Belvedere Farms

Farming for Flavor and Raising our Family on 47 Acres in NE Ohio

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Hearty Mid-Winter Zucchini Bread

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I found a stash of shredded frozen zucchini in a freezer last week so I’ve been making LOTS of zucchini bread. We have seven (7!) chest freezers and 2 fridge freezers so unearthing an unexpected trove is not all that uncommon – ha!

We all love this recipe.

It’s easy to whip up and I generally do it after dinner while we’re cleaning the kitchen so it’s ready for breakfast in the morning and afternoon snacks thereafter.

The kids love it with a tall glass of cold milk. I like to add butter – because butter (chuckle).

Go on – dig out your own stash of frozen zucchini and add a little boost of summer nutrition to your breakfast fare this week. Your family will be none the wiser (wink wink).

Print Recipe

Hearty Zucchini Bread

Easy to put together with staple pantry ingredients, hearty and delicious for breakfast and snacks, this is my favorite way to use up my stash of shredded zucchini grown last summer and frozen to boost the nutrition of mid-winter days just like these.
Prep Time15 mins
Course: Breakfast
Keyword: zucchini
Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 3 cups zucchini, shredded
  • 1 1/4 cups melted butter*
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs*
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 tsp cinnamon*
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Notes

*I have a LOT of butter on hand (thank you milk cow), but you could also substitute melted coconut oil or vegetable oil.
*It’s midwinter. Below average temperatures and way above average snowfall. My chickens aren’t laying. So I’ve been substituting 1/2 cup yogourt OR applesauce for the eggs instead. The bread does finish a little more dense, but with no loss of flavor or texture.
*Feel free to get creative with the spices. I often use an apple-pie mix of spices (including ginger, nutmeg, and cloves) or a chai-spiced version (with cardamom and black pepper).
In a large mixing bowl, combine zucchini, butter (or oil), sugar, eggs (or yogourt/applesauce), and vanilla. Mix well with a fork.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Add the flour mixture to the zucchini mixture and mix just until combined. Gently mix in chopped nuts (if using).
Pour batter into a greased 9×13 pan.
Bake at 350° for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick/knife inserted comes out clean.

Baked Apple Oatmeal

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Hot cereal is a staple around these parts. We always have an abundance of fresh cream and there’s just nothing quite like a bowl of hot cereal doused in thick sweet cream to stick to your ribs and see you through the morning’s chores.

Oatmeal is a clear go-to for hot cereal and though it’s simple (and fast!) to make on the stovetop, we really love it baked.  We eat hot cereal at least four times a week and so this version has had a lot of testing! This Baked Apple Oatmeal is the kids’ favorite: it’s easy enough for them to put together on their own and bakes in the oven while they head out to do their morning chores.

With applesauce and all the traditional apple pie spices, along with tasty mix-ins like dehydrated apple chips and cranberries, this baked oatmeal makes everyone happy.

Print Recipe

Baked Apple Oatmeal

Easy to whip together and bursting with apple deliciousness, this stick-to-your-ribs oatmeal will fuel you and your crew well through morning chores.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time35 mins
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6

Equipment

  • Cast Iron Pan
  • Mixing Bowls
  • 9x13 cake pan

Ingredients

  • 4 cups oatmeal
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon ginger ground
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups applesauce
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup dried apple chips optional
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries optional

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, stir together oatmeal, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and salt.
  • In a separate bowl, combine applesauce, milk, vanilla, and eggs.
  • Stir applesauce mixture into the oat mixture. Fold in apple chips and cranberries (if using).
  • Transfer to a greased cast iron pan or 9x13 cake pan. (I like to grease the pan with coconut oil or butter).
  • Bake at 350* for 35 minutes or until the oatmeal is set.

Notes

*I like to use the whole gamut of apple pie spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger). Sometimes I'll make a chai version by adding black pepper, and cardamom. But you could just as easily use only cinnamon and still have great results!
*Feel free to experiment with other mix-ins. We use apple chips because we dehydrate bushels of them in the fall and almost always have them on hand. Raisins are another good option, as well as coconut, chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds, and even chocolate chips.
*We love to serve this Baked Apple Oatmeal with a generous drizzle of heavy cream and a tall glass of cold milk.

