Zucchini Bread

From Betty Crocker

Ingredients:

3

cups shredded zucchini (2 to 3 medium)

1 2/3

cups sugar

2/3

cup vegetable oil

2

teaspoons vanilla

4

eggs

3

cups Gold Medal® all-purpose or whole wheat flour

2

teaspoons baking soda

1

teaspoon salt

1

teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2

teaspoon ground cloves

1/2

teaspoon baking powder

1/2

cup coarsely chopped nuts

1/2

cup raisins, if desired

Steps:
1. Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottoms only of 2 (8x4-inch) loaf pans or 1 (9x5-inch) loaf pan with shortening or cooking spray.

2. In large bowl, stir zucchini, sugar, oil, vanilla and eggs until well mixed. Stir in remaining ingredients except nuts and raisins. Stir in nuts and raisins. Divide batter evenly between 8-inch pans or pour into 9-inch pan.

3. Bake 8-inch loaves 50 to 60 minutes, 9-inch loaf 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on cooling rack 10 minutes.

4. Loosen sides of loaves from pans; remove from pans and place top side up on cooling rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours, before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days.

Cook's Comments:

We have made a bunch of different zucchini bread recipes, you really can't go wrong.  Instead of raisins or nuts though, we substitute with chocolate chips!  We also make zucchini muffins as an alternative.  During garden season we will make half a dozen loaves and freeze them to have throughout the fall.

Apple Pie

From Betty Crocker

Pastry  - (we use premade but if you want to do it all!)

2

cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1

teaspoon salt

2/3

cup plus 2 tablespoons shortening

4

to 6 tablespoons cold water

Filling

1/3

to 1/2 cup sugar

1/4

cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1/2

teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2

teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8

teaspoon salt

8

cups thinly sliced peeled tart apples (8 medium)

2

tablespoons butter or margarine

I cheat and use pre-made pastry

1. In medium bowl, mix 2 cups flour and 1 teaspoon salt. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).
2. Gather pastry into a ball. Divide in half; shape into 2 flattened rounds on lightly floured surface. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate about 45 minutes or until dough is firm and cold, yet pliable. This allows the shortening to become slightly firm, which helps make the baked pastry more flaky. If refrigerated longer, let pastry soften slightly before rolling. 
3. Heat oven to 425°F. With floured rolling pin, roll one pastry round into round 2 inches larger than upside-down 9-inch glass pie plate. Fold pastry into fourths; place in pie plate. Unfold and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side.
4. In large bowl, mix sugar, 1/4 cup flour, the cinnamon, nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Stir in apples until well mixed. Spoon into pastry-lined pie plate. Cut butter into small pieces; sprinkle over filling. Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1/2 inch from rim of plate.
5. Roll other round of pastry into 10-inch round. Fold into fourths and cut slits so steam can escape. Unfold top pastry over filling; trim overhanging edge 1 inch from rim of plate. Fold and roll top edge under lower edge, pressing on rim to seal; flute as desired. Cover edge with 2- to 3-inch strip of foil to prevent excessive browning.
6. Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust, removing foil for last 15 minutes of baking. Serve warm if desired.

It says to wait two hours before eating so the juices have a chance to solidify. I agree that's best, but I can never wait that long!