morning glory breakfast cake, smitten kitchen

  • 1 cup (145 grams) grated apple (from 1 7-ounce/medium-large apple)
  • 1 cup (115 grams) grated carrot (from 1 thick carrot)
  • 1/2 cup (80 grams) very well-drained crushed pineapple or chopped fresh pineapple
  • 1/3 cup (30 grams) shredded unsweetened coconut
  • 1/4 cup raisins or another dried fruit (optional)
  • Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 2/3 cup (130 grams) raw or granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cup (155 ml) neutral oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/4 cups (160 grams) all-purpose or whole-wheat flour
  • 2 tablespoons toasted, salted pepitas (optional)

Heat your oven to 350 degrees F. Coat 8-inch square baking pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottom with parchment and let it extend up two sides of the pan. 

In a large bowl, combine apple, carrot, pineapple, coconut, dried fruit, if using, lemon zest, sugar, and oil. Add eggs, and whisk to combine. Sprinkle spices, salt, baking powder, and baking soda over the batter and stir very well to combine. Add flour, and stir just until it disappears.

Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle pepitas over cake, if using. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out batter-free. Let cool in pan then carefully cut into squares with a serrated knife. 

The cake is very moist and a little crumbly. I find that it keeps best in the fridge. The cake will keep for 5 to 6 days, chilled.

Cider Doughnut Muffins from Yankee magazine

  • 2 cups sweet apple cider
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1-1/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon table salt

Preheat your oven to 375° and set a rack to the middle position. Lightly grease a standard 12-cup muffin pan and set aside.

Put the apple cider in a large saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer until the liquid is reduced to 1 cup. Set aside to cool.

Using a standing or handheld mixer, cream the butter with the sugar in a large bowl at medium speed until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, blending well after each. Add the vanilla extract and blend.

In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add a third of this mixture to the butter mixture and beat just to combine. Add half the reduced cider and beat to combine. Repeat with another third of the flour mixture, then the rest of the cider, then the remaining flour mixture. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups and transfer to the oven. Bake until tops are firm and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 15 to 17 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool 10 minutes. 

For the topping:

  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted

Now, prepare the topping: In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the sugar and cinnamon. As soon as the muffins are cool enough to handle, brush their tops and sides with butter, then roll in the cinnamon sugar to coat. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Greek Zucchini Fritters martha shulman

  • 2 pounds large zucchini, trimmed and grated on the wide holes of a grater or food processor
  •  Salt
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup chopped mixed fresh herbs, such as fennel, dill, mint, parsley (I like to use mostly dill)
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 cup fresh or dry breadcrumbs, more as necessary
  •  Freshly ground pepper
  • 1 cup crumbled feta
  •  All-purpose flour as needed and for dredging
  •  Olive oil for frying
  1. Salt the zucchini generously and leave to drain in a colander for one hour, tossing and squeezing the zucchini from time to time. Take up handfuls of zucchini, and squeeze out all of the moisture. Alternately, wrap in a clean dish towel, and squeeze out the water by twisting at both ends.
  2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and add the shredded zucchini, herbs, cumin, bread crumbs, salt and pepper to taste and feta. Mix together well. Take up a small handful of the mixture; if it presses neatly into a patty, it is the right consistency. If it seems wet, add more breadcrumbs or a few tablespoons of all-purpose flour. When the mixture has the right consistency, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour or longer.
  3. Heat 1 inch of olive oil in a large frying pan until rippling, or at about 275 degrees. Meanwhile, take up heaped tablespoons of the zucchini mixture, and form balls or patties. Lightly dredge in flour.
  4. When the oil is very hot, add the patties in batches to the pan. Fry until golden brown, turning once with a spider or slotted spoon. Remove from the oil, and drain briefly on a rack. Serve with plain Greek style yogurt if desired.

