Zucchini & Pineapple Bread

I appologize for the lack of posts lately! Had an unplanned move drop into my life, so needless to say life is CRAZY!! Almost got the kitchen packed up, but had to make this beauty for The Picnic Game over at Months of Edible Celebrations.  I've participated for a few years now and it is so much fun I couldn't pass it up this year.  This quick bread is simple to put together, moist and delicious!! Even my child who hates pineapple loves it (she doesn't even know it's there.)!! It came to mind because my grandmother used to make zucchini and pineapple cookies and they were so good!! Since my cookie sheets and mixer were already packed this is my "moving" version of grandma's cookies!!

Zucchini & Pineapple Bread
Inspired by my Grandma McNee
3 eggs
1 cup unsweetened applesauce*
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups shredded zucchini (squeeze some of the water out)
8 oz. crushed pineapple (drained)
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup raisins (optional)
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 2 loaf pans. 
Beat the eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.  Stir in zucchini and pineapple. Gradually add flour, soda, salt and baking powder to the mixture. Mix until combined.  If you want add nuts and raisins at this point and stir. Pour batter into your loaf pans. Bake 50-60 minutes or until firm. Cool in pan for 10 minutes.
*I replaced the oil with applesauce.

YUM!!

I can't wait to see what the other's bring! It is gonna be a delicious picnic.  Thanks Louise!!

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Farmers Market Quiche with Crispy Potato Crust ♥

A great quiche that's packed with bits of a variety of fresh summer vegetables, whatever's on hand. The eggs are sweetened with fresh corn, the quiche's crust is thin layers of potato, really good and crispy like good hashed browns. For Weight Watchers, the potato crust adds just 1 point to the quiche, versus 4 or 5 points for a typical pie crust.

Okay, okay, I get it, I finally get it! It really does take extra diligence to manage the constant arrival of new vegetables from a CSA. Week in, week out, it gets hard to keep up. At the end of the week, with another box due too soon, you don't want to still have last week's vegetables hanging around. So this summer I'm extra-keen on recipes that use up bits and pieces of vegetables since often, there's not enough of any one vegetable in each week's delivery to really "cook" on its own, just a small bag of green beans here, a smaller bag of broccoli there.

My master recipe for Homemade Vegetable Soup is a godsend, so is Summer Vegetable Stew and Finnish Summer Soup. But I'm looking for other recipes too, everyday healthy recipes. Like quiche!

"Like quiche, Alanna?" I imagine you questioning. "When did quiche get fast and healthy?" And you are exactly right, a traditional pastry crust adds a time element and calorie addition that makes quiche too time-consuming and too rich for every day. This Crustless Quiche is excellent, but y'know, some times you miss having a quiche crust!

Enter the potato crust. It's healthy – and uses the potatoes which have been in the last two CSA deliveries!
Keep Reading ->>>

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Crock Pot White Chocolate Raspberry & Cream Cake

I tried this recipe out on my family while they were here visiting.  It was a HUGE hit! My dad who does not like cake loved it.  It was moist and full of flavor and kind of fun since it was cooked in the crock pot. I will be making it again for sure.

Crock Pot White Chocolate Raspberry & Cream Cake
from Betty Crocker
1 box white cake mix
1 box (4-serving size) white chocolate instant pudding
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 whole eggs 1 egg, separated
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups frozen raspberries
1  (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
whipped topping or whipped cream

Spray 4 1/2-quart slow cooker with cooking spray.
 In large bowl, dump cake mix, removing and setting aside 1/2 cup of the dry mix. Add pudding mix, melted butter, 2 whole eggs, 1 egg yolk and water to cake mix in large bowl. Stir until well mixed.
In small bowl, sprinkle 1/4 cup of the reserved cake mix over frozen raspberries. Stir to coat. Fold raspberries into cake mix mixture. Pour batter into slow cooker.

In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, remaining 1/4 cup cake mix, the sugar, and 1 egg white. Use knife to fold cream cheese mixture into batter in slow cooker, leaving ribbons of cream cheese running through batter.  (I had a hard time with the ribbons, but it didn't matter.)

