Zany for Zucchini Bread

While my parents were away on vacation last week, they asked me to look after their vegetable garden. I don't know what would possess them to ask me since I basically have a black thumb...I can kill a cactus in two days, and they're pretty much indestructible. Anyways, after I started picking the garden for a few days I realized I was going to have an abundance of zucchini on my hands. Since I am the world's pickiest eater, I decided to turn all the fresh zucchini into a bread. I would NEVER eat zucchini bread willfully and on my own, which is why my mom had to trick me into eating it the first time. She told me it was apple cinnamon bread and thus, I was suckered into trying it. I really liked it and THAT'S when she told me the truth...that it was actually her recipe for zucchini bread. Who knew it could be so tasty? That being said, even the pickiest of eaters will like this recipe. And when in doubt, lie first. 

*This recipe makes 2 loaves of bread

Ingredients

3 eggs

2 cups of sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup of vegetable oil

3 cups of grated zucchini

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup of chopped nuts (I used pecans)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease loaf pans.

I used two large zucchini.

This step is not necessary, but if you have large seeds I would recommend taking a spoon and scooping out the seeds.

Grate the zucchini.

Be careful not to grate your finger, or it will hurt (yes, I'm speaking from experience and yes, it happened during this adventure. Which is probably why this picture is slightly blurry)

In a mixing bowl beat together eggs, sugar, vanilla, and oil.

Stir in the zucchini

Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. 

Add to the sugar mixture.

Stir in nuts.

Pour into pans

Bake for 30-40 minutes.

And now you have delicious zucchini bread! Yummy!

Just Peachy

My hands-down favorite part about summer is peach ice cream! Peaches are my favorite fruit, so I have to binge eat them in the summer while they are in season. Today is my birthday (yay me!) so I decided the perfect ending to a hot day would be to make up a big ole batch. I have a regular churn that makes about a gallon, so you might have to adjust according to your churn size. 

I love to bake because I like to precisely measure out everything. My mom however, is more of a cook and is the type of person to say "add a pinch or handful of ..." Well this drives me CRAZY. This is her recipe so I've tried my best to convert her "measurements" to real amounts.

Here's what you'll need:

Peaches (about 8-10)

2 cups of sugar (I usually tip in a little more because I like it super sweet--like me)

1 small can of Carnation milk

1 tsp vanilla 

4 cups of whole milk (for all you non-mathematics people, that's a quart)

Ice (at least a 10 lb bag)

Rock salt

It's best if you can get soft peaches, or leave them out a few days to soften up

Peel and slice up the peaches. The blender should be about half full

Then add in your sugar, Carnation milk, and vanilla

Blend it all up til it's smooth. 

I don't like chunky ice cream, but you can blend it for less time to get chunks of peaches.

Once you pour it into the cylinder for the churn, add the whole milk and stir it together. There should be a mark on the outside of the tub telling where the max fill line is...make sure you don't go above that because the ice cream expands as it hardens. 

Put it in the churn

Fill 'er up with ice and rock salt. I usually do a layer of ice, layer of rock salt, and repeat. 

Check on it every 10 minutes or so. Add more ice and rock salt when it starts melting.

It took about 40 minutes for the ice cream to be ready. I think it could have used a few more minutes, but my brother was being Mr. Impatient and insisted that is was ready.

There it is...the most wonderful, delicious, creamy, refreshing peach ice cream you'll ever eat. 

And now time for me to enjoy my treat.