Vegetable Quiche for a Weeknight Dinner: Webisode #29

 

What's Going on Today: 6am wake-up call (wha?!) from daughter, out and about eeeaaaarly. Errands around town, trip to playground, picnic lunch.

Naptime Goals: Make Vegetable Quiche for dinner tonight, catch up on things around the house and maybe take a quick nap before daughter wakes up!

Tonight's Menu: Slice of vegetable quiche, white wine, strawberry-mint ice-cream for dessert.

Parenting Lesson of the Day: When decorating a nursery always install black-out shades.

When my daughter wakes up early and my husband tells me he'll be at the office late I know I'm in for a long day. I don't blame either one of them, sometimes my daughter wakes up early when the sun is especially bright, and my husband works hard at his job which often requires long hours. The only person kind of stuck in the middle of this equation is me. I want to give my daughter my full attention during the day, but I'm also responsible for the entire household and any errands or chores that need to get done.

When days like this happen I know I need to keep dinner simple and healthy. I like to Naptime Chef dishes that are delicious and fun, but not overly fussy. I also choose dishes that don't require hours to cook since I still want some time during naptime to put my feet up. Some may wonder why it is worth cooking at all. But I know good food will keep me going well into the evening, plus cooking during naptime helps me relax in the middle of a hectic day.

When this scenario played out earlier this week I decided to make my favorite simple Vegetable Quiche. As you'll see above, I had a lot of leftovers from my farmer's market wares last week and didn't want anything to go to waste. I love this recipe because it is adaptable. In this case I added some onions, fresh baby spinach, toasted pine nuts and Parmesan cheese. There have been many instances when I've added different greens, additional cheese and finely chopped vegetables. There are nearly endless different possibilities and I encourage you to get used to the recipe and play with the ingredients a bit to see what works best for you. Enjoy!

Vegetable Quiche with Spinach, Onions and Pine Nuts

For the crust:

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

Pinch of Kosher salt

1/4 c. ice-water

1. Add all four ingredients to a food processor and give it a quick blitz until a dough forms. Remove from processor and roll it out on a lightly floured surface. Roll it out to 9" in diameter and press it into a pie plate. Set aside. *If you are not going to use it immediately, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and leave it in the fridge.

For the filling:

3 eggs

1 c. whole milk

1 c. Parmesan cheese

2 handfuls fresh baby spinach

1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped

1/2 c. pine nuts, toasted

Salt & Pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Whisk together the eggs, milk and cheese in a bowl, set aside.

2. In a skillet over medium heat add the onion and spinach. Cook until the onion is soft and spinach is wilted. Add to egg mixture.

3. Toast the pine nuts in dry skillet, when they are lightly golden add to the egg mixture. Add a pinch of Kosher salt and crank of good fresh cracked pepper to taste.

4. Pour egg mixture into prepared crust and bake for 40-45 minutes or until top is lightly golden and quiche is totally set.

Naptime Notes:

Naptime Recipe Ideas and Variations: This recipe is adaptable, almost any kind of dark leafy green tastes great, as well as vegetables like shallots, garlic, peppers, potatoes and carrots. Also, some tangy goat cheese crumbled into the quiche tastes amazing as well.

Naptime Stopwatch: Make the crust takes about 5 minutes and the filling an additional 10 minutes. Baked time is close to 40-45 minutes.

Naptime Reviews: My daughter is reluctant to eat eggs and has been since birth. However, she gamely tried a bite of this which is all I can ask for - she'll learn to love them someday!

Apple Bread for a New Home: Cooking with Tessa Kiros

What's Going on Today: Almost finished unpacking! Morning walk to Main Street to get tea and check out the childrens section at the local library.

Naptime Goals: Bake Apple Bread to take to friend's house, organize cookbooks on new kitchen shelves.

Tonight's Menu: Dinner at a friend's house.

Parenting Lesson of the Day: It is truly remarkable how quickly children make new friends.

