Zucchini Bread

Zucchini Bread

4 Tablespoons of Butter

3 eggs

1 cup of Vegetable Oil

1 ½ cups of Granulated Sugar

2 cups of Grated Unpeeled Zucchini

2 cups of Flour

2 teaspoons of baking soda

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon of grated nutmeg

¼ teaspoon of ground cloves

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray the bottom and sides of a 9x5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray. In a medium sized bowl, place eggs, butter, sugar, and beat until well mixed. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.

For these and other recipes, please visit: http://www.ginameyers.com

My Italian Mama's Artichoke Cheese Squares

My Italian Mama's Artichoke Cheese Squares

2 jars of marinated artichoke hearts (6.5 ounces)
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
4 eggs
1/4 cup of bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon each of: salt, pepper, and oregano
1/8 teaspoon of Tabasco Sauce
2 cups of shredded shard cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon of parsley, optional

Directions: Mix all ingredients together and transfer into a greased 7 by 11 inch glass baking dish. Bake 325 degrees for thirty minutes.

Beyond Pumpkin Spice Recipes for your pumpkin fix.

Pumpkin and Apple Soup

1 finely chopped apple. Prefer either a tart green, red apple, or specifically try the Autumn Gold Apple Variety.

½ cup of chopped white onion

1 stick of butter

1 Tablespoon of all-purpose flour

1 can of chicken broth

3 cups of canned pumpkin

¼ cup of dark brown sugar (dark preferred, can use light brown sugar or if out of brown sugar, ¼ cup of sugar and 2 Tablespoons of molasses)

½ teaspoon of all spice, nutmeg, ginger

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

1 cup of apple cider

½ cup of milk

1/4 cup of whipped cream (or approximately a ½ cup of the spray whipped cream, spray directly into soup mixture, taste test for sweetness).

½ teaspoon of salt and pepper

Directions: In a large saucepan, over medium heat, with a wooden spoon, sauté apples, and onion in butter for five minutes or until onion and apples are tender. Stir in flour and gradually whisk in chicken broth, pumpkin, brown sugar, milk, apple cider and spray in whipping cream as well as add the spices and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Pay careful attention to pumpkin mixture forming large bubbles, may need to cover for a few minutes to avoid hot splatter. Reduce heat and simmer for about twenty minutes. Add additional cinnamon, whipped cream, salt and pepper, as needed per taste. Cool slightly and then ladle out batches into a blender and blend until soup is smooth. Reheat (in the microwave, or back on the stovetop) if needed and add ham to make the Pumpkin and Apple Soup a meal.

Pumpkin Bread

1 (15 ounce) canned pumpkin puree

1 ½ cups of granulated sugar

½ cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup water

2 eggs

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/2 tablespoon ground nutmeg

1teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

¼ cup of chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

 

Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 9x5 inch loaf pans. In a large bowl, combine sugar, pumpkin, oil, water, and eggs. Beat until smooth. Blend in flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts (optional). Bake for 1 hour, or until an inserted knife in the middle of the bread or a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool, then remove from baking pans. May cool on wire racks or in the pans.

 

Pumpkin Pie Sour Cream
1 cup of brown sugar
1 tablespoon of flour
1 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of canned or mashed cooked pumpkin
1/2 cup of dairy sour cream
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup of evaporated milk
1/2 cup of coarsely chopped walnuts, California walnuts preferred
1 unbaked 9 inch pastry shell
Directions: in a medium size bowl, combine brown  sugar, flour, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. With an electric mixer, mix pumpkin, sour cream, and eggs. Mix well.  Stir in evaporated milk and add chopped walnuts. Pour into an unbaked pastry shell. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Homemade Pumpkin Pie

1 Pumpkin (small, Trade Joes sells pumpkins for pies)

3 eggs

1 cup of Evaporated Milk, Vitamin D Added

1 stick of butter (melted)

Dash of salt

¾ cup of Organic Brown Sugar

1 Tablespoon of vanilla extract

1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg

1 ready to eat Graham Cracker Crust

Directions: Wash pumpkin, cut in half, remove stem and scoop out seeds and remove strings. Place cut side down on a baking sheet and bake until tender, about one hour at 350 degrees.

