Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Zucchini Spice Bread


Eugene and I picked up a few too many zucchinis at the farmers market on the weekend. In order to help us chew our way through them I was put to the task of making this bread today. I've taken the recipe straight out of Bon Appetite by Barbara Fairchild. As she says in her description of this loaf; it is lighter than traditional recipes. It is more like a spice cake. I can hardly wait for it to cool enough for me to start munching!

Recipe

2 1/2C Flour
1tsp Salt
1tsp Cinnamon
1tsp Baking Soda
1/4tsp Baking Powder
3 Eggs
2C Sugar
1C Vegetable Oil
1tsp Vanilla
2C Grated Zucchini
1C Chopped Toasted Walnuts


*Mix together flour, salt, cinnamon, baking soda,
and baking powder
*Beat eggs until foamy, gradually add in sugar
and beat until thick and pale
*Slowly beat in oil, then vanilla. Next add in flour.
*Fold in zucchini, then Walnuts
*Bake at 350 for 90min

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Pumpkin-Coconut Cheesecake


I was looking through the glossy pages of magazines on a lazy afternoon in search of a new dessert for our family dinner and found this recipe. I could not resist trying it for Thanksgiving. I think what struck me was the fact that there was coconut in the crust. The thought of pumpkin and coconut together seemed perfect to me. What a great idea! I really can't wait to take a bite of it later tonight after turkey.
The one thing I might change in this recipe is to bake the cake in a water bath. This will avoid any cracking in the center as it cools, though it will take longer to bake.
I will probably serve this with either Vanilla, or Maple Walnut ice cream, and an Americano.

Recipe

Crust

2C Graham Cracker Crumbs
1C Toasted Dessicated Coconut
1/4C Sugar
1/2C Unsalted Butter Melted

Filling

4 Eggs
1C Pumpkin Puree (Unspiced)
1/2C Packed Brown Sugar
1tsp Cinnamon
1/2tsp each Nutmeg, Ginger, and Salt
2 Pkgs Cream Cheese
1/2C Sugar
1/2C Whipping Cream
1tsp Vanilla

Crust
*Combine Crumbs, Sugar, and Coconut. Pour Butter in and mix.
*Press into bottom and sides of a 10" spring form pan
*Bake @ 325 for 10 min or until edges are golden
*Cool

Filling
*Whisk eggs, add Pumpkin, Brown Sugar, and Seasonings
*Mix together Cream Cheese and Sugar. Add in Cream, Vanilla, and Pumpkin mixture
*Pour into warm crust.
*Bake @ 325 until almost set-60min.
*Cool and enjoy