Tonight's dinner is corn and poblano lasagna. Zucchini is a required ingredient, so before B got in the kitchen to tackle the prep for our evening meal, I snuck in and used what he didn't need to make some bread!

Before I share the recipe for this yumminess, may I ask you a question? Is the term "batter bread" redundant in the instance of the title of this post?

Maybe it's because I bake for a living, or maybe it's because I'm weird (I'll cop to either), but I always differentiate between a batter bread -- or quick bread, if you prefer -- and a traditional dough bread (with yeast).

B comes in the kitchen to ask what I'm making. My reply is, "Zucchini batter bread." He proceeds to tell me saying batter bread is unnecessary. Everyone knows zucchini bread is made with a batter. "Like banana nut bread," he says. I'm quite sure I responded with a you-have-no-idea-what-you're-talking-about look. But I simply stated, "Well, OK. But don't expect me to change how I say it based on this conversation." -- Thoughts?

The base recipe I used comes from Paula Deen. I did add one ingredient. (I just adore vanilla!) And since I make my own extract, I have the pure stuff right at my fingertips. It smells divine, and I love to see the brown vanilla bean flecks in the mixture.

Doesn't that look delicious? The loaf isn't overly sweet, in my opinion. A slice of this zucchini (batter!) bread would make a nice breakfast, snack, or dessert.  Just don't forget: everything's better with a pat of butter!

Vanilla Spiced Zucchini Batter Bread

Based on Paula Deen's recipe here, scaled down to make a single loaf.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 + 1/8 cups all-purpose flour (or, 1 5/8 cups)
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3 tbsp water
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract (make your own!)
• 1 cup grated zucchini
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, nutmeg, baking soda, cinnamon, and sugar.
3. In a separate bowl, combine vanilla, vegetable oil, eggs, water, zucchini, and lemon juice.
4. Mix wet ingredients into dry. Fold in pecans. Pour batter into a greased standard loaf pan (I used an 8" x 3" pan).
5. Bake 50 minutes to 1 hour, using the toothpick test to check for doneness. (Mine was done in 54 minutes.)

Yield: 1 standard loaf

Shared at All Things Thursday, Fabulously Frugal Thursday, The HomeAcre Hop, Simple Lives Thursday, Thrifty Thursday, Thriving Thursday, and some of these fine hops.

Delectable Dump Cake (Is it a Southern Thing?)

I don't know why, but I equate Dump Cake with the South. So imagine my shock and surprise when I discovered my southern born B had never heard of it, let alone tasted it.

I'm not quite sure what brought on the recent desire for Dump Cake to begin with. I remember reading a post about it online, then a few days later it was mentioned in my vicinity off-line. I guess I took that as a sign from above. Must. Make. Dump. Cake.

Dump cake also brings back memories.  Grandma Logue used to make it for us, and I bet it had been twenty years or more since my last bite.

Dump Cake as it is traditionally prepared, unfortunately, is not good for you. Don't worry, I didn't let that tidbit stop me. Yet I was feeling extra bummed about "dumping" a box of chemical-laden cake mix on top of my canned fruit. So I searched around for a recipe, and made my own. There! Now I feel a little better. (I really wanted to make my own cherry pie filling, but I just couldn't bring myself to pay the price for fresh cherries. I know they're going to be on sale soon, so I've put canning some for next time on my to-do list!)

The topping also includes a couple of cups of chopped pecans. I was able to use my chopping gadget to make quick work of some pecan halves my grandmother gave us. In fact, she's been supplying us with pecans for years.

I remember, when I was a kid, having to go to the tree in her backyard and pick them up off the ground. And I remember her and Grandpa sitting in the living room with a bowl full each, cracking them open.

Ready for the recipe, yet? Don't worry. I won't leave you hanging in suspense much longer.  ;-)

Delectable Dump Cake

Ingredients

• 1 (21 oz.) can cherry pie filling
• 1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple, with juice
• 2 full cups homemade yellow cake mix (or 1 box store bought)
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract (make your own!)
• 2 cups chopped pecans

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 9x13 pan with non-stick spray.
2. Dump pineapple and cherry pie filling into pan. Swirl together and spread evenly over bottom of pan.
3. Dump and spread yellow cake mix evenly over top of fruit.
4. Dump and spread chopped pecans evenly over top of cake mix.
5. Mix vanilla in with melted butter, and pour evenly over top of pecans.
6. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. (Mine took 55 minutes.)

Shared at All Things Thursday, Fabulously Frugal Thursday, Four Seasons Blog Hop, Thrifty Thursday, Thriving Thursday, and some of these other fine hops.




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