Once cooled, peel, smash, and mix pumpkin until smooth. In a large bowl, add milk, melted butter, pumpkin puree, eggs, dash of salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla extra and blend with an electric mixer until smooth. Pour into crust and bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

 

Homemade Pumpkin Pie

Homemade Pumpkin Pie

1 Pumpkin (small, Trade Joes sells pumpkins for pies)

3 eggs

1 cup of Evaporated Milk, Vitamin D Added

1 stick of butter (melted)

Dash of salt

¾ cup of Organic Brown Sugar

1 Tablespoon of vanilla extract

1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg

1 ready to eat Graham Cracker Crust

Directions: Wash pumpkin, cut in half, remove stem and scoop out seeds and remove strings. Place cut side down on a baking sheet and bake until tender, about one hour at 350 degrees.

Once cooled, peel, smash, and mix pumpkin until smooth. In a large bowl, add milk, melted butter, pumpkin puree, eggs, dash of salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla extra and blend with an electric mixer until smooth. Pour into crust and bake at 350 degrees for one hour. 

Autumn Harvest Recipe Ideas for dessert

Autumn is the perfect time to reflect on all that we have. Here are some suggestions for a scrumptious autumn dessert suitable to serve at Thanksgiving.

Autumn Harvest Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake

½ cup of butter, softened

1 cup of granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

2 cups of all-purpose flour, divided use

1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder

½ teaspoon of baking soda

½ teaspoon of salt

1 cup of buttermilk

2 cups of finely peeled apples

1 ¼ cups of packed organic brown sugar

½ cup of chopped nuts

1 to 2 Tablespoons of cinnamon

1/3 cup of melted butter

Drizzle topping: (optional)

½ cup of semisweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon of shortening

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat together ½ cup of softened butter, and sugar until well-combined. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

Combine 2 2/3rds cups of flour, the baking powder, soda and salt; add alternately to beaten mixture with buttermilk, beating until combined. Fold in apples.

While cake is cooling, combine chocolate pieces and shortening in a small saucepan or micro-safe bowl. Melt over very low heat, stirring until blended, or microwave on low power until melted, stirring to blend. Before serving, drizzle topping over cake. Makes 12 to 16 servings.

Gilmore Girl's Inspired Recipes

Laughter and excitement is in the air at  The Yellow Mug Café in North East Fresno, now transformed into a Pop-Up of Luke’s Diner. It is 7:19am.  The line is very long, with lots of gals in their thirties wearing plaid and scarves and knit hats, as if Fresno is actually a cold place to live like in The Gilmore Girls, which it is not. I overheard an eager crowd of gals say, “I’ve never actually spent the night in line before, but for this it was worth it.” There’s no way my son, who coincidentally his nickname is Luke is going to step near the line, he doesn’t want to be late for school. 7:55am, I text my daughter the news of Gilmore Girls kinda coming to Fresno and she is elated, but a bit perplexed, “what is The Yellow Mug Café, she asks?”

If you’re a fan of Gilmore Girls, you know what all the fuss is about. As Lorelai Gilmore (another coincidence, that’s my daughter’s nickname), “Coffee, coffee, coffee”.  So Netflix who shows the Gilmore Girls has transformed over 200 coffee shops around the United States into pop-up Luke’s Diners to celebrate the show’s 16^th anniversary.

After the coffee, and the excitement, you might want to make some Gilmore Girl’s inspired treats.

Café Luke’s Round Cookies

1 stick of real butter, softened

1/8 cup of sugar, granulated

1 cup of all-purpose flour

½ cup of Guittard Milk Chocolate Chips

Powdered Sugar

1/16 cup of peanuts or almonds

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar in a medium sized bowl with an electric mixer at low to medium speed. Gradually add the flour and chocolate chips and then combine with hands. If dough is dry or crumbly, add a little bit of water. Spray your hands with cooking spray or add a little flour if dough is too sticky and is sticking to your hands. Using the palm of your hands, roll rounded Tablespoonful’s of dough into 1-inch balls. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet for 13 minutes approximately. Let stand 2 minutes before removing from cookie sheet and after cooled roll in powdered sugar. The color of the cookies will be pale not golden brown. If not allergic to nuts, may add crushed almonds or pulverized peanuts.