We've have nearly completed our first week living in Connecticut and so far so good. In fact, it's been pretty great. Of course, I could have done without my daughter smashing her front tooth on the base of the slide at the playground, but that seems to be par for the course with parenthood. Just when you think everything is going smoothly a new injury is sustained and mayhem ensues. Thankfully, we found a fabulous pediatric dentist in town and all has been repaired.

One of the many great things about moving to this town is that we already know a family who lives here. Even better, we know them well enough that they invited us over for casual neighborhood dinner to introduce us to their friends. As the newbies in town we couldn't have been more grateful for the invitation, even my daughter was excited since their is son is exactly three days older than she is. I can already tell they are destined to be playmates.

With my kitchen unpacked and all of my ingredients on hand it seemed only natural that I express my gratitude by baking them a little treat. I wanted to make something that was completely family-friend so I went straight to my favorite Tessa Kiros volume, Apples for Jam, and opened to an old favorite, Apple Bread. Much like banana bread, this loaf is soft and chewy, flavored with sweet fruit and topped with warm spices. It is perfect for adults and children alike and is great for breakfast, lunch or an afternoon snack.

This bread was the first thing I Naptime Chef-ed in my new kitchen and it was perfect. While it baked any remaining whiff of fresh paint was quickly erased by the comforting aroma of warm cinnamon and apples. Since this recipe usually makes one large loaf I decided to divide the batter into two smaller loaf pans. When they cooled I wrapped one to take to our friends, and let my daughter have a fresh warm slice of the other when she woke up. Our dinner was wonderful and the food delicious. It was a great evening with new friends and the perfect way to kick-off sweet new beginnings.

Apple Bread with Cinnamon Sugar Topping

adapted from Apples for Jam by Tessa Kiros

10 T. unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 c. all-purpose flour

1 t. baking soda

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. ground cinnamon

1/2 t. ground cardamom

Pinch Kosher salt

2 Apples, peeled, cored and grated on a box grater

1 t. vanilla

2/3 c. walnuts, lightly toasted and chopped (optional)

Topping:

2/3 c. walnuts, finely chopped (optional)

1/3 c. freshly packed brown sugar

1 t. ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Butter and flour a 12x4 inch loaf pan, or two smaller loaf pans.

2. In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Then, add the eggs and beat them well. The mixture will still look slightly curdled, but that's fine.

3. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cardamom, cinnamon and salt. With the mixer on low add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients bit by bit until they are totally incorporated. Then, stir in the apples, walnuts and vanilla until just combined. Prepare the topping by mixing the walnuts, brown sugar and cinnamon in one bowl.

4. Pour prepared batter into loaf pan(s) and sprinkle with topping mixture. Bake for 45 minutes, or until cake tester inserted comes out clean.

Naptime Notes:

Naptime Serving Suggestions: This is a great bread for any kind of day. In the morning try it with a dollop of yogurt of schmear of cream cheese.

Naptime Stopwatch: Preparing the batter takes 15 minutes and then baking is about 40 minutes.

Naptime Reviews: This is a great family-friendly bread. My daughter loves it and refers to it as apple cake!

Big Crumb Rhubarb Coffee Cake: Webisode #22

What's Going on Today: After all the packing... we are finally unpacking. 

Naptime Goals: Unpack the kitchen (my top priority, obviously!)

Tonight's Menu: Take-out from the mexican place up the street we can't wait to try.

Parenting Lesson of the Day: Sometime change is good, even for kids.

So, we've moved. It was a stressful, chaotic event, just like all moves are, but we've done it. Needless to say we are beyond thrilled that everything worked out and are very grateful to our pals at Moishe's for taking good care of us. 

Since I am busy unpacking boxes today I am posting a Webisode I shot last week for my favorite seasonal Big Crumb Rhubarb Coffee Cake. As you know, I freeze rhubarb at the end of each summer so that I can enjoy it year round. Last week I was busy cleaning out the freezer and making sure no good food went to waste. This meant thawing and using up my last bag of rhubarb from summer 2009. This was actually good timing since we have just begun rhubarb season in the Northeast. My mother has reported that the plants in Cooperstown have started budding. We should have our first stalks in a couple of weeks.

