Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

When things are quiet here, I browse through food blogs the way others do magazines. I admire some and learn from others, always gleaning tips and tidbits that have the potential to make our next meal something really special. As a result, my bookmark folder is an embarrassment of riches that I'd be ashamed to let others see. While not talking numbers, I can happily report that I'm now current through the summer of 2009. While it took a while, I was finally able to make this wonderful Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread, originally featured at Baking Bites that summer. If you're not familiar with the site, stop by and see what's happening. You'll be happy that you did. This lovely cake-like bread was worth waiting for. It is moist. It is flavorful. It is chocolate. I know you'll love it, so rather than gab I'll get right to it. Here's the recipe for one of the best zucchini breads I've ever had. I did say chocolate, didn't I?


Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Baking Bites

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 medium zucchini, shredded to equal 1-1/4 cups
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Set aside.
2) Sift flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder and salt into a large bowl.
3) Whisk eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk and vanilla together in a medium bowl.
4) Add wet to dry ingredients and stir until almost fully combined. Add zucchini and chocolate chips and stir until evenly distributed in batter (batter should be fairly thick).
5) Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean or with only moist crumbs attached. Turn loaf out of pan and cool on a wire rack before slicing. Yield: 1 loaf.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Chocolate Zucchini Cake - One Perfect Bite
Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread (Low Card Gluten Free) - All Day I Dream About Food
Chocolate Zucchini and Sweet Potato Bread - Anna's Table
Chocolate Zucchini Muffins - Cookie Madness
Vegan Chocolate Banana and Zucchini Bread - Anja's Food 4 Thought
Chocolate Zucchini Bread - Closet Cooking
Chocolate Zucchini Spelt Cake - Anja's Food 4 Thought

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a wonderful cake, but it's one that falls into my "hate to love it" category. The cake is delicious and fairly easy to make, but I have a problem with its baking time. I've made it several times and on each occasion the baking time has varied. In all three instances, it has taken longer to bake than the recipe suggests. My oven has just been recalibrated, so I doubt there is a problem with the thermostat, and I'm using the specified pan-size, so I know there is no problem there. I can tell you that my cakes still shimmy at the end of the 30 minute time suggested by the recipe. Mine require a minimum of 50 minutes to assure a stable center. I suspect the difference is attributable to the amount of moisture in the zucchini, but I really don't know for sure. At any rate, the cake is good enough that I'm willing to keep an eye on it while it bakes. The cake is based on a recipe developed in the Ghiradelli kitchens and the original recipe can be found here. This version of the cake, created by Kate Westburg, was a winner in a Ghiradelli competition held at the DuPage County Fair this past summer. I've changed the recipe slightly and if you'd like to see the original it can be found here. The cake is delicious, even if it drives me crazy. I hope you will try it. It's worth the aggravation. Here's the recipe.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake ( 3-G Stealth Zucchini Cake)...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, inspired by Kate Westburg

Ingredients:
3 large eggs
1 cup + plus 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil, divided use
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
4 ounces baking milk chocolate

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease bottom and sides of (9-by-13-inch) pan or 2 (3-by-6-by-9-inch) loaf pans.
2) Combine eggs, 1 cup vegetable oil, vanilla, and sugar in a large bowl. Beat to combine, about 1 to 2 minutes.
3) Sift together cocoa, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; add 1/2 cup at a time to wet ingredients. Mix until well combined.
4) Stir in zucchini and chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan; bake 30 minutes for (9-by-13-inch) cake pan (approximately 50 minutes for loaf pans), or until cake tester comes out clean. Using a 9 x 13 x 2-inch pan, I still needed a minimum of 50 minutes to bake the cake.
5) Melt baking milk chocolate in double boiler or in microwave over water (being careful not to scorch). Whisk in 1/2 teaspoon canola oil. Drizzle ribbon topping over cooled cake. Yield: 16 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Zucchini Cookies - The Local Cook
Hazelnut Zucchini Cake - My Kitchen in the Rockies
Chocolate Zucchini Cake - Eat At Allie's
Zucchini Cake with Lime Cream Cheese Frosting - Baking Bites
Chocolate Streusel Zucchini Cake - Let's Dish
Zucchini Cake with Crunchy Lemon Glaze - David Lebovitz
Apple Zucchini Cake with Walnuts - Anja's Food 4 Thought

Zucchini Muffins

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...If you are into muffins, I have a treat for you. These muffins come from The Shipyard Galley, a restaurant, on Buzzard's Bay in Massachusetts. I have no adventure or quaint characters to share with you today. As a matter of fact, I've never set foot on Buzzard's Bay, much less eaten at The Shipyard Galley, but thanks to the folks at King Arthur Flour I do have the recipe for their wonderful zucchini muffins. This was a case of love at first bite and I must tell you I'm hooked. Whenever I make these, I have to fight the urge to use large muffin pans and only the calorie count prevents me from doing so. A standard muffin checks in at 335 calories, doubling that means more time on a treadmill than I'm willing to spend. More's the pity! If you try these, I suspect you'll share my addiction. Here's the recipe.

Zucchini Muffins...from the kitchen of One perfect Bite, inspired by The Shipyard Galley an King Arthur Flour

Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup grated zucchini
1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
1/2 cup raisins or currants

Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line one 12-cup muffin tin with papers, or grease each cup.
2) Beat sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla till smooth and somewhat lightened in color, about 1 minute at high speed.
3) Add baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, beating to combine.
4) Add flour, beating just till smooth.
5) Add the zucchini, nuts, and raisins or currants.
6) Divide batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling them about 3/4 full.
7) Bake muffins for 25 to 27 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into a muffin comes out clean. Remove from oven, and after a minute or so gently tilt them in pans, so their bottoms don't become soggy. As soon as muffins can be handled, transfer them to a rack to cool. Yield: 12 muffins.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Zucchini Blueberry Bread - Mrs. Regueiro's Kitchen
Zucchini Carrot Muffins - Real Mom Kitchen
Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread - All Day I Dream About Food
Whole Wheat Zucchini Muffins with Greek Yogurt - Andrea Meyers
Zucchini and Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies - Sweet and Savory Tooth
Lemon Zucchini Cookies - Mindika Moments

Zucchini Fritters

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Zucchini and fruit cake have one thing in common. They both are passed around a lot. Though we don't grow zucchini, generous friends and neighbors keep our cupboards full and we never want for it. While I've lots of recipes for zucchini, I still keep my eyes open for new or different ways in which to prepare it. That's how I happened upon this fritter recipe developed by Michael Symon. Recipes for fritters abound, but his has a Greek flair that makes it especially interesting. The addition of mint and dill and a healthy portion of feta cheese set his fritters apart from others I have tried. You will love these, but if you decide to make them there is a potential problem you should be aware of.

Watery zucchini will spoil the fritters.To avoid that, I use a potato ricer to squeeze as much liquid from them as I possibly can. If the fritter mixture is too damp, the fritters will separate while being fried and leave you with a greasy mess. While these can be made ahead of time and reheated, I don't recommend doing that. My preference is to serve them freshly fried and hot. They can be served with Greek yogurt, or tzatziki if you prefer. They are a bit of work to assemble, but the fritters are delicious and worth the effort. Here's the recipe.

Zucchini Fritters...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Michael Symon

Ingredients:
2 pounds zucchini
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped mint
1-1/2 tablespoon chopped dill
1 large scallion, white and green parts sliced thinly on the bias
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Zest of one lemon
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup (4-oz.) feta cheese, roughly chopped
1 egg
3 tablespoons flour
Canola oil for frying
Optional:
Tzatziki
Greek yogurt
Fresh dill, to garnish
Additional lemon zest, to garnish