 Coconut Lemon Crumb Squares

1 ¾ cups of Graham cracker crumbs

½ cup granulated sugar

¾ cup margarine, melted

¾ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup of coconut              

Filling

½ cup of granulated sugar

1 egg

1 cup of lemon juice, plus ¼ tsp. of lemon rind

½ coconut

Directions: Melt the margarine and pour over the first ingredients. Combine in a large bowl and work together until crumbly. Press the mixture into an ungreased 9x9 inch pan and set aside.

Next, place filling ingredients in a pot on low heat, stirring until thickened. Pour filling over bottom layer. Cook for 25 minutes in a 350 degree over. Depending on the size you cut for the squares, makes approximately 30 squares.

Nonie Julie's Potato Torta

Noni Julie’s Potato Torta

4-6 potatoes, peeled and cooked

½ cup of cooked and diced of each, fried and drained salt pork, and chopped Italian Sausage

½ cup of combination chopped onion and leek

2/3 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

½ cube of butter

¼ cup of milk

Salt and pepper

Directions: Mash potatoes with milk, salt and pepper and combine all ingredients including butter, Parmesan

cheese, salt pork and Italian Sausage. Add more milk or cheese to your taste preference.

Place rolled crust in a well- oiled 9x13 inch pan, add potato filling and spread in the pan. Remaining crust, curl atop the potato filling. Add one beaten egg to the top of mixture and salt and pepper to taste. Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 45 minutes.

Crust

2 ½ cups of flour

Pinch of salt

1 cup of water

1 egg, beaten

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

Directions: In a large bowl, mix flour and salt, next, add 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil and 1 cup of water. Mix until mixture forms a ball. If too sticky, add a Tablespoon at a time of flour, if too dry, add a Tablespoon of water at a time.  Cover the dough ball with a cloth and place atop a lightly floured surface and allow the dough to rest for 20-30 minutes. Roll dough out thinly and place flattened dough/crust in a well-oiled 9x13 inch pan. 

Pumpkin Pie Sour Cream

Pumpkin Pie Sour Cream
1 cup of brown sugar
1 tablespoon of flour
1 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of canned or mashed cooked pumpkin
1/2 cup of dairy sour cream
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup of evaporated milk
1/2 cup of coarsely chopped walnuts, California walnuts preferred
1 unbaked 9 inch pastry shell


Directions: in a medium size bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. With an electric mixer, mix pumpkin, sour cream, and eggs. Mix well.  Stir in evaporated milk and add chopped walnuts. Pour into an unbaked pastry shell. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Gina Meyers is best known for her popular culture television trivia and cooking expertise books related to the Twilight Saga, Harry Potter,  and the iconic television show Bewitched. She is the proud winner of the prestigious Gourmand International Cookbook Award for Best Charity Cookbook in the world, Hope For Haiti. Paris, France March, 2012.

Gina’s Love at First Bite: The Unofficial Twilight Cookbook, first edition, has been listed in OK! Magazine’s top Twilight merchandise must-haves and featured on Comedian Alan Carr, Chatty Man’s late night talk show. Her Love at First Bite Cookbook was also mentioned on the hit TV Show, The Office.

From an early age, Gina has had a passion for the culinary arts, experimenting in the kitchen with baking and creating anything yummy and unique. http://www.ginameyers.com

Gina has been a television consultant for Popstar! Magazine , Columbia Pictures Television, as well as Nickelodeon Magazine. She is a featured regular on national radio and television programs as a cooking expert. Gina has also worked for Xerox and Google Corporation.

Gina is the owner of Serendipity Media Group, a global publishing, marketing, and promotions company. With Serendipity Media’s help, many authors have also found international success and recognition. http://www.serendipitymediagroup.com

Pumpkin Pie Sour Cream

Pumpkin Pie Sour Cream
1 cup of brown sugar
1 tablespoon of flour
1 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of canned or mashed cooked pumpkin
1/2 cup of dairy sour cream
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup of evaporated milk
1/2 cup of coarsely chopped walnuts, California walnuts preferred
1 unbaked 9 inch pastry shell


Directions: in a medium size bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. With an electric mixer, mix pumpkin, sour cream, and eggs. Mix well.  Stir in evaporated milk and add chopped walnuts. Pour into an unbaked pastry shell. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Gina Meyers is best known for her popular culture television trivia and cooking expertise books related to the Twilight Saga, Harry Potter,  and the iconic television show Bewitched. She is the proud winner of the prestigious Gourmand International Cookbook Award for Best Charity Cookbook in the world, Hope For Haiti. Paris, France March, 2012.

