Christmas Goodies

As always this year the month of December was spent mainly in the kitchen creating lots of candies to give to loved ones.
This year we did truffles, caramels, salted caramel candy (a.k.a. Christmas Crack), and fudge.
I do have a link on my website that shows some of the candy creations I have made in previous years (you can find that at http://tldrover.webs.com/candycrafting.htm), but this year I figured I would compile some of my favorite recipes from 2014.
So here are the recipes for my famous caramels (everyone loves'em, especially dipped in chocolate!), Christmas Crack (courtesy of the find creators over at Craftster), and the yummiest PB fudge ever.
I hope you enjoy! I know they are a little late for the holiday season this year but save these for next year (or Valentine's Day, birthdays, or any days that end in "y"!).

Caramels

 Here is the link to the original recipe: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Caramels/Detail.aspx

 Original recipe makes 4 to 5 dozen caramels

• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup corn syrup
• 1 cup evaporated milk

• 1 pint heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup butter
• 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. Grease a 12x15 inch pan.
2. In a medium-size pot, combine sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, evaporated milk, whipping cream, and butter. Monitor the heat of the mixture with a candy thermometer while stirring. When the thermometer reaches 250 degrees F (120 degrees C) remove the pot from the heat.
3. Stir in vanilla. Transfer mixture to the prepared pan and let the mixture cool completely. When cooled cut the Caramel into small squares and wrap them in wax paper for storage.

You NEED a candy thermometer for this recipe. Also, if you want the caramels to be able to be solid at room temperature you need to boil them for a minute at 250oF, until the caramel darkens a bit (but stop before it burns!). 

Since I usually dip my caramels in chocolate I like them a bit softer so I take them off the heat when it reaches the max temperature. This will NOT give you a solid caramel candy, however.

Once recipe makes A LOT of caramels. I made two batches this year and I still have almost a pound of caramel in my freezer waiting to be dipped in chocolate.

This is what the caramel looks like at 250oF, right after it is poured into the dish.

This is what the caramel looks like after it has set, if you let it boil a bit longer. Note the darker colour.

Christmas Crack - Salted Caramel Candy

This recipe is super cheap, quick, easy, and makes great gifts (and no one will ever know how cheap, quick, easy it is!).

The original recipe for this is from Craftster and can be found at this link.

1 sleeve saltine (soda) crackers - I typically use salted.

3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter (salted)
1 11.5 oz. package chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped pecans or almonds (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and line a 10" x 15" cookie sheet with foil (the kind of sheet that has raised edges!).  Spray with Pam, or grease VERY lightly with butter.  Cover the cookie sheet with a single layer of crackers.  Bring butter and brown sugar to a boil.  Boil for 3 minutes, stirring with a whisk.  Pour over the saltines, and try to spread it as evenly as possible.  Place in the oven and bake for 5 minutes.  When you remove it, the caramel mixture will be molten and boiling; allow to cool until you can see the crackers distinctly, which will have shifted while baking.  Push them back into order with a fork or knife. 

Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the toffee and let sit for about 5 minutes to melt. Do not wait too long to pour the chips as this can create problems!

Once melted spread chocolate evenly.  If desired, sprinkle on pecans/almonds and press lightly into the chocolate.*  Let cool a bit and then transfer to fridge to harden.

And now, for the last recipe, 

PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE!

I used this recipe, but made a fairly dramatic change to it.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/easiest-peanut-butter-fudge/detail.aspx

Original recipe makes 1 - 8x8 inch pan        

• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup milk

• 3/4 cup peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups confectioner's (icing) sugar. *The original recipe calls for 3 1/2, but that makes the fudge really crumbly.

(I also use peanut butter chips instead of peanut butter because it is a lot easier.)

Directions

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and milk. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter and vanilla. Pour over confectioners' sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat until smooth; pour into an 8x8 inch dish. Chill until firm and cut into squares.

After it is ready, I cut it into chunks and package it up all pretty for Christmas presents :) 

Happy holidays and wishing you and yours all the best in 2014!

The Best Banana Muffins Ever!

This is a shout out to "Cat Can Cook". Her blog is found here:
http://www.catcancook.com/awesome-banana-muffin-recipe/
I love this recipe. I have been using it for years now (I pretty much have it memorized) and it is a family favourite. I usually add chocolate chips and walnuts to make them a little more treat-like. They are also a big hit at potlucks and for making friends with co-workers!

