Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups regular all-purpose flour, unsifted
1/2 cup cocoa
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup soft butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
2 cups coarsely shredded zucchini
1/2 cup milk
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

1 Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, soda, salt, and cinnamon; set aside.

2 With a mixer, beat together the butter and the sugar until they are smoothly blended. Add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture one at a time, beating well after each addition. With a spoon, stir in the vanilla, orange peel, and zucchini.

3 Alternately stir the dry ingredients and the milk into the zucchini mixture, including the nuts with the last addition.

4 Pour the batter into a greased and flour-dusted 10-inch tube pan or bundt pan. Bake in the oven for about 50 minutes (test at 45 minutes!) or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes; turn out on wire rack to cool thoroughly.

5 Drizzle glaze over cake.

Glaze: Mix together 2 cups powdered sugar, 3 Tablespoons milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until smooth.

Cut in thin slices to serve. Makes 10-12 servings.

Lindsay's Cake Cookies

1 box cake mix*
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil

Mix cake mix and baking powder in bowl. Mix in eggs and oil. Beat until smooth. Drop 1 spoonful onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes.

* I really like using spice cake for the mix and then before putting the cookies in the oven, I sprinkle a little nutmeg on top.

Chicken Marinade

3/4 cup Newman's Own Balsamic Vinaigrette
3 leaves chopped fresh mint
3 leaves chopped fresh basil
1 tsp. chopped fresh chives
1/2 tsp chopped fresh oregano
1/4 cup water
6 chicken breasts

Put chicken in a gallon ziplock. Add remaining ingredients and coat chicken. Marinate for 1 hour to 24 hours.

Notes: I have just discovered the wonders of fresh herbs (from a garden, not the store). So none of the herbs here are required, the Newman's own is good enough by itself.

Grilled Asparagus

1 bunch asparagus
1/4 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Mix oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in small bowl. Coat asparagus with mixture and grill.

Tomato Mozzarella Salad

I decided I wanted to make a tomato mozzarella salad and went straight to Epicurious.com to see what they had.

• 1 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 lb mixed heirloom tomatoes, quartered if small or cut into 1/4-inch-wide wedges if larger
• 1/2 lb very small mozzarella balls (1/4 inch; sometimes called perlini) or 1/2 lb lightly salted mozzarella, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 3 Tablespoons packed small basil leaves or torn large leaves

Serves 4

Preparation:

Whisk together vinegar, mustard, salt, sugar, and pepper in a large bowl. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking constantly until dressing is emulsified. Add tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil and toss well. Season with salt and pepper.

Notes:

• Salad, without vinaigrette, can be assembled 2 hours ahead and kept at room temperature. Salad can be dressed 1 hour ahead and kept at room temperature, covered.
• Vinaigrette keeps, covered and chilled, 1 week.
• Heirloom tomatoes were expensive, so I just went for the best looking tomatoes on the vine
  

Red Velvet Cupcakes with White Chocolate Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting

• Red Velvet Cake Mix
• eggs
• oil
• water
• Cream Cheese Frosting
• 6 White Chocolate squares
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

The important part of this recipe is the frosting. You can also make this with chocolate cupcakes, but red velvet is oh so good! I have two different recipes for the frosting, but I'm posting the easier of the two.

Make Red Velvet cupcakes and cool for at least 20 minutes. Melt white chocolate squares in microwave for 45 seconds and stir until melted. Place cream cheese frosting in mixing bowl. Pour chocolate into bowl. Add peppermint extract. Mix until smooth. Frost cupcakes.

The frosting will actually frost about 40 cupcakes, so you can save some frosting for later.

I made these for the Newbold's while I was staying there. Her girls were great little helpers.

Blueberry & Custard-Filled Star Puffs

• 1 sheet (from a 17-ounce package) frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1 package (3-3/8 ounces) instant vanilla pudding and pie filling
• 1 cup milk
• 1 container (8 ounces) sour cream
• 1 pint (about 2 cups) fresh blueberries
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
• Confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 400F. On a work surface carefully unfold puff pastry; with a rolling pin roll pastry out 1/2 inch wider than its original dimension. Using a 3-inch star-shaped cookie cutter*, cut out 12 stars. With a spatula transfer stars to an ungreased baking sheet 1 inch apart. Bake until puffed and golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer stars to a wire rack; cool slightly. Using a sharp knife cut stars in halves horizontally; cool completely.

To prepare sauce: In a medium bowl place pudding mix and milk. Using an electric mixer, beat until mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes. Fold in sour cream; refrigerate covered, until thickened, about 15 minutes. In another medium bowl combine blueberries, sugar, mint and orange peel; refrigerate covered, until ready to serve. Using a small strainer sprinkle tops of stars with confectioners sugar; set aside. To serve: On each dessert plate place 2 star bottoms; spoon on 1/3 cup sauce and 1/3 cup blueberries; top with 2 reserved star tops.

YIELD: 6 servings

*If star shaped cutter is unavailable, cut a star from heavy cardboard; lightly place on pastry; with tip of a knife, cut out stars.