Spiced Zucchini & Candied Pecan Loaf

1 cup Pecans
2 tbsp Sugar
1 cup Water
1 ½ tbsp Butter
1 tsp Curry
Pinch Salt

1/6 cup Poppy Seeds
2 tbsp Zest of a Lime
½ cup Coconut

¼ cup Butter
½ cup Granulated Sugar
¼ cup Brown Sugar
1 ½ Piece Egg
1 tsp Vanilla
1 ½ cup Zucchini(roughly two medium sized)

1 ½ cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
½ + ¼ tsp Baking Soda
¼ tsp Baking Powder
½ tsp Curry Powder
Additional Pinch of Salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a shallow sauce pan heat sugar and water over a medium heat. Your mixture will begin to bubble and soon caramelize, at this stage you want to add your additional butter and seasonings. Stir and when bubbles start to form again, add your Pecans. Make sure to coat every morsel of the Pecan while stirring for an additional minute. Set aside to cool on some handy parchment paper.

2. Then go ahead and grate your zucchini. I left the skin on because it adds a little bite to the texture. Squeeze out any extra moisture from the veggie and set aside. I added a little bit of mint to the mixture to compliment the spicy overtones but I thought adding another ingredient to the recipe would terrify you, considering there are all ready a million and one ingredients. Toast your coconuts while your grating.

3. Now the time consuming part is over and it’s easy to throw this batch together in five minutes. Cream together your butter and sugars. This recipe was adapted from the rather fabulous Heidi Swanson and the initial recipe yielded 2 loaves but I cut the recipe in half hence the egg an a half. Simply whisk an egg and pour half into another container(can be used within a day for an egg wash). Add your eggs to the creamed mixture and blend. When all lumps have been worked you can then add your Zucchini and vanilla, another swirl and you can add your sieved dry ingredients to wet.

4. Your caramelized pecan should now be cooled and chopped in half cause if not they will sink to the bottom of your loaf while baking. Reserve ¼ cup of pecans, a handful of toasted coconut and half your zest to sprinkle on top. Fold in your poppy seeds, nuts and zest.

5. Pour mixture into a 9 by 5 loaf pan and dance your way to the oven. Bake for 50 minutes.

Note: Substitutions can defiantly be made like replacing coconut with fresh ginger or omitting the curry more of a sweet taste rather than savoury.

When all was said an done I sat down and enjoyed some fresh baked bread with some Butternut Squash Soup, a cup of Chai Tea an a big old book. It was lovely night and a nice deterrence from studying. If the words leaven or coagulate leave my mind for an hour I’m a happy lady.

Chai Tea

Cinnamon Stick Star Anise 2 tbsp Honey
½ tsp Orange Zest Dash of Cardamom 1 tbsp loose Black Tea
As much Milk as you’d like

Place 3 cups of water in a pot and leave to boil. Add all your spices (minus the tea) & honey in the pot and transfer to a low heat to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Add tea and increase temperature to boil for another minute. Then strain over your fanciest tea cup and add your milk. Enjoy.

And today in school we made buns, too many different kinds to remember but i did remember the tidbit about hot dog buns. Do you know what the difference is between an East Coast and West Coast hot dog bun? Easteners bake their buns close to one another so when they rise in the oven there sides stick together producing a bun thats soft on all sides!