Directions:
1) Grate zucchini onto a clean kitchen towel using the large holes of a box grater. Sprinkle with salt. Set aside for 30 minutes. Wring as much liquid out of the zucchini as possible, discarding liquid. I use a potato ricer for this task.
2) In a medium bowl, combine zucchini, mint, dill, scallion, garlic, lemon zest, pepper and feta. Stir in egg and flour and mix until well combined.
3) Heat enough canola oil in a pan over medium high heat to come halfway up sides of fritters. Form fritters, using 1/4 cup measure, and place gently into hot oil. Fry, turning once, until fritters are golden brown on each side, about 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels for a minute. Plate and garnish with a dollop of Greek yogurt or tzatziki, fresh dill and lemon zest. Yield: 8 fritters.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Zucchini Gratin - One Perfect Bite
Stuffed Zucchini Slices - Sugar Crafter
Zucchini Carrot Muffins - Real Mom Kitchen
Zucchini and Carrot Soup - Tobias Cooks
Zucchini-Pineapple Muffins - Kahakai Kitchen
Zucchini Pancakes - Delicious Dishings
Zucchini Bread - Fresh4Five

Zucchini Gratin - Blue Monday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...If ever you've wondered why I don't review restaurants, this snippet from my notes might help you understand. "The best part of lunch was the al fresco setting. That, unfortunately, wasn't edible. Neither was the food." I'm by nature easy to please and hate to find a recipe or restaurant wanting. I envy reviewers who can handle negatives in a less blunt fashion than my own. If you want to read wonderful restaurant reviews, I urge you to read those written by Jeroxie or the distaff side of Pig Pig's Corner. Good or bad, they deliver their opinions in a far more tactful manner than my own, but you still know where they are coming from and they speak truth to power. It's my hope that folks who stake their reputations on the contents of a plate, will learn that kitchen and staff must be supervised at all times. Reputations made at dinner can be lost at lunch and, with no dearth of restaurants, "eternal vigilance" just might pay next months rent. I'd name the restaurant at which I ate, but it will be gone within 6 months so there's no reason to cause ill-will in my small community. A bad lunch, however, means dinner must be PDG. To help ours along, I fell back on a wonderfully simple dish created by Patricia Wells. I can honestly say I've never had a bad experience with her recipes and she is one of my favorite food writers. The dish is a zucchini gratin and it is a wonderful accompaniment to plain grilled meat or poultry. It is easy to assemble, quick to cook and altogether delicious. I hope you'll try it. You're going to love the way it tastes. Here's the recipe.

Zucchini Gratin...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Patricia Wells

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
1 pound yellow and green zucchini, trimmed and cut into chunks
1/4 cup light cream or half-and-half
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup (1-oz.) freshly grated Gruyere cheese

Directions:
1) Preheat broiler. Grease a 1-quart gratin dish. Set aside.
2) Heat oil in a large skillet set over moderate heat until it is hot but not smoking. Add e garlic and zucchini, and brown for about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until soft, about 8 minutes more.
3) Transfer zucchini to prepared gratin dish. Drizzle light cream all over. Season with salt and pepper. Adjust seasoning to taste. Sprinkle with cheese. Place under broiler and broil until the cheese is melted and golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Summer Summer Pasta with Zucchini and Tomatoes - Je Mange la Ville
Zucchini Relish - The Local Cook
Zucchini Pancakes - Delicious Dishings
Zucchini Pistou Pasta - Closet Cooking
Zucchini Bake with Feta and Thyme - Real Mom Kitchen
Zucchini and Goat's Cheese Pizza - The Purple Foodie
Zucchini Caponata - Inspired 2 Cook
Pasta with Zucchini, Parmesan and Olive Oil - One Perfect Bite

This post is being linked to:
Smiling Sally - Blue Monday

Pasta with Zucchini, Parmesan and Garlic Oil

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...What do you get when finely shredded zucchini is tossed with Aglio e Olio? In my kitchen it becomes an easy entrée that's perfect for a Meatless Monday meal. If you have a julienne peeler to use for shredding the zucchini, you can have this dish on the table in about 20 minutes. I'm not much for kitchen gadgets, but this is one I heartily recommend you add to your inventory. If you haven't seen one of these, you can find one here. I'm not affiliated with these people and my purpose in featuring the peeler is to simplify food preparation rather than sell a kitchen tool. Zucchini that is finely julienned needs no cooking and can be tossed with hot pasta without additional fussing. It helps, however, to have the vegetables at room temperature if you take this route. It's important when you make a dish as simple as this to use ingredients of the highest possible quality. Fortunately, that does not always mean the most expensive. I always serve this pasta with focaccia bread and a crisp green salad to add a bit of texture to the meal. I know you'll enjoy this very easy dish. Here's the recipe.

Pasta with Zucchini, Parmesan and Garlic Oil...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
3/4 lb. dried spaghetti
1 (8-oz.) zucchini, finely julienned
1 (8-oz.) yellow squash, finely julienned
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/3 cup chopped Italian parsley or fresh basil
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1) Bring large pot of water to boil; add salt. Add pasta. Cook until al dente, about 10 minutes.
2) Season zucchini and squash with salt and pepper. Set aside.
3) Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in small skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add garlic. Sauté briefly, until light brown. Add pepper flakes and basil or parsley. Mix well. Remove from heat.
4) When pasta is done, drain, reserving about 1/2 cup cooking water. Return pasta to pan. Add zucchini, reserved 1/4 cup oil, garlic mixture from step 3, and 1/2 cup cheese. Toss well, adding cooking water as needed to make a smooth sauce. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons cheese and serve at once. Yield: 4 to 5 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Fusilli with Walnuts and Garlic Sauce - One Perfect Bite
Penne with Asparagus and Lemon Sauce - One Perfect Bite
Pasta Puttanesca - One Perfect Bite
Fresh Garden Vegetables with Pasta - Living the Gourmet
Cold Sesame Noodles - The Parsley Thief
Rigatoni Peperonata - The Comfort of Cooking

Zucchini Cornbread

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Have you ever tried a dessert that purported to be better than sex and found it not to be? Today's bread falls into that category. It's nice, but I it won't make your world stand still - at least it didn't mine. It was so popular at a zucchini festival that event cookbooks sold out and had to be reprinted because everyone wanted the recipe. For better or worse, I have the recipe. Before I go any further, you probably should know I'm a harsh critic. Over the past year, I tested a couple of dozen recipes that never made it to the blog. They weren't popular recipes that were bad, they were risky recipes that didn't work out. There was no reason to needlessly hurt feelings so they hit the circular file rather than the computer. I cussed a little and moved on. Having said that, I must add that this is not a bad recipe, it's simply not a great one. It is, however, enough outside the mainstream to merit some attention, especially if you are looking for ways to use an over abundant crop of zucchini. It is high and moist and the zucchini makes the use of shortening unnecessary. It's strongly flavored. If you love basil that will not be a problem, but I thought the basil overwhelmed the corn flavor of the bread. If I make this again, and I might, I would lose the basil and use red and green peppers to provide heat and color instead. Here's the recipe for inquiring minds to do with as they please.

Zucchini Cornbread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
6 cups grated zucchini
2 cups coarse yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 large eggs, beaten
1-1/2 cups milk
2 teaspoons salt, divided use
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil (or 2 teaspoons dried basil)

Directions:
1) Place zucchini in a a colander. Toss with 1 teaspoon salt. Place a plate and a heavy can on top of zucchini to weigh it down. Let it sit for 30 minutes. Rinse and squeeze dry. Set aside.
2) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8 x 8 x 2-inch pan. Line bottom with parchment or waxed paper; grease. Set aside.
3) In a large bowl, whisk or sift together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and reserved 1 teaspoon salt. In a small bowl, beat eggs, milk and basil together. Add to flour mixture and stir just until combined. Stir in drained zucchini. Spoon batter into prepared pan.
4) Bake on lower shelf of oven until golden brown, about 40 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes in pan. Invert onto a serving platter. Remove paper, slice and serve. This is best served warm. Yield: 16 servings.