Gina’s Love at First Bite: The Unofficial Twilight Cookbook, first edition, has been listed in OK! Magazine’s top Twilight merchandise must-haves and featured on Comedian Alan Carr, Chatty Man’s late night talk show. Her Love at First Bite Cookbook was also mentioned on the hit TV Show, The Office.

From an early age, Gina has had a passion for the culinary arts, experimenting in the kitchen with baking and creating anything yummy and unique. http://www.ginameyers.com

Gina has been a television consultant for Popstar! Magazine , Columbia Pictures Television, as well as Nickelodeon Magazine. She is a featured regular on national radio and television programs as a cooking expert. Gina has also worked for Xerox and Google Corporation.

Gina is the owner of Serendipity Media Group, a global publishing, marketing, and promotions company. With Serendipity Media’s help, many authors have also found international success and recognition. http://www.serendipitymediagroup.com

Gina's Go To Guittard Chocolate Rounds

Gina’s Go To Guittard Chocolate Rounds

1 stick of real butter, softened

1/8 cup of sugar, granulated

1 cup of all-purpose flour

½ cup of Guittard Milk Chocolate Chips

Powdered Sugar

1/16 cup of peanuts or almonds

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar in a medium sized bowl with an electric mixer at low to medium speed. Gradually add the flour and chocolate chips and then combine with hands. If dough is dry or crumbly, add a little bit of water. Spray your hands with cooking spray or add a little flour if dough is too sticky and is sticking to your hands. Using the palm of your hands, roll rounded Tablespoonfuls of dough into 1-inch balls. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet for 13 minutes approximately. Let stand 2 minutes before removing from cookie sheet and after cooled roll in powdered sugar. The color of the cookies will be pale not golden brown. If not allergic to nuts, may add crushed almonds or pulverized peanuts. 

More Recipe Ideas from Cookbook Author Gina Meyers

Southern Belle Story

Southern Belle

Are you a true Southern Belle?

By, Gina Meyers

       When I was about four or five years old, my dad suggested we go on a bike ride. Now, picture this. Fresno, California, circa 1976. Our family had just moved from San Francisco two summers earlier and my mom and dad had just built a Wathen-Castonos  Massionette home, off of 3^rd Street and Alluvial Avenues in Fresno. We lived as North as you literally could go, beyond our home were fields of figs  trees and our street Alluvial was a barely paved road of two lanes with open ditches pretty much on every other corner. I don’t remember my dad placing me in the child seat in the back of his bike, but I do remember the ride almost home. It was hot, probably a Sunday afternoon in Fresno, maybe 100 degrees. My dad’s bike was fast, he must have taken us east on Alluvial and then was turning around when suddenly, a flat tire on the back of the bike no less!!  At four years of age the idea of walking home in the Fresno heat seemed pretty unbearable, I remember that much. I also remember feeling agitated, annoyed and not happy. I also remember refusing to get off of the bike –after what seemed like an eternity, of bumps…and my dad pulling the bike along the side of Alluvial, I requested his handkerchief. He got it out and gave it to me, instead of blowing my nose or wiping my face with it, I preceded to fan myself with the white handkerchief. It wasn’t a signal but apparently it appeared as such. Suddenly, a very cheerful woman with a large van, slowed down and rolled down her window. She blurted out, “Hey, you need some help?” My dad responded yes and that we had a flat tire. As my dad loaded the bike into her van and we got in, the lady said, “I just had to stop, your daughter looked in distress.” Not the distress from a tragedy, more the Southern Belle style of , “Gee, I can’t believe it’s so darn hot today, I am in need of a mint julep, a fan or … a handkerchief.”

So are you a true Southern Belle? Are the bells ringing? We all have things that make us feel uncomfortable and out of control. Sometimes we recognize our personality traits early on in life like I did. Who is in the drivers’ seat of your life? What direction are you headed in? Too often we misread the signs. Tires get flat and we need to pump them up. Sometimes we need to ask for help even if we don’t feel like we need it. Often times we are passengers in this brilliant and beautiful journey we call life on earth. Is God in your driver’s seat? 

