Zucchini

"What do I do with all this friggin' zucchini," is a question you may have asked yourself.. perhaps not...maybe you don't even know what a zucchini looks like! In late summer, these squashy behemoths are popping up everywhere and people have to come up with creative ways to get rid of it all! Personally, I love the stuff. I saute them with S and P in a little olive oil, or pop slices straight on the grill- But like I said- there is a ton of it... you need to find new ways to cook it. Here is one of my favourites.

Also, making his Blog debut, is Felix! He didn't help cook, or even eat. But, instead, he helped demonstrate how monster the Zucchini are.

Wicked awesome zucchini cake

1/2 cup butter
1-1/2 cup chocolate chips
1t vanilla
3 eggs
2 cups flour
1t baking soda
1t baking powder
1t salt
1 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 cups grated zucchini (leave the skin on)

Put the stick of butter, and 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips into a bowl and microwave for 1 minute (you can also do this on the stove.) Stir until the butter and chocolate chips are melted, and the mixture is nice and glossy. You may need to heat it a bit longer- do this in 15 second increments. Add the sugar, and mix until smooth. Add the vanilla and eggs. Mix.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add to the butter mixture. Stir just until mixed. Add the zucchini and remaining cup of chocolate chips.

Spread into a greased 9 -inch cake pan, or my persona favourite, 4-4-inch round springforms.

Put into a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes (cake pan) or 35 (small springforms,) it is done when a toothpick comes out clean.

Flip on to a cooling rack, and let it cool off a bit!

This is great with fresh fruit! the topping I made was,

1 cup fresh strawberries
1 cup fresh blueberries
1T maple syrup

Cook on the stove until boiling, Let it cool for a few minutes, then serve on top of a slice of cake. You should probably put whipped cream on it too. Thats what I just ate......for breakfast.

Canada Day/4th of July

It was a double holiday weekend, so we ended up doing a LOT of eating this weekend. In honor of Canada Day, I tried making my first ever red velvet cake, and it turned out spectacularly! I served it up with some berries and rhubarb from the garden. It was delicious! I got the recipe from a cookbook Gramma Iris gave me.

Cake
I cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 ounces red food coloring
2 t unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 t salt
1t vanilla

heat oven to 350 and grease 2 round cake pans. Mix butter, sugar and eggs. Then add remaining ingredients. Pour into pans and bake for 25-30 minutes

Frosting
3 t flour
1 cup milk
1 cup powdered sugar (I used 2)
1 cup butter, softened
1t vanilla

cook flour and milk in a saucepan until it boils and thickens.remove from heat and let cool. add cooled mixture to butter, sugar and vanilla- frost and assemble cake.


Well there you have it. Easy as pie...or, cake
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