Cover; cook on High heat setting 2 to 3 hours or until cake is set in center. Turn off slow cooker; remove cover. Cool completely before serving.  Garnish with whipped cream!

Delicious!!

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A New Idea in Snacking: Pillsbury Baguette Chips Giveaway!

 Looking for ways to spice up your snacking routines? Pillsbury knows just how you feel and wants to awaken your taste buds with their new Pillsbury® Baguette Chips! These hearty chips are sliced from oven baked bread and topped with savory seasonings bringing the unique and contemporary flavors of Italian Cheese & Herb and Cheddar Sun-dried Tomato to gourmet snack chips. The delicious flavors and perfect texture of these crispy chips can help you round out any recipe.

These chips are AMAZING!! My family loved them!! No one could decide which flavor they liked best!

• Enjoy Pillsbury Baguette Chips for a wide range of occasions: eat them alone, add a bit more flavor to your favorite dip, spice up soup, or add some crunch to your salad! 
• With 130 calories per serving (21 baguette chips), and 50% less fat than regular potato chips*,

Needless to say they were gone in a flash and with these great facts how could I not be happy my family loved them!!  Pillsbury Baguette Chips are delicious snack chips that you can feel good about eating.

Now one lucky reader will get a chance to try them out!!

(3) Bags of Pillsbury Baguette Chips in Italian Cheese & Herb 
(3) Bags of Pillsbury Baguette Chips in Cheddar Sundried Tomato

Trust me they won't last long in your house either!!

To enter the giveaway be a follower and tell me

what flavor of Baguette Chips you would like to see Pillbury make next?

Giveaway ends June 27, 2012!!

If that’s not enough to get your mouth watering, then check out these delicious chips for yourself.  Download a printable coupon for $0.75 off one package visit here today!

Happy Snacking!!

*Pillsbury Baguette Chips (5g fat per 29g serving); regular potato chips (11g fat per 29g serving).  See nutrition information for sodium content.

“Disclosure:  The product, gift pack, information, and additional sample have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.”
  

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Reese's Peanut Butter Brownies

All I can say about these is they are SO DELICIOUS and as a bonus they are easy and quick to make!! One bite and you will be hooked!!

Reese's Peanut Butter Brownies
adapted just a bit from Life (Made) Simple
2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ cups quick rolled oats
1 cup sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup  butter
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt

Topping:
½ cup peanut butter
2 cup powdered sugar
5 Tablespoons milk
1½ cups chopped Reese's peanut butter cups (about 30 miniature ones)

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a full size cookie sheet. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together peanut butter, butter and sugars for 30 seconds. Turn speed to low and add one egg at a time. Add vanilla and mix until combined.
Fold in dry ingredients. Do not overmix. Pour into prepared pan and pat down until even.
Place in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the top begins to brown.
 Meanwhile, prepare topping buy beating powdered sugar, peanut butter and milk in a small bowl. Chop peanut butter cups up.
Remove bars from oven and place pan on a wire rack. Immediately spread topping over warm bars (it will become melty and shiny). Sprinkle with chopped peanut butter cups. Allow to cool completely before cutting into bars.

Oh YUM!!

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Strawberry Cream Cheese Cake

When my mom was here for my son's graduation, we were looking for a quick and delicious dessert to feed lots of people for the grad dinner.  She told me about this cake which is an old family recipe.  Sad thing is I don't think I had ever had it before and boy was I missing out.  It is so delicious! It didn't last long!!

Strawberry Cream Cheese Cake

from The McNee Family Cookbook

1 package white cake mix

1 package Danish Dessert pudding or strawberry glaze sauce

1 (8 oz.) cream cheese

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

8 oz. whipped topping

1 pound strawberries, sliced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a cookie sheet.  Mix cake mix according to the directions, pour and spread on to the cookie sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until cake springs back in the middle.  Set aside to cool.  Beat cream cheese until smooth and add the powdered sugar.  Fold in the whipped topping and spread over the cake. Make Danish dessert according to package directions and add sliced strawberries to it.  Spread over the cake.  Chill before serving.



