PORK CHOPS AND APPLESAUCE my way...

 This morning I could not decide if I wanted to make a pork roast or gumbo.  My darling husband was the tie breaker.  He wanted pork.

I started off thinking about marinating my rib roast in red wine, then I started thinking about the sweetness level and soon was thinking about what fruits I could use instead.  Eventually I ended up go to the classic that everyone loves...

PORK CHOPS AND APPLE SAUCE

Well, not quite.  I think it was a 6 lb rib roast.  I  rubbed it down with a mix of: garlic, dijon mustard, rosemary and pepper.  Then I grated onion and mixed it with applesauce and poured it over the top.  I cooked it at 225 for about 4 hours.

There was so much amazing juice from it that I mixed flour into the sauce to make a gravy.

To accompany this, I wilted some thin sliced leeks with butter and used liquid from yogurt I was draining for the potatoes.   

This will be done again.

Ingredients:

RUB

2 T garlic

2 T dijon mustard

2 T rosemary fresh chopped, or 1 T dry

1 T pepper

TOPPIING

2 c applesauce

1 c sweet onion, grated

POTATOES

2 leeks

1/4 c butter

3 2/3 c yogurt liquid ( you could also use half yogurt or buttermilk and half water or make them normally, substituting 1 c sourcream for 1/2 milk. 

1 pkg Honest Earth mashed potatoes

COOKING DIRIECTION-for those needing more guidance  tee-hee

1) mix the rub and smother your roast with it

2) put it baking dish

3) mix applesauce and onion and pour over pork

4) cover and bake at 225 for 3 hours covered

5) uncover and bake for an additional hour to form a crust.  

     for more crust, uncover sooner, or don't cover at all

***Once you pull it from the oven, drain the juice into a sauce pan and whisk in 2 T flour for every cup (for a thick gravy, or 1 T flour per cup of juice for a thin gravy), bring to a boil, wisking until it becomes glossy and translucent.

Below is a link to the potatoes I use.  Freeze dried without any preservatives:

1) put leeks and butter in  covered sauce pan on medium, stirring occasionally until wilted

2) add half of liquid and bring to boil

3) stir in potatoes

4) add remaining liquid and stir until well combined

5) turn off heat and let sit until ready to serve.

***  Though I made this with a rack roast, in the future I would use a standard pork roast, as I lost the beautiful crust in the cutting.  We still put the sauce back on for eating.***

https://www.amazon.com/Honest-Earth-Creamy-Mash-Potatoes/dp/B09XSTKHQL/ref=sxin_17_pa_sp_search_thematic_sspa?cv_ct_cx=mashed+potatoes&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sr=1-3-6024b2a3-78e4-4fed-8fed-e1613be3bcce-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9zZWFyY2hfdGhlbWF0aWM&psc=1

Southen Biscuits - Buttermilk Angel Biscuits

Southern biscuits are an art form.  I grew up thinking that everyone wanted that fluffy, moist, flakey biscuit.  I have long hunted the ability to make this gold standard of biscuits.  It remained elusive to me.

In my search I happened across many historic recipes that had a lot of egg but hardly any fat.  Then I came upon "the Southerner's Cookbook".  They call it "the ABC's of Southern Biscuits".  This describes the following:  Angel Biscuits which have added yeast, Beaten biscuit which is all about air incorporation, and cathead biscuits that are as large as a cats head.

It is the Angel biscuit that we will focus on.

I was focused on making buttermilk biscuits.  My first question was if buttermilk would work with the yeast.  My concern was that the buttermilk.  I know that salt retards salt growth, so I had to be sure.  After searching the web for a bit, all I could find was that you had to use more yeast with buttermilk.  So I changed my plan to proof the yeast with whole milk instead.  I then started just searching for Angel biscuit recipes, not expecting to find one with buttermilk, when I happened upon this recipe.

I followed it with just a few changes.

Here is what I did .

Buttermilk Angel Biscuits

Ingredients
7 g active dry yeast (1 pkg)
1/4 c warm water
1/4 c Sugar
6 1/4 c AP Flour
1 T Baking Powder
1 t Baking Soda
1 t Kosher Salt
1 c Bacon Drippings
2 c Buttermilk
1/4 c Unsalted Butter


Directions
1). Proof yeast by mixing with 1/4 c water and 1 T sugar, let sit until foamy

2). Sift together 6 c flour, remaining sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

3). Using your preferred method cut the lard into the flour mixture, until a course crumb like
      texture is achieved.
     ( I prefer my kitchen aid for this, a food processor would also make this easy)

4). Add buttermilk and yeast mixture, stirring in only until dough comes together.

