Roasted Tomato Sauce

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Spreading Good Tastes blog at:
     www.spreadinggoodtastes.com

Today is a new day...make the most of it!

"Every morning is a new beginning,
 a new chance for you to rewrite 
the story of your life."
~anon

Oven Baked Apple Pancake

With fall just around the corner I've got apple picking...and apple recipes on my mind...
This pancake recipe is a bit different in that you are making just one large pancake and baking it  to serve in wedges...it's easy to prepare and perfect for a family breakfast or brunch...delicious!


* adapted from a Gooseberry Patch recipe


Ingredients:
1 large apple, cored, peeled and chopped

2 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
4 eggs
2/3 cups milk
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp butter melted and cooled
2/3 cups flour
icing sugar for dusting
1/4 cup maple syrup (optional)


Directions:
-preheat oven to 350F
-lightly butter a 10-inch pie plate
-in a small bowl toss together the chopped apple with the brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and transfer to the pie plate
-bake for  13 minutes, remove from oven and set aside
-turn up oven to 450F
-in a blender mix together eggs, milk, vanilla extract, melted butter and flour until well combined
-pour mixture into pie plate, over the apples and bake for 15 minutes

-allow to cool for a couple of minutes then cut into 8 wedges and serve dusted with icing sugar and maple syrup if using


*serves 4 (2 wedges each), or 8 if you have other food to serve alongside  

Something to think about...

What we do for ourselves
dies with us.
What we do for others
and the world remains
and is immortal.
~albert pine (english author)

Zucchini Loaf

I first tried this loaf many years ago when I was barely a teen. A classmate's mom became friends with my mom and at some point this recipe was exchanged. I was not a fan of zucchini then, or most other green veggies for that matter, and I  remember thinking " How can there be zucchini in this??? It's sooooo good!". Forward 30 yrs and I now find myself trying to trick my own kids into eating veggies they are not keen on. This recipe does the trick, and it's also a great way to use up all those zucchini that are just about ready in your garden!




*original recipe from Mrs. Calderwood, adapted by me to suit my family's tastes 


Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini
1/2 cup dried cranberries (or raisins)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup chopped walnuts


Directions:
-preheat oven to 350F
-add first 5 ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk with a fork to combine
-in a large bowl whisk together eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla 
-add zucchini and stir
-add flour mixture and stir until just combined
-add cranberries and nuts and stir to combine
-pour into a greased loaf pan
-bake for about 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean
-allow to cool in pan on wire rack for about 30 minutes
-remove from pan and enjoy sliced  

Don't give up so easily...

Our greatest weakness lies
in giving up.
The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.
~thomas edison

Affogato al Caffe...the perfect summer treat!

If you love coffee and ice cream this treat is for you. "Affogato" means "drowned" in italian and basically that's what you are doing to the ice cream, drowning it with coffee...and yes it's as delicious as it sounds! The variations on this popular italian cafe treat are truly endless. Try it with your favourite ice cream flavour (vanilla, chocolate,etc) or change it up with a different liqueur (nutty flavoured ones are great). Create your very own "affogato"...anything goes...here is my version...enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 scoops mocha almond fudge flavoured ice cream
1 tbsp Starbucks coffee liqueur
about 1 tsp Nutella
1 shot freshly brewed hot espresso coffee


Directions:


-place two scoops ice cream in a glass mug
-pour coffee liqueur over top
-drizzle with nutella
-pour hot coffee over ice cream and serve with a spoon