Two Yummy Treats

Woo-hoo. It's Week 7 of the 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies. This time, I bring you two treats - Chai Spiced Zucchini Bread and Cinnamon Banana Bread. Both of them would make wonderful Christmas breakfasts.

The Chai Spiced Zucchini Bread was so moist, not to mention flavorful with all the spices added into it and you don't even taste the zucchini at all.

Chai Spiced Zucchini Bread (from Del Sisters Kitchen)

3 1/2 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger powder
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cardamom
1 1/2 tsp. orange zest
2 c. grated zucchini
3 eggs
3/4 c. oil
2 tsp. vanilla
1/3 c. hot water

Combine the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients and stir to mix. Divide into two large greased bread pans and bake at 350F for 60 min. or till center is clean when tested. Remove and cool.



As for the Cinnamon Banana Bread, it's also nice and healthy since it's made with oats, bananas, and hardly any butter/oil at all. That means you won't feel guilty from eating all the molten cinnamon chips that are also added into it. The bread comes out a little dense, but full of delicious cinnamony banana-y flavor that is sure to please.



Cinnamon Banana Bread (from the Beantown Baker)

1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon (I'd double this next time)
1 c. uncooked old fashioned oats
1/2 c. cinnamon chips
1 Tbsp. canola oil (I used melted butter)
2 eggs, beaten
3 large bananas, ripe (1 cup)
cinnamon-sugar (for sprinkling)

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a loaf pan. Stir together the first 8 ingredients. Mash the bananas then add the oil and eggs and mix thoroughly. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well. Pour the batter into the pan and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake until top of loaf is firm to touch, 45-50 min. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for 5 min. Flip out and cool on a wire rack for another 10 min.