Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Hey guys! I’ve been missing in action for a while, again! But I’m back to cooking and baking and today I tried this wonderful recipe from Two peas in a pod! It’s called chocolate zucchini bread and it’s so moist and delicious I just had to share! And I mean it’s healthy because it has a ton of Zucchini in it 😂😂

I followed the recipe pretty closely except I added more sugar because I used unsweetened cocoa and I also used milk and semi sweet chips. To keep the chips from sinking to the bottom, I dusted them with flour before mixing them in.

Here’s the recipe

yield: 1 LOAF

prep time: 15 MINUTES

Cook time 50 MINUTES

total time: 1 HOUR 5 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1/4 cup canola, vegetable oil, or melted coconut oil
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups packed shredded zucchini
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, divided

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, add the eggs, melted butter, oil, vanilla extract, and brown sugar. Stir until smooth. You might have a few small brown sugar clumps and that is fine.
4. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, don’t overmix. Stir in the shredded zucchini until just combined. Stir in 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips over the top of the bread. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out mostly clean, you might have some melted chocolate chips on the toothpick and that is fine. You just don’t want a lot of gooey batter.
6. Remove the pan from the oven and set on a wire cooling rack. Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the bread and carefully remove from the pan. Let the bread cool on the wire cooling rack until slightly warm. Cut into slices and serve.

Note-if you use coconut oil, make sure it is melted and slightly cooled. The bread will keep on the counter, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 4 days. This bread also freezes well. To freeze, cool the bread completely and wrap in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost before slicing.

SUPER QUICK CHOCOLATE CAKE IN THE MICROWAVE! YES!

SOOOO… no dessert?! what to do? Chocolate cake in the microwave in less than five minutes and minimal clean up?!? What?!? YES PLEASE PASS IT OVER HERE!

I stumbled across this recipe from A Table for Two and I just had to try it as the chocolate cravings were stabbing me in head! You have to try this! Mix it up, add more stuff, I used chocolate and peanut butter chips!

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup AP flour
• 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp white sugar (I added an extra tsp)
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp milk
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp hazelnut chocolate spread

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl
2. Mix in oil and milk until batter is smooth with no lumps
3. Pour into a microwave safe mug with enough space for the cake to rise without pouring over
4. Drop chocolate spread or chips or whatever floats your boat in the middle, no need to push it down.
5. Put a paper towel in the microwave and place mug on top of paper. Microwave on high for 70 seconds.

And that’s it folks! Warm, moist chocolate cake in under 5 mins! Your tummy will thank you! 😀

    

CHOCOLATE RICE KRISPY TREATS

I’ve realised that inviting people over and telling me 20 minutes before they arrive is a genetic trait of my husband and it’s now presenting itself in my son *slaps forehead* *mutters curses*

Yesterday I had to come up with a very quick dinner and a treat for his little friends. Baking a cake or cookies would take too long, jello takes forever to set and pie takes even longer than forever. As I stood there staring into my pantry I noticed a box of rice krispies in the corner! EUREKA! Rice krispy treats! Quick, easy and done in less than 10 minutes, perfect!

I fancied it up a little with some left over Reese’s Pieces from Easter * Ok ok I keep a secret stash in my underwear draw because that’s the only place none of my kids or the hubs would look in 😀 You can try adding sprinkles, m&m’s, or whatever you have on hand….well….maybe not sardines.

Here’s my quick recipe!

• 4 tbsp butter
• 16 oz mini marshmellows
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 6 cups rice krispies ( rice cereal)
• chocolate chips
• reese’s pieces or m&m’s or chocolate chips for toppings

DIRECTIONS

1. Melt butter over medium heat.
2. Add marshmellows and stir frequently until melted.
3. Add vanilla and stir.
4. Pour in rice krispies and a handful of chocolate chips and stir well.
5. Remove from heat and pour into a pan and let cool a little.
6. Spray hands with cooking spray or a little oil (this keeps it from sticking to your skin) and press until flat and smooth.
7. Add more toppings on top and press in! Easy peasy!

 I’m bringing this treat to fiesta Friday with the dynamite duo of J & J! That’s Justine @ Eclectic odds n sods andJhuls @ The Not So Creative Cook. 

FIFTY SHADES OF CHEESECAKE

OK..so maybe it’s not really 50 shades of cheesecakes but I’m making 50 cheesecakes today in two scrumptious flavors!

As usual my lovely husband came in the door yesterday saying “Ummm honey can you make a couple cheesecakes for my lovely friend who is NOT paying for them!? Thanks you’re the best!!”

Me “Ummm really!? REALLY”

WHY DO MEN ALWAYS DO THIS!!! GRRRR!!

*OK happy thoughts, happy thoughts, breathe ooooosaahhhhh*

So now I’m up at 8 am *not a morning person* prepping my pans and ingredients. I decided to do a classic cherry and a spicy chocolate cheesecake with raspberries. I love making mini cheesecakes, because it keeps us * meaning my husband* from eating too big of a slice! Portion control is key around here, as we say in Trinidad, his eyes are bigger than his belly, and that means he tries to eat too much! 😀

What’s your favorite cheesecake flavor? Below I put the basic recipe I use, play with the flavors, try different extracts and crusts, you can make so many variations!

• 1 1⁄2 cups graham cracker crumbs(your preference) or 1 1⁄2 cups chocolate wafer crumbs (your preference) or 1 1⁄2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs (your preference)
• 1⁄4 cup sugar
• 1⁄4 cup butter, melted
• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 (14 ounce) condensed milk
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Line cupcake tin with cupcake papers (24).
3. Combine crumbs, sugar and butter; press equal portions onto bottom of cupcake papers.
4. In large mixing bowl beat cheese until fluffy.
5. Gradually beat in condensed milk until smooth.
6. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well.
7. Spoon equal amounts into prepared cups (about 3 tbl per cup).
8. Bake 20 minutes or until cakes spring back when touched lightly.
9. Cool and chill.
10. Garnish with fresh berries or sliced fruits; chocolate shavings; toasted coconut; or cake sprinkles for a festive look.

I am bringing these little beauties to Fiesta Friday! I am feeling better and ready to party with all the guests and the co-hosts this week are Effie @Food Daydreaming and Jhuls @The Not So Creative Cook. 

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE BROWNIES

Chocolate chip cookie brownies in the middle of the day? Yeah… that’s how I roll … and that’s also why my jeans don’t fit… but I don’t care! Who needs pants anyway!

I would like to thank the lovely people at Betty Crocker for creating this marvellous invention! You make my afternoon chocolate cravings so much better! 🙂