Pumpkin Zucchini Bread

Taken From Six Sisters Stuff

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup butter, melted (or 1 cup oil or 1/2 cup oil and 1/2 cup applesauce)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour (I substituted whole wheat flour)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1-2 cups shredded zucchini
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)


Directions
In a bowl, combine eggs and sugar. Add pumpkin, butter (or oil/applesauce) and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients; gradually add to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Stir in zucchini and nuts. Pour into two greased and floured 9-in. x 5-in. loaf pans. Bake at 350° for 45-55 minutes or until breads test done. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove to a wire rack. Yield: 2 loaves.

Banana Bread

This recipe is from my favorite banana bread recipe. Since we are trying to make eating healthier a lifestyle change I am trying to make changes to some of our favorite foods.

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) package reduced fat cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/4 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup mashed bananas
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/8 cup wheat germ
• 1/8 cup ground flaxseed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Beat the cream cheese. Gradually add the white sugar, and continue beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the applesauce,  mashed bananas and vanilla. Add flour, wheat germ, ground flaxseed, baking powder, and soda; mix until batter is just moist.
2. In a small bowl, mix together chopped pecans, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and cinnamon. (I often omit this step altogether or sometimes just add a bit of cinnamon to the ingredients)
3. Divide 1/2 batter into two greased and floured 8x4 inch loaf pans. Sprinkle pecan mixture over batter in pans, and top with remaining batter.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

When I first told Gary about how I made the banana bread he said, "So, it's gonna taste gross?!" But guess what? He REALLY liked it! I have not tried it yet, but I imagine you could substitute the sugar with something like agave or pure maple syrup....I just can't vouch for such fantastic results if you do. You can also cut back on the amount of sugar you use.

Homemade Soft Pretzels

Recipe by Alton Brown, variations by Our Best Bites

1 1/2 cups warm water (110-115 degrees F)
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 package active dry yeast (I used rapid rise yeast)
22 oz all-purpose flour, about 4 1/2 cups
2 ounces unsalted butter, melted
Vegetable oil for pan
10 cups water
2/3 cup baking soda
1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water
optional: additional melted butter and cinnamon-sugar
optional: powdered sugar, milk, melted butter for dipping

Combine the water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. Add the flour (tip: don’t add all the flour at once, just in case you don’t need it all.  Reserve a small amount and add as needed for a soft dough) and butter and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl, scrape the bowl clean and then oil it well with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush with the vegetable oil. Set aside.

Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan.

In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan.

Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds. If you’re making pretzel “bites” put in as many as will fit without crowding.  Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula (a metal spider works great). Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with pretzel salt or kosher salt. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Cinnamon Sugar Version: Prepare as directed but don’t sprinkle with salt before baking.  Immediately after removing pretzels from oven, brush with melted butter and toss in a bowl of cinnamon-sugar.

Cinnamon Sugar Dippers:  Instead of shaping pretzels into the traditional shape, roll dough into ropes and cut into 1-2 inch pieces.  Continue preparing as recipe instructs, brushing with butter immediately after removing from oven and tossing in cinnamon sugar.  Create a dipping glaze by mixing about a cup of powdered sugar with 2-3 tablespoons melted butter and then add milk as needed, whisking until smooth.  Serve warm.

**If you like the pretzels you get at the mall, then you will love these! I made pretzel bites instead of actual pretzels. They were super easy and my kids helped me. I made mine with kosher salt and then some with garlic and parmesan cheese that we ate with spaghetti. Next time we will definitely be trying the sweet ones! SOOOO good!!

Lemon Zucchini Bread

I found this on Pinterest


1½ cups sugar
½ cup butter
½ cup coconut oil(you can use regular oil)
3 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
¼ cup lemon juice
3 cups raw grated zucchini
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2½ cups white whole wheat flour (I used white flour but had to add more)
¾ cup chopped nuts (optional)
Lemon Glaze
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
Blend sugar, butter, and oil. Add eggs, beat well. Stir in vanilla, lemon juice, and zucchini. Add cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir until well combined. Stir in white whole wheat flour and nuts.
Grease and flour 2 loaf pans. Pour mixture into pans. Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes.
Mix lemon juice and powdered sugar. Pour and spread over warm bread.

We made this today and it is really yummy! A fun twist on zucchini bread!

Buttermilk Biscuits

recipe from Mommy's Kitchen

1/2 cup cold butter (1 stick real butter)
2 1/4 cups self-rising flour
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
additional Self-rising flour
(for counter surface to knead dough)
2 tablespoons melted butter

Cut butter with a sharp knife or pastry blender into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Sprinkle butter slices over flour in a large bowl. Toss butter with flour. Cut butter into flour with a pastry blender until crumbly and mixture resembles small peas. (I used my hands) Cover and chill 10 minutes. Add buttermilk, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead 3 or 4 times, gradually adding additional flour as needed. With floured hands, press or pat dough into a 3/4-inch-thick rectangle (about 9 x 5 inches). Sprinkle top of dough with additional flour. Fold dough over onto itself in 3 sections, starting with 1 short end. (Fold dough rectangle as if folding a letter-size piece of paper.) Repeat entire process 2 more times, beginning with pressing into a 3/4-inch-thick dough rectangle (about 9 x 5 inches). Press or pat dough to 1/2-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface; cut with a 2-inch round cutter, and place, side by side, on a parchment paper-lined or lightly greased jelly-roll pan. (Dough rounds should touch.) Bake at 450° for 13 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven; brush with 2 Tbsp. melted butter.

** If you do not have self rising flour, you can make your own using all purpose flour. To make your own self rising flour, simply add 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt for EACH Cup of all purpose flour.

** If you do not have buttermilk, you can make your own using vinegar or lemon juice. 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice plus enough milk to make 1 cup. Let mixture stand for 5 minutes before using.

Low Fat Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins

Servings: 12 • Serving Size: 1 muffin • Old Points: 3 pts • Points+: 4 ptsCalories: 147.3 • Fat: 2.7 g • Protein: 2.7 g • Carb: 28.5 g • Fiber: 3.4 g • Sugar: 12.3 g

• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 cups 100% whole wheat pastry flour (Bob's Red Mill) *
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups blueberries (about 6.5 oz)
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp melted butter or margarine

Preheat oven to 325°. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Mix well. In a medium bowl, mix eggs, melted butter, vanilla and applesauce. Add to the flour mixture and stir until just blended. Gently fold in blueberries.Pour batter into 12 lined muffin tins and bake at 325° for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for about 10 minutes.

*on the website she suggested that if you don't have this flour then use 1/2 white and 1/2 wheat flour...that's what I did and they turned out perfect!!

So, Gary and I have been cooking from this website:

http://www.skinnytaste.com/

every day for the last week and a half. We make dinner using her recipes every night (more recipes to come) and I wanted to try a breakfast recipe. We had a bunch of blueberries so this recipe was perfect. Our kids LOVED these and have already asked for them again. Can't complain about yummy HEALTHY food!! :)