*I couldn't find Danish Dessert, but found a container of strawberry glaze in the produce department.  It turned out great!

Keep leftovers refrigerated..that is if you have any :)

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School's Out..Last Minute Teacher Appreciation Gifts

With the craziness that my life had taken on I needed some cute, but quick and easy teacher gifts.
The first one it totally my own creativity, not the best but not bad for thinking on the go...

We filled up these cute freezer friendly cute cups with Hersheys Hugs and Kisses.

It simply says,

Thanks for helping me to drink up knowledge!

~Hugs and Kisses~

Now this beauty I got from my friend Erin over at Making Memories With Your Kids.

She is brilliant, so creative and I can always find something so cool when I am in desperate need of it on her blog.  Thanks Erin!!

Quick, simple and Cute!! The girls said the teacher's loved it!!

Now on to Summer Vacation!!

*If you would like a copy of the hugs and kisses printout let me know and I will send it to you! (I took my kids names off of it.)

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Healthy Chicken Maple with Grapes Recipe tips

Maple Chicken with Grapes Recipe

Recipe by Cecille Esperanza

 

Ingredients: serve 4 to 6

8 boneless chicken thighs, cut in half

½ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1 tablespoon liquid seasoning

2 tablespoons water

1 cup seedless red grapes

Procedures:

Season chicken with salt

In a skillet, heat oil and sauté onion. Add chicken and brown on both sides. Reduce heat, cover skillet, and cook about 10 to 15 minutes or until chicken pieces are tender and juices run clear when pierced with a fork.

In a bowl, combine maple syrup, liquid seasoning, and water. Pour into skillet and add grapes simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about one minutes

Transfer chicken to a platter and spoon sauce over chicken before serving. 

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New Fiber One Chewy Bars Giveaway

Looking for a snack that combines the taste kids’ love with the nutrients they need? Be one of the first to try new Fiber One® Chewy bars, the perfect wholesome snack that the whole family will enjoy! Available in Chocolate and Strawberry PB&J varieties, these chewy bars are perfect for in-the-house, on-the-go, and everywhere in between. Complete with a peanut butter or chocolate bottom and yummy drizzle in every bite, kids won’t be able to resist the taste and parents won’t be able to resist the nutrition of this enjoyable snack.   My kids are hooked!! They are delicious!!

•   Fiber One Chewy bars contain 20% of the Daily Value of fiber and 10% of the Daily Value of calcium
• These 100 or 110 calorie bars contain no high fructose corn syrup, and only 7 or 8 grams of sugar
• According to the results of a recent taste test*, kids prefer Fiber One Chewy Chocolate bars over Quaker Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

*Based upon independent taste tests, with kids aged 8-12, of Fiber One Chewy Chocolate versus Quaker Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars. Quaker is a registered trademark of the Quaker Oats Company. All trademarks property of their respective owners
Want to know how new these are? The final packaging has yet to be produced.  Soon they will feature the added bonus of Box Tops for Education on-pack, truly making Fiber One Chewy bars an ideal snack for school-aged children.

One lucky reader will get to try them out first!! With this incredible gift pack:

(1) Box of Fiber One Chewy Chocolate Bars
(1) Box of the Fiber One Chewy Strawberry PB&J Bars
Drawstring Sack Pack
Water Bottle
Flexi Flyer
Soccer Ball
Sidewalk Chalk

This is the perfect gift pack to start your Summer off with!!

Now with all the end of school stress we've all been experiencing I'm gonna make this one so simple!!

To enter the giveaway tell me which flavor of Fiber One Chewy your family would like to try first??

Winner will be drawn by random number generator on June 20, 2012!!

Good Luck and Best Wishes!

“Disclosure:  The product, gift pack, information, and additional sample have all been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.”

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The Miracle of Squash Blossoms

"I blog, therefore I learn. I learn, therefore I blog." That's been my yin-yang mantra here at A Veggie Venture since 2005, a long time ago in blogging years! So hey, let's learn about squash blossoms, shall we? Now I'm not the gardener, I'm not the farmgirl, this is just me, a curious cook, learning a little bit more about the plants emerging from the garden – learn with me and together we'll never take a "simple" zucchini for granted again!