Banana Muffins (makes 12 muffins)

3 or 4 Large bananas, mashed (the more bananas the moister, so I use 4; I also use overripe bananas so they are a bit sweeter)

1/2 cup white sugar 

1 slightly beaten egg

1/3 cup melted margarine or butter

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups flour

Mash up the bananas. If you want to avoid them turning black you can add a little lemon juice, but I don't bother. I find it hides some of the banana-y flavour.

Add the sugar. Mix. Add the egg. Mix. Add the margarine/butter. Mix. Make sure the margarine/butter is no warmer than room temperature when you add it, or the egg will cook and you will end up with really weird muffins. I've done it.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients, being careful not to over mix. At this point I generally add my chocolate chips and walnuts. YUM!

Pour into greased muffin tins, and bake in 350 degrees F oven for approximately 20 minutes. Keep an eye on them, though. I find that these puppies can cook fast.

They are perfect for school lunches. You can freeze them for a later date. And they are really good with a morning cup of coffee. They only take about ten minutes to make, less than 20 to bake, and the clean up is pretty quick. They are also a great recipe for teaching the small ones how to create in the kitchen.

Super E-Z "Greek" Salad

MMMM! It's still summer (barely) and we still have lots of fresh local produce available here on the west coast.
Why not use some of those juicy tomatoes and crisp cucumbers for some super easy "Greek" style salad?

Ingredients:
2-3 large tomatoes
1 large cucumber
Red, green, yellow, orange peppers (1 of each)
1 large red onion
1 cup kalamata olives (pitted or with pits, your choice!)
1 cup feta cheese (or more, if you like ;) )

Dressing -
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 tsp dijon mustard
Salt, pepper to taste

Chop all the veggies into 1/4 inch cubes (as per picture below).
Whisk dressing together in bowl, set aside. If you make this in advance (up to 24 hours) it brings the flavours out nicely.

Toss the veggies in the dressing, add olives, and top with feta cheese.

Enjoy!

Portobello Mushroom Burgers

We just bought a new BBQ and to celebrate we had our family over to enjoy some burgers.
My sister, however, does not eat red meat so for her we made something a little different - portobello mushroom burgers. Super simple, super delicious, and just as wonderful as the beef counterparts.

Ingredients:

Portabello Mushrooms (1 per burger)
Balsamic vinegar
Olive Oil
Sage
Basil
Oregano
Thyme
Salt
Pepper
Garlic
Mustard
Cheese (Cheddar or Havarti)

Mix vinegar, oil, herbs, and spices into a marinade.
Soak the mushrooms in the marinade for up to 24 hours in the fridge.
Spark up the barbie and grill the mushroom topped with your choice of cheese for 5-8 minutes, long enough to warm it through and get those lovely grill marks on it.
This is a super easy and a healthy alternative to those over processed tofu and mushroom burgers you buy at the store.
And they are great with all the fixings - bun, pickles, tomatoes, lettuce, or even guacamole (as pictured below).

Image borrowed from http://www.healthybalancedliving.ca/recipes/main-meals/portobello-mushroom-burgers/

Vegetarian Mushroom Lasagna and **BONUS** Ceaser Salad Dressing Recipe

What could be better than lasagna with two different kinds of meat? Well, if you are a vegetarian, how about a lasagna with two different kinds of mushrooms and absolutely no meat?! I actually preferred this one, although my husband (a tried and true carnivore) did prefer the double meat variety. I found that using the Portobello mushrooms added the right amount of flavour and consistency so you could avoid using any of the nasty processed soy-based meat substitution products.

This is definitely not vegan (I'm back on the dairy wagon!) but of course you could always substitute vegan cheese for the cow's milk variety if you so chose and forgo the egg. The big thing in this is all the veggies!

This only makes a small dish (as per the pictures). Just double everything if you want more pasta perfection.

Ingredients:
1/2  package lasagna noodles
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large Portobello mushrooms
6 large white mushrooms
1 pepper (any colour, whatever your preference)
1 onion (your choice of variety)
1/4 cup broccoli
1 small zucchini
2 cups marinara sauce (homemade or canned)
1 package frozen spinach (you can use fresh but I used frozen, make sure you drain it well!)
1 egg
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Herbs and Spices (to taste) - I use oregano, basil, sage, thyme, rosemary,salt, pepper, etc. Fresh or dried.

Cook all the veggies in a large pan in the olive oil until just softened. Add marinara sauce and spices. Allow to simmer at a low temperature for about half an hour (until veggies are cooked and the flavours are coming out). If you prefer crisper veggies, don't pre-cook them before adding the sauce.

