Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

Last night was a night I tried to use up a BIG zucchini I had making a savory treat and then something sweet.  First up was tasty little zucchini tots.  Next for something sweet, chocolate chip zucchini bread.  And as my husband told later that evening when he finally tried a piece. "It's awesome".

Recipe:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

3 large eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cups of sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups grated zucchini

1 1/4 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line loaf pans with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.  In a large bowl sift together all the dry ingredients.  In a separate bowl mix together, egg, sugar, oil and vanilla until combine.  Mix in the dry ingredients.  Then fold in the zucchini and chocolate chips.  Divide batter into two loaf pans.  Bake in center oven for 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Allow to cool for about 15 minutes in pans then transfer to cooling rack. Slice and enjoy!

*Batter can easily be halved to make just one loaf. Or batter can be used in a muffin pan, cooking time will be slightly shortly in the muffin pan so keep an eye on them.

Zucchini Tots

Just another way to use all the wonderful zucchini from the season.  With just a few simple ingredients this is a delicious way to use up zucchini.  Both my husband and my toddler gobbled them up!

Recipe:

1 cup grated zucchini
1 egg
1/4 onion diced
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 grated cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese (or a little extra!)
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Squeeze all liquid out of zucchini in a clean towel. (*a step I forgot they just came out a little soft)  Mix all ingredients in a bowl.  Spray a mini muffin pan and place mixture into pan.  Bake 15-18 minutes will start to get golden on top.  Use a butter knife to loosen the tots and remove. Serve warm!

Toddler Bites

So now that my son is eating real food, and I post on facebook often about what he is eating friends and coworkers keep asking me to share recipes and what I am feeding him. One even pushing for me to add it to the blog. I admit my blog has fallen by the wayside as I adjusted to motherhood. It most certainly has been a year of change. My little peanut is fast aproaching the year mark, and within that time we have bought a house, moved in, my husband began a new career, and I returned to work! Phew I'm exhausted just thinking about it all! And now myhusband is working an evening shift as a nurse and not home most nights for dinner I am home alone to take care of our little one after a full day of teaching for me. So needless to say you can bet there have been night's Leo has eaten a better dinner then I have. I do will my best effort to start posting some meal ideas and things I have come to fee our little guy. But for now I will give a general outline of what his day looks likes.

5:30-6:30am- Wakes, dresses little play time
Bottle (formula) about 6oz

6:45am- We are out the door to the sitter

7:15- Drop at Sitter- Weekends home playing with Mommy

8:30-9:00- Breakfast and 6 oz bottle- breakfast might be: oatmeal, whole wheat pancake with fruit, whole wheat waffle, scrambled egg, Veggielite Carrot muffin

Nap- usually about an hour to an hour and half

12:00- 1:00 Lunch and 6 oz bottle- usually leftovers from night before. I try to include protein, fruit/vegetable, and starch when possible. Today he had a bit of meatloaf, chunks of cooked sweet potato, and a mix of cooked carrots & zuchini. I also sent a sugar free applesauce which he ate part of with breakfast and part with lunch or as a snack.

Later in afternoon about 20-30 minute nap- or naps in car ride home from sitter

3:00- 6oz bottle

3:30- Pick up from sitter

4:30-5:30- playtime with Mommy!

5:45-6:30- Dinner- today was about 4-5 spinach and cheese tortellini with tomato sauce, steamed squash and some blueberries.

6:30-7:30 Bedtime - Bottle 6oz- bath (usually every other night) read books

8:00pm- most nights he is asleep by this time and Mommy collapses....

** this is a general schedule we are not hard pressed to the times some days it can vary by a half hour the times of feedings but usually fairly close to this. Again with the bottles he drinks on average 6 oz each time 5 times a day, but sometimes that first bottle he does not want and sometimes the evening bottle he wasnts more. We have reached a point that if you are eating something and he sees you, then you better have something for him too! Could be just a couple of cheerios.

