zucchini bread

Excellent recipe

decreased sugar to just over 1 cup total of white and brown sugar

Used 2 cups whole wheat and 1 cup white flour.

Most recent version (8/8/23)used one small banana and one flax egg (1 Tbsp milled flax with 3 Tbsp water), 2 cups WWflour with 1c white flour, generous choc chips and walnuts.  Fabulous - best yet.  

added chocolate chips and part of a banana because the batter seemed too firm.  consider using some apple sauce or more banana instead of eggs next time

8/2021 - used 2 small bananas instead of eggs, but then needed to use one egg to moisten ingredients.  Only took 40-45 minutes to cook 

brought to Diane and Lou's 5/30/21

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/trisha-yearwood/zucchini-bread-3470722 

Ingredients

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Nonstick cooking spray, for greasing the loaf pans

3 cups all-purpose flour  (1 cups regular, 2 cups whole wheat)

1 teaspoon baking soda 

1 teaspoon baking powder 

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

1 teaspoon salt 

2 cups sugar  (1.25 cups, mix of white and light brown)

1 cup vegetable oil 

3 large eggs, beaten  (or 1.5 -2 bananas; may need one egg)(1 banana, 1 flax egg)

3 cups grated zucchini 

1/2 cup frozen grated coconut, thawed (sub generous choc chips)

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped  

1/4 cup maraschino cherries (omit)

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Directions

WATCH

Watch how to make this recipe.

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease two 5-by-9-inch loaf pans with cooking spray.
2. In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Mix the sugar, oil and beaten eggs in a separate bowl and add to the flour mixture. Stir in the grated zucchini, coconut, nuts and cherries.
3. Pour the batter into the loaf pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 40-45 minutes.  Cool for 10 minutes before removing the loaves from the pans. Turn the breads out onto wire racks to cool completely.

Adapted from "Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood" by Trisha Yearwood © Clarkson Potter 2010. Provided courtesy of Trisha Yearwood. All rights reserved.

Chocolate chocolate chip pancakes

For father's day, this was well-received ;-)
https://www.food.com/recipe/chocolate-pancakes-268701

INGREDIENTS

Nutrition

• 1⁄2

  cup  all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2

  cup  whole wheat flour
• 1⁄4

  cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 

  tablespoons  granulated sugar
• 2 

  teaspoons  baking powder
• 1 

  pinch  salt
• 2 

  large  eggs
• 1 

  1 cup  1% low-fat milk or 1 cup soymilk
• 2 

  tablespoons  water
• 2 

  tablespoons  canola oil
• 1⁄2

  teaspoon  pure vanilla extract
• 1⁄2

  cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
•   raspberries (optional) or strawberry (optional)
•   vanilla yogurt (optional)

  
  

• In a large mixing bowl or a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine flours, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, salt. Mix well.
• Add the eggs, milk, water oil, and vanilla. Whisk together, or process 8-10 seconds, or until smooth and blended. Using the rubber spatula, mix in the chocolate chips.
• Spray a large nonstick frying pan or griddle with cooking spray and heat over medium heat.
• Drop the batter, using a scant 1/4 cup for each pancake, into the frying pan.
• Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until bubbles appear on the top. Turn pancakes with a rubber spatula and lightly brown for 2-3 minutes.
• Repeat with remaining batter. Because chocolate chips tend to sink to the bottom of the batter stir often. Serve pancakes warm with berries or yogurt.

Date and Walnut Haroset Balls

https://jewishfoodexperience.com/recipes/date-and-walnut-haroset-balls/

Not a very tempting title but what could be bad about chocolate?!  Thanks to Shula for this one.  Made these to bring to NY for seder.  Because of family allergies, I used peanuts instead - not suitable for some on Passover.  I realized afterward, I should have put the peanuts in the food processor first and made a sort of peanut butter.  Then mix this with warm dates and cover with melted chocolate.  It would have been a special kind of Reese's peanut butter cup!

From the website:
My mother has been making these date and walnut balls, a variation on traditional Jewish-Iraqi haroset, which is made with chopped walnuts and silan (date honey), for years. They’re not only perfect for Passover and Tu b’Shevat, but are also healthy and tasty year round. Pressed baking dates are available in Middle Eastern and some kosher markets. To keep the recipe pareve, simply use pareve dark chocolate.

Ingredients
1 cup walnut pieces
1 13-ounce package pressed baking dates
8 ounces dark (semisweet or bittersweet) chocolate, chopped

Preparation
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread walnuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5 minutes. Shake the baking sheet, then toast for 5 to 7 minutes longer, until walnuts turn darker in color and are fragrant. Let cool completely.
Meanwhile, if the dates seem dry, place them in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a small mixing bowl. Otherwise, soften an opened package of the dates for 15 seconds or so in the microwave.
Place the walnuts in the bowl of the food processor and pulse until they are finely chopped; reserve some of the more powdery nuts (a tablespoon or so). Add the remaining chopped nuts to the chopped or softened dates; use your hands to press the mixture together until the nuts are evenly incorporated. Pinch off pieces and roll them into 1-inch balls, placing them on a baking sheet.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Melt chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 30 seconds segments. Stir the chocolate until it is smooth. Let cool for about 1 minute.
Use a fork or skewer to dip each ball in the melted chocolate until completely coated. Return them to the baking sheet as you work; sprinkle the reserved chopped walnuts on top. Allow the chocolate to set before serving. You can put the date balls in the fridge for about 20 minutes to help the chocolate set, but keep in mind that this may cause the chocolate to lose its shine.