Once your sauce is cooked, combine the spinach, ricotta, and egg. I added a bit of cheddar and mozza to this layer as well, to make the lasagna extra cheesy!

Now is the fun part! Time to layer
Start with the marinara sauce. Add noodles. Then ricotta, sauce, noodles. Ricotta, sauce, noodles. And, finally, cheese! Lots and lots and lots of cheese.

Throw this concoction of awesome into the oven at 350oC for about forty minutes. Check relatively frequently. You want the cheese to be melted and a bit crunchy but (obviously) not burnt. (Burned?)

And now...my bonus Ceaser dressing recipe!

1/2 cup mayo
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp lemon juice
Worcestershire sauce (to taste)
5-6 cloves (lots and lots!) of fresh garlic
salt and pepper
Up to 1/4 cup milk

Mix all ingredients, leave milk to last so you can add just enough to make the dressing your desired consistency.
Add to fresh romaine lettuce, croutons, and top the mixture with even more parm cheese. For a veggie boost I also add cucumbers, mushrooms, and green onions to my Ceaser salad.

La La La La La Lasagna!

For my wonderful husband's birthday I made him a delicious double meat, four cheese lasagna. I didn't use a recipe but somehow it still turned out pretty darn fabulous!

Ingredients:

1 package No-Bake lasagna noodles
1 package ground beef
1 package sausages
1 green pepper
1 zucchini
1 yellow onion
6-8 mushrooms
1 tub unripened Ricotta cheese
1 package frozen spinach (fresh would probably work too)
1 egg
1 large can marinara sauce (or use homemade)
3-4 cloves garlic
Herbs (rosemary, sage, oregano, basil, mustard, etc)
~1 cup mozzarella cheese
~1 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese


First, the sauce:
Brown the meat (ground beef and sausages) in a large pan. Fry off or drain all the fat. Add veggies. Saute for five minutes, then add the marinara sauce, garlic, and season to taste. Allow to simmer.

Then, the ricotta cheese and spinach layer:
Combine the ricotta cheese, spinach, and egg in a large bowl. I also added a bit of mozza and cheddar to this layer.

Finally, put it all together:

Sauce
Noodles
Ricotta
Sauce
Noodles
Ricotta
Sauce
Noodles
Cheese! Cheese! Cheese!

Bake at 350oC for about 40 minutes, or until the cheese is nice and crispy and browning.

Coming next - veggie lasagna and caesar salad with homemade dressing. Mmmmmm!

Odin's Strawberry Shortcake

I had a guest cook help me out with this blog entry :) Thanks to Odin for all of his help!

My wonderful stepson wanted to make strawberry shortcake the other day. He had a recipe from a book that he wanted to try.

I helped him with the measurements and a few other small things (mixing techniques and anything to do with the oven) but overall he made the delicious dessert all by himself.

I would ease off a bit on the baking powder and be prepared for a dessert that isn't quite as light and fluffy as the sponge cakes you often use for strawberry shortcake. This actually tastes more like a biscuit. Our family loved it, and the nice thing about it is that it will last for a day in the fridge.

The recipe is from "Cook a Doodle Doo", which you can purchase here (it's a great book!)
http://www.amazon.ca/Cook-A-Doodle-Doo-Janet-Stevens/dp/0152019243

Here is the recipe if you want to try it at home:

2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1 egg, beaten
2/3 cup milk
3-4 cups fresh strawberries, washed and sliced
1 cup whipped cream

Preheat oven to 450 degrees fahrenheit. Sift together dry ingrediants. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg and milk, stirring just enough to moisten. Spread dough into an 8"x 1 1/2" pan (I actually usually use a 9" cake pan), building up the edges, and allow to bake for 15 - 18 minutes. Allow to cool on a rack. The recipe suggests that you cut the cake in half and layer, but I usually just put the whipped cream and strawberries on top. If you have the appropriate pan (the 8" one) the layer option might work better, but I have always found that the cake is too crumbly to cut in half. Either way, it tastes great!

Honey Garlic Chicken

A quick and easy chicken dish that pleases both grown up and more child-like palettes. The best part of this dish is its simplicity.

Ingredients:
4 - 6 pieces chicken (thighs or drumsticks, enough to feed four people)
1/2 cup honey
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 400oC. Place chicken in oven safe dish (I use a glass Pyrex dish). Mix together honey, garlic, and olive oil. Drizzle over chicken. Flip chicken to ensure that the meat is fully covered by the sauce. Bake in the oven for 20 - 30 minutes, until chicken is fully cooked. My husband also recommends basting the chicken every five minutes to ensure that the meat is perfectly golden-brown when it is done cooking.

