Zucchini Bread

I thought I'd post my recipe for the zucchini bread I wrote about the other day.  It's loosely based on a recipe I found some where online a while back, but I've changed it so much it's barely recognizable.  And I'm sure three of you just fell in the floor shocked that I have the audacity to change a recipe.  

Preheat oven to 375.  

2 eggs

1 1/3 c sugar

2 tsp vanilla

3 c grated zucchini

2/3 c melted butter

2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2 c whole wheat flour

1 c white flour

1 tsp nutmeg

2 tsp cinnamon

1 c chopped nuts

1 c dried cranberries

In a large bowl, mix sugar, eggs, and vanilla.  Mix in zucchini and butter.  Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over and mix well.  Add the flour one cup at a time.  Sprinkle in nutmeg and cinnamon.  Stir in nuts and cranberries if using.  Pour into buttered 5X9 loaf pan and bake 45-60 minutes (until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean).  Cool in pan for 10 minutes then turn out onto wire rack.  

Now, fresh zucchini is great, but last summer our zucchini plants were quite prolific, so I took ours and grated them all.  Then I took three cups of grated zucchini and placed it into quart-sized bags and froze them into pretty little green zucchini rectangles.  This way, when I want to make zucchini bread, I pull out a bag, empty it into a colander in the sink, and once it's thawed and drained I'm ready to go.

There are alot of variations you can make with this recipe.  You can use only white flour.  Only wheat flour.  Add chocolate chips.  Leave out the nuts or cranberries or both.  You can use raisins.  Leave out the nutmeg.  You get the idea.  Any way you make it, it will be tasty and gone quickly.  I like it warmed with butter for breakfast, personally.  So, go on now!  Bake!

Swoon

Little Man brought me a flower.

Cheese

Who taught him to say, "Cheese"?

A Little Man Afternoon

I like the slides, and when I get to the bottom, I'm pretty pleased with myself.

After seeing my friend on the swings last week, I thought I'd give them a go.  Too bad he's not here.  It might be more fun.

Oh, well.  Mommy can be fun.  I guess.

The best part of being on the swing is feeling your hair blow around while yelling, "Wheeeee!"

I really like the park.  Maybe we can go again tomorrow.

Soccer Shoes

They're just like Daddy's!

Friday Photo

Mmm Mmm Mmm

I went searching the other day for a good lasagna recipe.  Someone tall and handsome has begun making frequent requests for said casserole lately, and after a quick search on the shelf in the kitchen I realized there was nary a receipt to be found (anyone else here read The Five Little Peppers as a child?  No?  You simply must.  I insist.).  After a quick online search I narrowed it down to a few I might like and then saw the name The Pioneer Woman (please read that with a big, thunderous voice).  Ree Drummond (over at The Pioneer Woman) is amazing and so is this:  The Best Lasagna.  Oh, boy.  It really is, especially served with baked potatoes, green beans, and cranberry/pecan zucchini bread.  The only change I made was substituting deer meat for ground beef.  Oh, and diced tomatoes for whole.  Oh, well.  I got relatively close.  

This is a great recipe to divide into two dishes so you can freeze one.  I did not do this because Mr. Chadwick has practically been begging lately to have lasagna, and I reasoned that with supper and lunches and supper again, it will probably be gone.  It is, after all, soccer season for the Coach, and that a hungry man makes.  Now, go ye unto thy kitchens and maketh this lasagna.  It's great.  You'll love it.

A Little Motivation

Now, while I typically share with you projects I have actually completed, today I'm in need of a little push to the finish line, so here's what I've been working on.

Magazine pages torn into fourths.

Using a small crochet hook, I rolled them into tiny tubes, securing them with Scotch Tape.

Then I took full-sized pages and rolled them into tubes as well.

I fully intend to attach them to this wire wreath form to make a wreath.

Now that I've shared this with you, I have no option but to complete the task at hand.  Eventually.

About that sick day...

Just because you have the crud doesn't mean you have to (or need to) stay in.  A growing, busy boy needs to play, so after nap time yesterday we hopped in the truck and headed to the park.  When we got there, we noticed the added blessing and surprise that Little Man's best friend from "school" was there as well!  Yay for God-planned play dates!

You've gotta love a busy, happy, dirty, sweaty little boy!

Sick Leave

Little Man and I have the crud right now, and as long as you'll be forgiving, we'll see ya later on this week.  For now, I will leave you with Little Man's favorite way to sit on the couch.  Have a great day!

Friday Photo

Pin-Mania!::4

Today, I thought I'd dip into the realm of recycling by turning a milk carton into a lunchbox.  The original website from the Pin is in Spanish, and there's not actually a tutorial there, so I did the best I could simply by following the pictures.  

I started with a clean, empty gallon milk jug.  I have been saving these for when I make laundry detergent. 

I took a Sharpie and drew some lines on it in an attempt to mimic what I saw in the original picture.

I used an Xacto knife to make the cuts, thinking that scissors might be too difficult.

Then, all that was left to do was take some scissors to trim the edges to smoothness, attach a sticky-backed Velcro dot and fold in the sides.  The original was held closed with a snap, but I didn't have any that were large enough to fit the task at hand.

I have absolutely no idea what I'm going to do with this, and I'm sure I won't be making another.  However, it is a neat idea. I pinned it, made it, and now it awaits Little Man to decide what use it will have.  I'm sure if someone were to really take their time in making this little box, it could be quite useful (like the lunchbox it's intended to be) and beautiful.  On with the Pins!

Pin-Mania!::3

Not only does Pin-Mania continue, but so does the jewelry theme.  Today, earrings (originally from here).  Using lace I already had on hand...

I cut two panels free. 

Since I never wear these earrings, I thought it would simple enough to take them, 

and attach the lace. 

Simple, fast, and elegant.