Zucchini (or Sweet Potato) Bread

We enjoy making and eating Zucchini Bread. Scott found somewhere on some blog a suggestion to make Zucchini Sweet Potato Bread. We tried it and found that it was really good. The Zucchini Bread recipe comes from the Lion House Cookbook.

Zucchini (Sweet Potato) Bread

1 cup oil

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

3 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups shredded raw zucchini (or half zucchini and half sweet potatoes)

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon soda

1 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons cinnamon

¼ teaspoon baking powder

½ cup chopped nuts (optional...we don't add nuts to ours)

Combine oil, sugar, and eggs in large mixer bowl. Beat well. Blend in vanilla and zucchini. Sift dry ingredients together. Add to oil mixture and blend well. Add nuts.

Pour batter into 2 loaf pans (8 x 4 x 3), well greased and lightly floured. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour, or until loaves test done. Or use 3 medium loaf pans and reduce baking time to about 30 minutes. We use 4 loaf pans and cook it for 35 minutes, actually a little longer with the sweet potatoes. Let stand in pans for ten minutes, then turn out on racks to cool.

Spiced Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

I like this recipe with craisins in it. Any way you do it, these are great cookies.




Spiced Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 tsp apple pie or pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 cups quick cooking rolled oats (not instant)
1 cup raisins or craisins

Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, adding them in one at a time until well incorporated, followed by vanilla extract.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and spices. With a mixer on low speed (or by hand), gradually stir in the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Stir in the oats and raisins.

Drop the dough by heaping tablespoons (approx. 1 1/2 inch size balls) onto prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between cookies to account for spread.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, until cookies are a light gold color and look set.
Cool on a wire rack.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Link to recipe at Baking Bites

Veggie Dip

This is one of my favorite recipes lately. It is easy and yet, yummy. I'll never be able to go back to veggie dip from the store.

Be careful it can be addicting.Veggie Dip

1 cup mayo

1 cup sour cream

1 tsp. Bon Appetit

1 tsp. parsley flakes

1 tsp. onion salt

1 tsp. dill weed
(not dill seed, there is a big difference, I found out the hard way)

Mix all the ingredients together and chill for 1 hour
(you have to chill it in order to let the spices absorb in). Enjoy!

Carrots

The recipe that Scott used for the carrots we had at Christmas is really very simple.

Cut up carrots to fill a pyrex dish of your choice. Add butter, honey or brown sugar, and orange zest to taste. Cook covered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees or until done. Cooking time may vary based on the size of your dish.

Pumpkin Chocolate Bread

We have had some pumpkin that we are trying to use up and we needed something for breakfast. We decided to try this bread recipe. It actually turned out really well. We really enjoy the orange taste to it.

Pumpkin Chocolate Bread

1/3 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp grated orange rind
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
pinch ground cloves
1 cup milk chocolate chips

In large bowl, beat butter with sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Stir in pumpkin and orange rind.

In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and cloves. Stir into pumpkin mixture with 1/2 cup water. Fold in chocolate.

Spread in two greased and floured 8- x 4-inch loaf pans. Bake at 350 F for about 55-60 minutes or until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean. Let cool in pan briefly (maybe about a minute or so...we've found that if you let it cool too long the chocolate hardens and sticks to the pan). Turn out onto rack; let cool completely. Makes 2 loaves.

Source: Canadian Living Magazine, February 2008.

Link to original recipe at Canadian Baker

Oatmeal Muffins

This recipe came to me from Katy Larsen when we were roommates in Ogden. I used to love it when she would make these. We sometimes had them for breakfast, as a snack or would sometimes have them with dinner instead of rolls or bread. They are yummy and easy to make.

Oatmeal Muffins

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoons salt
1 well beaten egg
1/4 cup canola oil

Combine rolled oats and milk; let stand 15 minutes. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into bowl. Combine egg, oil and oatmeal mixture. All all at once to sifted dry ingredients stirring just to moisten. Fill muffin tin (well greased) two - thirds full. Bake at 425 20-25 minutes.

Peanut Butter Bars

I actually got this recipe from Kim years ago. Whenever I make these someone always, always asks for the recipe. This is a good one to take as a dessert to a party or something. One thing to remember it is better is you make it the day before and let it chill overnight. Trust me it makes a difference.

Peanut Butter Bars

3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour

Mix brown sugar, butter, sugar, eggs and peanut butter together. Then add oatmeal, salt, vanilla and flour. Mix well. Spread on greased cookie sheet. Bake 350 for 10-12 minutes. Spread 2 cups of melted peanut butter over the bars while hot. Let cool. Refrigerate.

Frosting
2 sticks butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
6 tablespoons cocoa
2 tablespoons milk
Powder Sugar

Mix together until well blended. May have to add more milk if the frosting is too stiff. Refrigerate.

Frost the bars with the chocolate frosting after both are completely cooled. Once the bars are frosted refrigerate again until ready to serve. Store in an air tight refrigerated container.

Hot Fudge Topping

How can this recipe not be on the blog? Hot fudge topping was a staple in our existence growing up. I have used this recipe several times since becoming an adult at parties and received rave reviews. It's a good one.

Hot Fudge Topping
2 cups sugar
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons cocoa
1 large can evaporated milk
1 square margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla

Boil 3-5 minutes stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Serve over your choice of icecream. Create a banana split or brownie sundae.

Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

Scott & I have been making bread for breakfast the past little bit. Last night we decided to make some Pumpkin Cranberry Bread. Scott had made it before, but it was my first time making it. It turned out fairly well.

Pumpkin Cranberry Loaf
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp ground cloves
2 cups mashed pumpkin (canned)
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup apple sauce
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350F and lightly grease a 8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. In a large bowl, stir together pumpkin, maple syrup, apple sauce, vegetable oil and vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients, mixing only until just combined and no streaks of flour remain. Stir in dried cranberries, then pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the loaf springs back when lightly pressed. Cool loaf in pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 1 loaf.

Scott & Monica's Variations: Scott takes pumpkins and cuts them up and steams them and then blends them to make our own pumpkin. We just use 2 cups of that. We put it into 2 smaller bread pans and cook it for the same 50 minutes. Also, sometimes instead of all cranberries, we will sometimes put in chocolate chips or mix cranberry or chocolates chips or whatever else you would like.

Link to Baking Bites Recipe

Welcome to Our Blog

Okay so I have had another brilliant idea!! Shocking, I know. I decided our family needed to start a recipe blog so...here it is!!! The Turner Family Tastes blog. This blog is for the recipes of our family. Anything you try, like and want to share. All of those things we have had at family parties and wanted to know how to make when you get home, well now here it is. Plus, this will give us a way to have the recipes available at anytime. We will make it so everyone can log on and publish posts. Also, make sure you label the post with the title of the recipe so we can use the labels column for an index. This is a work in progress so if you have any comments or questions let me know. You are the best! Happy Recipes!!