Chocolate Zucchini (Cougette) Cake

This cake is so easy to make and so good to eat that I may never use another recipe for a cake again!

Ingredients:

2 eggs
3/4 cup oil (6fluid oz)
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour (8 oz in a liquid measure cup)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons cocoa
1 1/2 cups grated zucchini (courgette)
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Beat the eggs, oil, sugar, salt and vanilla until well blended. Sift four, soda, cinnamon, and cocoa, and mix well with the egg-sugar combination until smooth. Stir in the zucchini (courgette) and nuts. Pour into a cake pan about 9"x9" and bake at 350F or 180C for 20 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. (The cooking time will depend on the size of the pan.) I prefer serving this cake slightly warm from the oven and without icing.

Watermelon revisited

I bought a watermelon and it turned out to be over ripe. It wasn't all that pleasant to eat so I had to decide whether to get rid of it or find something else to do with it. So, tomorrow I'm going to try and make watermelon ice. It isn't complicated but what will it taste like?

Ingredients:

1/2 small watermelon, pelled, seeded and cut into 1 chunks (about 6 cups) 3 tablespoons confectioner's sugar 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

In covered blender at low speed blend 1 cup of the watermelon chunks with confectioner's sugar, juice and salt until smooth; add remaining watermelon and blend until smooth. Pour into a 9" x 9" baking pan; cover with foil or plastic wrap and freeze until partially frozen, about 2 hours. Spoon watermelon mixture into a large, chilled bowl. With mixer at high speed, beat until fluffy. Return mixture to baking pan and freeze until firm, about 1 1/2 hours. To serve: Remove from freezer and let stand for 10 minutes at room temperature for easier scooping.

(taken from: http://www.fabulousfoods.com/recipes/article/118/17946)

Summer Water

Susan posted a recipe for a refreshing drink based using lemons and mint. It sounds refreshing.

Here are the ingredients for a"summer water" I've been making:
1/2 cucumber, sliced
big chunk of ginger, sliced
a lovely lemon, sliced
a handful of mint, chopped

Put above ingredients into a pitcher. Add water. Let steep in fridge then stir up a bit and pour into tall glass and enjoy. I top up the water and all stays fresh and refreshing for several days.

Lemons, watermelon and ...

It's my turn to say that I haven't checked the site in a while. Mary Jane has posted an interesting recipe with watermelon and cucumber. I must admit that I don't have many watermelon leftovers. Watermelons are not as plentiful in the UK as they are in Canada or the United States but I will keep it in mind.

She says that she likes the lemon recipes. I have a lemon obsession. One of my favorite drinks at the moment is boiling water, juice of a half or whole lemon and mint leaves to taste. It's wonderfully refreshing.

Naomi wants to know where to find madeleine tins. I bought mine in France but surely they are available somewhere in the UK. I will start looking. Unfortunately, I still haven't made the madeleines. I am moving shortly and will have a more reliable oven so I will definitely try that recipe.

I am weeding my cook books in advance of moving. I really should curb my habit of buying so many. For the most part, I get them from the Oxfam charity shop in Egham, a nearby town. At least they aren't that expensive. I have made a vow to only have things in my new house which are either useful or beautiful. That should eliminate a lot of things, including certain items in my kitchen!

Easy Salad for Hot Summer Days

I've made this salad twice this week. Don't have the exact recipe in from of me but don't think exact amounts matter much. It's refreshing and, as mentioned, it's easy. Good way to use up a leftover bit of watermelon.

Watermelon and Cucumber Salad

Gently toss the following together.

About one or two slices of watermelon, chopped into approx 1 inch squares
About 1/3 of an English cucumber, chopped into about same size pieces as watermelon
one clove garlic, finely chopped
1/4 to 1/3 or so cup of fresh mint, chopped
about 2 T red wine vinegar
about 1 T olive oil
salt and pepper
about 1/3 cup of chopped Feta cheese--add gently after tossing to avoid breaking Feta up too much

Serve at room temperature.

The lemon tart and madeleines

This afternoon, I finally got around to baking the lemon tart I gave the recipe for a while back. It was simple to make and wonderful to eat! I had intended making madeleines as well but I didn't like the recipe in the Paris Sweets book so I've found one from Rick Stein's French Odyssey.

3 medium eggs
100 g caster sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
100 g plain flour (all purpose), sifted, plus extra for dusting
1 teaspoon (t) baking powder
100 g butter, melted, plus extra for greasing the tins

1. Brush 2 x 12 madeleine moulds with melted butter and set aside for a few minutes till the butter has set. Then dust with four, tapping out the excess.

2. Pre-heat the oven to 190 C.

3. Put the eggs and sugar into a large bowl and whisk with a hand-held electric mixer for 3 minutes until thick and moussey.

4. Whisk in the lemon zest.

5. Sift the plain flour and baking powder together, and gently fold in, followed by the melted butter and the honey.

6. Place the batter in the fridge and leave for 15 minutes to thicken slightly.

7. Fill each of the moulds three-quarters full with the mixture and bake for 10 minutes until puffed up and golden.

8. Leave to cool, then carefully remove from the tins.

A simple chicken dinner

I bought some chicken thighs from my butcher last weekend because I thought that I might make the lemon chicken again. They are quite inexpensive and I think, taste better. Here is what I did. It tasted very good so I thought that I should write it down.

Ingredients

1 or 2 small onions (or one large)
6 chicken thighs (2 or 3 people - add thighs accordingly)
1 lemon
1/2 C (4 oz) of dry white wine (not necessary but I had some left from another recipe - I buy 1/2 bottles for cooking)
1 or 2 chicken stock cubes and 1 cup of water (or chicken stock)
salt, pepper, Italian seasonings (whatever you enjoy most)
olive oil (or other)

1. Chop onion/s and gently fry them till they are soft. Don't allow to brown.
2. Remove chicken skins, dust thighs with seasoned flour and brown in frying pan with onions.
3. Once the chicken has been fried on each side, add the wine, and chicken stock (water + stock cubes).
4. Season and add lemon juice.
5. Turn down heat and gently simmer for 45 minutes to an hour.
6. You could add cream or crème fraiche to make a richer sauce.

I served this with mashed potatoes and carrots but you could have rice and any other vegetables.

If you wanted to serve 4 people, you would need 8 good sized thighs.