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August 8, 2009

All over the map...

Disclaimer: This post is all over the map with thoughts and pictures. I'm trying to make connections but I might be stretching it...

Although I'm in complete and utter denial about school starting up (our K-12 system doesn't start until after Labor day) Emma insisted that we needed to do a teeny tiny bit of school shopping today. She's now the proud owner of skinny jeans, a brown sweater vest and brown loafers.



We're getting ready to celebrate my Mom's birthday on Sunday.



After my latest trip to the Allegan Antique Fair, I'm just so excited to put my new fan appetizer plates to good use. Check out our fancy table spread. Hey family - Josie's rearranged everything at least three times, so there is no guarantee everything will be in the same place by the time you arrive. To make the paper lantern using a votive candle holder, click here to see a previous post.



Aside from birthday festivities and good food, the weather is suppose to be unbelievably HOT. I'm hopeful that our nephews and the girls can finally enjoy the pool. I think the girls have been in our little above-ground pool less than five times all summer. Our solar cover just hasn't had much to work with when the temperatures have been in the 70s. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for pool pictures (and I guarantee they won't be of ME).

Despite the strange summer weather in West Michigan, our little garden has managed to produce some lovely zucchini. I tweaked a muffin recipe in my Cooking Light cookbook and made some yummy zucchini bread this weekend. I added half a cup of shredded apple to give it some additional flavor. Between you and I, the reason I used a muffin recipe stead of a bread recipe, was because I was short on flour. The bread wasn't quite as tall as a normal loaf, but it was equally delicious.



Here's my modified recipe:

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup shredded zucchini
1/2 cup shredded apple
3/4 cup milk
3 tablespoons vegetable oil (I substituted applesauce for oil)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
cooking spray
*extra cinnamon and sugar for bread topping

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Combine flour and next five dry ingredients in a bowl; make a well in the center of the mixture.
3. Combine zucchini, apple, milk, oil (or applesauce) and egg; stir well with a whisk. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.
4. Spoon batter into a bread pan coated with cooking spray.
5. Combine 1 tablespoon of sugar to 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon and dust batter with cinnamon/sugar topping.
6. Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes. If you are making them as muffins, bake at 2o minutes.
7. Remove bread or muffins immediately from pan; place on a wire rack to cool.



Hope you are having a fabulously relaxing weekend. I'm trying to!!

6 comments:

Mike and Barb said...

Yummmm!!!! This bread looks delicious! I have zucchini in the fridge, so I'll put this on the menu for Monday morning. Now it's a bit late to start baking :-))
Have a great sunday!
Barb

Courtney said...

Have a great weekend. We are finally getting our summer weather in Ohio too. Enjoy the party!

Shanna said...

Emma looks so chic in her skinny jeans and brown sweater! School shopping.....uhg! I'm never ready for summer to end either :(

I am so glad that you didn't have to wait too long before using your lovely fan plates. I hope your party goes well and your mom has a terrific birthday!

Cool recipe! I'll can't wait to try it!

Kim said...

Sounds like you have been busy..
LOVE the new outfit..
Kids start here on Monday..
Doesn't seem possible..
Love the Birthday decor..
Have a great week..

PandaMom said...

You are just one of the coolest people on the planet, I think. Seriously, HOW do you work, take care of the girls and ALWAYS have such fabulous decor, crafts and ideas AND you have the time to blog about them and your not exploding in stress? Please tell me so that I can take whatever it is that you take, because as you learned from me last year that I didn't do well at all with all that and I only have one kid!! LOL! ; )

Jill said...

You crack me up Super Mom (aka Kim)!
Love Emma's new clothes for school! Hope your mom had a happy birthday and that the kiddos got to enjoy the pool!
Hugs, Jill