Happy Birthday Julia Child

Happy birthday Julia! In honor of Julia's birthday, I am making a Chocolate Carrot Cake.

Best wishes,

Gina


Julia Child making an omlete

Chocolate Carrot Cake

4 eggs, beaten

2 cup of sugar

1 cup of vegetable oil

½ cup of milk

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

3 cups of carrots, finely grated

2 cups of flour

1/3 cup of cocoa

2 teaspoons of cinnamon

½ teaspoon of salt

2 teaspoons of baking soda

Directions: Stir the eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, milk, vanilla extract, and carrots in a medium sized bowl. Stir until sugar has dissolved. Sift dry ingredients and fold into the carrot mixture and continue to stir until all ingredients are combined. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Top with cool whip, cream cheese frosting, or powdered sugar.

With The Dorm Room Dining Cookbook, you can make more than just a dang quesadilla. Buy it today, you'll be glad you did!

You are getting ready to go to college. Congratulations! We've got your back when it comes to cooking, yummy recipes and food. You are venturing off into the exciting world of college. No more mom or dad making you dinner. You might have a meal plan and that's great, but, what about your famous guacamole recipe that you forgot at home or your hankering for a cheesy quesadilla. "Make your own dang quesidillo!" Well, don't put it on the back burner any longer, be the gourmet chef of your dorm, or apartment. For sure you're going to be rushing from one class to another and add in a sport, make your life a little easier with The Dorm Room Dining Cookbook. Buy Dorm Room Dining Cookbook today!

Happy Birthday Samantha Stephens from Bewitched

Chocolate Biscotti Cookie Recipe

Ingredients:

3 cups of all-purpose flour 
3/4 cup of granulated sugar 
1/2 cup of firmly-packed light brown sugar 
1 teaspoon of baking powder
¾ of a teaspoon of salt 
3 Tablespoons of Cocoa Powder, 100% Cacao
3 eggs
1/3 of cup olive oil 
2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed of orange juice 
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract 
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 
1 cup of chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds

Directions: In a medium sized bowl, with an electric mixer, blend sugars, eggs, butter, vanilla extract, olive oil, and orange juice. Next, add baking powder, salt and flour. Continue to mix, add flour a cup at a time, using a spatula to blend mixture. Finally, slowly add the chocolate chips and nut of your choice. Next, with your hands, mold the dough first into a ball and then into a loaf. Place loaf on a greased baking sheet (a Tablespoon of butter or a spray of cooking spray or even a dab of olive oil on the pan spread will help prevent sticking. Flatten dough into a loaf shape with your hands.  In a preheated 350 degree oven, bake for 20 minutes, take out loaf and cut with a sharp knife, into diagonals cookies about ¾ th of an inch thick. Return to oven, and bake on each side of the cookie for an additional ten minutes. If you bake both sides, you will have an extra crunchy biscotti cookie. For a softer biscotti, return to oven and bake on only one side for ten minutes.

 Easy Chocolate Raspberry Mocha Cheesecake

2 teaspoons of espresso powder

1 package of cream cheese, softened

2/3 cup of sugar

3 Tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted

2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

1 container of whipping cream

1 graham cracker pie or chocolate pie crust

1 pint of fresh raspberries, washed.

Directions: With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, espresso powder, sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla extract, mix until smooth. Fold in the whipping cream, mix well. Spoon mixture into prepared chocolate pie crust. Refrigerate for three hours. Dust with cocoa powder or powdered sugar.

Chocolate-Walnut Torta Caprese

½ cup of butter or margarine, softened

¾ cup of granulated sugar

8 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

7 eggs, separated

1 ½ cups of California Walnuts

1/3 cup of flour

Powdered sugar

Directions: Beat butter and ½ cup of granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Blend in cooled chocolate. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Toss walnuts and flour. Stir in butter mixture.

Beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add remaining ¼ cup of granulated sugar, beating until soft peaks form. Stir ¼ of the egg whites into chocolate batter. Fold in remaining egg whites. Pour into a 9-inch pan (round) with no stick cooking spray. Bake at 350 for forty minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for ten minutes. Remove and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Garnish with additional walnut pieces. Cut into wedges to serve. 

Buy The Magic of Bewitched Cookbook by, Gina Meyers