Romancing The Chocolate: Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Photo: King Arthur Flour

Romancing The Chocolate: Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread: From Denny:  Summer time and the zucchini are multiplying like rabbits in our gardens!  Zucchini bread is always welcome just plain but how about "gilding the lily"?  Add some cocoa, chocolate chips and espresso powder to put it over the top.

Quick breads like this recipe are always welcome for the holidays or when you want something special - but not complicated or too demanding of your time and effort.  Like most quick breads this one is an easy recipe to make.  While this delicious bread bakes just sit down, relax and tour through your favorite collected old cookbooks or breeze through some interesting online recipe databases.  Works for me!

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Celebrate Chocolate every day as a holiday!

Design available in 3 color palettes:  additional bedding sizes, t-shirts, blankets, 

pillows, jewelry, stuffed animals, mugs, ornaments, 3 sizes of laptop sleeves, shower curtains

From Louisiana artist Denny Lyon

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Summer Recipe: Cool Fake Watermelon Cheesecake

Photo: Family Features 

From Denny:  This is such a fun colorful cheesecake to make that is sure to impress for any special holiday or occasion!  While it looks like watermelon it's really a strawberry flavored cheesecake supported by a delicious coconut and pistachio crumble crust that imitates the watermelon rind.  How clever is that?  And you know it sure tastes better than the rind. :) To imitate the look of the watermelon seeds you garnish the cheesecake with mini chocolate chips.  

The beauty of this cheesecake is that you don't have to bake it.  Everything is done on the stove top and then chilled.  Well, I'm sold; ready to start cooking?  

With some extra effort - on a slow lazy weekend when you have some time - this might be fun to make in small mini cheesecakes.  It could be one of those special treats you can pull out at the last minute when unexpected company shows up for a visit and you don't have the time to stop and shop. 

You could probably freeze this cheesecake (the large or the mini versions) before garnishing with the mini chocolate chips, especially if you are only cooking for two and just can't eat an entire cheesecake.  I wouldn't freeze it with the chocolate chips as chocolate tends to get an unattractive bloom on it when frozen and then thawed.  It's your call.  I often freeze cheesecakes I make as we like smaller portions at our house  to control the calories and because we find cheesecake so rich a dessert.  Sometimes I freeze cheesecake in well wrapped slices or take the time to make the smaller tart size.

Kid Friendly Recipe:  This recipe would be fun to do with older children to help teach them more about cooking.  They could easily help make the crust and help mix the cream cheese mixture.  You would have to supervise the stove top cooking of the frozen strawberries and dealing with the red food coloring as that could get quite messy. :)  But kids could help sprinkle the gelatin over the pan of cooked strawberries and help you stir until dissolved.  You might want to be the one to add the red food coloring and let them stir it into the mixture.  Kids are definitely up to helping decorate with the mini chocolate chips - though you may find quite a few missing before they land on the cheesecake!

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Check out this happy design and a blast from the retro past - Available in other sizes, also in bedding and much more!

From Louisiana artist Denny Lyon
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Summer Slow Cooker: Strawberry Shortcake

Photo/Patrick Dennis @ The Advocate

From Denny:  Summer heat.  Bring on the berries!  If you enjoy fresh strawberries and blueberries - along with a side dish of easy to make dessert - then this recipe is for you.  Our local food columnist is a master at kid friendly recipes, quick recipes and less effort recipes for the working or busy parent.  So, when the summer heat gets you tired, think: what can the slow cooker do for me so I don't have to stand over the stove?  

Julie Kay recommends this slow cooker recipe is best if you are home to make sure it does not over cook. In fact, it's one of those desserts that can be cooking while you serve dinner.  If you have any extra fresh blueberries in the fridge then feel free to add them after the shortcake has cooked.  This pretty dessert would be perfect for the Fourth of July holiday celebration too.

Remember:  Cook this dessert on High so that the dough topping will get a chance to brown a bit.

Serve:  Be sure to reserve a cup or two of fresh strawberries to add as a colorful garnish when serving this dessert and you also get those layered tastes of both cooked and fresh strawberry!

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Made of elegant and durable microfiber, this pretty women's clutch bag is super cute. The women's wristlet wallet includes unique designs sure to impress. Take this small clutch purse out on the town!

Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!