5). Let rise until doubled in size.

6). Spread remaining flour onto board and knead dough on it 16 times.

7). Roll dough to 1/3" thick and  cut as many biscuits as possible, roll out scraps and cut as many more as possible.  Toss scraps.

8). Place biscuits on a sheet pan with parchment, touching each other.

9). Melt butter and brush on top of biscuits.

10). Let rise in warm spot until doubled in size.

11) Bake at 425 for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown.



NOTES:

I would probably add a touch more buttermilk.  The dough was very stiff and difficult to roll.

Now I am not going to say this recipe is bulletproof.  With that being said, I missed adding the yeast mixture until after I had combined the dough, which ended in it being overmixed because I had to add it.  Despite this they were still light, fluffy and just flakey enough to pull apart.

Despite my errors, our friends, who have strong opinions about biscuits, turned down chocolate croissants for more biscuits.

With that being said, despite the extra time these take, they are worth it!

Red Quinoa

Tonight the Raging Mr. and myself had dinner with Tess, her family and other close family.  The menu was as follows:
Baby Purple Artichokes braised in olive oil, white wine and garlic

Stuffed Squash Blossoms with Baby Squash

Red Quinoa with lemon and herbs

Boneless Pork Chops

The two items that everyone OOOO'd and AWE'd over were the quinoa and the stuffed squash blossoms.  Tonight we cover the Quinoa.

I know Quinoa sounds exotic.  Quite honestly I was concerned about serving it to my husband as he does not always respond well to new foods, especially "healthy" alternatives.  We tried it for the first time the other night and he said it reminded him of rice.  The beauty of Quinoa is that it is gluten free and 53 on the glycemic index.  One of the most memorable comments at dinner was that if it is not seasoned Quinoa can taste like moist sawdust (EWE!!!).

Red Quinoa

Ingredients

1 c Red Quinoa
2 c water
1 lemon
1/2 T garlic, minced
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper

Directions

1)  Put 1 c Quinoa, 2 c water, 1/2 T garlic and the juice of half the lemon into a 1 1/2 qt sauce pan.  Cover and bring to a boil.

2)  Simmer for about 15-20 minutes.

3)  Adjust flavor with juice from the second half lemon, salt and pepper.

4)  Stir and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.



I hope this inspires you to try Quinoa and other alternative grains.

Charmings Colcannon a.k.a. Mashed Potatoes with Bacon and Scallions

Aurora and I have been very busy girls.  So Charming and the Raging Mr. spoiled us with a St. Patty's day feast.  I have to start by saying the corned beef was a treat that I had not had in about 7 years due to nitrates.  Fortunately Trader Joes carries uncured corned beef.  It is GOOD!

St. Patty's day menu
cheddar and porter cheese
beer bread
corned beef cooked with Guinness and onions
braised leeks
mashed potatoes with bacon and scallions
Guinness gravy

I will probably post other parts of the meal later.  The part that impressed me the most was the mashed potatoes.  I immediately picked the boys minds on what they did and now I share it with you.

Ingredients

3 lb yukon gold potatoes
1/2 c butter
1/4-1/2 c milk
1 t pepper
1 1/2 t salt
1/2 lb bacon
4 scallions

Directions

1)  bake potatoes
2)  chop up bacon and cook until lightly crispy, save drippings and set bacon to the side
3)  add potatoes to a heated stock pot and mash until there are no lumps
4)  chop scallions
5)  mix salt, pepper and butter into potatoes
6)  mix milk into potatoes until desired consistency is reached
7)  mix in bacon and scallion and adjust salt and pepper to taste

I hope this inspires you to have fun with your food and make the ordinary extraordinary.