I served with roast potatoes (you can cook these in the oven with the chicken) and steamed broccoli. Yum!

This recipe has been adapted from this posting on the My Fridge Food blog.

Crazy Good Coconutty Granola

One of the yummiest and easiest breakfasts to make is homemade granola. And the variations are endless - just add whatever combination of nuts, fruit, seeds, and other goodies to create your own special concoction. Below is a recipe for a coconut granola I made the other day. Delicious!

6 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup honey
1 cup almonds
1 cup craisins
1 cup raisins
1 cup coconut shreddings

Mix the rolled oats, oil, and honey together until the oats are covered evenly. If you find that the oats are not coated enough, you can add a tablespoon or two more oil as needed. Then add all the goodies and toss together.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees Celcius. Pour mixture onto cookie sheet. I usually cover the cookie sheet with parchment paper so the mixture cooks evenly and to make it easier to pour the mixture into a container after it is baked.

Put the pan in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes but keep a VERY close eye on it. Take out and stir about half way through to ensure that the mixture browns evenly.

Once done, wait until it cools and then put into an airtight container. If you keep the granola on the shelf it will last about a week, or for longer life you can keep it in the fridge or freezer.

To enjoy, just add milk, yogurt, or whatever your pleasure (currently I am using almond milk) and dig in.

Ingredients.

Before baking...

                                                                      .......after baking.

Coconut Milk Curry with Prawns

This Coconut Milk Prawn Curry is a super easy one dish meal that everyone in my family loves. It takes about forty minutes including prep and you want to be sure everything is ready before you start cooking.

Ingredients (feeds six people):
1 pkg frozen or fresh raw Prawns
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup carrots
1 cup broccoli
1 medium white onion
2 peppers (I used orange and red for colour)
1 small zucchini
1 cup mushrooms
2 bunches bok choy
~ 1 tbsp each minced fresh garlic and ginger (you can add as much or as little as your taste buds prefer)
2 cans Coconut Milk
Curry Powder (to taste)
Salt and Pepper
2 portions instant stir fry noodles (or you can cook pasta or rice to go with it)


Defrost prawns (if necessary) in cool water. De-shell them (again if necessary) and set aside.
Chop all veggies into desired size. I find everyone has their preferences when it comes to stir fry :)
Once everything is prepped, turn on a large skillet, frying pan, or wok to medium and heat up the olive oil. Add carrots, cook slightly (1-2 mins), then add broccoli, cook slightly, and continue on down the list until all veggies - except the bok choy -  are cooking in the oil.
Add the two cans of coconut milk, the garlic, the ginger, and start adding the spices to taste. Allow the mixture to simmer for a minute. Then add the stir fry noodles (if you are using the instant variety) and bok choy. When everything is almost done (probably about five minutes, but keep an eye on the mixture, as it depends a lot on your pan, the size of your veggies, etc) add the prawns and cook until they turn pink, about a minute or two. Try not to overcook as they can get rubbery.
And TA DA! You have just created a healthy (albeit it a little bit fattening) well balanced meal in a single dish.
If you want to reduce the fat content, use lower fat coconut milk instead of the full fat variety.

Devilishly Good Eggs

We had a murder mystery game night the other day and for some snacks I made deviled eggs. It was my first attempt at the delish appy, but they turned out fabulous, if I do say so myself. They were actually a lot easier than I had expected.

I used this recipe Deviled Eggs as a starting off point, and made a few little tweaks to make them my own.

First, hard boil the eggs. I boiled ten in a large pot, with a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of vinegar.
These instructions for boiling the eggs (taken from the original recipe linked to above) worked really well for me:
 Fill up a large saucepan half-way with water and gently add the eggs. Cover the eggs with at least an inch of water. Add a teaspoon of vinegar to the water (this will help contain egg whites from leaking out if any of the shells crack while cooking). Add a pinch of salt to the water. Bring the water to a boil. Cover, and remove from heat. Let sit covered for 12-15 minutes. Drain hot water from pan and run cold water over the eggs. (At this point if you crack the egg shells while the eggs are cooling, it will make it easier to peel the shells.) Let sit in the cool water a few minutes, changing the water if necessary to keep it cool.
Once the eggs are boiled and cooled, take off the shells and cut the eggs in half with a very sharp knife. Remove the yolks and put them in a bowl. Set the egg white halves aside.

