Spiced Zucchini Bread

3 c flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
½ tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
¾ c nuts, chopped (I used pecans)
3 eggs
2 c sugar
1 c vegetable oil (I used canola which works fine as well)
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 c zucchini shredded
1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple, well drained

Combine flour, soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and nuts. Set aside. Beat eggs lightly in a large bowl. Add sugar, oil and vanilla. Beat until creamy. Stir in zucchini and pineapple. Add dry ingredients, stirring only until dry ingredients are moistened. Spoon batter into 2 well greased and floured 9”x”5”x3” loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 1 hour. Cool 10 minutes before removing loafs from pans.

** I wasn’t sure how to shred zucchini but my friend Josie (who went to Culinary school to be a Pastry Chef) said to use a cheese grater. The zucchini still looked too chunky to me but don’t worry b/c it will shrivel up while baking to where you almost can’t see it in the bread.

Dustin loved this stuff. He thought it sounded gross at first and was reluctant to try it but once he tried it, he couldn’t stop eating it.

Lakehouse Visit June 5-7th

A few weeks ago Dustin & I spent a fun and relaxing weekend at Sandra and Pat's Lakehouse. I never posted pictures of that trip so here they are along with the amazing recipe for Chocolate Gravy.








Chocolate Gravy

1 cup sugar
3 TBSP Flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 TBSP cocoa
3 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 stick butter

Mix together and cook over medium heat until thickens. Serve over biscuits. * I would not recommend this for weight loss but it is a good "splurge" :)

Black Bean & Rice Salad

I made this salad this week. I've made it tons of times before so it's nothing new but it tastes great and is healthy so I thought I would pass this on. I cook my own rice but you can make this after getting Chinese food take-out and use the white rice they give you if you have any leftover. I usually throw that rice away but this is a good use for it.

2 (15 oz) cans of black beans, rinsed and drained,
1 cup rice, cold, cooked
1 cup tomato, chopped
1/4 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp hot pepper sauce (I use Tabasco)

Combine beans and rice. Combine remaining ingredients, mix well. Fold tomato mixture into beans and rice (do this very delicately so you don't smoosh your beans).

Cover, chill for 1 hour. It makes 10 1/2 cup servings. Dustin has yet to try it but hopefully he will like it. My mom usually would serve this as a side dish to grilled pork chops. So yummy!

If any of you try it out, let me know what you think. I love this salad!

I made my Spiced Zuchinni bread last night and it tasted awesome. It's another one of my mom's recipes but I never had made it before. Dustin was hestitant to try it knowing there was zuchinni in it but he was surprised at how good it tasted.

I will post the recipe tonight along with pic's of my creation!

In the Kitchen with Jacy

I tried a new recipe out last night called Orange Chicken. Dustin only gave it a 5 out of 10. It was ok to eat but not good enough to make again, bummer.

I'm really excited to try out Bock Simmered Pot Roast this weekend. Cookwell & Co (a company located in Texas) make's Bock & Brown Sugar Marinade. I ordered some bottles online. I first tried a sample of meat cooked in this marinade at HEB Pantry foods and it was AWESOME!!!




http://www.heb.com/mealtime/recipe.do?recipeId=81853

Hopefully, I won't screw it up. I made blueberry muffins this morning to take to work and burnt the bottoms :(

I wish I was rich enough to hire a private chef, that would be nice.

My Least Favorite Part of Married Life

So, I really don't like to cook. I don't mind it so much on the weekends but right after I get off work, the last thing I want to do is spend much time in the kitchen cooking.  My life before getting married for dinner pretty much consisted of taboli about 3-4 nights a week.  Dustin refuses to try my taboli so I have to come up with some new ideas & recipes.

So, I need to find recipes that are quick and easy YET healthy.  There are so many quick & easy dinners but full of fat & calories which we don't need.  If any of you have any great recipes or meal ideas, please share.  The problem is we can't grill right now since we are living in an apartment.  

As I try new recipes, I will post a picture.  And, I will give you Dustin's rating on a scale of 1-10 with 1 being "I would rather eat $%*#" and 10 being "I have died and gone to Heaven".  If something gets a 7 or higher, I will post the recipe.

Tonight was King Ranch Chicken.  Dustin gave this a solid "7".  So, I guess it's a keeper!

2 cup cheese, grated

4-6 chicken breast halves, cooked

12 corn tortillas, torn in pieces

1 can 98% FF Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 can 98% FF Cream of Chicken Soup

2 cans Rotel tomatoes

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

green chiles (optional)

onions, chopped (optional)

Combine chili powder, cumin & Rotel tomatoes with soup mixes.  Using layers in a large glass baking dish, layer half of tortillas, half of chicken, half mixture of Rotel, soups and spices, and half cheese. Repeat layer process. Bake 1 hour in a 325 degree oven.