Anthoinette

Sweet Corny Batter Bread

Anyone who knows me knows that I know the originations and love playing with technique and ingredients. I have had an idea of making a cheesy batter bread for a while and with doing BBQ today I thought I could one-up my original idea and make a cornbread the same way. The way a batter bread works is eggs and steam create the leavening. A traditional batter bread, known as Yorkshire Pudding or Pop-Overs is equal parts, by volume, milk, egg and flour, that are cooked at a very hot temperature. The technique works for this recipe though it does not create the pocket you would normally expect from a batter bread it is light and fluffy as if chemical leavening, baking powder or baking soda, had been used. CATEGORY: Starches Recipe Name: Sweet Corny Yorshire Pudding Ingredients: 1/2 c honey 2 med eggs 1/2 c milk 1/2 c cornmeal 1/2 c flour 1/4 lb cheddar-grated 2 c corn Steps: * Preheat oven to 500 or 550 if you oven gets that hot * Mix Honey, Eggs, Milk, and Cornmeal * Grate Cheddar and mix in * Lightly grease a muffin tin and put in oven to preheat for 3 minutes * Mix in Flour * When Muffin Tin is hot immediately fill cups 3/4 full of batter and return to oven * After 10 minutes turn off oven and leave in oven for 10 more minutes * Remove from pan immediately and serve NOTES: This recipe is fairly sweet. If you choose to make it less sweet you would need to cut the honey and substitute yogurt, sour cream or butter for the amount you cut.

Potato Salad for the Masses

When we started looking for a good potato salad we found Bobby Flays German Potato Salad. Unfortunately we did not have all of the ingredients. So we did what we do and improvised and changed. This is what we came up with. CATEGORY: Starches Recipe Name: Almost German Potato Salad Ingredients: 3 Lbs New Potatoes 2 Red Onions 3/4 Lb Bacon 3/4 c apple cider vinegar 1 t mustard powder 1 t coriander 1 t cumin 2 T Stone Ground Mustard ( or 1 T mustard seed  & 1 T mustard) 1/4 C Olive Oil 1 t Salt 1 T Pepper 8 Green Onions 1/2 C Mayonnaise 1 C Grated Cheddar Steps: * Quarter 1 onion and put in a large pot with whole potatoes, cover with water and bring to a boil. * Boil for 15 minutes then drain, discarding onion * Cube potatoes into bite size pieces while still warm * Dice bacon then cook until crisp. When done drain off drippings, reserving half * Dice and saute 2nd onion in bacon drippings 4-5 minutes * To onion add Vinegar and seasonings then cook for 2 minutes more before adding Mayonnaisse and Mustard * coat potatoes with onion mixture then cool * slice up green onions * Mix Green Onions, Bacon, Cheddar and salt and pepper to taste at least 10 minutes before serving. NOTES: This recipe was inspired by Bobby Flays Potato Salad Link (URL): http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/german-potato-salad-recipe/index.h\ tml

Turnip Scallop

As I continue down the road of making food safe for diabetics I am again confronted by my old advisary, the turnip. I think with this recipe I have finally conquered it. CATEGORY: Vegetables Recipe Name: Turnip Scallop (low glycemic index) Ingredients: 1 T salt 6 medium turnips 6 oz bacon 1 large red onion 2 granny smith apples 1/4 c flour 4 c milk 1/4 t nutmeg 1/2 t mustard powder 1/2 t salt 1 t pepper Steps: * Peel turnips * slice turnips 1/4" thick then place in large sauce pan with water to cover +1" and 1 T salt * put on high heat to bring to boil, then boil for 15 minutes and drain * while waiting for turnips to boil chop bacon and cook on medium heat to render * dice onion and apples * when bacon has rendered, saute onion in bacon drippings until translucent * add apples to bacon and onion * mix in flour * stir in half the milk and bring to boil * add remainder of milk, bring back to boil, mix in salt, pepper, mustard powder, nutmeg and remove from heat ***turnips should be done at this point*** * put 1/4 of the mixture in a baking dish, then layer with turnips and remainder of mixture, making certain that sauce is on top * bake at 350 for 1 hour * serve NOTES: The salt in the water completely gets rid of the bitterness often associated with turnips

