Lemon Zucchini Muffins

Wonderfully moist, lemony muffins. You can add a little more sugar for a sweeter muffin.

Lemon Zucchini Muffins 

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

lemon zest of 1 large lemon

1 egg, beaten

1 cup shredded zucchini- skin on

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon chia seeds (optional)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 tablespoon lemon juice

3 tablespoons coconut oil - melted
turbinado sugar to sprinkle on top

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine the dry ingredients and lemon zest in a large bowl. In another bowl, combine egg, zucchini, buttermilk, chia seeds, vanilla, lemon juice and oil. Stir well. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.

Divide batter evenly between 12 greased muffin cups.

Sprinkle tops with turbinado sugar if desired.

Bake at 400 for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan for a couple minutes then remove to rack to cool.

Sausage and Potatoes Augratin

This recipe comes from my mother in law. It was also the first meal that my husband ever made for me, over 23 years ago, before he was my husband. I don't know where my mom in law got the recipe but I am guessing it was from a magazine or the back of the au gratin potatoes box. It is an easy, flavorful and satisfying meal. 

I've thought about experimenting with the recipe to take out the processed boxed potatoes but haven't tried it yet. 

Sausage and Potatoes AuGratin

1 pound polish sausage, cut into bite size pieces

1 onion chopped (about a cup)

1 package Betty Crocker Au Gratin potatoes

2 ½ cups hot water

black pepper to taste

4 carrots- julienne strips

1 (10 oz.) package frozen chopped broccoli- thawed and drained

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cook sausage and onion in oil in skillet until onion is tender and sausage is browned. Stir in potatoes, sauce mix, water and black pepper. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer stirring occasionally. Stir in carrot strips, cover and simmer until carrots and potatoes are tender- about 10 minutes. Stir in broccoli and cheese and cook until heated through and cheese is melted.

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

I hope we have plenty of zucchini coming from our garden soon!
The buttermilk and zucchini make these so moist. Veggies in a dessert and you won't even taste them! 

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cocoa

 2 eggs

3/4 cup buttermilk

2/3 cup coconut oil or vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups shredded zucchini, skin on (drain and squeeze out liquid)

1 cup milk chocolate chips
sprinkle chopped pecans on top- optional

Preheat oven to 350. Grease muffin pan. 

This makes more than 12 regular size muffins. I have a small baking dish that I use for the remaining batter.It makes about a small 8 x 4 inch oval cake. 

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, salt, cocoa.  Mix in chocolate chips with the dry ingredients and set aside.

In another bowl, whisk eggs then whisk in buttermilk, oil, vanilla. Mix in zucchini.

Stir wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until combined.

Fill muffin cups then put any left over batter into another small baking dish.

Bake for 20-22 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Cool for a minute or two then use a knife to loosen edges and remove to cool on a rack.

Rhubarb Tapioca Pudding

I have made stewed rhubarb before but I had never heard of rhubarb tapioca pudding. Of course, I knew I had to try it and so I did! 

After pouring my cooked pudding into a dish, I said to myself, "Oh why did I waste my ($3.00 a pound) rhubarb on this recipe?" It certainly didn't look like a delicious dessert, but after tasting it, while it was still hot, I found that it did have good flavor! I also found that I liked it much better after it chilled over night. 
I decided that it would be delicious served with a simple pound cake and a dollop of whipped cream, but after my 3rd bowl, I now believe it is delicious all on it's own or with a simple splash of cream.
I wish I had another bowl, but sadly, it's gone. I can honestly say I will be looking forward to making it every rhubarb season and if I can get some more this season, I plan to make it one more time this year!

I know there are a lot of photos of this one dish of pudding but I can't help myself. I love photography and I loved the play of early morning light on my pretty green glass dish. My mom gave a set of 4 to me. I have fond childhood memories of chocolate and butterscotch pudding being served in them. I recently asked my mom where she got them and she said they were grandma's so they are not only pretty but even more special to me because both mom and grandma used them!

The original recipe is found in The Boston Cooking-School Cookbook by Fannie Farmer but I found it on The Good Egg Blog found here. I added the vanilla extract to it.

Rhubarb Tapioca Pudding

1/3 cup quick-cooking tapioca

1 1/4 cups boiling water

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

3 cups fresh rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place the cut rhubarb in a bowl and sprinkle with the sugar.  Set aside. 

In a medium sauce pan, mix the tapioca with the boiling water and salt. Cook over medium heat until the tapioca has absorbed the water. I stirred constantly.

When the tapioca has absorbed all of the water, add the rhubarb to the pan. Cook until the tapioca is transparent and the rhubarb is soft. I didn't time it but I would say it took about 5 minutes and I stirred constantly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. May serve alone or with cream.