As you'll see, I made this delicious cake while my daughter napped in the afternoon then we ate it the next morning for breakfast. It lasted us for a few days which was perfect since I let everything else in our pantry run out, including our usual selection of cereal and oatmeal. It's longevity on the counter also makes it great for entertaining. It can easily be made 1-2 days ahead of time for a brunch or breakfast.

I've baked a lot of coffee cakes in my life and this one, I think, is the absolute best. The cake is moist and creamy but doesn't overshadow the sweet flavor of the rhubarb. I also love the large sugar crumbs on top, they add just the right amount of crunch on top of the vegetable layer. I hope you all get a chance to make it this season and love it as much as we do.

I'll be back next week with reports from the new kitchen. And, yes, my daughter loves her new - much larger - bedroom and is taking nice, long afternoon naps as always.

Big Crumb Rhubarb Coffee Cake

adapted from the New York Times, June 2007

Filling:

1/2 lb rhubarb, washed and cut into 1" squares

1/4 c. sugar

2 t. cornstartch

1/2 t. ground ginger

Crumb:

1/3 c. dark brown sugar

1/3 c. granulated sugar

1 t. ground cinnamon

1/2 t. ground ginger

Pinch Kosher salt

1/2 c. melted butter

1 3/4 c. cake flour (like Swan's Down or similar)

Cake:

1/3 c. sour cream

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

2 t. vanilla extract

1 c. cake flour

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. Kosher salt

6 T. butter, room temperature

1. Preheat oven to 325ºF. Butter and flour an 8" square baking pan.

2. In a large bowl, toss the rhubarb with sugar, cornstarch and ginger. Set aside.

3. Make the crumbs by placing sugar, spices, salt, butter and flour in a bowl. Using clean hands, pinch the ingredients together until they form a solid dough but is still a bit crumbly. Set aside.

4. To make the cake, in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment mix the sour cream, egg, egg yolk, vanilla and butter. Then, in a separate bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture bit by bit until it is totally incorporated, but not overbeaten. The mixture should be totally smooth and slightly sticky.

5. Pour 3/4 of the batter into the greased 8" baking pan and pat it down evenly. Distribute the rhubarb over the top in one single layer. Dollop the remaining cake batter over the rhubarb in a few spoonfuls and make sure it is somewhat even.

6. Using clean hands, crumble the large crumb dough over the top of the dough. The chunks should be anywhere from 1/2" to 3/4" in size. The whole cake should be completely covered. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool and serve.

Naptime Notes:

Naptime Recipe Variations and Ideas: I've never tried this with any other berry but I bet it would be great with blueberries or blackberries. This cake is fantastic for entertaining and would be perfect to serve on a buffet table for brunch.

Naptime Stopwatch: Making this cake takes about 45 minutes, plus baking time.

Naptime Reviews: My daughter is slowly becoming a rhubarb fan and loves this cake as much as we do.

Cinnamon Chip Scones for Christmas Morning

My Day So Far: A happy relaxing Christmas Eve catching up with friends and family.

Naptime Goals: Take 10 minutes to whip up dough for Cinnamon Chip Scones tomorrow morning. Spend the rest of the day in front of fireplace. 

Tonight's Meal: Christmas dinner at a friend's house = no cooking for me!

Parenting Lesson of the Day: There is nothing like the holidays and promises of Santa to send children into orbit!

A happy holiday season to all! I am stopping in with a quick post today because, no matter the occasion you are celebrating, you are going to need breakfast. Needless to say, given that I've risen at 7am or earlier for the past two years, I have become something of a breakfast expert. Pancakes in a jiffy? I'm your girl. Homemade yogurt shake with fresh berries? No problem. My daughter and I spend ample amount of time in the kitchen between the hour of 7 and 8am. She eats while I fix food for the both of us, and several cups of tea for me.

