Monday, October 7, 2013

Lemon Zucchini Bread

Lemon Zucchini Bread: I don't know what it is about this recipe.....but we can't stop eating it! It bakes up moist on the inside and crispy on the outside, see the photo below! It is delish....I was given the original recipe by my mom who got it from her friend Lynn's blog Happier Than A Pig In Mud....which I truly am now that I have this recipe!Follow the link to the original recipe, but I will post my variation below!

 
I must say I do have the best mom! She had a ton of zucchini in her garden this year. Here's the best part of this recipe.....she shredded lots of zucchini and froze it in 2 cup baggies!!!! She gave me some! SCORE!!! Can I tell you how quick and easy it is for me to whip up a loaf of this bread...I know, I don't have to!
 
So yes folks, you can shred all that zucchini you grow and freeze it for later use. Just do so in amounts you will use. When I thawed it out, I let it sit in a colander for 10 minutes to drain the excess liquid.
 
 
Ingredients:
3 eggs (I used 3/4 cups egg beaters)
2 cups of sugar
3/4 cups oil (I used grapeseed oil)
2 cups shredded zucchini
1.5 cups white flour
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
2 t vanilla
2 lemons, zested with the juice of only one lemon
 
1. preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. grease and flour one large loaf pans (I used 2 8x4 loaf pans the first time I made it, but the second time I only used one 9x5, turned out just fine either way, just bake the 2 pans for a shorter amount of time)
3. mix everything except zucchini, and then fold in zucchini gently
4. bake 45-50 minutes, checking to be sure a toothpick comes out clean. Don't let it dry out!
 
EAT.....BE HAPPY!!!!
 
Mix it all....
 Ahhh..don't forget the lemon!
 Fold in zucchini....
 Bake...
 Make it last more than a day...DARE YA!!!!

 
Thanks Lynn for the Recipe....
Thanks MOM for making it easy!!!
 
HUGS,
Stacey
 
 
 


Friday, October 4, 2013

Grilled Pizza.....TGIF!

Friday evenings in our house have become a tradition...homemade grilled pizza!
 
Yes that's right! I said GRILLED PIZZA!!!!
 
This recipe looks like a lot of work, but I am making it lengthy to explain it to you. Please don't be afraid to try this....it really does not take as long as it appears. Making the dough takes 15 minutes. When it is rising, you can sit and read a book or you can make homemade sauce (see below) which takes about 10 minutes of prep. Cooking the pizza on a hot grill takes a total of 20 minutes, that includes removing it to put your toppings on and then putting it back on the grill.
 
 
Here's the how to.....
Sally and Renee this one's for you!!!!
 
Oh, and if you don't have a stand mixer with a dough hook, you can still make this...just knead it by hand for 10 minutes!
Or go buy one!
No seriously, the kids will love this part!
 
Ingredients:
3 t active dry yeast
2 t sugar
1.5 cups warm water (105*)
2 1/4 cups cake flour
2 1/4 cups white flour
2.5 t salt
4 T olive oil
Cooking Spray
Parchment Paper
Pizza Toppings
Sauce (store bought crushed tomatoes or homemade)
Mozzarella Cheese
 
In a small bowl, or measuring cup whisk water, sugar and yeast together. Let stand for 5 minutes or until bubbly.
 
If it doesn't get bubbly don't use it, it won't work. Either your yeast is bad or your water was too cold or too hot. Start over with a new packet. (hot tap water is usually just right).
 
In the mixing bowl of your stand mixer, add flours and salt measuring exact amounts. Add olive oil to yeast mixture and pour into bowl over flour.
 
Using your dough hook (or your hands!) knead until dough pulls away from sides and sticks to hook. You will be able to pull it right off. You may need to add a bit more flour or water sprinkles.
 
Pull dough off hook, hold it in your hand, spray the bowl with cooking spray (pam) and then place the dough back in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit until it is double in size....or triple!!! About and hour or two.
 
Sit back and relax with a cocktail, or make your own sauce! 
 
Now you are ready to roll! Split dough in half so you can make 2 pizzas. Roll in between 2 sheets of parchment paper sprayed with cooking oil. Roll it as thick or as thin as you like it.
 
