remove from oven and let it cool completely.
Once cooled you can break it up and add chocolate chips, dried pineapple or roasted coconut flakes.
Store in an airtight container.

Blueberry Bread Pudding

I had a pint of fresh blueberries that I had to use up and I was planning to make a batch of blueberry pancakes for breakfast. Until. I realized I wanted something a bit more easy to make. And besides ,  didn't really want one child to whine while the other one was eating because I cannot seem to get the pancakes made fast enough for either of them. They will inhale them and waiting patiently is not a strong suite for teenagers. I had a few loaves of french bread that I needed to use up, so I decided to use one of those loaves to make a blueberry bread pudding. . I used heavy cream, and real maple syrup for this batch and it was heaven! Fluffy bread, a hint of cinnamon and fresh  blueberries are a perfect concoction on a cold snowy morning.  You can definitely substitute another fresh fruit , like blackberries or raspberries, for the blueberries. This would be great for a lazy weekend brunch.

Blueberry Bread Pudding

6 eggs
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup real maple syrup
1T grated lemon zest
1 loaf french bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 pint fresh blueberries
2 T ground cinnamon
2 T sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Butter an 8 " square casserole dish.In a bowl, combine the eggs, syrup, cream and lemon zest. Whisk until mixed well.
In a large bowl, add the cubed  bread and pour the egg mixture over the bread. Let the mixture soak until all of the egg mixture is absorbed into the  bread.
Fold  the  blueberries into the bread mixture and pour into the casserole dish.Combine the cinnamon and the sugar and sprinkle that on top of the bread.
Bake 45- 50 minutes until the bread is golden and a toothpick comes out clean.

Baked Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts

About a year ago I purchased two doughnut pans because my kids love doughnuts. So on lazy weekend mornings I make up a few batches of doughnuts to feed the kids for a late breakfast/brunch. They usually snack on them until lunch. I have made quite a few different kinds of doughnuts these past few months, but they all ask for the cinnamon sugar ones. The batter is so easy to make and once they are in the doughnut pan and baking it goes fast. If all the boys and my husband are home I double the recipe. 2 dozen doughnuts seems like a lot, but with teenagers , they go fast.

Baked Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon mace
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 large eggs, beaten
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• TOPPING
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions

1. Mix all 7 dry ingredients in a medium size bowl.
2. In a smaller bowl, beat egg. Mix egg with milk and melted butter. Add vanilla.
3. Stir milk mixture into dry ingredients until just combined being careful NOT to overmix. Pour into greased donut baking tin, filling approximately 3/4 full.
4. In a shallow bowl, mix cinnamon into brown sugar . Set aside . I another shallow bowl, melt 1/4 c butter.
5. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-18 minutes.
6. Let the doughnuts cool for a few minutes. While still warm, dip each doughnut into the melted butter, then into the cinnamon sigar mixture. Serve while warm. 

Happy Eating,

Liz

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Orange Fluff Salad

This salad is one that I make very often. It is orangey (is that a word?) and creamy and so simple to make. I love to keep it in the fridge for quick school morning breakfasts. You know, on those mornings when you don't want to make a real breakfast with eggs,bacon and toast, but don't want to throw sugar laden cereal down their throat. Just serve with fresh fruit and a glass of milk or juice and they are off. The recipe I grew up with calls for regular small curd cottage cheese and a separate can of pineapple tidbits . But I do not care for the large pineapple bits in my salad, so I buy the tub of cottage cheese with pineapple . Feel free to use  the tidbits, just make sure they are drained well ( the oranges too) or the salad will become very watery and will separate when refrigerated. (It will still get slightly watery after a day or so, just stir gently to recombine). This salad is also great for a mid afternoon snack.


Orange Fluff Salad

1 box orange flavored jello
1 small container cottage cheese with pineapple
1 can mandarin orange segments, drained well
1 container fat free cool whip

In a large bowl, mix the jello powder into the cottage cheese,mixing well. Add the orange segments and fold in the cool whip. Mix well.Refrigerate until chilled.

Baked Blueberry Doughnuts

Sunday mornings before church I like to make homemade breakfasts for the family. This week I made homemade baked blueberry doughnuts ( I <3 my doughnut pans)  and fruit salad. These doughnuts are healthier than their fried cousins and my kids love them. I usually make chocolate or cinnamon doughnuts, but I had blueberries that needed to be used  so I decided to mash them into small bits and add them to the batter. You can use regular milk in place of the buttermilk. I always have buttermilk for baking, so that is what I use. Totally up to you. You can also add a glaze. Just mix powdered sugar and milk until you get your desired consistency and dip the warm doughnuts into the glaze and place on racks to set. A lemon glaze would be great on blueberry doughnuts come to think of it. I will have to do that next time.  This makes 6 doughnuts, so I double the recipe for a dozen for my family.

Baked Blueberry Doughnuts

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons buttermilk
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons water
½ cup blueberries, crushed

Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together milk, eggs, oil, blueberries and water. Pour the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.Place the batter in a large ziploc bag and snip off an end. Pipe the batter into each doughnut mold about 1/2 full. Bake at 325 degrees for 15-17 minutes in a 6-doughnut pan . You can insert a tootpick or skewer in them to test their doneness. Let them  sit for a minute or two in the doughnut pan before turning them out. I have found that they will sometimes break if they are piping hot , so I wait a few minutes before I turn them out of the pan. You should glaze them while they are still warm. Serve with a mug of coffee or cold milk.

Monkey Bread

Can't get any better than sweet bread with cinnamon sugar for a yummy breakfast! One of my family's favorites!


Monkey Bread

SERVES 12 , 1 tube pan

3 (8 ounce) cans buttermilk biscuits
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup margarine
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Cut each biscuit in fourths .
Shake biscuits in bag with sugar and cinnamon.
Layer biscuits into greased tube pan.
Sprinkle with nuts.
Melt margarine and brown sugar and boil 1 minute.
Pour over biscuits.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes at 350 degrees.
Let stand 10 minutes .