Staci Barzee's AMAZING Zucchini Brownies

I have been looking for this recipe for YEARS!!! We used to hang out with Ryan and Staci when we lived in IF, she made us these amazing zucchini brownies, after which I begged for the recipe, she gave me a photocopy of hers with these cute i's that had circles for the dots...well somehow in our many moves I lost it, and I was so sad. I tried other recipes on line and they just weren't the same. This year when a friend gave me some of her excess zucchini, I asked Momma Jean to see if she could track down the recipe... within hours Jean had it! It had seriously been nearly 10 years, I should have asked Momma Jean sooner, she gets stuff done!

Staci’s Zucchini Brownies (swoon)

2 C Grated Zucchini (I always peel them first)

1/2 C Oil

2 tsp Vanilla

1/4 C Cocoa

1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1 1/2 C Granulated Sugar

2 C Flour

1 tsp Salt

Combine zucchini, oil and vanilla. In a separate bowl mix together the next five ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the zucchini mixture.

Fold in nuts (if using)

Cook at 350 for at least 30 minutes… it takes mine a fair bit longer. When a toothpick comes out clean.

Kashina’s Notes:

If I am being honest, I just dump all the ingredients in a bowl and mix it up… so good! They are even better the next day!  

Annie's AMAZING Wheat Bread

This bread is nearly no fail, and I love it! My favorite part is that you turn on the oven while it is still in there, no moving raising bread!!! LOVE it! Taken right from Annie's blog.

In Bosch, using whisk paddles, mix for 2 minutes:
5 c. warm-hot water
2 Tbs yeast
2/3 c. oil
2/3 c. honey or sugar
2 c. white or wheat flour (white will make it raise more here)

Sponge 10-30 min.

Add:
2 Tbs dough enhancer
2 Tbs salt

Mix and then change to bread hook, then add:
9+ cups more whole wheat flour, until dough pulls away from the sides and isn't too sticky.  (It should still be a little sticky).
Knead 8 minutes.
Preheat oven to 150 (or whatever lowest temp oven does).
Form dough into 5 loaves and place in sprayed bread pans.
Turn off oven and place all 5 loaves in the oven.
Rise 40 minutes in the oven (no need to cover dough)
Turn oven to 350 (keep the dough in) and bake for 30 min, covering with foil last 5 minutes if needed.

THE Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have tried SO many chocolate chip cookie recipes! After trying and trying, I have learned something... cookies, at least chocolate chip cookies are like bread, the dough has to 'feel' a certain way in order for them to work, who knew!!! So with your chocolate chip cookie dough, you don't want it to be sticky, but you also don't want them to be crumbly... if they are sticky add flour 2 table spoons at a time, if crumbly...dunno, ha ha!

THE Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

14 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 C packed light brown sugar

1 C granulated sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 2/3 C all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

3 cup chocolate chips (0r to taste)*

1 cup lightly toasted, coarsely chopped pecans (optional)

Method:

1. Cream the butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar together well. Beat in the egg and the vanilla.

2. Sift the flour with the cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Stir until blended. Stir in the chocolate chips and pecans (if using).

3. Using a small ice cream scoop or a tablespoon, scoop spoonfuls of dough (about 2 Tbsp) shape them into a ball and place onto a parchment lined baking tray or a plate, then ‘flatten’ with the bottom of a glass/cup. Chill the scooped cookies for at least an hour, or once chilled, the cookies can be frozen for baking later.

4. Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Arrange the chilled scooped cookies onto parchment-lined baking trays, leaving 3 inches between the cookies. Bake for 10-13** minutes, until browned around the edges. Cool the cookies on the baking tray. If baking cookie dough that has been frozen, arrange the frozen cookies on the baking tray and let them thaw for 20 minutes before baking as above.

*If I don’t add pecans, I do 2 Cups milk chocolate chips and 1 Cup white chocolate chips… seriously... so amazing!

**My oven they need 13 minutes

Annie's Bran Muffins

Annie’s Bran Muffins

AKA Refrigerator Bran Muffins (adapted from Mel's Kitchen, I believe)

Ingredients

4 C (8oz) Wheat Bran Flakes or plain wheat bran

2 C (4 oz) Bran Buds/All Bran

2 C Boiling Water (from the tap)

4 C (1 quart) Buttermilk (or equal parts sour cream and milk whisked together)*

8 TBsp (4oz) Melted Butter

1/2 C Unsweetened Applesauce**

2 C (15 oz) Granulated Sugar

4 Large Eggs

1 tsp Vanilla

5 C (25oz) Whole Wheat Flour

4 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp salt

Method:

1. In a LARGE bowl*** with a tight fitting lid, add the first two ingredients.

2. Pour the hot water over the top, mix well. Stir every couple of minutes while the mixture cools to room temperature. The mixture will be thick and sticky, and it is ok if there are a few dry patches.

3. After the mixture cools to room temperature add the buttermilk, melted butter, applesauce, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Mix well.

4. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir until ingredients are combined.

5. The batter can be baked right away or stored in the fridge, covered for up to a month to bake as needed. Give the batter a good stir before using if it has been refrigerated.

6. To bake, scoop batter into greased or lined muffin tins, filling 3/4 full. **** Bake at 350 for 23-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes clean, or with a few crumbs.

Kashina’s Notes:

*I haven’t ever tried the alternate method

** I used sweetened

*** I mix this in the biggest bowl I have, and it is nearly at the rim

**** I use a large cookie scoop, works like a dream!

We love these, and make them at least once a month. Super yum, if you like bran muffins, and they are so nice that you can have warm muffins if you are feeling like it.

Nutrition: 92 Cal, 17 Carb, 2 Fat, 2.5 Protein