These scones are quickly becoming a traditional Christmas breakfast in our family. I've been experimenting with all sorts of scone recipes over the past few Christmases, even landing on one similar to what Megan wrote about earlier this month. I thought I'd stick with that recipe until my friend Nicole, a favorite source of delicious inspiration, generously contributed her own version.

Of course, it wouldn't be a recipe to me if I didn't spend some time tweaking the ingredients. To start with, I decided to use cinnamon chips. Mini-chocolate chips would be delicious too, of course, but cinnamon seemed like a particularly Christmas-breakfast like spice, sweet without being overly so. Then, per the suggestion of Nicole, I added some fresh orange zest and glossed the top with milk and a sprinkling of raw sugar. The result was a buttery, mildly cinnamon scone with a light flaky texture. Upon first bite I knew these were the ones I'd been looking for.

Like most good doughs, this one is perfect to make ahead of time. In fact, this afternoon I am whipping up a double batch and putting it in the fridge to bake tomorrow morning. Then I'll be getting my daughter up from her nap and watching her tear around the house with excitement. At two years old she doesn't quite understand that holidays yet, but she knows something fun is happening. I'm sure it will be hard to get her to sleep tonight, and, honestly, it will probably be hard for me to sleep, too. I'll lay awake all snug in my bed, while visions of scones dance in my head.

Cinnamon Chip Scones

2 c. all-purpose flour

1/3 c. sugar

1 t. orange zest

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

6 T. chilled butter, cut into pieces

3/4 c. cinnamon chips

3/4 c. heavy cream

1 large egg yolk

1 t. vanilla

2-3 T. whole milk

3 T. raw sugar

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.

2. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda into a bowl. Add orange zest and rub it together with some of the sugar between your forefingers to release the flavor.

3. Add the butter pieces and work it into the dry ingredients with your clean (!) hands or a pastry blender. Work until the mixture resemble small peas. Toss the cinnamon chips with a pinch of flour and then add to the butter mixture.

4. In a separate bowl whisk together egg yolk, heavy cream and vanilla. Pour in a steady stream into the butter mixture, stirring continuously until the dough becomes sticky and everything is incorporated. AT THIS POINT DOUGH CAN BE WRAPPED IN PLASTIC AND REFRIGERATED.

5. Press dough into a circle that is 1" thick. Cut into wedges and place on baking sheet. Brush the tops of each scone with milk and scatter with raw sugar. As you can see above, I often cut them into some small pieces too - they are good for little hands!

6. Bake for 20 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. 

Naptime Notes:

Naptime Variation Ideas: Mini-Chocolate Chips or dried cherries (or both!) taste fantastic with this recipe if you are don't want cinnamon. Also, feel free to substitute lemon zest for orange zest - or not use any zest at all - to alter the citrus notes.

Naptime Stopwatch: Making this dough takes about 15 minutes. Then all that is left is the baking!

Naptime Reviews: This is a winner with almost everyone in my family. These scones are neither too sweet or bland, there flakey texture and cinnamon spices appeal to just about anyone and everyone!

'Twas the Night Before... French Toast: Webisode #2

Feeding a crowd shouldn't be difficult, especially during the holiday season. At this time of year I don't fuss around with complicated recipes, instead I concentrate on making meals that are easy to prepare ahead - even days ahead - and don't require constant attention. This casserole, which I've aptly titled "'Twas the Night Before... French Toast" is just the ticket when it comes to feeding a crowd for brunch.

My husband's Aunt Barbara (wife of the famous Uncle Kevin), gave me this recipe when I was showing signs of anxiety regarding an impending visit from loads of family members. She rightly noted that this casserole is absolutely mouthwatering - she has yet to have a guest turn it down - and is the simplest way to get a fabulous breakfast on the table with minimal stress. To complete the brunch table I set out a big platter of crisp salty bacon, jugs of warm maple syrup, juice and caffeinated beverages. Inevitably this turns my dining room table into a schmorgesborg of deliciousness that never fails to please even the pickiest of eaters.