Now for the photo version!
Grab your mixer and your dough hook!
Gather all of your ingredients...
 This is the yeast I find works best. Find it in the baking isle. One packet is perfect for this recipe...no need to measure!
I use this cake flour, also found in the baking section.
 Whisk the yeast....
 Watch it bubble.... 
Start to mix....it should really only take about 4 minutes. The dough will start to pull away from sides and form a ball on the hook. It should not really stick to your fingers too much, if it does add a bit more flour.
(sally....about a tablespoon at a time!) 
 
 
The dough will start to lick the bowl clean!
Ok...now pull it off the hook, spray the same bowl with cooking spray (I use the same bowl for less mess, if you want to use a new bowl, feel free!)
Now cover it up and let it rise!
Once it doubles or triples, split it in half.
Cut 4 pieces of parchment paper.
Give them a quick spray with oil.
Now put the dough on one piece of parchment and lay another piece on top.
Do the same with the other ball of dough.
NOW ROLL!
Keep on rolling until you get it as thick or as thin as you like it....it will crisp up really nice if you roll it thin. When doing this, keep in mind the size of your grill!
 
TIP: If you want to make individual pizzas, just divide the dough into 4 or 6 pieces and roll just the same!
 
I usually do 2....


Now you are ready to transfer them to the grill (or oven if you'd rather).  We preheat our grill to about 500 degrees.
 
Place the dough on a cookie sheet and peel the top layer of parchment paper off. Grab the bottom piece of parchment paper and FLIP the pizza dough onto one side of the grill and then quickly peel off the parchment that is now on the top. Do the same with the other dough and they should look like this.....

Now close the lid and grill for about 5 minutes.
They are ready to flip with a large spatula or cookie sheet when they start to easily peel off the grill.
When ready, flip and grill the other side 5 minutes.
Keep an eye on them if your grill cooks unevenly, you might have to turn them a bit so they don't burn.
 
 
Ok...now slide them each onto a cookie sheet, return to kitchen. Gather the gang and top these pizzas with whatever you like!
 Place them back on the grill for about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted!
 
 


Some topping ideas...
Pepperoni
Bacon
Basil/Tomato/Mozzarella/Balsamic
Taco
Buffalo Chicken
Pulled Pork
BBQ Chicken
Ham/Spinach/Pineapple
Mushroom Cheesesteak
Grilled Chicken
The choices are endless.....share some of your favorites in the comment section....I would love to try them!
 
ENJOY!!!!
 
If you are adventurous and want to make your own sauce while the dough is rising, here is how I do it!
 
I had a lot of tomatoes this summer, just not a lot at once.  So making up a quick batch of sauce every Friday night was a quick easy way to use the tomatoes. Oh my did it change the way the pizza tastes! It was amazing!
 
Oops! I don't really have measurements for this....but here's what I do....(sorry Sal)!!!
 
Ingredients:
Heirloom tomatoes!

 
Gather yourself some organic heirloom tomatoes...or just the best you can find. Roughly 5 pounds lets say!

 Don't mind the cucumbers or peppers in these photos....I don't use them in the sauce, I just happened to pick them at the same time! My tomatoes were amazing this year!




 
Main objective here....quick and simple!
1. Wash tomatoes.
2. Chop in half and then half again.
3. Place in a large pot with about an inch of water on the bottom to prevent burning.
(my pot was 5.5 quarts and was filled up to about an inch from the top. this should help you decide how many tomatoes you will need)
 
4. Bring to a boil and continue to boil until soft and falling apart. About 15 minutes.
 
Ok...now you will need to have a food mill....the one I have is OXO brand and I love it for quick things like this. There are plenty out there on amazon or ebay, take your pick!
 

 
Place your food mill with finest grate attached over another small saucepot. Ladle the hot tomatoes and juice into the mill. Turn the crank until all juice and pulp are extracted and you are left with just the "guts"! This should take about 3 minutes.
 
 
Throw out the guts.
Bring sauce back up to a boil and let boil until it evaporates by about half 15 minutes or so, if you have more time, just let it boil as long as you can to get it to the thickness you desire. The sauce will thicken up nicely. I add basil sometimes, or a bit of fresh garlic. You don't have to! This sauce made with fresh tomatoes has such an amazing flavor you will love it. I mean eat it by the spoonful love it!