To make the yummy insides:

INGREDIENTS

• 1 dozen eggs
• 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 Tbsp minced onion or shallot
• 1/4 teaspoon tabasco
• Salt and pepper
• Paprika

Mash up the eggs, add the dijon mustard (I added a tablespoon!) and mayo, chopped green onions, hot sauce (I used Sriracha, or "cock sauce"), salt and pepper. Once it is all nice and creamy (you may need to add a little more mayo to get the consistency you want) scoop the insides into the eggs and sprinkle with paprika for a little flavour and the fancy "deviled egg" look that everyone loves.

And now you are the most popular person at the potluck!

Super Easy Quinoa Salad

Quinoa was something I really wanted to try cooking with, so I grabbed a box of Ancient Harvest Organic Quinoa and looked for a yummy recipe to create. Fortunately, there was one right on the box! It was super easy, turned out great, and kept for days in the fridge! Here's what I did:

Quinoa Vegetable Salad:
Ingredients:
1 box Quinoa
1/2 cup grape tomatoes
1/2 cucumber
1/2 sweet (red, orange, yellow) pepper
1/4 cup green onions
*Other veggies that would work well include radishes, snow peas, or zucchini.

Dressing:
Balsamic vinegar
Olive oil
Minced garlic
Salt
Pepper
Mix to taste
*A fun variation and a way to kick it up a notch is to add Dijon mustard to the mix.

Rinse and drain the Quinoa. I used a large tea strainer, it worked great and my salad was completely free from  crunchies. Bowl the Quinoa according to package directions. Once the Quinoa is cooked (it should be nice and fluffy), set aside.
Chop the veggies and mix into the Quinoa in a large bowl.
Prepare the dressing and pour over the mixture. Stir well. Enjoy!

From top - the dressing, the chopped veggies, combining the ingredients, and the finished product!

Delectable Dijon Pork with Apples

I tried something new the other night, and it was fantastic. Not only that, but it was relatively easy and healthy (if you use pork with the fat trimmed off). Feel free to be creative with the veggies and spices. I made it really close to the recipe for the first try, but I think you could be quite creative with this meal.
This is the link to the original recipe: Mustardy pork & apples recipe

Ingredients (that I used, the recipe linked to above is slightly different):

• 5 pork steaks
• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 eating apples, cored and cut into eight
• 1 onion, halved and sliced
• 4 large potatoes, sliced thinly
• small handful sage leaves, torn, or 2 tsp dried
• 1 cup chicken or ham stock (from a cube is fine)
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard or wholegrain mustard
• 
  

Instructions:

Rub the steaks with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and herbs and spices to taste. I used Montreal steak spice and garlic. Put into heated large frying pan and fry for 2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove from pan, add more oil, and fry the onions, potatoes, and sage for five minutes, then add the apples and fry until apples are slightly softened (about three minutes).

Pour in the stock and spoon in the mustard, then return pork to the pan and simmer until the sauce is reduced by about 1/3 and the pork is cooked through (about ten minutes).

It's a relatively easy one dish meal. Clean up is easy and it heats up great for leftovers! I could see adding peppers or squash to the mix as well, although I did refrain from getting too creative the first time out.

For a vegetarian twist, use tofu and veggie stock. 

Best Ever French Toast

Mmmm...don't you just love French Toast? Super easy to make, smells delicious, and fills you up for hours.
I have a tried and true family recipe guaranteed to make the best ever French Toast. I had to make my breakfast this morning dairy-free, but usually you would use regular milk and butter instead of the rice milk and vegan margarine. You can also make this a vegan dish if you substitute egg replacement product for the eggs, although I have no idea how that tastes.

The recipe is as follows:

2-3 eggs (figure 2 pieces per egg for normal bread)
Splash milk (I used rice milk for a non-dairy version)
Tsp vanilla
Sprinkle of cinnamon
Tbsp butter (I used vegan margarine)

Beat all ingredients together in a pie pan to allow for easy dipping of the bread slices. Thoroughly soak bread on both sides. Heat the butter in a skillet, put bread in pan, and cook until the batter is fully cooked on the bread.

It can be served with syrup, powdered sugar, whipped cream and berries, or pretty much anything you desire. I find the cinnamon gives it an extra bit of zing.

