Zucchini Craisin Bread Recipe

Ginny's Zucchini Craisin Bread Recipe

Preheat oven to 350°

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 cup sugar
2 cups shredded unpeeled zucchini
1 egg
1/4 cup cooking oil
handful of Craisins (up to 1 cup)
1/2 cup of nuts (optional)

1. In a bowl, mix together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, cloves and baking powder. Set aside.

2. In a separate mixing bowl or standing mixer, combine the sugar, zucchini and eggs until just mixed. Add in the oil and mix again.

3. Add flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir until combined.

4. Gently fold in the Craisins (and the nuts, if you are using any).

5. Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan @ 5"x9"x3" (or any pan of similar size ie: 8x8, 9x9)

6. Bake in the oven for approx. 55 - 65 minutes or until a toothpick or butter knife inserted comes out clean.

7. Cool for about 10 - 15 minutes and enjoy. (I like mine sliced and covered in butter or spread.)

** Alterations: If you are looking for a heartier bread, try using half white flour and half whole wheat flour.

** Note: I keep mine in the refridgerator, heat up slices in the microwave as needed and use it all up within a few days.

Festive Wild Rice Casserole Recipe

I just submitted this recipe to the Taste of Home "Merriest Potluck Recipe" contest. When I was a child my all time favorite holiday dish to eat was my Grandma Adeline's wild rice casserole. I would always go back for seconds...OK, who am I kidding, thirds. As an adult I was able to get the recipe but it didn't taste as good as I remembered. So, I played around with her recipe and created this dish. A staple at my own family holiday gatherings now. Yummy! I hope you love it, too.

If you would like to view this recipe on the Taste of Home website, you can do so by clicking HERE.

Festive Wild Rice Casserole

Ingredients:

1 C wild rice - cooked

8 oz cream cheese - softened

½ C sour cream

8 oz mushrooms

1 onion

1 T minced garlic

3 T butter

2 tsp black pepper

2 tsp salt

½ C dried cranberries

½ C slivered almonds – toasted

Directions:

1. In a large skillet add the butter, diced mushrooms, diced onion and minced garlic. Cook on medium-high heat until soft and lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

2. In a standing mixer combine softened cream cheese, sour cream, salt and pepper until smooth and creamy.

3. In a large bowl combine the cooked wild rice, mushroom/onion mixture, cream cheese mixture, most of the dried cranberries and most of the toasted almonds, reserving some cranberries and almonds for the garnish.

4. Pour the wild rice mixture from the mixing bowl to a greased 9 1/2” baking dish (or similar). Top with reserved dried cranberries and toasted almonds. Serve immediately or refrigerate until needed. Reheat when ready in a 350° oven until heated through, about 30 minutes.

If you would like to read how to toast almond slivers, click HERE.

If you would like to read how to cook wild rice, click HERE.

And that's the scoop! Let me know if your try this one out. Happy cooking, ya'll!