"Mock" Apple Pie (Zucchini Crisp)

Hello, hello, hello! :) Guess what? I am posting a recipe with nutmeg in it! *hands clapping* YAY!! :)) 
Last week Koko posted a recipe for zucchini brownies, which were very yummy! (She let me try one.) Her family had so much zucchini that they decided to let my family have a few, so I decided to make this really yummy crisp with it! It tastes just like apple crisp, except for the fact that it has seeds in it. It is a recipe that I'm going to add to my favorites! :) Happy Eating! 

  Mock Apple Pie (Zucchini Crisp) 

                      Filling: 
                           8 cups peeled, sliced zucchini
                           2/3 cups lemon juice
                           1 cup sugar
                           1 teaspoon cinnamon
                           1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (yeah!:) 

Simmer the zucchini and lemon juice in a medium saucepan over medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, you can make the crust. Add sugar and spices; simmer another minute, then set aside. 
                   
                       Crust:
                            4 cups flour
                            2 cups sugar
                            1 1/2 cups cold butter
                            1 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 375*. Combine sugar, flour, and cinnamon, then cut in butter to resemble crumbs. Take 1/2 of this mixture and press into a sprayed 9x13 pan to form a crust. Divide the remaining crumb mixture in 1/2 again. Put 1/2 in the zucchini mixture and mix together. Now pour the zucchini mixture over the crust, and finish by sprinkling the rest of the crumb mixture over the top. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Enjoy! :) 

                                                  ~Nutmeg

Simple Chocolate Chip Cookies

Hello out there!  I know, I know, chocolate chip cookies are normal, and not  fun or different.  My dad makes some pretty yummy chocolate chip cookies, but they always seem to turn out flat and a little to greasy because of the amount of butter.  I started playing with his recipe, and hit upon the magic mixture!  Remember how I said they always seemed greasy?  I cut the butter almost by half and it worked!  They turned out beautifully, and looked like a cook book picture!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup and 2 T. butter (melted)

3/4 cup white sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 375*.

Combine all dry ingredients (excluding chocolate chips) in a small bowl and set aside.

In a larger bowl mix together all wet ingredients BY HAND, and add half of flour mix at a time stirring well between additions.  Lastly, add chocolate chips and mix well.

Grease cookie sheet and drop about a flattened tablespoon of  batter on the pan two inches apart.

Bake for ten minutes and enjoy!

I hope you all enjoy...wait a minute.  Do guys see anything weird about this picture, or is it just me?

Looks like I'm not the only one who likes these cookies!

Brownies Infused With Invisible Zucchini

Hi everyone!  You all know how hard it is to get kids to eat vegetables.  I have found a way to hide zucchini in brownies!!!!!  I have tested it on five different kids and all of them have asked for more!  These brownies are wonderfully fudgy, and for those who like frosted brownies I have included a frosting recipe.

Zucchini Brownies

2 cups shredded zucchini

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.   Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.

 In a large bowl, mix together the zucchini, oil, sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla until well blended. Combine the flour, 1/2 cup cocoa, baking soda and salt; stir into the sugar mixture.

 Spread evenly into the prepared pan.  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Chocolate Frosting

1/4 cup milk

2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 and 1/8 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

I hope you and your kids enjoy this yummy brownie recipe as much as the kids I tested it on did!

Really Yummy Apple Dip

Hello, everyone! Koko was pointing out the other day that I haven't put any nutmeg in any of my recipes, even though that is my blog name! Well, today I am going to post a recipe that still doesn't have nutmeg! (I mean, you could add nutmeg if you wanted to, but it may not taste that good.) ;) 
This is a variation of a super simple recipe for apple dip that I found online, and I thought I'd try it. I loved the results! It tastes so yummy! I hope you think the same thing that I did! :) Happy Eating! 

                                             

     Really Yummy Apple Dip 

                Ingredients:                  

                      8 oz. of cream cheese, soft

                      2 T. of brown sugar

                      1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Simply mix all of the ingredients together in a small bowl and dip apple into it. So yummy! You can experiment a little as well with different things like chocolate chips, peanut butter, chocolate hazelnut spread, etc. Share your variations with us, and let me know what you think! 

                   ~Nutmeg

Banana Brown Sugar Oatmeal Dream Smoothie

Hello out there!  Today, I was at a loss for what to make.  I started fiddling around with some frozen bananas.  Did you guys know that if you puree frozen bananas, you get banana ice cream?  I already knew that, so I decided to try making a smoothie with them.  It worked!

 Banana Brown Sugar Oatmeal Dream Smoothie

2 frozen bananas, quartered

1/4 cup milk

splash vanilla

1 egg

1 T. oatmeal

1 teaspoon brown sugar

Directions

Puree everything but bananas until smooth.  Add quartered bananas one at a time and blend until frothy.

This is SO good!  This is by far my favorite smoothie so far!  As I said earlier, today I was in need of a recipe.  Could those who view our blog leave your favorite summer recipes, please?  Ko-Ko signing out!

Lemon Cooler

Hello!  I'm back!  Let's all have a round of applause for Nutmeg, who filled in for me while I was on vacation!  *clapping*  Now for today's recipe.  Who doesn't like a glass of lemonade on a hot summer's day?  Many of you probably use the powdered lemonade.  Today I will give you a recipe for fresh squeezed.  It is an extremely simple recipe for a one person.

 Lemon Cooler

the juice of 1 lemon

1 1/4 cups water

1 T. sugar

Directions

Add all ingredients to a glass.  Stir until sugar is completely dissolved.  If desired, add ice.  Sip and enjoy!

I hope you all enjoy this wonderful fresh squeezed lemonade!

Peanut Butter Pickle Sandwich

Hello, everyone! If you are still here after reading the title of this post, I'll tell you that it is SO GOOD! I love it! It took me a little bit to get used to the idea of eating peanut butter and pickles together, but once I did, I realized that I made a good decision. You should really try it. This is probably also the simplest recipe I've put up here yet. I hope you like it! Comment and tell me what you thought! Happy Eating! :-)


                                               

(Photo credit: Joy The Baker)

Peanut Butter Pickle Sandwich

                                                

                             Peanut Butter

                             Six or seven pickles (any flavor will work)

                             Two slices of bread

                             Maple Syrup (optional) 

Spread the peanut butter generously on the bread, and lay the pickles on top. You can put some syrup on there, but I thought it was good without it. Add your own touches and play with the flavor. Enjoy! ;-) 

                                                 ~Nutmeg