Chocolate Zucchini cake/bread from twopeasandtheirpod.com

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  •  1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa or unsweetened 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
  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.
  7. 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

Crustless Squash Pie from yummly

5 cups squash (sliced, yellow or zucchini, or a combination)
2 tablespoons butter
3/4 tablespoon onion (chopped)
1 clove garlic (minced)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh oregano (chopped)
7 leaves basil (chopped)
2 cups mozzarella cheese (shredded)
2 eggs (beaten)

  • Melt butter in 12″ skillet over medium to medium-high heat.
  • Saute’ onion in butter about 1 minute.
  • Add squash and garlic and saute’ until squash in slightly limp, about 8 minutes.
  • In a separate bowl stir together cheese, eggs, herbs, salt and pepper.
  • Add squash/onion mixture to cheese mixture.
  • Pour into 9″ pie plate, which has been buttered or sprayed.
  • Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until center is set and edges are lightly browned.

Crispy Oven-Fried Scallops, yankee magazine

These crispy oven-fried scallops are a lighter take on classic fried scallops, which involves baking them in a panko bread crumb topping. Don’t be alarmed by the full stick of butter in the ingredients list—you won’t use the entire thing.

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 20 medium sea scallops (20–30 per pound)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, melted
  • 1 ½ cups panko bread crumbs
  • Tartar sauce and lemon slices, for serving

Preheat oven to 475° and set a rack to the middle position. Take two rimmed baking sheets and set a wire rack in each. Set aside. 

Whisk eggs and lemon juice until thoroughly combined. Pat scallops dry. In a shallow bowl, whisk together flour, paprika, salt, and pepper. Pour melted butter and bread crumbs into additional (separate) shallow bowls.

Dip a scallop in the egg mixture, then dredge in the seasoned flour. Now dip it in the melted butter and gently roll in panko bread crumbs. Place on a wire rack. Repeat with remaining scallops. When all scallops are breaded, drizzle with some of the remaining butter and transfer to the oven. Bake until scallops are golden brown and cooked through (cut to check), 10 to 13 minutes. Serve with tartar sauce and lemon slices.

chocolate lava cake for two from NYTimes.com

  • 3 ounces/85 grams bittersweet chocolate, 70 to 74 percent cacao (not chips), chopped (about 1/2 cup)
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes, plus more for the ramekin
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, plus more for the ramekin
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  •  Confectioners’ sugar, to serve (optional)
  1. Heat oven to 425 degrees and butter a 10-ounce ramekin. Dust the buttered ramekin with granulated sugar.
  2. Combine the chocolate and 3 tablespoons butter in a heat-safe bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. (Alternatively, combine in a bowl and microwave in 30-second blasts, stirring in between, until melted and smooth, about 1 minute.) Remove from the heat and set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine the 3 tablespoons sugar, egg, egg yolk, vanilla and salt. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is thick, foamy and pale, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the flour until smooth.
  4. Using a spatula, add the chocolate to the egg mixture and stir gently until combined.
  5. Pour the mixture into the ramekin. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until the edges are set and puffed, but the center is still soft when lightly pressed. (You can also cover and refrigerate the batter up to a day in advance. Add an additional minute or 2 to baking time if you are baking the cake directly from the refrigerator.)
  6. Use an offset spatula or small knife to loosen the edges of the cake from the ramekin. Place a plate over the ramekin and carefully invert the warm cake. Use an oven mitt or clean kitchen towel to remove the ramekin, dust the cake with confectioners’ sugar and serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

fermented eggs, brad leone

12 hard boiled eggs
Make a brine:
3 c water
2 tbsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
add: 3 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes or a hot pepper
2 sprigs dill
2 bay leaves
3 tbsp sauerkraut juice (optional)
7/8 tsp coriander berries mashed
1/2 tsp sumac
1/4 tsp turmeric

Let sit for 3 days prior to eating

oatmeal pancakes from The Norris House Inn


2 large eggs
3 1/3 c buttermilk
2 c old fashioned oatmeal
1/2 c flour
1/3 sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
add 1 1/3 c buttermilk

In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and eggs. Add dry ingredients and mix until the batter is
combined. Let the batter stand at room temp for one hour or chilled overnight.

Heat a griddle over moderate heat until it is hot enough to make drops of water scatter over the surface then
brush it with some of the oil. Working in batches, drop the batter of 1/2 c measures onto the griddle, cook
the pancakes for 2 min on each side, or until they are golden and cooked through. Serve with syrup.