 

Flaky Farmhouse Buttermilk Scones

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We have gallons and gallons of fresh milk coming into the kitchen every day and each gallon includes a quart of cream. After just a few days, that makes for A LOT of sweet, rich, golden, pasture-rich goodness. And so we churn butter. Lots of butter.

I usually leave the cream out on the counter to ripen for about an hour before churning, but the other day I got distracted doing a million other things (typical!) and so that when I went to churn it, it was a little too warm and the butter fat fluffed up but didn’t separate from the buttermilk.

I’ve read of this happening – usually in the summer when the cream gets too warm. It is sometimes called “fluffy butter.” Depending on the batch, you may still be able to strain it from the buttermilk, and press it together sort of. But because it’s too soft to wash, it has to be used first (it is the buttermilk that goes bad. Well-washed butter keeps well in the fridge for a long time). Sometimes though, fluffy butter won’t press together at all.  At that point, you can always give it to the pigs (they live for dairy experiments gone wrong!) or use it in a recipe that calls for both butter and buttermilk (which is exactly what it is).

So with our first batch of fluffy butter on our hands, Jordan decided to do a bit of tinkering and created this recipe for buttermilk scones. Since it uses both butter and buttermilk, it’s the perfect use for fluffy butter and they came out light, flaky, and delicious.   For the first test, since we couldn’t weigh them separately, we guessed on the yields of both butter and buttermilk based on our usual yields. But we’ve since made it with regular butter and buttermilk and narrowed down the ratios. They turn out beautifully every time.

Note: we use true buttermilk – the liquid left over from making butter. It is sweet and has the same consistency as milk.  After a few days in the fridge it gets a little more acidic, and just a little thicker. Store-bought buttermilk is decidedly different.  It is much much thicker, for one, so you may need to either add more or add milk to get the liquid consistency right. The dough should just barely come together, and still be loose and flaky – just like a biscuit dough.

Print Recipe

Flaky Farmhouse Buttermilk Scones

Flaky and delicious, these beautiful buttermilk scones come together quickly and are perfectly delectable every single time. Pair with a glass of milk for a true farmhouse breakfast.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Freezer Time30 mins
Total Time1 hr
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: breakfast, buttermilk, scones
Servings: 12 scones

Equipment

  • Mixing Bowls
  • Parchment Paper

Ingredients

  • 570 grams flour (approx. 4 3/4 cups)
  • 100 grams sugar (1/2 cup)
  • 1 Tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 250 grams butter (1 cup + 1 1/2 Tablesppons)
  • 340 grams buttermilk (approx. 1 1/2 cups)
  • 100 grams nuts, chopped or sliced (1 cup)
  • 120 grams dried fruit (1 cup)

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender (or two knives) until it resembles coarse oatmeal.
  • Add the buttermilk all at once and mix a few strokes. Add the nuts and dried fruit, and mix just until the dough comes together.
  • Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and split in two. Using well-floured hands, pat and shape (but do not knead) the dough into two round disks, approximately 1.5″ thick. By the time you have the disks shaped, you’ll have used about 600 grams of flour – you want the outside to no longer be sticky. The inside of the dough will still seem wet, but holding its shape.
  • Transfer the disks to a parchment covered baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes.
  • Preheat the over to 425F. Remove the disks from the freezer, cut into six equal portions (one cut down the middle and cut each half into thirds). Separate them on the baking tray by a few inches (to allow room for rise).
  • Bake 20-28 minutes, until puffed up and golden brown.

Notes

*Use whatever you have to hand to flavor these.  We love almonds & dried cranberries, almonds & dried blueberries, walnuts & dried apples. Experiment by adding almond extract or vanilla, or orange zest. We like to add fresh berries like raspberries and blueberries when they're in season as well.
*After the scones are cut, they can be returned to the freezer, well-wrapped, until later for a quick and easy breakfast. No need to defrost. You’ll just need to add approximately 5 minutes to the bake time.
*Scones are always best warm, fresh out of the oven. We don't feel like they need any garnish, but a dollop of creme fraiche or jam, a swirl of honey, or even maple syrup wouldn’t be a terrible idea. Add a hearty glass of milk for a true farmhouse breakfast.