 

 Look at that color!
If you are lucky, you might have extra that you can freeze for next weeks pizza!!!! Or add a little milk and some croutons and now you have tomato soup!!!
 
Let me know how it works! Please share your topping ideas! I love to try new ones!
 
HUGS....
Stacey
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 



Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Operation 10K for OK...with The Baldwins and 101 The Rose Radio


To Anyone Who Stumbles Upon This Blog.....

Yes, usually it is about good food and health tips, however at times I feel the need to post personal things for no other reason than to document them. I always plan on keeping them private, but then I realize what a great community I live in and I want to share it with you...I hope you don't mind!  Forgive me....I have about 6 months to catch up on!!! Here goes.....

On May 20th 2013 an EF5 Tornado Struck with peak winds estimated at 210 mph struck Moore, Oklahoma, killing 24 people, including 10 children.  The tornado damaged or destroyed 1,200 homes and affected 33,000 people.





What can we do??? How can we help??? It's not as close as NJ, but there must be something we can do.....

I heard it! A few days later, on our local radio station 101 The Rose a DJ shouts out for help.....he vows to collect supplies from the community and to drive them to Oklahoma himself! Well, a local trucking company and a local bus company heard him say it....they called in to tell him they were donating an 18 wheeler and a driver and a coach bus and a driver. Wow. Amazing snowball effect, right? You just wait!

So we started collecting, again! Friends, family, neighbors and coworkers so generously started dropping off supplies. So here is what the back of my SUV looked like!



I then received a call from my girl Sam who said "Stace, Billy (her king) and I are collecting supplies and loading them up all day on Sunday June 2nd with Rose Radio...wanna help?" DO WE EVER!!!! Leave it to her and her family to ALWAYS go above and beyond.

 
Where are we going?? Oh wait...Phyllis pointed us to Kathy Chapter who used to live in OK. Kathy is a much appreciated volunteer in NJ after Sandy hit.....see.....snowball!





On Sunday, June 2nd volunteers, donors alongside of 92.7 KZF and 101 The Rose will team up to help out those affected by the Oklahoma tornados! 


So we headed over to a local grocery store parking lot and LOADED THAT BUS....and the top of the bus, and the bottom of the bus, and the aisles, AND THE 18 WHEELER!


 
 The kids labeled the boxes and wrote well wishes and kind words to the families that will receive the supplies! 
 We had so much fun with Dennis and Holly and all the other DJ's that helped out!
 
 Unbelievable.....we filled every square inch of that 18 wheeler with donations made from the community! We had complete strangers donating items and still taking the time to ask..."what else do you need? I will run to the store for you and donate more". I.E. sharpies and box tape, lol!
 
 
 We filled grocery carts with donations and separated them into boxes....oh that's right! We ran out of boxes and guess what?? Lowes heard that on the radio and brought over a ton of boxes....so did Stauffers, the local grocery store! See the snowball effect again?
 Of course the little boys had a blast loading the bus....and eating hot dogs....YUCK!
 
 Wait Wait Wait......you're a Radio DJ, not a bus driver....who let you behind the wheel??? Sheesh!
 
43,000 POUNDS OMG....that is what the 18 wheeler weighed at the first weigh station!!!! CRAZY!!!  Four times what they wanted to collect!
Some personal photos from Bryan's facebook page that he allowed me to share with you....here is what he saw first hand....
 

 
Complete devastation for miles.....
 
Rest assured Oklahoma...Sam, Billy, 101 The Rose, 92.7 and all the folks in 717....are here for you!!!
 
 Honored to know them! Love them dearly!
 
I always say it doesn't feel like we make a dent....but I truly know we do....even if it's only a tiny one, it's still a dent, right?! Tragic events like this will forever change those lives affected by it...at some point in everyone's life, they will be given the opportunity to help, to make a difference, to make a change....make it your choice to take that opportunity and GIVE HOPE.....Change something for the better.... DO YOUR PART!
 
 
Hugs,
Stacey