This dish is a cinch to pull together a day prior - I complete the legwork during my daughter's afternoon naptime the day before - then it just sits, unattended, in the refrigerator until it is baked the following morning. For all you Naptime Chef's out there, it is important to note that it is perfectly acceptable to prepare this at 3pm one day and not bake it until 7am the following morning, I do it all the time. As exemplified below, this dish is intended to be made in advanced, doing so allows the bread to absorb more liquid and achieve maximum flavor.

Since this casserole truly is as beautiful and tasty as it sounds, I've made another video for your viewing pleasure. I hope this demonstrates how fantastically easy this casserole is to make, and what a wonderful solution it can be to feeding hungry mouths in your household (either visiting, or permanent residents) over the holidays. Enjoy!

The Naptime Chef - 'Twas the Night Before...French Toast from Kelsey Banfield on Vimeo.

'Twas the Night Before... French Toast

loosely adapted from Paula's Home Cooking by Paula Deen

1 large loaf Challah bread, preferably 1-2 days old so it is slightly hard

8 large eggs

2 c. whole milk

1 c. heavy cream

2 T. granulated sugar

1 t. vanilla extract

1 t. freshly grated orange zest

1/2 t. ground cinnamon

1/2 t. freshly ground nutmeg (or 1/4 t. jarred ground nutmeg)

1/2 t. salt

5 oz. frozen blueberries (or any other frozen berry that you would like!)

For the Topping:

1 stick butter, melted and cooled

1 c. packed light brown sugar

1 c. chopped pecans

2 T. light corn syrup

1 t. ground cinnamon

1 t. freshly ground nutmeg (or 1/2 jarred ground nutmeg)

Fresh Maple Syrup for Serving

1. Thoroughly butter a 9x13 baking dish. Set aside.

2. Using a bread knife cut the Challah into 1-inch thick slices and arrange in the baking dish so that they are slightly overlapping.

3. In a large bowl mix together the eggs, milk, cream, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, orange zest and salt. Whisk well so that everything is thoroughly combined. Pour this mixture over the Challah bread. Gently press the Challah down into the milk mixture so that the bread begins to absorb the liquid.

4. Pour the blueberries over the bread, tucking them between the layers and sprinkling them over the top as desired.

5. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator over night, or for up to 24 hours. While it rests in the fridge the bread should soak up all of the liquid and flavor.

6. The next day, preheat the oven to 350. Then, make the praline topping by combining the melted butter, chopped pecans, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and corn syrup in a bowl. Spread it evenly over the top of the french toast.

7. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbly and the top is toasted and golden brown.

Naptime Notes:

Naptime Recipe Props: This is a terrific casserole to serve a crowd for brunch, or just to enjoy with family. I love that the flavors can be tweaked as desired, feel free to substitute raspberries or cherries for the blueberries. And, if you'd like to use a different bread then day old french bread would work well, too. If someone is allergic to nuts, simply omit the topping.

Naptime Stopwatch: As you can see above, preparing this takes about 20 minutes. The rest of the "work" entails leaving it in the fridge and then popping it in the over the following morning. There is hardly an easier way to feed a crowd.

Naptime Reviews: I have yet to meet one person who does like french toast, especially this one. With all the rich flavors everyone from the grandparents to children adore this dish.

Cinnamon-Sugar Caramel Muffins

With the holidays fast approaching it is time to brush up on muffin recipes. In my house the holidays mean a revolving door of family and friends, and I always like to have some yummy muffins on hand when people pop in to chat. I already have a few favorite recipes including Aunt Ethel's Blueberry variety, Orange Mini's with Brown Sugar Glaze from The Pioneer Woman, and Allspice Crumb Muffins from Dorie Greenspan. But, I am always looking for new ideas, and was thrilled when my friend Barbara shared her recipe for Cinnamon-Sugar Caramel Muffins.

