pumpkin cornbread

My pumpkin love fest week continues.  I saw an image of pumpkin cornbread on pinterest and it was love at first site.  Cornbread plus pumpkin are you kidding?  What could be better?  Why have I never had this before?  I could not stop thinking about the tall pieces of golden bread.   I knew what I was serving along side my pumpkin chili. The pumpkin flavor was not detectable in the chili but, the cornbread was a different story.  The pumpkin, spices and molasses flavor really shine in this bread.  I thought it was wonderful warm with butter and honey.  This is a great spin on your traditional cornbread for the fall.

pumpkin cornbread

adapted: sweet pea's kitchen

1 cup flour 

1 tablespoon baking powder 

1 teaspoon kosher salt 

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/2 cup brown sugar 

1 cup cornmeal 

2 eggs 

1 cup pumpkin puree 

1/4 cup canola oil 

1 tablespoon molasses

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease an 8×8″ cake pan.
 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice, brown sugar, and cornmeal; set aside.
 

In a medium bowl beat the eggs with whisk, and then mix in the pumpkin, oil, and molasses.
 

Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until combined, and then pour the batter into the pan, smoothing the top.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

peanut butter banana bread

 

Fact: Peanut butter makes everything better.  That is not a theory that is a fact.  That is at least a fact in this house.  When my kids start to turn their noses up at food I do one of the following: slather it with peanut butter, drizzle it with honey or dash a few sprinkles across it.  Don't underestimate the power of these three super ingredients.  They kinda make me a rock star to my kids in the kitchen.  Take delicious moist banana bread and add peanut butter then top with a peanut butter glaze and you have just made life better.  Your kids gobble down one slice and ask for another.  Supermom one and kids zero.

peanut butter banana bread

adapted: cooking light

1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana 

1/3 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1/3 cup chunky peanut butter 

3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar1/2 cup packed brown sugar
6 3/4 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

Cooking spray
 

1/3 cup powdered sugar 

1 tablespoon 1% low-fat milk 

1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350°. 

To prepare bread, combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed. Add granulated and brown sugars; beat until blended.  

Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through cinnamon) in a small bowl. Add flour mixture to banana mixture; beat just until blended. 

Pour batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. 

Remove from oven; cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Remove bread from pan; cool.
 

To prepare glaze, combine powdered sugar, milk, and 1 tablespoon peanut butter in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle glaze over bread.

 

zucchini bread

A goal of 2011 was to get back to the basics.  To learn how to cook/bake at the beginning and tackling some of the easy and basic recipes every mom should have in her arsenal.  In almost every cooks kitchen I notice the BHG cookbook.  I think it is one of those cookbooks you get at the beginning of your cooking adventure post college or at the start of your marriage to learn to cook in order to fill the void of your mom, take out, frozen meals or whatever you were living on before you stepped out into your first big girl kitchen. I have had the BHG cookbook for years and have never made a single recipe from it.  I was not interested in cooking at the start of my marriage.  We lived on the handful of things I could make which included black bean soup (from a package), pasta with meat sauce, boboli and crock pot chicken.  Looking back all I can think is GROSS.  Why didn't I try to learn and feed my husband better?  I am not sure when the desire to learn to cook came on but, it is burning in me now and I go to bed thinking about flavors and combinations and techniques.  I am on a quest to learn and tackle my cookbook collection.  My csa box had zucchinis last week so, zucchini bread from BHG seemed like a good starting point.  This is an easy bread with a moist center and slightly crunchy top.  Next time I will double the recipe and freeze a loaf because it was gone in two days.  I should have watched it a bit closer toward the end of the cook time because it finished at the lower end of the suggested time range.

zucchini bread

source: bhg cookbook

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup shredded zucchini
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1/4 tsp. lemon zest
• 11/2 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 c. chopped walnut or pecan nuts (optional)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter or spray  a 8"x 4" loaf pan.
2. In a mixing bowl combine the sugar, zucchini, and egg. Add oil and lemon zest; mix well.
3. Add the dry ingredients and stir.
4. Fold in the nuts, if using.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
6. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on a rack.

basic banana bread

Omega 3s what are they, what do they do?  I am not really sure but, I keep hearing you need to eat them.  I buy the milk with omega 3s and the brown eggs with omega 3s.  Am I the only one that thinks brown eggs are healthier then white?  I have no idea why I think that but, then toss in organic and omega 3 and I am buying them.  I continue to hear about the benefits of flaxseed which  provides both omega 3s and fiber.  I don't cook much fish which is a major source of omega 3s because my house is small and it makes our home smell like fish.  No matter how good the fish is a home that smells like fish is not good.  Carter does not like fish, eggs or vegetables so, I worry about his omega 3s and fiber.  I am always looking for new ways to sneak more into his food without him noticing.  The flaxseed in this banana bread adds a nutty undertone which is tasty.  This banana bread is moist,  flavorful and the light glaze on the top adds enough sweetness that you don't need to spread cream cheese or anything else on this bread.  I typically bake quick bread in four mini pans because I hate wasting food and we don't get through a whole loaf but, this was baked as one big loaf and every crumb is gone. 

basic banana bread

adapted: cooking light

• 1 1/2  cups  mashed ripe banana (~2 large)
• 1/3  cup  plain fat-free greek yogurt
• 5  tablespoons  butter, melted
• 2  large eggs
• 1/2  cup  granulated sugar
• 1/2  cup  packed brown sugar
• 6.75  ounces  all-purpose flour (~ 1 1/2 cups)
• 1/4  cup  ground flaxseed (flaxseed meal)
• 3/4  teaspoon  baking soda
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
• 1/8  teaspoon  ground allspice
• Cooking spray
• 1/3  cup  powdered sugar
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  1% low-fat milk

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed. Add granulated and brown sugars; beat until combined.
3. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through ground allspice). Add flour mixture to banana mixture; beat just until blended. Pour batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Remove bread from pan; cool completely. Combine powdered sugar and milk, stirring until smooth; drizzle over bread.

zucchini orange bread

We eat a lot of breakfast for dinner and weekend brunch.  I love making a quick bread with some fruit or veggies added because I feel as if it is a source of these for my hubby and son.  I know the amount is small but, it is more then the nothing they would consume if not baked up in yummy goodness.  This bread is very easy and produces a dense sweet bread.  The dough is a bit unusual as it is more like a cookie dough then a thinner quick bread batter I am used to.  The recipe makes 2 loaves which can be frozen.  My mom was in town so, I sent her home with one which I have heard my niece and dad enjoyed as well.

Zucchini Orange Bread

Adapted: Cooking Light

Ingredients

• 3  cups  all-purpose flour (about 13 1/2 ounces)
• 1  teaspoon  salt
• 1  teaspoon  baking powder
• 1/4  teaspoon  baking soda
• 1  cup  granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/3  cup  canola oil
• 1  tablespoon  grated orange rind
• 1  tablespoon  fresh orange juice
• 2  cups  shredded zucchini (about 1 large)
• 1/2  cup  coarsely chopped walnuts
• Cooking spray

• 1/2  cup  powdered sugar
• 2  tablespoons  fresh orange juice

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. To prepare bread, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients (through baking soda) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk; make a well in center of mixture. Combine granulated sugar and next 4 ingredients (through 1 tablespoon juice). Add sugar mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Fold in zucchini and walnuts. Divide batter between 2 (8 x 4–inch) loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans on a wire rack; remove from pans.
3. To prepare glaze, combine powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons juice, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle evenly over warm loaves. Cool completely on wire rack.