Camie Kury's Zucchini Bread

My cousin Camie makes a ridiculously delicious zucchini bread.  Hope it's nice timing for those of you growing it fresh in the garden!  And thanks to Camie for sharing.

What's in it:
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups finely grated zucchini

How to make it:
1.  Mix first 10 ingredients together in a large bowl.
2.  Mix in zucchini.
3.  Bake in greased loaf pan for 1.5 hours at 350 degrees, or until golden brown.  Check after 1 hour to see how it looks.


Drawing from Pie in the Sky by Susan Purdy.

Asian Slaw with Pickled Daikon

Sweet, tangy, and a little spicy.  This makes a great summer side dish.

What's in it:
1 1/2 lbs daikon radish, peeled
1/4 cup salt
1 cup sugar
1 cup distilled white vinegar
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
4 thai or serrano chiles, cut into wide slices
1 1/2 qts thinly sliced napa cabbage
2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
3 green onions, chopped
3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds


How to make it:
1.  Cut daikon lengthwise into 1/2" slices, then stack and cut into 1/2" cubes.  Toss with salt in a medium bowl.  Let stand about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, to draw out moisture.  Rinse daikon well and drain.  In bowl, stir sugar with vinegar until dissolved, then stir in daikon, oil, and chiles.  Chill, covered, at least 4 hours and as long as 1 week.
2.  Drain daikon, reserving pickling liquid, and discard chiles.  In a large bowl, toss together napa cabbage, red cabbage, onions, sesame seeds, and daikon.  Add 1/2 cup pickling liquid (or more if you like) and toss to coat.


Makes: 3 quarts
Serves: 8
Prep time: 15 minutes, plus 6 hours to pickle
Source:  Sunset Magazine, July 2012 issue, pg 86

Peach-Ginger Crisp

A gift from Ma & Pa Felder, Pie in the Sky by Susan Purdy is geared towards baking at any altitude, often an obstacle in places like Santa Fe.  Without the right combination of ingredients, baking times and temperatures, your breads, muffins, or pies can end up looking like someone gave them a swift kick to the gut.  To avoid collapse or undercooking, you need to adjust accordingly.  Susan wrote this book based on baking experiments across 5 states, so I find it a trustworthy resource.  This recipe happens to bake at the same temperature for the same amount of time across the board.  

Here's her recipe for Peach-Ginger Crisp, which "can be considered a master recipe for whatever fruit is in season, from peaches to nectarines to pears, plums, apricots, berries or apples, or a blend of these." Susan also notes that the ginger can be replaced with cinnamon and/or nutmeg, and grated fresh ginger adds some punch to the flavor.

I made this recipe last weekend with fresh peaches courtesy of Ventana Fine Art's tree on Canyon Road.


What's in it:
1/4 cup light or dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger (or to taste)
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

For the oat crumb topping:
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup light or dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
pinch salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut up




How to make it:
1.  To peel peaches, use a slotted spoon to lower into a pot of boiling water for about 2 minutes, then remove them to a bowl of cold water to cool, then drain.  The peach skins will slip off easily.
2.  Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350.
3.  Butter a 10" deep pie plate or ovenproof casserole
4.  In a large bowl, toss the peaches with the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and lemon juice, and spread in the baking dish.
5.  In a medium bowl, combine all the crumb ingredients and pinch them together with your fingertips or mix with a fork to make crumbs.  Spread them over the fruit,
6.  Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the fruit is tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife and the crumbs are golden brown.  Cool slightly on a wire rack.
7.  Serve that baby warm, spooning it from the pan.  A la mode with vanilla ice cream?  Mm hm.




Servings: 8 to 10
Cook time: approx 45-50 minutes 

Pita Pizza

Fast, easy, and great with garden-fresh vegetables.

What's in it:
pita bread
hummus
feta cheese
cucumber
tomato
kalamata olives
raddicchio, lettuce, or baby spinach (optional)

How to make it:
Spread hummus onto pita bread and sprinkle feta cheese on top.  Bake or toast until feta cheese just starts to melt.

Add toppings!