Warm Chocolate soother

This morning was pretty chilly. it didn't help that we left one of our windows open. It wasn't too chilly, just enough that you wanted to snuggle up in a blanket with a warm beverage.

Today, as most days, my breakfast was in shifts. of course, some of you consider a piece of toast with peanut butter and jam to be breakfast. I don't. I think of it as part of a breakfast. As forementioned, this mornign was a perfect morning for hot chocolate. But, that is not a decent breakfast. First of all becauseof the sugar. Second because of the other ingredients and third because it lacks the protein and fat that I need to make it to lunch.
I was pondering what to do when I remembered the warm vanilla soother from Laura at Heavenly Homemakers and that she had mentioned that she had a chocolate version too.
As claimed, it tastes like what you would imagine to be a warm liquid brownie.

Warm Chocolate Soother
3 cups whole milk
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup real maple syrup
3 T. sucanat
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 T. arrowroot powder or corn starch
1 Tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a medium saucepan, whisk together milk, egg yolks, maple syrup, sucanat, cocoa and arrowroot powder.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly (I use a whisk) until mixture begins to thicken.  Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla.  Stir until creamy.  Pour into mugs and serve warm.

Banana cake

I modified this a bit to make it more of a snack or breakfast cake but will include the original instructions in parenthesis so you know how it was intended for a dessert cake.

2 1/2 c flour - i always use whole wheat - white whole wheat worked really well. -none knew
1 c sugar (1 2/3 c)
1 1/4 t baking soda
1 1/4 t baking powder [1t soda + 2t cream of tarter = 1 T baking  powder]
1 t salt

2/3 c butter or coconut oil - NEVER USE MARGARINE OR SHORTENING!!
1/3 c butter milk or kefir
3 mashed over ripe bananas or 1 1/4 c

1/3 c buttermilk or kefir- yes another
1/2 c or 2 large unbeaten eggs or 3 medium
Optional 2/3 c copped nuts or chocolate chips

*Preheat oven to 350
1. Mix first 5 ingredients.
2. Add next e and beat vigorously for 2 minutes in mixer
3. Add remander or milk and eggs. Beat for 2 more minutes.
4. Fold in add-ins if you choose
5. Bake for 18-20 minutes using 2 9" rounds, 11x16 or cupcakes/ muffins.

Dessert cake may be frosted with icing (suggested in my book) or chocolate frosting (my idea).

Zucchini bread

Zucchini bread
3 c flour
2 c sugar
1 c oil
4 large eggs
1 t cinnamon
1 t nutmeg
1/2 t cloves
1 t baking soda
1/2 t baking poweder (1 sprinkle soda and 2 sprinkes of cream of tarter)
2T vanilla
2 C finely grated Zucchini

Mix in order and bake at 325 for an hour or less time if you do it in muffin tins or bars. Then use the tooth pick test and good sense.

Busy Busy

Tasty bread. Don't they look beautiful!

Shredded zucchini- only one. I have about 10-15 cups left that I need to freeze.

Dehydrated bananas since they were on sale. 29c/lb. Making chips for snacks.

Baked a spaghetti squash. 

Made this lasagna with it using our normal but replacing lasagna noodles with squash.

Home made hasbrowns. Grated rinsed and boiled these nest time I'll try bake and grate.

 These were tasty! We have baked taters in the fridge waiting to make more hashbrowns.

Dehydrated cherry tomatoes. They worked well in my tomato soup to absorb extra liquid.

Learned that crumbling cheese is less labor intensive than shredding.

I also learned that you use a bit more this way and it is LOUD.

Dried tomatoes ready to store.

Basket of snacks- zucchini bread and granola- ready to freeze.

Frozen banana read to thaw for banana bread. Got too ripe before I could dry it.

Banana pancakes. Great with peanut butter!

Breakfast pockets for on the go Hubby.

 I'll try to update with recipes tomorrow.

Hat for my little J to keep his ears warm. Going to try one with ear flaps.