Barley Mushroom Risoto "the Feast Hall" Everything Seasoning

It is not uncommon knowledge that I cook lunch for my husbands office every Wednesday. What would be less commonly known is that one of the people in his office is diabetic. I have been wanting to explore the glycemic index for a while and this gave me the perfect opportunity. I found a few great tidbits of knowledge, as they pertain to grains and diabetes: Whole Wheat is always better than White, and enriched is better than plain When looking at whole wheat pasta you want the Durum Wheat not Semolina Long grain rice, like Basmati and Doongara, especially if it is the brown varieties are in the mid 50's on the glycemic index Rye, Pearled Barley and Quinoa are low on the glycemic index This last one is the most important for the sake of this dish, because it was before I discovered that not all rice was taboo. I served this dish to a few diverse audiences and it was declared a winner by all. CATEGORY: Starches Recipe Name: Barley Mushroom Risotto (low glycemic index) Ingredients: 16 oz pearl barley 1/2 lb bacon 4 lb mushrooms, sliced 1 qt water 3 qt chicken stock 4 T Everything Seasoninghttp://www.thefeasthall.com/our-spice-rubs.html 4 T butter 8 oz parmesean, grated 1 red onion, diced Steps: Keep pan over medium heat for the entire process!!! * chop bacon up then cook until rendered and crispy * add pearl barley and cook, stirring regularly, until it starts to brown * pour in 1 qt water and stir regularly * in a separate pan slowly cook mushrooms with butter, onion, and Everything Seasoning * when the pearl barley is almost dry (think of a cooked oatmeal consistency) stir in 2 c chicken stock and stir occasionally, repeat this step until risotto has soaked up all the chicken stock * by the time all the chicken stock is absorbed the mushroom mixture should be cooked down and somewhat dry * mix the mushroom mixture, and parmesean into risotto * serve NOTES: This dish reheats great in the oven. I have yet to do a smaller batch, but I would make this size batch and freeze portions of it for later use.

Diabetic Friendly Bread

I had a hard time posting this recipe due to the Soy Protein Isolate.  I don't know what it is, but my issue is that it is not in its natural state.  I ultimately decided to post it because people who have wheat issues would find this helpful.

Anthoinette

I found a Sandwich Bread that is for Diabetic's.   Ingredients  1/2 c. sesame seeds - ground 1/4 c. soy protein Isolate 1/4 c. soy flour 3 eggs lightly beaten 1/2 c. sour cream 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 c. olive oil   Cooking Instructions   You can also make it with 1/4 c. ground flax and 1/4 c. ground un hulled sesame. Mix all together and put into greased loaf pan. Bake at 350*F - 180*C  for 20 - 25 minutes

Pancakes

I have always made good pancakes. It's waffles that are the bane of my quick bread existence and unfortunately I am not at liberty to share the wonderful waffle recipe I recently acquired, as it is a friends family secret. Anyway, back to pancakes. I had always used Betty Crocker's pancake recipe, adjusting the liquid, less for thicker pancakes and more liquid for thinner pancakes. We have a restaurant around here that has fluffy, spongy, addictive pancakes that I can not get enough of. Being me, I had to figure out how they got that texture. I had to know. I had to be able to make these pancakes to feed my addiction. This is what I came up with. CATEGORY: Breakfast Recipe Name: pancake Ingredients: 1 c flour 1 c milk 1 egg 1 T honey 1 T grapeseed oil 1 T baking powder 1/2 t vanilla Steps: * mix all ingredients until smooth * warm skillet on med-med-low * lightly oil skillet * pour desired amount of batter into pan and cook about 3 minutes until all bubbles form and almost all bubbles pop * flip pancake and cook for an additional 30-60 seconds * serve NOTES: This batter creates a spongy pancake like a local restaurant makes that I am in LOVE with!

Popovers, Yorkshire Pudding, Batter Bread Revisited

These are all names for the same thing depending on when and where you are. This is one of the simplest breads out there and the texture and flavor is fabulous and versatile. CATEGORY: Starches Recipe Name: batter bread Ingredients: 1 c egg 1 c milk 1 c flour 2 T oil (grapseed, extra light olive oil, bacon dripping, peanut oil-must be high temp safe) Steps: *preheat oven to 450 * put oil in metal pan and put in preheated oven for 2-5 minutes * mix flour, milk and eggs until smooth and pour into hot metal pan with grease * bake 30 minutes NOTES: This is a soft, fluffy bread that can be used for sweet or savory. It is excellent with jam or meat dripping. If you make it with whole wheat flour it tastes like french toast.

Spaetzle in a Mushroom Cream Sauce

CATEGORY: Starches Recipe Name: Spaetzle sauce Ingredients: 1 bag spaetzle 2 T butter 2 T flour 2 c milk 1/4 onion, diced 1/4 lb mushroom, sliced 1/4 t salt 1/4 t pepper 1/4 t nutmeg 1 t garlic Steps: * put water on to boil to cook spaetzle * saute onion and mushroom in butter * coat with flour then whisk milk in and bring to boil, mix in remaining ingredients and lower to simmer stirring frequently * pour spaetzle into water * serve immediately NOTES: * If this will not be served immediately or some will be saved as leftovers toss spaetzle with some butter to coat before mixing with sauce to help it not soak in all the sauce

Mashed Rutabaga

Consider this as a healthier option than mashed potatoes. CATEGORY: Vegetables Recipe Name: Mashed Rutabaga Ingredients: 3 medium rutabaga 3/4 c butter 1 c milk 1 t salt 1 t pepper Steps: * freeze and thaw rutabaga * peel and thinly slice rutabaga * bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes until rutabaga is translucent * mix in food processor until mostly smooth * heat milk and butter until steam appears *slowly mix salt, pepper, milk and butter into rutabaga * serve NOTES: * without freezing and thawing rutabaga is next to impossible to cut. * Using your food processor to grate the rutabaga may be preferred to slicing it. * The final product will have some stringyness to it. Though most who have tried this have liked it despite it being rutabaga * It has a sweet and rich flavor, kind of like a cross between mashed potatoes and mashed yams.

Norse Bread

CATEGORY: Starches Recipe Name: Norse Bread Ingredients: 1 T yeast 1/4 c warm water 1 T honey 2 T butter 1/4 t salt 3/4 c stoneground whole wheat flour 1/4 c rye flour 1/4 c pumpernickel flour 1 egg 1/4 c yogurt Steps: * proof yeast in water and honey * cut butter into flours and salt * mix in yeast mixture * mix in egg and yogurt * portion * raise 20 minutes * bake 400 for 20-40 minutes, until golden brown NOTES: This bread is surprisingly light and fluffy

Mac-n-Cheese alla Anthoinette

When I make mac-n-cheese 2 questions come to mind: 1: how am I going to add the meat 2: why on earth do people continue to use the mix when making it from scratch is so easy and doesn't take much more time This recipe solves my first question, but the second I will have to deal with the answer being 42. CATEGORY: One Pot Wonder Recipe Name: Mac-n-Cheese Anthoinette style Ingredients: 2 c penne pasta, whole wheat preferred 1/2 lb bacon, chopped 1/2 lb sharp cheddar cheese, grated 1/4 c flour 1 qt milk 1/4 t nutmeg 1/2 t salt 1/2 t pepper 1 lb kielbasa, sliced Steps: *cook pasta using normal method *chop bacon and cook until partially rendered * stir in flour until it coats the bacon * whisk in milk until smooth * bring to a boil, whisking continually *add cheese, whisking until smooth *remove from heat *add salt, pepper, and nutmeg *mix in kielbasa and cooked pasta * bake at 350 for 15 minutes NOTES: This is a slight twist on a classic favorite. Whole Wheat pasta makes this heartier without altering the flavor. Please make certain you only cook your pasta to al dente

The Perfect Cornbread

CATEGORY: Starches Recipe Name: Corn bread Ingredients: 1/4 c butter 2 eggs 1 16oz can corn, drained 1/2 t salt 1/4 c honey 1/2 c yogurt 1 c cornmeal 2 t baking powder 1 1/2 c cheddar cheese, grated Steps: *mix all ingredients until smooth *put in greased and floured pan *bake at 350 for 30-60 minutes, depending on pan until knife inserted comes out clean NOTES: * if you like a really moist corn bread you can use vegetable oil, but I highly recommend *against* it. Butter in this recipe creates a perfect texture and consistency. You could probably also use lard or bacon drippings.

Bacon, Onions and Potatoes

CATEGORY: Starches Recipe Name: Bacon, Onion Potatoes Ingredients: 3 lbs waxy potatoes, eighthed 1/2 red onion, diced 1/2 lb bacon, diced 1 t salt 1 t pepper Steps: *mix all ingredients in baking dish *bake at 350 for about 1 hour, stirring occassionaly *this is done when potatoes are can easily be pierced with a fork.

Mashed Yams

A fabulous substitute for mashed potatoes! CATEGORY: Starches Recipe Name: mashed Yams Ingredients: 3 lb yams 1/4 c butter 1/2 c milk 1/8 to 1/4 c raw sugar depending on desired sweetness 1 t salt 1 t pepper Steps: *bake yams until soft *slip out of skin and mash *warm milk and butter *mix into yams with salt and pepper *mix in desired amount of raw sugar, to taste *keep warm to serve NOTES: Sweet Potatoes v. Yams. Even Wikipedia does not really differentiate between the two. If I remember right, from my culinary school days, Sweet Potatoes are the yellower ones that aren't that sweet and Yams are the orangish sweeter ones. I don't think most people know the difference other than color. I used the orangish ones for this recipe, Though I believe the yellowish ones could be used with similar results.

Yorkshire Pudding - Pop overs - Batter Bread

Yorkshire Pudding, also known as popovers in America are a wonderfully simple and delicious treat either warm or cold. A HISTORY LESSON: Yorkshire Pudding originated a long time before it got it's name. It used to be called "batter pudding", which were well known in England in many forms. Here is one of the original printed recipes for Yorkshire Pudding. Hannah Glasse's recipe [1747] "A Yorkshire Pudding. Take a quart of milk, four eggs, and a little salt, make it up into a thick batter with flour, like pancake batter. You must have a good piece of meat at the fire; take a stew-pan and put some dripping in, set it on the fire; when it boils, pour in your pudding; let it bake on the fire till you think it is nigh enough, then turn a plate upside down in the dripping-pan, that the dripping may not be blacked; set your stew-pan on it under your meat, and let the dripping drop on the pudding, and the heat of the fire come to it, to make it of a fine brown. When your meat is done and sent to table, drain all the fat from your pudding, and set it on the fire again to dry a little; then slide it as dry as you can into a dish; melt some butter, and pour it into a cup, and set it in the middle of the pudding. It is an excellent good pudding; the gravy of athe meat eats well with it." ---The Art of Cookery made Plain and Easy, Mrs. Glasse, facsimile 1805 edition, introduced by Karen Hess [Applewood Books:Massachusetts] 1997 (p. 101-2) The recipes that I found call for equal portions, by volume, of eggs, milk and flour combined with a pinch of salt. More modernly you will see recipes that call for baking soda or powder, but these are not traditional. Baking soda and baking powder were not invented until the 19th century. Besides the egg act as it's leavening. You can watch it being made here: http://britishfood.about.com/od/regionalenglishrecipes/r/yorkspuds.htm Here is her written recipe: Ingredients: * 4 large, fresh eggs, measured in a jug * Equal quantity of milk to eggs * Equal quantity of all purpose/plain flour to eggs * Pinch of salt * 2 tbsp lard, beef dripping or vegetable oil Preparation: Serves 6 * Heat the oven to the highest temperature possible, however, do not exceed 450F/230C or the fat may burn. * Pour the eggs and milk into a large mixing bowl and add the pinch of salt. Whisk thoroughly with an electric hand beater or hand whisk. Leave to stand for 10 minutes. * Gradually sieve the same volume of flour (as the eggs) into the milk and egg mixture, again using an electric hand beater or hand-whisk to create a lump free batter resembling thick cream, if there are any lumps pass the batter through a fine sieve. * Leave the batter to rest in the kitchen for a minimum of 30 minutes, longer if possible - up to several hours. * Place a pea-sized piece of lard, dripping or ½tsp vegetable oil in a Yorkshire pudding tin (4 x 2"/5cm hole tin) or 12-hole muffin tin and heat in the oven until the fat is smoking. Give the batter another good whisk adding 2 tbsps of cold water and fill a third of each section of the tin with batter and return quickly to the oven. * Leave to cook until golden brown approx 20 minutes. Repeat the last step again until all the batter is used up. I would have done well to read this before I made mine, as the video says to turn your oven to the highest temperature. That puts my oven at 550, well over the 450 the recipe says not to exceed. It burned the fat to the point that I had to fan out my house for hours, but not enough to ruin the fat, though a few of my puddings did burn.

zucchini bread

Today I tried a new zucchini bread recipe for my husbands office. When I tried the batter I thought it would be too sweet, but I was pleasantly surprised when everyone loved it just as it was and didn't think I needed to change a thing. So, here it is. Recipe Name: zucchini bread Ingredients: 3/4 c butter 1 3/4 c raw sugar 3 eggs 1/4 c yogurt 3/8 t baking powder 3/8 t baking soda 7/8 t salt 2 1/2 c zucchini 2 1/2 t cinnamon 1/8 t nutmeg 1/8 t lemon zest 1/8 t vanilla 2 3/4 c flour Steps: * whip butter *mix in sugar *mix in eggs *mix in yogurt *add baking powder, baking soda, salt, zucchini, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon zest, and vanilla mix until smooth *mix in flour *bake in greased pans at 350, for 1 hour or until a knife inserted comes out clean. *let cool 15 minutes before flipping pan. NOTES: *1 hour is for a standard loaf pan, and probably a standard cake pan. If you use a bundt or other larger pan allow at least 1 1/2 hours. Do not use same knife for checking multiple breads, as the butter in this will make knife appear clean after the 1st bread. * this recipe should do 2 loaf pans, or 1 standard cake pan or bundt. *If you want to make this a little less fattening, then I suggest taking butter down to 1/2 c and yogurt up to 1/2 c. You will have to adjust baking time.