Zucchini Bread

One of the first recipes that I brought with me to Greece when we bought our apartment was for "Zucchini Bread". There is an abundance of fresh, crisp, flavorful zucchini and I don't know why the Greeks don't make zucchini bread with them. So, I thought I might introduce them to it.

I found it amusing to tell friends and relatives in Greece that the breads contained zucchini after they had tasted them. They were really surprised that they tasted so good and they couldn't taste the vegetable in them.

This is a good, low fat recipe, making two big loaves. One to eat and one to gift. Or just eat the whole lot yourself!

Ingredients:

1 cup	Unsweetened Applesauce
½ cup	Sugar
½ cup	Brown Sugar
3	Eggs, slightly beaten
2 tsp	Baking Soda
½ tsp	Baking Powder
2 tsp	Lemon Zest
2 cups	Grated Zucchini
3 cups	All-purpose Flour

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Directions:

Mix the eggs, sugars, applesauce and lemon zest. Stir together dry ingredients and add to the applesauce mixture. Squeeze excess water from grated zucchini and stir into batter. Pour into two greased and floured loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes or until done. Cool 10 minutes in pan. Remove and cool on rack. Makes two loaves.
You can substitute vanilla as a flavoring.

 I couldn't find applesauce in Greece so  I cut up a large peach and added that to the batter.

Enjoy!

 

Maria

 

When life gives you lemons...make lemon curd

Yum!

Mayer lemons are a cross between a lemon and an orange. They are more fragrant, a bit less tart and perfect for desserts. They are only around for a short time in the winter so whenever I see them on the market a grab them! Here's a whole bunch I recently bought at Costco. Lemons are a favorite of mine, they remind me of all the flavors of my childhood in Cyprus where they were ubiquitous. Lemon chicken soup, lemon on greens, lemon in salad, raw lemons with sugar, lemon squash(a sweet concentrate that you added water to make a refreshing drink)! We had a lemon tree by the back-yard faucet and that tree produced the biggest, fattest lemons.

Lemon curd was not on my mother's list. I discovered it as an adult and have been making it ever since.

Mayer Lemon Curd

 

Ingredients 

1 large egg

2 large egg whites

3/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon freshly grated mayer lemon zest

2/3 cup mayer lemon juice,

1 tablespoon butter

 

Whisk together egg, egg whites, sugar, lemon zest and juice in a medium nonreactive saucepan. Add butter and cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. Do not let sauce come to a simmer. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool slightly; serve warm.

You can also cool the lemon curd on the counter, cover and refrigerate for several days. It's wonderful served with fruit or as a topping for Greek yogurt.

Enjoy!
Maria

Dinner on the Lake

The Women's Club at my lake just had a progressive dinner. All it means is that the appetizer course takes place in one house, the main course takes place in another and dessert in another.

The very special thing about this progressive dinner is that all the homes are on the lake. The Women's Club members ferry themselves across the lake to the various locations. The hosts set up outdoors and welcome the boaters for the meal.

The meals are pot luck, where each person brings either an appetizer, a main course or a dessert to share with the group.

Eighteen women crisscrossed the lake on a beautiful night two weeks ago.

Ladies disembarking

Our able captain Coleen navigating the lake with flair!

 

Enjoy the views!

 

Maria