Kitchen of the Opera: July 2006

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

1 C. Butter
1 C. Sour Cream
1 TSP. Vanilla

1 1/2 C. Sugar
1 TBSP. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Salt

Cream together in Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer, other Mixer or by hand.

Add the following 1 Egg plus 1 C. Flour at a time, mixing each time on a low setting until smooth again.

3 C. Flour
3 Eggs

Filling/Topping

1/2 C. Brown Sugar
1/2 C. Sugar
1 TBSP. Cinnamon

Wisk together.

Oil your pan with cooking oil-spray or butter. A 10 in. spring-form pan works best. Put half of the batter in the pan, then pat it flat with a rubber spatula. Add half of the sugar filling, and spread it almost to the sides. Pat the next layer of batter flat and smooth the remaining sugar mixture on top. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F, Bake for 45-60 minutes (Oven time may vary). When cake does not jiggle like pudding when moved slightly and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, remove from oven and place on a cooling rack until cool enough to handle (10-15 minutes usually), then use the spring mechanism of your pan to remove the sides. Let cool completely or serve warm. May be frozen.

Are you “Zuched”? Zuchinni recipes.

Well, we are “Zuched”. We didn’t even plant a garden this year, but one of my older sisters did, and she has Zuchinni “coming out her ears”. OK, you can relate, right? Here’s a newly discovered recipe from our kitchen -

Zuchinni Potato Salad

8-10 medium sized boiled Potatoes, chilled and cubed
One large Zuchinni, grated
1 small-medium Onion, chopped (optional)
3 sticks of Celery, chopped (optional)
5 boiled Eggs, (optional)
1/4-3/4 cup Mayo
1-2 tsp Mustard (optional)

Stir together and serve chilled as a side dish.

Zuchinni Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs (at room temperature), lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups shredded zuchinni
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 400 F. Butter twelve 2 5/8 x 1 1/8-inch (about 3-ounce) muffin cups.
In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. In another bowl, stir together oil, eggs, and vanilla until blended. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients; add oil mixture and stir just to combine. Stir in zuchinni and nuts, if desired.
Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of one comes out clean.
Remove muffin pans to wire rack. Cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing muffins from cups; finish cool on rack. Serve warm or cool completely and store in an airtight container and cool room temperature.
These muffins freeze well.
Makes 12 muffins.