Fresh Veggie Madness Part II

The last of the "Fresh Veggie Madness" page from Sweet Detachment. Here we look at how to make your own homemade salsa. Mmmm, delicious! This was made from tomatoes and jalapenos from my own garden.

Time for homemade salsa!

The ingredients are simple and many can be grown in your own garden.
8 medium sized tomatoes
1 medium onion
1 medium jalapeno pepper (add the seeds for a spicier salsa)
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
2 tbsp of lime juice (fresh is best)
Salt and Pepper (to taste)

You can chop by hand or use a food processor. Make sure everything is finely diced. To reduce the amount of liquid in your salsa the tomatoes should have the seeds removed, so you are only using the "meat".
If you would prefer a milder flavour in your salsa, you can pour boiling water over them and allow them to cool before adding them to the rest of the mixture.
Mix everything (up to the cilantro) together in a large bowl and pour lime juice over everything. Add salt and pepper to taste. It's best to put the salsa in the fridge over night to allow all the flavours to have a chance to come out.

Fresh Veggie Madness Part I

From the archives of Sweet Detachment. These zucchini recipes were from "Veggie Madness" and were made with fresh veggies grown in my garden.

Zucchini Muffins:

First I made muffins using one of the giant zucchinis I grew. One thing I learned? Grated zucchini goes far, so I could probably literally make hundreds of muffins out of my one and 1/3 zucchinis! First I had to grate those ginormous zucchinis, which really wan't as much work as you'd think.You do have to grate it on the large side, though, because if you use the small side of the grater your zucchini kind of liquefies  Then you do the usual muffin making process.

The recipe I used was fairly simple and can be found at this link on Cooks.Com.

ZUCCHINI MUFFINS
 2/3 c. sugar
 1/4 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. shredded zucchini (about 2 med.)
1/2 c. chopped nuts
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp. baking soda
 1/2 tsp. salt
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease bottoms only of 8 medium muffin cups, 2 1/2 x 1 1/4 inches or line with paper baking cups. Mix sugar, oil, vanilla and egg in large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients. Divide batter among cups. Bake 18 to 23 minutes or until golden brown and top springs back when touched lightly. Cool 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from cups.
 *Next time I would put in less sugar and add half a cup of pineapple to increase the moisture level. Other than that, though, this recipe was easy, simple, and tasty (almost cake-like).

 Zucchini Chocolate Cake/Brownies:

I went to make Zucchini Chocolate Cake (check out the recipe!) and I ended up making brownies, haha. However, they were still delicious! Next time I think I would leave out the chocolate chips, though. (I made a few other changes to the recipe as well. I used canola oil instead of olive oil and plain ol' brown sugar instead of organic cane sugar. And one word of caution! Do not overmix. I did the second time I made these and the end result was pretty lumpy :)

**This recipe is from the blog "Chocolate and Zucchini" - http://chocolateandzucchini.com/

Chocolate & Zucchini Cake
240 grams (2 cups) all-purpose flour
60 grams (1/2 cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
180 grams (1 scant cup) light brown sugar (I use unrefined cane sugar)
115 grams (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature, or 1/2 cup virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules or 2 tablespoons strong cooled coffee -- this is just to deepen the chocolate flavor, you won't taste it in the finished product
3 large eggs
350 grams (2 cups) unpeeled grated zucchini, from about 1 1/2 medium zucchini - 160 grams (1 cup) good-quality bittersweet chocolate chips, or chopped chocolate
 Confectioner's sugar (optional)
 Serves 12. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
Grease a 25-cm (10-inch) round springform pan or a 22-cm (8 1/2-inch) square pan.
 In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In the bowl of a mixer (or by hand in a large mixing bowl), beat the sugar and butter until fluffy.
Add the vanilla, coffee, and eggs, mixing well between each addition.
 In a large mixing bowl, combine the zucchini, chocolate chips, and about a third of the flour mixture, making sure the zucchini strands are well coated and not clumping too much.
Add the rest of the flour mixture into the egg batter. Mix until just combined; the batter will be thick. Fold the zucchini mixture into the batter, and blend with a spatula without overmixing.
Pour into the prepared cake pan, and level the surface. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Transfer onto a rack to cool for 10 minutes, run a knife around the pan to loosen, and unclasp the sides of the pan. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar or a chocolate glaze if desired.

My personal addition was to use super easy cream cheese icing to top it off.

1 package cream cheese
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
 I use a mixer because it's waaaay easier, but you could mix it by hand too - although it might take awhile. Once the cake has cooled, spread icing on top and enjoy!!