Eggless Chocolate Zucchini Bread

I was looking for an eggless bread recipe since I had no eggs on hand. I did not have any cocoa powder on hand so instead used hot chocolate mix as a substitute for the taste and did not add any sugar for the modification. Thus my Eggless Chocolate Zucchini Bread was created.

Eggless Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Delicious zucchini bread using YOUR favorite hot chocolate mix and NO eggs or NO additional sugar.

Prep Time: 20 min

Cook Time: 40 min

Ready In: 1 hr

Serves: 4 mini-loaves

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c shredded zucchini (1 1/2 small zucchini or 1 medium, peeled and shredded)
• 1 3/4 to 2 c all-purpose flour
• 2 envelopes of Swiss Miss Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mix (equivalent to 3/4 c hot cocoa mix)
• 1 t baking soda
• 1/4 t salt
• 2 t ground cinnamon
• 1/4 t ground allspice
• 1/4 c vegetable oil
• 1/4 2% milk
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1/4 c semi-sweet mini chocolate chips (optional)

Baking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom of mini-loaf pans.
2. Grate the zucchini and keep it aside. In a medium bowl, combine flour, 1 hot chocolate mix, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and spice.
3. In a large bowl, mix oil, milk, 1 hot chocolate mix, and vanilla. Fold in shredded zucchini with the wet ingredients. 
4. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and stir until blended. Stir in optional chocolate chips
5. Pour batter into the mini-loaf pans, filling them evenly into each.
6. Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted into bread comes out clean.
7. Let the bread cool in the pans for about 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. After the bread has cooled completely, wrap up the loaves in saran wrap and foil or serve warm on a plate.   

This recipe is based on the Chocolate Zucchini Bread posted on Madhuram's Eggless Cooking.

Homemade Girl Scout Tagalongs

I never was a Girl Scout in my youth, but I always was Girl Scout Cookie Lover from day one. From Do-Si-Dos™ and Samoas®, to Thin Mints and Lemonades™, there are tons of delicious flavors to choose from your local GS troop. However, after you eat up your stash of GS cookie boxes you ordered over the year, you still have that craving for more. So why not try making a dozen or two? Recently, I decided on trying to replicate the Tagalongs! I searched online for a recipe and found one by Jaimem on the Family Kitchen. 

Homemade Girl Scout Tagalongs 

Serves: 30+ tagalongs

Prep Time: 20 min

Total Time: 60 min

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 sticks butter or margarine at room temperature
• 3/4 c sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 c all-purpose flour
• 1/4 c smooth peanut butter
• 1/4 c confectioner's sugar
• 2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips

Baking Instructions

1.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar. Beat until smooth. Add in egg and beat until well incorporated, scraping down the bowl, if necessary. Add in vanilla. Beat until smooth. With mixer on low, add in salt and flour. Mix until completely incorporated and dough is uniform. Shape dough into a cylinder with a diameter of about 2-3 inches. Wrap in parchment paper and freeze for at least 25 min.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom of a 13 x 9-inch pan with cooking spray. Slice dough into 1/8 inch disks and place on baking sheets, about a half inch apart. Once you have made 30 cookies, wrap up the cookie dough, freeze, and save for another time. Bake for 8 min. Place on a cooling rack and let cool completely.
3. Mix together peanut butter and powdered sugar. Form into small disks and press onto cookies. Melt chocolate in a microwave safe bowl for 30 second intervals, and mix well after each interval. Coat cookies completely in chocolate and lift out with a fork. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and let set, or freeze to speed up the process.

Easy Coffee Bread

 

Easy Coffee Bread

Satisfy your morning sweet tooth and caffeine fix with this all-in-one bread.

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 45 min

Ready In: 1 hr

Serves: 4 mini-loaves

Ingredients

• 2/3 c light brown sugar
• 2 t ground cinnamon
• 2 c all-purpose flour
• 1 T baking powder
• 1/2 t salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 c coffee, room temperature
• 1/3 c vegetable oil

Baking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom of mini-loaf pans.
2. In a small bowl, mix together 1/3 c brown sugar and 2 t ground cinnamon; set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt and white sugar. Combine egg, coffee, and oil and add to dry mixture. Stir until just moistened.
4. Pour batter into the mini-loaf pans, filling them about halfway. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture on top. Repeat with the remaining batter and the rest of the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
5. Use a knife and draw through the batter to marble.
6. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into bread comes out clean.
7. Let the bread cool in the pans for about 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. After the bread has cooled completely, wrap up the loaves in saran wrap and foil or serve warm on a plate.   

This recipe is similar to one I found on Allrecipes.com

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cinnamon-swirl-bread/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=easy%20cinnamon%20bread&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page  

Easy Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

In observance of Pi Day, I just had to make a yummy pie yesterday. I searched easy cheesecake pie recipes and made do with what I had at home. Based on the Philadelphia 3-Step Chocolate Chip Cheesecake recipe by Kraft Foods.

Easy Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

Serves: 8-10 people

Prep Time: 10 min

Total Time: 3 hours, 50 min

Ingredients

• 1 c graham cracker crumbs
• 3 Tbsp butter or margarine, melted
• 1 pkg (8 oz) 1/3 reduced fat cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 c sugar
• 1/4 c flour
• 1/2 c light sour cream
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 c mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Baking Instructions

1.  Preheat oven to 325°F if using silver 9-inch springform pan (or to 300°F if using a dark nonstick 9-inch springform pan). Mix graham cracker crumbs and butter; press firmly onto bottom of pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and flour with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add in sour cream and vanilla; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed just until blended. Stir in 1/2 c of mini chocolate chips; pour mixture over crust. Then sprinkle remaining 1/4 c of chips on top.
3. Bake 45-55 minutes or until the center is almost set. Run a knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.

Fruit N' Fiber Cereal Cookies

 

This recipe was inspired by the Fruit 'n' Cereal Cookies Recipe found on the Rice Krispies® website. I modified my recipe to what I had on hand and made a lower sugar recipe. Enjoy!

Fruit N' Fiber Cereal Cookies

Serves: 30+ cookies

Prep Time: 15 min

Total Time: 45 min

Ingredients

• 1 c all-purpose flour
• 2 t baking powder
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter or margarine at room temperature
• 1 c firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 c Raisin Bran® cereal
• 1 c Wheaties® cereal
• 2 c Rice Krispies® cereal
• 1/2 c dried cranberries (I used Craisins® Original Dried Cranberries)

Baking Instructions

1.  In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, brown sugar on medium speed of an electric mixer until combined. Add eggs and cinnamon. Beat well. Add flour mixture and mix until combined. Stir in Raisin Bran, Wheaties, and Rice Krispies cereals and dried cranberries.
3. Drop by level tablespoons onto baking sheets.
4. Bake at 375°F for 9-10 minutes or until light brown. Transfer to wire racks to cool.