KAHLUA CHOCOLATE CHIP ZUCCHINI BREAD: National Zucchini Bread Day

Zucchini is one of those vegetables that seems to proliferate when you're not looking. If you don't check under the leaves every day, you'll find yourself with a gigantic marrow! And that not withstanding, even the small ones seem to multiply overnight. Oddly today's holiday, National Zucchini Bread Day, is not during the growing season, but there's lots of zucchini in the market, so you can still make this to celebrate. I love this recipe for Kahlua Zucchini Chocolate Chip Bread.

Because of the addition of Kahlua, this is a treat for adults. And, if you're so inclined, you can make your own Kahlua. It will have to sit for a month, so if you want to make this Kahlua Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread today, use store bought Kahlua. Scroll down for the Homemade Kahlua recipe.

Kahlua Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
This recipe makes one loaf, but it can easily be doubled. You can also substitute oil for the butter.  I love quick breads. They're fast and easy, and you only use one bowl!

Ingredients
2 cups flour (all-purpose, but you can use 1 cup whole wheat and 1 cup all purpose)
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (8 Tbsp) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup Kahlua
1 cup shredded zucchini
3 ounces chocolate chips (or more)

Directions
In medium bowl, sift flour with soda and salt. Set aside.
In large bowl of electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then Kahlua. (Don't worry if it seems curdled). Add dry ingredients and mix on low speed until blended. Stir in zucchini and chocolate chips to distribute evenly.
Pour into greased and floured 8-1/2 × 4 inch loaf pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F, about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until wood pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool in pan 10 minutes.
Turn out onto wire rack and cool completely.

***

Homemade Kahlua

Ingredients
4 cups water
4 cups sugar
2 ounces instant coffee
1 vanilla bean
Fifth of vodka or bourbon

Directions
Bring 4 cups water to a boil. Add the 4 cups sugar and cook until dissolved. Add the instant coffee. Simmer slowly - do not boil!
Add vanilla bean and 1/5 vodka or bourbon.
Bottle and cap. Leave for a month or more!

FLORA'S FUDGE: Sleeping Beauty!

Love this Flora's Fudge from Sleeping Beauty!

TOLL HOUSE LAYERCAKE: Retro Ad with Recipe

Who doesn't love a Toll House aka Chocolate Chip Cookie? Well here's a great variation: Toll House Layer Cake! I love this Retro Nestle Ad with recipe from 1986. This cake is easy to make and delicious. Nestle Toll House Little Bits that are called for in the recipe are the same as mini-morsels, their miniature chocolate chips.  

"All it takes is a morsel of perfection."


TOLL HOUSE LAYERCAKE

Cake
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup of firmly-packed brown sugar
2/3 cup of sugar
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoons of salt
4 eggs
2 cups of all-purpose
One 12-ounce package (2 cups) of Nestle Toll House Little Bits (Mini-Morsels) semi-sweet chocolate, divided

Frosting
3/4 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cup of sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

Instructions

Cake: Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 15-1/2″ x 10-1/2″ x 1″ baking pan. Line with waxed paper.
In a bowl, cream butter, brown sugar, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually add flour. Stir in 1 cup of Little Bits’ (Mini-morsels) semi-sweet chocolate.
Spread into prepared pan. Bake at 350 F for 20-25 minutes. Cool completely.
Loosen sides of cake. Invert onto lightly-floured cloth. Peel off waxed paper. Cut cake crosswise into four 3-3/4″ x 10″ sections. Spread 3 slightly rounded tablespoons of frosting on one cake layer. Top with second layer. Repeat layers and frost with remaining frosting.

Frosting: Melt over 1 cup of hot (not boiling) water 1 cup of Little Bits (Mini-Morsels) semi-sweet chocolate; stir until smooth. (In microwave: melt on high for 1 minute, stir; repeat.) Set aside.
In a bowl, cream butter and confectioners’ sugar. Add melted chocolate and vanilla extract; blend until smooth.

Makes: One 10″ cake.

CHERRY CHEESECAKE BROWNIES: National Cherry Cheesecake Day!

Today is National Cherry Cheesecake Day. You can make a Cherry Cheesecake with a Chocolate Cookie Crust. But I thought I'd post a terrific recipe for Cherry Cheesecake Brownies adapted from Deb Wise's recipe in Cooking Light, September 2011.

The matzo cake meal in the cheesecake thickens the batter and allows for a creamy texture to the cheesecake, but you can substitute regular all-purpose flour for the cake meal.

CHERRY CHEESCAKE BROWNIES

Cheesecake: 
1/2 cup chopped dried tart cherries  (I use Trader Joe's or Chukar's)
1 Tbsp Kirsch or another cherry liqueur
1/4 cup sugar
6 ounces cream cheese (low fat or not)
1 Tbsp matzo cake meal
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Brownies:
Cooking spray
1 1/2 tsp unsweetened DARK cocoa
4 ounces dark chocolate (70-85% cacao, fair trade), finely chopped
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 325°.

For cheesecake: Place cherries and Kirsch in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH 45 seconds or until boiling; let stand 20 minutes.
Place 1/4 cup sugar and cream cheese in large bowl; beat with mixer at medium speed 1 minute or until smooth. Add matzo meal, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 egg; beat just until blended. Stir in cherry mixture.

For brownies: Coat 9-inch square metal baking pan with cooking spray; dust with cocoa.
Combine chocolate and butter in microwave-safe dish; microwave at HIGH for 1 minute, stirring every 20 seconds. Let stand for 5 minutes--or combine in double boiler over simmering water, then let stand for 5 minutes.
Stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, egg whites, and 1 egg.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with knife. Combine flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt in large bowl. Stir chocolate mixture into flour mixture.

Scrape half brownie batter into prepared pan.
Dot half of cheesecake batter on top.
Top with remaining brownie batter.
Dot with remaining cheesecake batter.
Swirl batters using tip ofknife.
Bake at 325° for 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs clinging.
Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
Cut into squares.