Napping with Aunt Ethel

My friend Mary has many fond memories of her Aunt Ethel. Ethel was, in fact, not her aunt, but her neighbor in Haverford PA who helped Mary's mother care for Mary and her sisters while their father was fighting in WWII. During these tough times Ethel and her husband, Hamilton, who had no kids of their own, would frequently cross the street to Mary's house to happily help out and teach their mother how to cook.

The fact that these days Mary is an excellent cook is due to Ethel's expert tutelage. Ethel not only taught Mary's mother the ways of the kitchen, but instructed Mary as well. Luckily, Mary has preserved many of her beloved neighbor's amazing recipes, many of which have become family favorites in her household over time.

Last month Mary dropped off a fresh batch of blueberry muffins that were so delicious my mother and I were speechless after just two bites. They were perfect. Unlike so many muffins I find today, these didn't have a sickly sweet cake-like texture, and they were the size of a small apple - not a softball. Mary's muffins were light and a little flaky, with just a hint of sweetness and lemon. In fact, if they had a little more butter and less sugar they would probably be considered a scone.

Naturally, I asked Mary for the recipe and she was more than happy to send me a copy. Even better, she sent me the original copy in Aunt Ethel's handwriting (pictured below), along with a picture of Aunt Ethel herself (pictured above, she is on the left). I loved the personal story that came with these tasty treats. Discovering this recipe only furthered my conviction that tried and true home cooks often possess some of the best recipes of all time.

I am excited to share these muffins with you because they really are as delicious as they sound. They also are a snap to prepare. I make the batter in one bowl and can do it easily while my daughter naps, or on a Sunday morning when we are the mood for fresh baked goods. I have already tried these once with cranberries and they are delicious, I bet they would be great with raspberries, too. Whatever fruit you choose I hope you enjoy them. I didn't know Aunt Ethel personally, but I know enough about her to guarantee that she would be happy to know you are cooking with your family, too.

Aunt Ethel's Blueberry Muffins
an original recipe from Ethel Wolf
2 c. all-purpose flour
6 T. sugar
1/2 t. salt
4 t. baking powder
1 t. lemon zest
1/2 c. unsalted butter
1 c. blueberries
1 egg
3/4 c. whole milk

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Whisk together flour, sugar, salt and baking powder into a bowl. Cut the butter into chunks and pinch it into the dry ingredients with your hands. This takes a few minutes to do, but make sure the butter and dry ingredients are fully combined.
3. In a separate bowl lightly beat the egg and milk. Pour them into the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until fully combined. Note, the mixture will look odd and a little gluey, but this is totally normal.
4. Stir in the blueberries until just combined.
5. Pour batter into a 12-cup regular sized muffin tin. Make sure each cup is about 3/4 full. Bake for 20 minutes or until tops are golden.

Naptime Notes:
Naptime Recipe Props: Muffin recipes that are not too sweet are hard to come by and this one fits the bill. I love that I can substitute almost any kind of fruit for the blueberries and they still taste delicious.
Naptime Stopwatch: The batter is a snap to prepare and takes less than 10 minutes. Then, after a brief 20 minutes of baking time, the muffins are ready to eat!
Naptime Reviews: Everyone loves muffins that aren't overly sweet which is why we've been devouring these in our house. I highly recommend you serve them to guests soon, they will love them.

Napping in My Mother's Kitchen

Growing up one of my favorite activities was baking with my mother. Together we would bake everything ranging from cookies and brownies, to scones and cranberry muffins. We mostly preferred to bake for our own enjoyment, though, on occasion, we were persuaded to bake en masse, once producing over 600 molasses cookies for my babysitter's wedding. Under Mom's expert tutelage I learned all of the important lessons about baking including the difference between baking soda and baking powder, the importance of sifting flour, and how to remove cookies from the oven at just the right time. I adored our hours together mixing batter with the old KitchenAid, watching it rise in the oven - almost magically - to become a moist, delicious treat. In those days learning how to bake at my mother's knee was one of the most fun activities I could imagine, and, frankly, it still is.


