Chocolate and Peanut Butter Zucchini Cake

We didn't have a garden this year, but Justin was gifted a bunch of zucchini from a coworker.  It just so happens that we'd seen Lidia Bastianich's show "Lidia's Kitchen" a few days before this where she'd made a chocolate zucchini cake.  I was just going to follow her recipe, but when I went looking for it online, it was nowhere to be found.  I assume it was because it was a recent episode and they want you to buy the cookbook.  I found a few other recipes online but they called for ingredients I didn't have so... I decided to come up with my own recipe.

I used to like to say I'm not much of a baker, but I guess our blog would actually prove me wrong.  I've been doing more and more baking and have become fairly adept at it.  Still, it's not like cooking where you can just add random ingredients here and there.  My problem is that I still try to do that with my baking and so it doesn't always come out stellar and I don't always have a recipe to post.  This recipe, however, came out great!  Woohoo!  It's moist, but light.  Somewhere in between cake and brownies.  

Let's listen to The Interrupters "On A Turntable"  -jen

CHOCOLATE AND PEANUT BUTTER ZUCCHINI CAKE
Prep Time:  15 minutes
Cook Time:  50 minutes
Difficulty:  Easy
Makes:  18-24

• 2 + 1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 + 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), room temp
• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
• 2 large eggs, room temp
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 2 cups grated unpeeled zucchini (about 1 large or 2 medium)
• 3/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Butter or spray with nonstick cooking spray a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan. 

In a large mixing bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.

In another large mixing bowl, using a stand mixer or electric beater, beat sugar, butter and oil until smooth.  Add eggs 1 at a time and vanilla and beat until combined.  Alternately add 1 cup of dry ingredients with half of the almond milk, and repeat until mixed, starting and ending with the dry ingredients.  Mix in grated zucchini and fold in chocolate chips.  Spread batter evenly into prepared baking dish.

In a small dish, microwave peanut butter for about 30 seconds, until smooth and melted.  Spread about 5 thin rows of peanut butter across the top of the batter running them short-wise.  Using a butter knife, drag 4 rows lightly through the peanut butter going long-wise, first in one direction, then the next, to create a pretty design.  (Or just swirl, it doesn't matter!)

Bake at 325 F for about 50 minutes.  Test the center by inserting a clean knife.  If it comes out clean, the cake is done.  Cool on a wire rack.  Slice into 18 large slices or 24 small slices.

Peanut Butter & Pecan Cheesecake Bars

This is the only new recipe I made for Thanksgiving this year.  It was a weird, rare holiday for us... we stayed home and just had dinner for two.  Usually we spend it with family, or we host it at our house for friends.   But we were invited to dessert and partyin' at a friend's house afterwards, so we told her we'd bring dessert.  I was inclined to make something pumpkin-based, but she said her roommate was making a pumpkin dessert.  So in a panic, I looked through my pantry and decided to go with peanut butter, pecans and cream cheese because that's what I had.  Admittedly, I got a little inspiration from a well-known indulgent southern cook... but I changed up her boring recipe, and it came out awesome.  (Plus, her cooking times were jacked up and anyone who would have used her recipe would have been eating her "cookies" with a spoon.)  Mine is like a peanut butter cup crossed with cheesecake.  WAY easy, too!

I'm not sure why, but I decided to go with some Gimmes for this recipe.  Peanut butter is always "fun" for me, and so are the Gimmes.  It was so hard to choose which song I wanted to use!  But what says peanut butter more than sailing?  Duh.  Me First and the Gimme Gimmes playing their live cover of "Sloop John B".  -jen

 

PEANUT BUTTER & PECAN CHEESECAKE BARS
Prep Time:  20-25 minutes
Cook Time: 40-45 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Serves: 12-15 

Crust:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• 1/2 cup butter, melted (1 stick)

 Filling:

• 2 packages (8oz each) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup peanut butter (chunky or creamy) 
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.  In a medium bowl, combine all of the crust ingredients.  Press dough into the pan, making sure it covers the entire bottom evenly and goes up the sides just a little.  Bake for 15 minutes until lightly browned and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, peanut butter, sugar and vanilla, beating until smooth with an electric mixer.  Incorporate eggs one at a time.  Fold in by hand 1 cup pecans and chocolate chips and spoon over partially baked crust, smoothing it out until it's even.  Bake for 40-45 minutes until edges begin to brown and the center doesn't look wet and jiggly.  Let cool completely before cutting and serving.

Ha!  I tried to make it fancy... but it looks pretty globby.  I'm still working on the pictures, man!  I only have a point-and-click camera and some shitty kitchen lighting!

