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Zucchini Nut Bread

Zucchini Nut Bread

This Zucchini Nut Bread recipe is a moist, flavorful quick bread that combines the subtle sweetness of zucchini with the crunch of nuts, perfect for breakfast or a snack. It’s a great way to use up summer zucchini and pairs well with the comforting hot cup of coffee or tea.

Ingredients:

    • 3 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
    • 3 eggs
    • 1 cup vegetable oil
    • 2 1/4 cups white sugar
    • 3 tsp vanilla extract
    • 2 cups grated zucchini
    • 1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

    • Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 F.
    • Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
    • Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well.
    • Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined.
    • Pour batter into prepared pans.
    • Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
    • Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.
Tips:
    • Zucchini: No need to peel; the skin adds texture and nutrients. Squeeze out enough moisture to prevent a soggy loaf but keep it slightly damp for moistness.
    • Nuts: Toast walnuts (350°F for 8-10 minutes) for deeper flavor, as in your Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies. Substitute pecans or omit for nut-free.
    • Variations: Add 1/2 tsp ground ginger for spice or swirl in 1/4 cup of your Buttercream Frosting for a decadent twist. Use half whole wheat flour for a heartier loaf.
    • Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days, in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze (wrapped tightly) for up to 3 months.
    • Make Ahead: Bake the day before; flavors deepen overnight. Freeze unbaked batter in the loaf pan (covered) and bake from frozen, adding 5-10 minutes to the time.

Enjoy your Zucchini Nut Bread!

If you want a vegan version, tips for a sweeter or spicier loaf, or pairing ideas with your other recipes, let me know in the comments below.




 

Crock-pot Cube Steak

Crock-pot Cube Steak

This Crock-Pot Cube Steak recipe is a classic, budget-friendly comfort food dish that’s easy to prepare and results in tender, melt-in-your-mouth cube steak.

Ingredients:

    • 6 cube steaks
    • 1 medium onion peeled and sliced into rings
    • 1 can cream of chicken soup
    • 1 can cream of celery soup
    • 1 packet Lipton Onion Soup Mix
    • 1/2 soup can of water
    • 1/4 tsp. black pepper

Directions:

    • Peel, slice and separate the rings of one medium sized onion.
    • Place 2 cube steaks in the bottom of your crock-pot.
    • Top with onions and repeat.
    • Separating each addition of meat with onions. (This will help separate them later and avoid them being one melded mass of cube steak).
    • In a separate bowl, add the cream of soups, black pepper and water and mix it up.
    • Pour the soup mixture over the meat. Sprinkle the onion soup mix on top, put the lid on the crock-pot and turn it on low.

Soon your kitchen will start to smell delicious and 6 hours later you will have a dinner!

Serve the cube steak and gravy over a bed of fried potatoes and onions for a hearty, comforting meal. The potatoes will soak up the rich gravy, and the onions in both dishes will tie the flavors together. For a Southern twist, add a side of cornbread or dinner rolls to mop up the extra gravy.

ENJOY!




 

Tater-Tot Taco Casserole

Tater-Tot Taco Casserole

Here’s a straightforward recipe for a Tater-Tot Taco Casserole, combining the classic comfort of tater tots with bold Mexican-inspired flavors. This recipe is based on common elements from various sources, ensuring a family-friendly, customizable dish that’s perfect for a quick weeknight meal.

Ingredients:

    • 1 pound ground beef
    • 1 small onion, diced
    • 1 clove garlic, minced
    • 1 (1 ounce) packet taco seasoning mix
    • 1 (16 ounce) bag frozen Mexican-style corn
    • 1 (12 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
    • 1 (12 ounce) bag shredded Mexican cheese blend
    • 1 (16 ounce) package frozen tater tots
    • 1 (12 fluid ounce) can enchilada sauce

Directions:

    • Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F.
    • Prepare a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
    • Cook the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat until completely browned, 5 to 7 minutes.
    • Add the onion, garlic, taco seasoning mix, frozen Mexican-style corn, and black beans to the ground beef; cook and stir another 10 minutes.
    • Set aside to cool slightly.
    • Combine the ground beef mixture in a large bowl with about 3/4 of the Mexican cheese blend and the tater tots; stir to combine.
    • Pour about 1/3 of the enchilada sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
    • Add the tater tot mixture to the baking dish; lightly pat the mixture down into a solid, even layer. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the tater tot layer.
    • Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes.
    • Sprinkle the remaining Mexican cheese over the casserole and return to oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 5 minutes more.

Pair with a Mexican chopped salad, cilantro lime rice, or tortilla chips with salsa or guacamole.

This recipe is a crowd-pleaser, blending the hearty Midwestern tater tot casserole with taco flavors. It’s kid-friendly, budget-friendly, and highly customizable. If you want to tweak it further or need specific ingredient substitutions, let me know!




 

Slow cooker BBQ Beef Ribs

BBQ Beef Ribs

Here’s a simple, highly rated slow cooker bbq beef ribs recipe that delivers tender, fall-off-the-bone ribs with rich, smoky flavor. This recipe is inspired by popular methods from sources like Allrecipes and RecipeTin Eats, tailored for ease and delicious results.

Ingredients:

    • 1 cup Water
    • 1 cup Ketchup
    • 1 (6 oz) can Tomato Paste
    • 3/4 cup Brown Sugar
    • 1/2 cup Vinegar
    • 2 tbsp Prepared Mustard
    • 1 tbsp Salt
    • 2 pounds Beef Back Ribs

Directions:

    • Mix water, ketchup, tomato paste, brown sugar, vinegar, mustard, and salt in a slow cooker, stirring to dissolve brown sugar and salt.
    • Place short ribs into the sauce and stir to coat.
    • Set cooker on Low, cover, and cook for 8 hours.
    • This recipe is adapted from user-favorite methods, ensuring tender, flavorful bbq beef ribs with minimal effort. If you want a homemade BBQ sauce recipe or specific side dish pairings, let me know!




       

The best home made Pancakes

Pancakes

Here’s a simple, highly rated homemade pancake recipe that yields fluffy, delicious pancakes. It’s based on a classic recipe often praised for its balance of ease and flavor.

Ingredients:

    • 3/4 cup Milk
    • 2 tbsp White Vinegar (see note)
    • 1 cup All Purpose Flour
    • 2 tbsp White Sugar (you can use 3)
    • 1 tsp Baking Powder
    • 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
    • 1/2 tsp Salt
    • 1 Egg
    • 2 tbsp Melted Butter
    • 1 tsp Vanilla

Directions:

    • Combine the milk and vinegar in a small bowl for 10 minutes to “sour”.  This is an important step and it is called “soured milk” which is much different that sour milk.
    • Note: You will not taste the vinegar in the final product.
    • Set aside.
    • Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl.
    • In a smaller bowl, whisk the soured milk, egg, vanilla and melted butter together.
    • Pour into the dry ingredients and whisk until most of the lumps are gone, but do not over beat.
    • The batter will be thick, don’t add any more liquid.
    • Let the batter sit undisturbed for 10 minutes.
    • After 10 minutes, you will see bubbles in the batter, very important do not stir again.
    • Gently dip out (don’t pour out) 1/2 cup of batter and place it on a buttered grill or frying pan.
    • Cook until bubbles appear on the surface of the pancake and then flip with a spatula and brown the other side.

If you want a specific variation (e.g., gluten-free, vegan, or buttermilk pancakes), let me know!

Enjoy.