Double Chocolate Pudding

https://www.washingtonpost.com/pb/recipes/double-chocolate-pudding/14688/

Part of Jerry's birthday and father's day celebration, this pudding was quick and easy.  It's relatively healthy for a good chocolate dessert.  I made it with vanilla almond milk, El Ceibo cocoa powder from Bolivia, and Hatfield's Double Dark Semi-Sweet Chips (both from Whole Foods).  It was a little on the thin side, so I'll try using more arrowroot starch/flour next time; I substituted this for the corn starch.  Remember to leave at least 3 hours for it to set, although it wasn't too shabby right out of the pot!

Some of the chips didn't melt completely, but I kind of liked that consistency.  I particularly liked the lack of a 'skin' on top, that I remember from 'out of the box' puddings from years ago.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably not Dutch-process
2 Tbsp plus 1 tsp cornstarch (or arrowroot starch/flour)
2 cups cold low-fat milk (1%) or almond milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 oz dark chocolate (60-70% cacao) finely chopped, plus optional chocolate shavings, for garnish
1/4 tsp salt
Whipped cream for serving (optional)

Directions: 
1) Whisk together the sugar, cocoa and cornstarch in a medium saucepan (off the heat).  Gradually add the milk, whisking until smooth.

2) Place over medium heat; cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and starts to bubble at the edges, about 6 minutes.  Reduce the heat to low; cook, whisking frequently for 1 minute, then remove from the heat.

3) Add the vanilla extract and the dark chocolate, stirring until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.  Stir in the salt.

4) Transfer to a serving bowl, individual dessert bowls or ramekins.  Cover with plastic wrap an refrigerate until set, at least 3 hours and up to 3 days.

5) Serve as is, or garnished with a small dollop of whipped cream and sprinkling of chocolate shavings, if desired, or with mint.

Chicken Molé

Adapted from www.foodnetwork.com   http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/quick-chicken-mole-recipe.html

I served this in 2008 for a dinner club that we had at the time.  The host chose the theme - so I opted to have all courses contain chocolate.  We had salad with cacao nibs, meatballs containing cocoa, and this chicken mole as the main course.  Scotch chocolate cake topped off the evening.  Since pure cocoa doesn't have sugar - it's actually bitter on its own - people weren't totally sugared out by the time the meal was over.

Another time, we took a cooking class in which the theme was chocolate.  It featured a cocoa-rubbed steak, an eggplant dish with cocoa and finished up with Mexican hot chocolate - a sprinkle of cayenne pepper giving it a kick.

On Valentine's day we had so much chocolate during the day at Coco Sala - caramel salted hot chocolate, accompanied by a chocolate brioche - with some more chocolate on the side - that we opted for a plain salad for dinner.  We went there specifically for dessert, but the brioche was actually listed as an entrée on the brunch menu.  We've been there before.  If you're looking for a special chocolate experience in Washington, DC, consider a treat at this restaurant!

That was yesterday.  Since today was a snow day, I had more time to cook and made that old chicken mole from our dinner club adventure years ago.  It took a little time, but well worth it!

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1-2 Tbsp chili powder (for milder taste, I used 1 Tbsp cocoa chili powder and 1 tsp regular chili)
1 1/4 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
14 oz diced tomatoes, drained (I used fire-roasted diced tomatoes)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
up to 2 chipotle peppers, roughly chopped - optional
10 oz low sodium vegetable broth
2 Tbsp smooth natural peanut butter
2 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped (it melts so don't worry about chopping)
1 - 5 pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces (white meat actually takes up the taste most)
Toasted pumpkin seeds for garnish
Quinoa or rice for serving

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2) Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium heat.  Add onion and sauté until translucent.   Add garlic and spices and continue to sauté to toast and develop flavor.

3) Add diced tomatoes, red pepper, chipotle peppers (if using), broth, peanut butter, and chocolate.  Simmer for 10 minutes, keeping the heat low and stirring frequently.  Strain, saving the liquid.  Purée the solids until smooth.

4) If you have time, sear the chicken in a heavy bottomed hot sauté pan over medium-heat until browned on both sides.  Add to casserole dish, cover with all of the puree and 1/4 cup or so of the liquid and bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes.  Garnish with pumpkin seeds and serve with grain of your choice.

Save the rest of the chocolate sauce for another dish!  Enjoy!

Peppermint Oreo Bark

Included in asouthernfairytale.com/2013/11/09/oreo-peppermint-bark/
Asked my neighbor Melissa for this recipe after she sent over a container full and I couldn't stop eating eat.  If you're lucky, the thin delicious bottom chocolate layer will separate from the rest and you'll have the best thin chocolate 'crust' ever.

From the site:

I hope you enjoy! And come on over and visit me at Crazy for Crust sometime. I’ll ply you with sugar and talk your ear off. That’s a promise! {You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’m all of those places obsessively.}

Ingredients:

10 mini candy canes, crushed (about 1/2 cup)
12 Oreos, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 cup milk chocolate chips (or semi-sweet)
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips

Directions:

1) Line a cookie sheet with wax paper.

2) Add milk chocolate chips to a microwave safe bowl and heat in 30 second increments, stirring after each, until melted and smooth. Pour onto prepared cookie sheet and spread flat. Sprinkle with chopped Oreos. Chill for 10 minutes.

3) Add white chocolate chips to a microwave safe bowl and heat on 50% power in 30 second increments, stirring after each, until melted and smooth. (I use 50% power for white chocolate because it’s so temperamental!) Pour over Oreos and spread to the edges of the milk chocolate. Sprinkle with chopped candy canes. Chill until set, break into pieces and serve or package to give!