Zucchini Brownies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups shredded zucchini
• 2 cups chocolate chips
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the oil, sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla until well blended. Combine the flour, 1/2 cup cocoa, baking soda and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Fold in the zucchini and chocolate chips. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until brownies spring back when gently touched.

French Toaste Casserole

So I've been enjoying cooking while on day shift. I love breakfast foods. So here is a recipe i found (THANKS PAULA DEEN!) it's delicious.

Baked French Toast Casserole with Maple Syrup

• Recipe courtesy Paula Deen
  
• Prep Time: 20 min
  
• Inactive Prep Time: 8 hr 0 min
• Cook Time: 40 min
• Level: Easy
• Serves: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)
• 8 large eggs
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Dash salt
• Praline Topping, recipe follows
• Maple syrup

Directions

Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each. (Use any extra bread for garlic toast or bread crumbs). Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup.

Praline Topping:

• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Makes enough for Baked French Toast Casserole.

The Dip

Megan is a goddess. She brought this dip in once and we've needed it like crack ever since.



2 packets Hidden Valley Ranch - Buttermilk Recipe


1 small jar Best Foods Mayo


1 16oz tub sour cream



Mix it all together and it's ready to go!



It's that easy and so good.

Kid Friendly: CornDog Muffins

• 2 (8.5 ounce) packages cornbread mix
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
• 8 hot dogs, cut in half or pieces

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease muffin tins.
2. Stir together the cornbread mix and the brown sugar in a large bowl. Whisk the eggs and milk in a small bowl until smooth. Fold the eggs and cheese into the dry mixture until moistened. Spoon mixture into muffin tins until 2/3 full. Add 1 hot dog half to each muffin.
3. Bake in a preheated oven 14 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown.

Food Challenge: Kid Friendly

Get out your kid friendly recipes people. Let's share these ideas!

Aleena told me about Octo-dogs....
How freaking adorable is this?? So simple too.

Cut your dogs halfway up to make 8 legs
Boil them to curl the legs

Aleena serves them on a bed of ramen noodles, tinted green to resemble seaweed and puts in a few goldfish crackers for good measure.

A little mustard face completes the fun.


What are your fun kid-friendly recipes???

Gourmet Sweet Potato Classic

If you are anti-goopy-syrupy-marshmallowy-sweet potatoes, you need to try this recipe! They are light and fluffy but crisp on the top and just DEEElicious! I've made this every Thanksgiving for quite awhile and turned Kyle's family from sweet-potato-haters into sweet-potato-lovers.

And sweet potatoes are not just for Thanksgiving - who came up with that idea! I make a big pan a few times a year when I get craving them.

The potatoes:

5 large sweet potatoes (use 1-2 more if you have small ones)

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup butter (3 TBSP is enough really but if you love butter go ahead)

2 eggs beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract (again 1/2 tsp is enough but go with what you love)

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/3 cup white sugar

2 TBSP heavy cream (you can replace it with 1/2 cup milk if you don't have cream)

The topping:

1/4 cup butter (3 TBSP is enough)

3 TBSP flour (can use up to 1/3 cup, once you mix the topping add more flour if its too wet)

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish.

Cook your sweet potatoes either by baking them in the oven or microwaving them. I microwave cause its much faster. Cook until you can stick a fork or butter knife all the way through them. If you microwave, make sure you poke em' first so they don't explode.

Cool them slightly, peel them, then mash.

In a large bowl, mix the mashed sweet potatoes, salt, butter, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, sugar, and cream/milk. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.

In a medium bowl, combine butter, flour, brown sugar, and chopped pecans. Mix with a pastry blender (c'mon who has one of these) or your fingers (I use a butter knife to cut all the wet stuff into the dry) to the consistancy of course meal. Sprinkle over the sweet potato mixture. Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven until topping is crisp and lightly browned.

Hope y'all enjoy!

Moose Balls

We've been calling these lovely things "Moose Balls" but they are really called Buckeyes. Who cares, cuz they are DE-LISH! It's no use making this recipe with the following measurements though: you at least have to double it - then you can share in dispatch!

• 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)
  
• 6 squares Almond Bark (or 1 cup chocolate chips)
  
• 1tablespoon shortening
  

Line a baking sheet with waxed paper; set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and confectioners sugar with hands to form a smooth stiff dough.

Shape into balls using 2 teaspoons of dough for each ball.

Place on prepared pan, and freeze for 20 minutes.

Melt shortening and chocolate together in a metal bowl over a pan of lightly simmering water. Stir occasionally until smooth, and remove from heat.

Remove balls from freezer. Insert a wooden toothpick into a ball, and dip into melted chocolate. Return to wax paper, chocolate side down, and remove toothpick. Repeat with remaining balls.

Freeze for 30 minutes to set.