Welcome to my Kitchen

Zucchini squash have just about run their course for the season, so you may want to tuck this recipe for Zucchini Pineapple Bread in your file for next year. You may make it with fresh or frozen grated zucchini, so if you filled space in your freezer with grated zucchini, you are set to make this moist, but not sticky, quick bread. I found the recipe on the Taste of Home website http://www.tasteofhome.com.

Zucchini Pineapple

Bread

3 eggs

2 cups finely shredded zucchini

1 cup vegetable oil

1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups granulated sugar

2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp salt

3/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 cup chopped nuts

1 cup raisins (optional)

In a large bowl, combine eggs, zucchini, oil, pineapple and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients except the nuts and raisins. Stir dry mixture into the egg mixture until just moistened. Fold in nuts, and raisins if desired.

Pour into two greased 8x4 inch loaf pans. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and cool in pans 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to continue cooling. Yield: 2 loaves.

Note: if using frozen zucchini, drain excess moisture before adding to the other ingredients. I generally omit the raisins in this recipe, but golden raisins are a nice complement to the pineapple. I generally use pecans for the nuts in this recipe.

There are several recipes circulating currently for Cranberry Chicken, I recently made this version, with a few substitutions because I was too lazy to walk to the store. This one can be baked in the oven or prepared in a slow-cooker.

Cranberry Chicken

4-5 pounds chicken parts

1 can whole berry cranberry sauce

1 cup chopped pecans

1 packet onion soup mix

1 cup Catalina salad dressing

I made the recipe in a slow cooker, so I will give those instructions first.

Place half the chicken parts in a slow-cooker crock. Spread with half of the cranberry sauce, half of the pecans and half the onion soup mix. Add the remainder of the chicken parts and repeat the layers. Pour the dressing over the top of the mixture, distributing evenly. Place crock in slow-cooker and cook on high for 1 hour, then reduce heat to low and cook for 6–8 hours more. Yield: about 8 servings. Serve with a side of rice to soak up the yummy sauce and complete the meal with a tossed green salad.

If you would like to bake in the oven, place chicken parts in a 13x9 inch baking dish. Spread with the cranberry sauce, sprinkle with pecans and onion soup mix. Drizzle with the salad dressing.

Cover dish with foil and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Uncover and continue baking 15-20 minutes more.

Note: instead of onion soup mix, I used 1/4 cup dried chopped onion and a sprinkle of pepper and salt.

Some recipes don’t call for nuts and others omit the onion soup mix, but all contain the whole berry cranberry sauce and the Catalina dressing.

Tomato soup on a chilly day is a delicious treat and this homemade version is quick and easy to prepare. Cook up a quart of last of the garden tomatoes or use a quart of canned tomatoes to make this savory soup.

I found the recipe in “Partners in the Kitchen, From Our House to Yours”, put out by Habitat for Humanity. The recipe was submitted by Jean C. Roeding of Chadron, Neb.

Tomato Soup

1 quart canned tomatoes

1 stalk celery, sliced

1/2 large onion, chopped

2 bay leaves

1 whole clove

1 sprig parsley or 1/4 tsp crushed dried

2 Tbsp water

1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp granulated sugar

1/2 tsp salt

Red and black pepper to taste

Place tomatoes with juice, celery and onion in blender and puree until smooth. Pour into a large saucepan. Rinse blender with 1/2 cup water and add to saucepan. Add bay leaves, clove and parsley. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Stir into soup. Simmer until thickened, stirring constantly. Discard bay leaves and whole clove before serving. Yield: 6 servings.

Note: corn starch may be substituted in this and many soup recipes for thickening. Use measure for measure, but don’t over cook after adding the cornstarch and thickening is complete, or it may break down and loose it’s thickening properties.

This tendency of corn starch is the reason some lemon meringue pies get soupy. It looked fine before you added the meringue and baked to brown the meringue, but when cooled it is runny. Cook the lemon filling until just thickened, remove from heat immediately and work quickly to get it in the pie shell, meringue added; then bake at 350 degrees or less until just browned. The less time in additional heat the better. Meringue is a whole story in itself and I will include that in the next column. Any season is a season for Lemon Meringue Pie.

Halloween and trick or treaters will soon be here. With so many food allergies cropping up, I have seen programs in other communities to alert families to which homes have some non-food treats available. You might want to consider having some mini note pads, pens, pencils, cool buttons and such, as an option to the sweet treats. Also, for safety, turn on your porch light so costumed kids can see their way to your door. I will also include in the next column, by request, the recipe for recycling Halloween candy into cookies, that freeze well before or after baking.

Do you have family favorite recipes for Thanksgiving you would like to share with your fellow readers? Turkey dressing, holiday pies, salads and sides, a special way of preparing the turkey or other main course? Please share them by sending them to: Welcome to My Kitchen, c/o The Odessa Record, P.O. Box 458, Odessa WA, 99159, email to: therecord@odessaoffice.com, or drop them in the Welcome to My Kitchen mail tin in The Odessa Record office. Mulch the falling leaves into your garden and flowerbeds for added nutrients to boost next years vegetables and flowers.