Thai Chicken Salad

I'd grabbed a Chinese chicken salad at our local co-op the other day for lunch.  Forgetting how much I love Chinese chicken salad, I came home and told Justin we should come up with one that we dig.  So instead of Chinese, we went with Thai!  I don't think we ever get tired of the combination of cilantro, basil, and mint!  I was a little leery of the chipotle in the dressing (begrudgingly inspired by Bobby Flay), but it was really great!  We both ate giant bowls of this and in between mouthfuls, we just kept exclaiming how awesome the salad was (and how awesome we are!)

For music... well, this is how the conversation went.  Me: What do you want to use for music?  J:  I dunno.  Me:  Did we use Screeching Weasel yet?  J:  "What We Hate" is my favourite of theirs.  Me:  I like that one too.

Not very inspiring, but still a great song from a band we love.  -jen

THAI CHICKEN SALAD
Time:  20 minutes prep at most
Difficulty:  If you can use a knife, you can do it, Nicky!
Serves: 6-8 

• 2-3 cups cooked chicken breast, cubed
• 1/2 head Napa cabbage, shredded
• 2 heads Romaine lettuce, shredded
• 4 medium carrots, shredded
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 4 medium scallions, sliced long and thin
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 cup basil, chopped
• 1/4 cup mint, chopped
• 1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds
• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter (creamy or chunky, whichever you prefer)
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
• 2 tablespoons minced chipotle pepper
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon fish oil
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon lime zest
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• salt & pepper to taste
• crunchy chow mein noodles

In a large bowl, mix chicken, cabbage, lettuce, carrots, broccoli, scallions, cilantro, basil, mint and almonds.

In a smaller bowl, whisk vinegar, peanut butter, ginger, chipotle, soy sauce, honey, fish oil, sesame oil, lime zest, and lime juice.  Whisk in vegetable oil until completely blended.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Pour dressing onto salad and toss.  Toss your salad until you can toss it no more.  TOSS IT!!!  Then serve with crunchy chow mein noodles on top (don't mix them in, they'll get soggy).

Tip:  If you think you'll have leftovers, don't mix the dressing with all the greens.  Just pour the dressing on your individual servings, that way your greens don't get soggy in the fridge.

Elvis Bread (Peanut Butter Banana Bread)

Well, we had some bananas sitting around getting old.  We had some organic peanut butter in the fridge, and we really don't eat peanut butter in our house.  So I decided I was going to make something with them.  I really don't enjoy baking much at all.  Sure, I'll make a cheesecake here and there, and sometimes I get a baking bug up my butt, but it's not something I really enjoy like cooking.  I Googled for different ideas - cookies, muffins, cakes, breads.  In the end, I didn't really like any of the recipes I found so I simply decided I was going to make peanut butter banana bread and come up with my own recipe by combining elements of recipes I found on line.  I was really happy with the results!  When we ate the bread by itself, the peanut butter flavour was really strong, but didn't over-power the banana, it was a nice balance.  When we made french toast with it, or toasted it with some butter (which was like waffles!), the peanut butter got a little weaker, but it was still freakin' delicious!

I still want to play with this recipe... being that I'm calling it "Elvis Bread", I so want to make it again and add a bunch of crumbled bacon to it!  I think it would be killer.  And I might add a little more butter, too.  Though the bread wasn't dry, I don't think it was as moist as I'd like it.  But until I make it again, this is the recipe I made the other night.

I'm torn about what kind of music to post.  It's Elvis Bread, so you'd think I'd have been listening to Elvis, but I wasn't (even though I love The King!)  I was actually listening to some soul music when I baked it (so you know it's was made with some love): Solomon Burke, Maurice Williams, Sam & Dave, Ike & Tina.  However, this is a punk rock cooking blog, and because the bread was made with bananas, the first song that popped into my head was The Dead Milkmen's "Smokin' Banana Peels" on the album Beelzebubba.  I remember discovering this album in 7th grade with the only other weirdo in school, my good friend, Nate.  Sneaking into the cafeteria with out little boombox, playing Punk Rock Girl over and over.  And so, rather than posting "Smokin' Banana Peels", I'm going with "Punk Rock Girl".  -jen

ELVIS BREAD

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 large)
• 1 cup peanut butter, melted (just throw in microwave for 30-60 seconds)
• 4 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cream butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar.  Add eggs, one at a time, making sure each is incorporated before adding more.  Add mashed banana and peanut butter.  In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon.  Incorporate dry ingredients into large ingredients, a little at a time.  Batter will be very thick. 

Spray a cake pan with nonstick cooking spray.  Pour in batter and smooth until even.  Bake for 40-45 minutes, until a knife or toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean.