A to Z Bread

Another recipe from the Nashville Mamas. I've made this bread recipe with bananas, zucchini, and squash, and they were all excellent. Some of the A-Z ingredients are a stretch, I think, but to each their own! Makes 2 normal loaves or 8 mini.

• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp soda
• 2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3 eggs*
• 1 cup oil
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups A-Z item (see list below)
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Sift dry ingredients and set aside.
Beat eggs in large bowl; add oil & sugar; cream well.
Add A-Z item and vanilla.
Add dry ingredients.
Mix well.
Add nuts.
Spoon into 2 greased loaf pans.
Bake at 325 for 1 hour (or until done).


*Sometimes, I substitute applesauce for eggs (1/4 c. for each egg) or I use egg replacement.


A-Z: Add one of the following or a mixture to equal two cups, except where indicated:

Apples -- grated
Applesauce
Apricots -- chopped
Bananas -- mashed
Carrots -- grated
Cherries -- pitted/chopped
Coconut -- fresh/ground
Dates - pitted/chopped
Eggplant -- ground
Figs -- finely chopped
Grapes -- seedless
Honey -- omit sugar!
Lemons -- use only 1/2 c. lemon juice
Marmalade -- omit 1 cup sugar
Mincemeat
Oranges -- chopped
Peaches -- fresh or canned/chopped
Peppermint -- use 1/2 cup
Pears -- chopped
Pineapple -- crushed & well-drained
Prunes -- chopped (1 cup only)
Pumpkin -- canned
Raisins
Raspberries
Rhubarb -- finely chopped
Strawberries -- fresh or frozen
Sweet Potato -- coarsely grated
Tapioca -- cooked
Tomatoes -- use 1/2 cup sugar only
Yams -- cooked or mashed
Yogurt -- plain or flavoured
Zucchini -- ground or grated, drained

Fresh Blueberry Muffins

I made these this morning for my family, and they turned out so well! I found the recipe on Allrecipes.com - thanks Colleen, whoever you are! I only had a 6 muffin tin, so I put the rest of the batter in a little bread pan and that worked just as well. Makes 8 large muffins.

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 cup fresh blueberries

Crumb Topping (mix with fork, sprinkle over muffins before baking):

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400º. Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners. Combine flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture until it is just moist. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

Chocolate Oatmeal Cake

My mom brought this recipe when she came to visit this weekend, and we loved it so much that I made it to bring to Bible study this morning! It is a great cake to bring as a dessert item for a brunch, because it is not too sweet and hey, it has oatmeal! It's practically healthy.

• 1 1/2 cups oatmeal
• 1 3/4 cups boiling water
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 stick butter
• 2 large eggs
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 Tbsp cocoa
• 1 pkg chocolate chips (12 oz)
• 3/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350º. In a large bowl, pour water over oatmeal. Let stand 10 minutes. Add sugars and butter, stir until butter melts. Add eggs and mix well. In a smaller bowl, mix dry ingredients (set aside 1/2 of chocolate chips). Add to oatmeal mixture and mix well. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips evenly on top of cake. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

The Big Frittata

From the West End Community Church cookbook

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 8 oz kielbasa thinly sliced
• 1/2 bag frozen hash browns
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 8 eggs, beaten
• 2 tsp basil
• 1/4 cup water
• salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large oven proof skillet over medium high heat. Add sausage, potatoes, water, salt, pepper and garlic to skillet. Cover and steam/saute for 4-5 minutes or until potatoes are just cooked and sausage loses its raw color. Remove lid; add peppers, cook 4-5 more minutes unti liquid evaporates and ingredients start to brown.

Meanwhile, lightly beat eggs with Parmesan, basil, salt and pepper. Shake the skillet to evenly distribute the ingredients, then add the eggs. Without stirring, cook until they start to set around the edges, 1-2 minutes. Place the pan in the oven at 400º and bake until eggs are puffed and set, 10-12 minutes. Slide or invert onto a large plate, cut into wedges and serve.