Recipes please

Like I promised I am full of recipes today. If you left the zucchinis on the vine a little too long, or if you were fortunate enough to pick up a baseball sized zucchini it is time for some zucchini bread. As you know I am a complete chocolate addict, so I add chocolate chips. If you prefer to be healthier just add the nuts and lead a boring life. If you really do have an overabundance of zucchini grate it all up, throw it in ziploc bags, and freeze it. That way when your friend has a baby in January and you want to bring something over for her to enjoy all you have to do is whip out this recipe and your frozen zucchini and make some bread with a taste of summer.

This recipe makes 2 loaves of bread. I wish you could see the paper it is on, because it's in my mom's handwriting and has spots all over it; definitely a recipe we use often.

4 cups of shredded zucchini (if you have a food processor with a nice attachment to do this go for it, if not watch your knuckles and get out the grater)
3 cups of flour
2.5 cups of sugar
1.25 cups of vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1.5 teaspoons salt
1.5 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup of chopped nuts
1 cup of chocolate chips

Mix all of the ingredients. Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit until top is firm (if you don't have the knack for feeling your baked goods yet, puncture it with a toothpick).

After our blueberry picking extravaganza yesterday, we are all ready for a blueberry pie. My boyfriend is coming down and seems to think that he will be getting some of the pie, so I'm probably not going to make it till tomorrow since pies don't last very long in our house. I'm almost positive I've already put my crust recipe on here before but in case I haven't I use a 3-2-1 recipe that is so easy to remember.

3 cups of flour
2 cups of butter/shortening/lard
1 cup of ice cold water

Cut the butter into the flour. Add the water. Separate into thirds and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate or freeze till firm. You can cut this recipe into half or even 4ths. I normally cut it in half twice and end up with a shell and a lattice top.

4 cups of blueberries
1/2 cup of white sugar
2-3 tablespoons of cornstarch
2 teaspoons of nutmeg

Mix the cornstarch, sugar, and nutmeg in a bowl. Mix in the blueberries. Pour into the shell. I have been having issues with thickening pies lately. Make sure that even if the crust looks done the pie comes to a full boil. Cornstarch does not thicken unless the mixture boils, so don't take the pie out the minute the crust looks a little dark and there are a few bubbles.

A lot of recipes will tell you to bake at 400 for 20 minutes and then reduce to 350 for 40 minutes. You can do this, but on these hot summer days heating your oven up that much might not be on your agenda. It won't kill the pie to bake at 350 degrees for an hour. Just make sure the pie is bubbling and the crust looks done.

I'm sure you all have your own favorite summer produce recipes. If they aren't super secret family recipes, please share them. I'm sure we would all enjoy trying your blueberry pie or cake or muffins. If they are super secret family recipes please don't comment and leave a recipe with ingredients missing, that's just mean.

Happy Eating!!!

Emily