PHOTO COLLAGE [Top] Two zucchini, the "blossom" ends on the left, the "stem ends" on the right. [Left] Squash blossoms hidden amid the plant's leaves. [Right] Two bees collecting nectar from a male zucchini flower, at the same time gathering pollen.

MALES & FEMALES Squash plants flower with boy squash blossoms and girl squash blossoms. Squash plants produce more boys than girls but just like in humans, it's the girls who bear the "babies" - the fruit of the plant, what we cooks call zucchini and other kinds of squash. (Aha! This actually makes the Famous Zucchini Baby even more funny than it already is! That shot is from Iron Stef, a fellow St. Louis food blogger. From now on, for simplicity, I'm going to call that fruit, that baby, "zucchini".)
Keep Reading ->>>

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Healthy Avocado Chunky Guacamole Recipe

Ingredients:
4 to 5 ripe avocados, peeled, seeded, and coarsely cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 to 3 tablespoons fresh milk
4 to 5 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced(optional)
1/2 medium-size onion, finely minced
1 chile pepper of your choice, finely minced Coarse salt to taste(optional)
1 to 2 tablespoon sugar (optional)

Preparation:
1.To cut the avocado, place it within the palm of your hand and insert a pointy knife with a blade a minimum of two inches longer than the avocado. while not moving the knife, roll the avocado around, slicing it prime to bottom and back to the highest. a mild twist can separate the 2 halves of the avocado, exposing the meat and therefore the seed within.

2. To remove the seed carefully

3. Score the inner meat with a butter knife each horizontally and laterally. These are going to be the cubes when the skin is turned towards within out. If the avocado is ripe flesh ought to fall out because the skin is turned. Repeat this with the remaining avocados. Place the cubes into a medium sized bowl and sprinkle with the lime juice; put aside.

4. In a giant bowl, mix tomatoes, onion, chile pepper, and salt. Gently stir within the avocado cubes and cilantro. Serve. (can be stored within the refrigerator for up to two to three hours).

Let come back to area temperature before serving. function a salad or as a dip with corn or flour tortillas.

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Roasted Asparagus

It seems like asparagus is one of those veggies people either love or don't like at all.  Before moving to Washington I didn't have much exposure to it.  Now I LOVE it!! The great thing is all but one child loves it also.  This recipe is simple and oh so delicious!!

Roasted Asparagus
1 bunch asparagus
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Trim ends of asparagus by snapping off the bottom of the stalks.  They will break off naturally right where the woody part starts. 
Spread aparagus out in a shallow cooking dish (I ususally use a 9 x 13 pan).  Drizzle with the olive oil sprinkle with the salt and pepper.  Toss until the spears are coated with the oil.

  Roast in the over until the spears are just tender about 10 minutes depending on the size of your spears. Larger will take longer thinner will take less time.  Shake or stir halfway through cooking to prevent them from sticking to the pan.

YUM!!

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The Crazy Cookie Invention: Chocolate Caramel Cookies

My middle daughter who pretended to not be so smart, qualified this year for the gifted program because she had perfect scores on the State Tests.  No more hiding for her!! In this program they had to team up and come up with an invention.  Kelsee and her partner did some research and finally decide they wanted to create a sugar cookie that had milk chocolate, white chocolate and caramel in it.  After trying a few different things we finally came up with this delicious delight!! It was a huge hit at the Invention Fair!! In fact people kept taking pictures of the recipe so they would have it. 

Chocolate Caramel Cookies
by Kelsee & Kiera
2 packages white cake mix
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs  
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
36-40 Milk Duds.
white sugar
Mix ingredients together until well blended.  Roll dough into a ball .
Press the Milk Dud into the center.
Roll the dough around it, making sure to enclose it well.
Roll in white sugar and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden.
Allow to sit on the cookie sheet for about 1 minute. Remove and let cool.
Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

I think the cookies were even better tonight versus yesterday when we made them.

Good Job Girls!!

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