Grandma Lacher’s Chocolate Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cake

• 1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 Tbsp white vinegar
• 4 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 12 oz chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325 F.  Cream together the butter and the sugar.  In a small glass mix together milk and vinegar or use sour milk.  Add in oil, eggs, vanilla, and milk mixture and mix.  In a separate bowl combine cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and flour.  Sift or mix the dry ingredients together so they are combined well.  Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture until well incorporated.  Fold in the grated zucchini.  Pour mixture into a greased 9 x 13″ pan and spread evenly.  Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly across the top.  Bake for 40 to 45 minutes.

After my first time making this today with my two little girls we sat down for a piece of cake while it was still warm.  The flavors and memories of my childhood sharing this cake with my Grandma Lacher came flooding back in.

Enjoy folks and make a memory with your children today.

Be Blessed,
dl

Side note: The original recipe called for 1/2 cup of sour milk, since we don’t tend to have sour milk readily available the use of the 1 Tbsp of white vinegar to milk will to the trick.

Vegetarian Curry

• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 Tbsp curry powder
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 3 oz tomato paste
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup chickpeas
• 1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup cauliflower, chopped
• 1 cup cooked brown rice

Prepare brown rice according to package directions.  Saute onion and garlic in 1 Tbsp of stock until tender.  Add remaining stock, chickpeas, vegetables, and tomato paste; stir together.  Sprinkle in curry powder and mix well.  Simmer for 10 minutes or until cauliflower is tender.  Serve over rice.  Serves 2.

Blueberry Muffins

• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups blueberries

Preheat the over to 350 degrees.  Sift together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.  Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs to the butter mixture and blend well.  Add the milk and the flour mixture and beat until combined.  Fold in the blueberries.  Fill muffin tin sections 2/3 full and bake 25 to 30 minutes.  If you wish sprinkle a small amount of raw sugar on the top of the muffins before baking.

Enjoy and feel free to send some along.

Rhubarb Cobbler

• 4 cups chopped rhubarb
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1 cup boiling water

Evenly distribute rhubarb on bottom of baking dish (8×8 in original, we used a 9×13). Cream together sugar (1/2 cup), butter, milk, flour, baking powder and salt. Pour mixture over the top of the rhubarb. Combine sugar (1 cup) and cornstarch and sprinkle over the stop of the creamed topping. Pour boiling water of the top of the whole thing and bake for 60 minutes at 350 F.

We it hot out of the oven with a little bit of ice cream.  This one originally comes from my dad, it is awesome.

Chipotle Slaw

• 2 tsp chipotle powder
• 2 tablespoons honey,
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 3 tablespoons light mayo
• 2 cups shredded cabbage (1 cup white, 1 cup red is a nice mix)
  
• 1/4 cup fine chopped or thinly sliced red onions

This makes for an amazing topping to fish tacos along with some guacamole… that recipe is to come.  Enjoy all.

Marinated Tomatoes

• 3 large tomatoes medium to thick sliced
• 1/3 C olive oil
• 1/4 C red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 Tbsp basil
• 1 Tbsp parsley

Shake well & chill. Pour over tomatoes. Enjoy