Tag Archives: zucchini

Oatmeal Zucchini Sandwich Cookies

October 13, 2011 – 8:00 am

Anytime I can sneak some fruit or vegetables into a baked good, I’m pretty happy. Come on, every serving counts, right? Cupcakes, scones, tortes, tarts, cocktails you name it, if I can squeeze in a fruit or veggie to make myself feel better about my addiction, I will do it. You know I’ve been making a lot of baked goods with zucchini this year and when I saw this recipe for “Vegged-up Oatmeal Cookies” in a food magazine, I couldn’t wait to give them a try. I happen to love oatmeal as a hot morning cereal or as an addition to baked goods. Also, I had just made my Chocolate Sandwich Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting and had leftover frosting that i could not bear to throw out, and it was the perfect frosting to sandwich between two of these cookies.

I was slightly concerned when I removed these cookies from the oven. They appeared a bit dark and the edges felt crispy. But they were not overdone as I had feared. They were the very desirable combination of crispy edges with chewy, soft centers. Also, after I sandwiched the cookies with the frosting, I refrigerated them overnight and the chilling really enhanced the texture.

Oatmeal Zucchini Sandwich Cookies

by Mercedes Porter

Keywords: bake dessert zucchini cream cheese cookie

Ingredients

For the cookies

1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup shredded zucchini
3 cups oatmeal

For the filling

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
4 Tbsp (2 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
food coloring (optional)

Instructions

For the cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt.

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and mix to incorporate. Add dry ingredients and mix. Finally, add zucchini and oatmeal.

Drop onto cookie sheet using an ice cream scoop or a 1/4 cup measuring cup.

Bake for 14 minutes rotating pans halfway through.

Cool completely.

For the filling

In a medium bowl with an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter together. Add vanilla, powdered sugar and food coloring, if using.

Spread frosting onto cookies and top with another cookie to form sandwiches.

Refrigerate if not eating right away.

Recipe adapted from Everyday with Rachael Ray

Enjoy your veggies!

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Tags Cookies, cream cheese, Frosting, Oatmeal, Sandwich cookies, zucchini | Comments (3)

Last call for Zucchini

August 19, 2011 – 8:00 am

Can you stand one more? I promise, no more posts on zucchini for awhile after this one, but I would feel like I was depriving you if I did not share this. I saw this recipe, made it and could not stop myself from raving to you about it. This Cream Cheese Zucchini Bread not only has unbelievable texture and flavor, but the appearance of it will leave people wondering, “Are you a wizard? How did you do that?” I believe we all enjoy receiving compliments, so if you are having a blue day, bring this to a friend or to work, and at the end of the day, you will have to remember to deflate your head before going home because it will have become so big.

The crust of this bread is slightly crispy and the inside is surprisingly dense and oh so moist. Then you get to the cream cheese swirl and your little sweet tooth heart just melts with delight. This is not your grandmother’s zucchini bread.

Cream Cheese Zucchini Bread

by Mercedes Porter

Keywords: bake bread breakfast dessert zucchini cream cheese summer

Ingredients

For the bread

3 eggs, plus 1 egg for filling
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cup white sugar, plus 1/3 cup for filling
1 cup coconut oil (or 1 cup canola oil)
2 cups grated zucchini
3 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped (or 1 Tbsp vanilla extract)
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

For the frosting

4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup cream

Instructions

For the bread

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice and set aside. In a large bowl with a mixer, combine 3 eggs, brown sugar, 1 1/2 cups white sugar, oil and zucchini until well blended. Add flour mixture in increments and mix until well blended.

For the cream cheese filling, combine 1 egg, vanilla bean, 1/3 cup sugar and cream cheese with mixer until smooth.

Pour 1/4 of batter into each of the 2 prepared loaf pans. Top each with 1/2 of the cream cheese filling. Pour remaining batter evenly into 2 pans.

Bake about an hour or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting

Combine all ingredients with mixer until well blended.

Spread onto cooled loafs.

Ooh and Aah when you first cut into your lovely creation!

(Recipe adapted from Cookies & Cups)

the cream cheese filling

the layering of the batter and filling

the yummy baked goodness

and the dreamy, creamy frosting

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Tags cream cheese, Frosting, zucchini | Comments (10)

Zucchini, zucchini and more zucchini!

August 16, 2011 – 8:00 am

I have come across so many enticing recipes to try to use the giant zucchinis that I previously referenced. I feel a personal responsibility not to let those beautiful state-fair-winning-sized veggies go to waste and so Zucchini Fest 2011 continues! Are you excited? I hope so!

You know that phenomenon where you write or say a word so many times that it doesn’t even sound right anymore? Well that is what has happened to me and zucchini. But I will press on. Up next on the docket: zucchini cupcakes. These really are delish and as one of my tasters said: “It’s almost like there’s not even vegetables in these cupcakes” . This frosting is divine and will be my go-to caramel frosting from here now on. It is maple-y, rich and glossy. Great characteristics for a frosting if you ask me.

Zucchini Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting

by Mercedes Porter

Keywords: bake dessert zucchini cupcake

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

3 eggs
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tsp almond extract
2 cups grated zucchini
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cloves

For the frosting

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

For the cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350°. Line 2 cupcake pans with liners.

In a medium bowl, mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl, mix eggs, sugar, oil, orange juice, almond and zucchini with mixer until well blended. Add dry ingredients in increments and mix well.

Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter and bake 20-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting

In a medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter and milk. Cook over medium heat and bring to a boil stirring constantly for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and add vanilla.

Cool to lukewarm and add powdered sugar.

Frost cooled cupcakes and enjoy!

(Recipe adapted from Taste of Home)

P.S. I was in Mexico for the 4th of July and my brothers were kind enough to wait to light their fireworks until I returned. Aren’t these fun photos of the show?

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Tags caramel, Cupcakes, Frosting, Spices, zucchini | Comments (2)

Zucchini Fest 2011

August 13, 2011 – 8:00 am

I was recently given 2 large zucchinis. Very large.

I am amazed that someone grew these and very pleased that they decided to share them with me. These larger zucchinis are better to bake with than to cook with. Oh darn. I started the zucchini extravaganza with some chocolate chip zucchini bread. I love sneaking vegetables into baked goods so that you don’t feel so guilty eating them (even for breakfast). The bread only used about a quarter of one of these big guys, so more to come from Zucchini Fest 2011.

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

by Mercedes Porter

Keywords: bake bread breakfast dessert snack zucchini chocolate summer

Ingredients

2 cups grated zucchini
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray two loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl, mix zucchini, eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla until well blended. Add dry ingredients in three increments scraping down sides of bowl. Add chocolate chips and mix well.

Pour batter evenly into 2 loaf pans and bake 45-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

(Recipe adapted from Cookies and Cups)