Chocolate Lovers: Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

I know I should have posted this earlier in the season. If you love chocolate as much as I do, you'll understand. I have made traditional and chocolate zucchini bread before and love them both. But as Emeril says, "Let's kick it up a notch!" Or two or three.

This moist double chocolate, dark chocolate chip bread is a chocolate lover's dream. I added just a few chocolate chips so it wasn't overwhelming. They add a punch of flavor here and there. 

This might not be for everyone. It sure was for me!

Ingredients:
2 cups shredded zucchini
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup dutch process cocoa powder
3 large eggs
2\3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To remove the excess moisture from the zucchini, squeeze between two paper towels until most of the liquid is gone. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder. 

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla and butter. Stir in zucchini. Gradually whisk in the flour mixture. Fold in the chocolate chips. The batter will be thick.

Grease or spray a 9 1/2" x 5 1/2" loaf pan. Spoon in the mixture. 

Bake for 55 - 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 

Remove from oven and cool about 1/2 an hour before removing from pan. Place on rack and cool completely before slicing.

Fiesta Chicken & Rice

recipe from traceysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com

Chicken and rice are rarely a miss in this household. I saw this recipe on Pinterest and was taken in first by it's simplicity of using one skillet for the whole meal. I also liked the "fiesta" concept and of course how great it looks when serving!

We really enjoyed the added pop of flavor that the fiesta rice brought along with the moist tender chicken. Creative and delicious!

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

salt and pepper, to taste

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup long grain rice

1 medium onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. chili powder

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 1/4 cups low sodium chicken broth

1 cup shredded Mexican style cheese

4 scallions, thinly sliced

Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a 12" skillet on medium - high and add the oil. When it starts to shimmer, add the chicken and cook on one side until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate, leaving the fat in the pan.

Add the rice, onion and 1/2 tsp. of salt to the pan. Cook, stirring frequently, until rice is toasted and the onions begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, chili powder and cayenne, cooking just until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add in the tomatoes, green pepper and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan to bring up any brown bits. Add the chicken back to the pan, browned side up. 

Cover the pan and reduce to low heat. Cook until chicken is cooked through, about 12 minutes.

Transfer the chicken alone to a cutting board. Give the rice a quick stir and replace cover cooking it until tender and liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile cut the chicken into 1/2 inch slices.

Turn off the heat under the pan and arrange chicken slices on top of the rice. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and scallions. Cover the pan and wait a few minutes for the cheese to melt. 

Serve right from the skillet. YUM!

Creamy Beef Sandwiches

recipe adapted from taste of home

I couldn't resist adding this no fuss sandwich to my weekly menu. I adapted the amount of beef added after following the original recipe simply because it was much more like a salad between two pieces of bread and I wanted more filler. Of course after bulking it up, it reduced the mayo/ranch flavor, so I adjusted that too. They went fast!

Ideal for lunch on the go!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup mayonnaise

4 TBLS ranch dressing

6 oz. thinly sliced deli beef, chopped

1 cup medium cheddar cheese

12 slices bread (I used split top butter)

In a small bowl, combine the mayo and ranch dressing. Stir in the beef and cheese. Spread about 1/3 cup of spread on six sandwich slices and top with remaining bread slices.

You can also top these with lettuce but my picky eater won't touch it, so I opted to leave it out.

Photoblog Challenge: Pink Flowers

pink aster

“The earth laughs in flowers.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

Good morning friends! Hope your day is a good one.

I entered Photoblog Challenges: Pink Flowers

Baked Broccoli Chicken Penne

recipe adapted from melskitchencafe.com

I have been trying to incorporate more veggies into our meals lately as it seems to be the one food group we miss the most. I find it easier to add them to our main dish rather than as a side. This way the flavor of the meal blends the distinct taste most vegetables give and somewhat fools my family into healthier eating. We all love broccoli and it's so easy to add to a number of recipes. 

The addition of mozzarella and sun dried tomatoes to this pasta sets it apart from the rest. Delish!

Ingredients:

1 bunch broccoli, florets only - cut into 1" pieces

12 oz. penne pasta

2 TBLS. olive oil

1 medium onion, minced

6 medium garlic cloves, pressed or finely minced

1 tsp. dried thyme

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups low sodium chicken broth

1 cup heavy cream

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into bite sized pieces

3 oz. shredded mozzarella

8 oz. jar oil packed sun dried tomatoes, drained and chopped

Topping:

3/4 cup bread crumbs

2 TBLS. butter, melted

Make the topping first by combining the bread crumbs and butter in a small bowl; set aside. 

Lightly grease a  9 x 13 inch baking dish and also set that aside.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. In a large pot, bring water to a boil for the penne. Stir in broccoli. Boil for 1 minute, until the broccoli is bright green. Quickly remove the broccoli with a slotted spoon and set aside on plate. Return the water to a boil and add penne. Boil penne until al dente (1-2 minutes less than you normally would as the pasta will cook a little more when you bake it). Drain and toss with 1 TBLS. of the olive oil. Set aside.

Wipe the pot dry, add the remaining TBLS. of olive oil and return to medium heat until oil is shimmering. Add the onion and cook until softening and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and dried thyme, cooking until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add flour and cook stirring constantly until golden, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the broth and cream, bringing them to a simmer, stirring often. Add the chicken and cook through, about 7 minutes. Stir in the sun dried tomatoes and mozzarella.

Add the cooked pasta and broccoli to the sauce, stirring to combine. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the topping you set aside earlier. 

Bake about 15 minutes or until the top is bubbling and crumbs are lightly browned.

Moist Banana Bread

I know, another banana bread recipe. I couldn't help myself! Nicole, over at Daily Dish Recipes made me do it, I promise. Between her amazing photos and witty commentary, I don't stand a chance. While visiting (like almost daily) her website I stumbled upon her version of banana bread and couldn't resist. 

This bread just may be the perfect banana bread. Super moist and absolutely delicious. 

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups mashed bananas
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup margarine
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Grease and flour a 9 x 13 inch or (2) 7 x 3 inch loaf pans. 

Combine the mashed banana and sour cream. Mix well. 

In a separate bowl, cream the margarine and sugar together until smooth. Add one egg at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and mix. Add banana mixture and mix again. 

In a third separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add to banana mixture and stir well. Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s). 

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. 

Beef Tips in Mushroom Sauce (crockpot)

How did Monday get here so quickly? It's actually a good thing for me as I work weekends and it's my Friday today. Yay me!

You know how much I love my crockpot. I also love simple and super quick recipes that taste like you spent hours on them. This is one of those recipes. I served these beef tips over mashed potatoes. Your favorite pasta would be great too.

Ingredients:
2 lbs. lean chuck (cut into bite size pieces)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 pkg. onion soup mix
1 can 7up

Put cut up chuck into crockpot. Pour can of soup and packet of onion soup mix over the top of the chuck. Pour 7up over the top. Mix gently. 

Cook on low setting for 6 - 8 hours. Turn off your crockpot about 15 minutes before serving and give it a quick stir.