Proscuitto White Pizza

One of our favorite things to make in our house has to be PIZZA! I think we make it at least once a week.  It's delicious, it's easy. it's quick, and easy to alter to what you have on hand.  What could be better?  This week we went with a white pizza since my parents who were staying with us for Thanksgiving left two huge containers of ricotta cheese in our fridge.  The other toppings were leftovers from an anitpasti tray served for the holiday, so some smoked mozzerella and proscuitto found there way onto our pizza. 

1 pizza dough- either store bought or bought from a pizzeria
about 1/2 cup of riccotta cheese
smoked mozzerella sliced- we used little less then half a ball of fresh
proscuitto- we used about 3-4 slices torn
little garlic- powder or minced whatever  you have on hand.

First heat oven to preheat to 500 degrees.  Place pizza stone in oven to heat. Stretch out your dough and place on a pizza peal.  Top with Ricotta, then smoked mozzerella, garlic, and proscuitto.  Move to heated stone in oven and cook. About 10 minutes or until desired crispness of dough.  Pull out and allow to cool a few minutes. Enjoy!

Italian Wedding Soup

Always during the winter I have memories of cold days being warmed by my Dad making a big pot of Italian Wedding soup.  We always look forward to enjoying this soup at a holiday or on a winter afternoon. Perfectly served with some crusty bread and a sprinkle of parmsean cheese on top.  This past Thanksgiving I think I finally got it right.  And received my Dad and family's seal of approval. This is a simple soup packed with tiny pasta, bite sized meatballs, chicken, and vegetables.

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, cooked and meat shredded
bite sized meatballs (recipe below)
1 head of escarole
2-3 carrots diced
2 stalks of celery finely diced
1 onion finely chopped
1 tablespoon of garlic powder
2 teaspoons of onion powder
3 chicken broth
approx. 1/2-3/4 cup of acini de pepe pasta (I can only find it by Ronzoni) or other tiny pearled pasta

Bite sized meatballs:
1/2-3/4 lb of chopmeat or meatball mix
1 egg
1/2 breadcrumbs
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 teaspoon of parsely
1 teaspoon of parmsean cheese
splash of milk (just enough to moisten)

Mix all meatball ingredients together in a medium sized bowl and roll into bite sized meatballs.  Small enough to fit on spoon.  Put to the side.

In a large pot heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil.  Over medium heat cook onion, carrot and celery till tender.  Add in the garlic and onion powder and salt and pepper.  Stir, cook about 1-2 minutes. Add the broth, bring to a boil.  Drop in the meatballs.  When the meatballs are cooked add in the chicken and the escarole.  Allow to simmer.  I like to cook the pasta seperately then add just before serving. But you can cook it in the same pot, just have some extra broth on hand if too much is absorbed by the pasta.  Allow all to simmer a few minutes.  Serve with grated cheese and crusty bread!

Pregnancy Bed Rest

Again no new recipes or items to post as I have now been on bed rest for about a month now due to pregnancy complication.  My husband has encouraged me to update the blog but with what, all I do is lay around all day.  There are definitely no new recipes being tested.  Just a lot of take out and leftovers.  I am hoping by the summer to be back up and feeling good.  In the meantime I have organized my pins on Pinterest and have lots of new ideas!

Pregnancy Causing Lack of Motivation to Cook

Hello all.  I have to just comment on the lack of action lately on this blog.  This mainly due to the fact that I am expecting my first child.  I have made it through the first trimester.  A little morning sickness that struck mainly in the evening kept me from tackling anything new in the kitchen.  Between exhaustion, slight nausea, and the lack of desire to eat left me less then motivated to cook.  Now into my second trimester luckily the nausea has left.  However some tummy issues and doctor telling me to stay off my feet and take it easy has left me yet again unmotivated to try anything new for dinner after working all day.  My husband is wonderful and has taken on helping with the cooking and doing dishes.  Again though leaving us to plan easy, simple meals for dinner.  I am finding I still don't want anything heavy for dinner.  I find my digestion system prefers if I kind of eat a bunch of small meals all day or graze.

So if anyone has suggestions for quick simple meals please do share them.