Last week I took my daughter to visit my parent's (her doting grandparents) in Cooperstown for a few days. I was excited to get there, I couldn't wait to load up on spring vegetables at my favorite farm stands and clip fragrant purple lilacs from the trees in my parent's garden. But, above all, I couldn't wait to get home and bake in my mother's kitchen. When I arrived she had already prepared a pyrex glass filled with two cups of grated organic zucchini along with two greased loaf pans. From the set-up of equipment on the counter it was obvious she wanted me to make our family's favorite zucchini bread. And, naturally, I got started the minute my daughter went down for her nap.


Since my parent's have lived in their house since I was eight, navigating the kitchen for this baking quest was not a problem. I pulled the mixing bowls off the same shelf where they have been kept for over twenty years, fetched the cinnamon from the spice rack next to Dad's canning supplies and tossed the egg shells in the long-established backyard compost heap. The rhythm of sifting, stirring and pouring on the rainy afternoon in my childhood home was warm and familiar, a feeling of comfort for me that is almost unmatched anywhere else. As with most baked goods, preparing the bread while my daughter napped was a cinch. Mixing the batter was simply a matter of carefully adding the ingredients and making sure they were fully combined before pouring it into the loaf pans. While I followed the recipe I was reminded of one of my mother's favorite calorie-reducing baking techniques and substituted applesauce for some of the vegetable oil. I know that to some this sounds unusual, but please don't fret, having tasted zucchini bread that has been baked with the full amount of oil I can honestly say that the applesauce version is better. It is more flavorful and moist, but is considerably less greasy and doesn't leave any residue on my fingers.

(The view from mom's kitchen)

The bread baked for almost an hour in the oven and, once I removed it, I exercised an amazing amount of willpower, letting it cool completely until the evening. Then, finally, after clearing my family's dishes from the dinner table - a habit held over from my grade school days when it was one of my most dredded chores - I cut pieces from a loaf for dessert. As I watched my daughter enjoy her first slice, eyes wide with delight at the tasty treat, I got excited realizing that the day will soon come when we can bake together. She will bake at my knee, learn the rhythm and language of our own family kitchen, and I will teach her everything I know about baking, too.

Naptime Chef Favorite Zucchini Bread (or Zucchini muffins)
an old favorite recipe from Mom
2 c. all-purpose flour, sifted
1 1/2 t. baking soda
3/4 t. baking powder
1 t. coarse salt
3 1/2 t. cinnamon
3 eggs, room temperature
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. plain applesauce (not low-fat)
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 c. freshly grated zucchini
2 t. pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease 2 (two) 9 x 5 inch loaf pans. OR, one 12-cup muffin tin.
2. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon into a bowl.
3. In a separate bowl stir together eggs, oil, applesauce, sugar, zucchini and vanilla. Make sure it is fully combined.
4. Carefully pour flour mixture into egg mixture, stirring until completely combined.
5. Pour entire mixture into loaf pans, making sure there is an even amount of batter in each. OR, if making muffins, fill muffin tins 3/4 full.
6. For Zucchini Bread bake for 40 minutes. OR, for muffins bake for 20 minutes.
7. You will know when the bread or muffins are down when the centers are set and spring back when they are lightly touched.

Naptime Notes:
Naptime Recipe Props: This is a simple and delicious zucchini bread recipe that also works well as muffins. The applesauce cuts calories too, making it a more healthy alternative to cookies. It is the most delicious when made with fresh, local zucchini, for which the season begins shortly. Plus, these loaves freeze beautifully, so you can put one in the freezer for later.
Naptime Stopwatch: The batter preparation takes about 10 minutes and the baking time is about 40-45 minutes. The entire project can be completed during naptime, and there is minimal clean up.
Naptime Reviews: I make this recipe more as bread than muffins, but either are great. Since there are no nuts in them they are great for children, I have never met a child that doesn't love a nice slice of zucchini bread for dessert!