ASK PAT: Peach fritters with orange glaze, chocolate Chip zucchini bread are made for television

By: By Pat Koch Special to the Star and Enterprise | SCNow
Published: July 16, 2010

Peach Fritters with Orange Glaze

Peanut oil for frying
1 cup cornmeal
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can peach halves in syrup, drained
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Confectioners’ sugar, for garnish
Orange Glaze, recipe follows

Fill deep-fryer with peanut oil and heat to 350 degrees. Combine cornmeal, flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Remove three peach halves from can and cut into small cubes. In a small bowl, combine buttermilk, egg, butter, cubed peaches and extract. Add wet mixture to dry and stir well until combined. Using a small ice cream scoop, drop batter into the hot oil. Fry for one minute per side. Flip halfway through cooking before it’s too heavy to turn. Remove to paper towel lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle immediately with confectioners’ sugar. Place on platter and serve with Orange Glaze.

Orange Glaze
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup fresh orange juice

In a large bowl drizzle the orange juice over the sugar while whisking.

Source: FoodNetwork.com, the Neelys (Internet)

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 eggs
2 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon orange zest
Whipped cream or whipped topping for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease (2) 9x5-inch loaf pans. Sift or whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, spices and baking soda. In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and fluffy. Add sugar and continue beating until well blended. Stir in oil, vanilla, zucchini, pecans, chocolate chips and orange zest. Stir in sifted ingredients. Pour into prepared loaf pans. Bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove loaves from pans and cool. Chill before slicing. Serve with whipped cream or topping.

Source: FoodNetwork.com, Paula Deen (Internet)