Friday, September 28, 2012

taming the zucchini

I only planted one zucchini plant in the garden.  I know how they can get huge in a blink of an eye or so it seems.  With all the business of the summer, I have had a few large zucchinis to deal with...
Here's a new recipe I made for Michelle, so she had some quick breakfast options:



Zucchini bites
Olive oil
1 onion dices
3 slices bacon
1 carrot – grated
1 large zucchini – grated
3 eggs
1 cup cheese ( Parmesan or cheddar or a mixture)
¼ cup cream
½ cup self rising four ( add 3//4 t baking soda and ¼ t salt)

Sauté onion, carrot, and zucchini in olive oil. Cook bacon in microwave, chop and add to veggies to cool.
Beat eggs, cream, and cheese. Add to zucchini mixture
Stir in flour
Spoon into greased mini muffin pans
Bake 350 for 15 – 20 minutes.
Easy breakfast item!

My new favorite zucchini casserole because it goes together really fast:

Ritz Zucchini Cheddar Casserole
4 c very thinkly sliced zucchini
1/2 cu diced sweet onion
1 sleeve (35) Ritz crackers, crushed
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup milk
3 T butter (I just use olive oil and less)
Season all and garlic powder (optional)

saute zucchini, onion till transparent, salt and pepper to taste.  In large bowl mix crackers and cheese.
mix one half of this into the zucchini mixture in your 2 qt baking dish.  Blend eggs and milk together with seasonings.  Pour over zucchini and cracker mixture.  top with the other half of crackers and cheese.
Bake 400 for 20 - 25 mintues.
freezes well (I have made two at a time and put one in a foil pan for the freezer.  So easy for a quick dinner when nights are busy.)
I used to make a zuc casserole with shredded carrots, stuffing, sour cream and cream of chicken soup.  This one is tastier and faster.

New favorite Zucchini bread:

(called Mom's Zucchini Bread on All recipes.com)
3 cups flour
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
3 t cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup veg oil ( I replace 1/4 cup oil with ground flax - 6 T)
2 1/4 cups white sugar ( I usually leave out about 1/2 cup sugar)
3 t vanilla
2 cups grated zucchini (sometimes I drain out the extra watery stuff)
optional 1 cup chopped walnuts
grease two 8 x 4 pans or three smaller pans

sift flour, salt, b powder, soda, and cinnamon
beat eggs, oil, flax and sugar. add sifted dry ingredients.  Stir in zucchini and optional nuts
pour into baking pans
Bake 325 degrees for 40 - 60 minutes depending on your pan size.  check for doneness early if using the smaller loaf pans.
cool in pan 20 minutes, then remove. The smell while baking is addicting!

I didn't take any photos of my zucchini - that's boring.
So here is a reminder to never text and drive! This really happened this summer in Salt Lake City.  the 16 year old girl walked away unharmed.  But it was a chore getting that car out.  Just like we need to pay attention to how quickly our zucchini will get over sized! Ha.





Sunday, September 16, 2012

Marco is Born

One week and 2 days ago, Michelle went into labor, finally!  She was 41 weeks and scheduled to be induced on Friday Sept 7.  About 5:30 in the morning she called me to tell me that she actually was in labor, contractions 5 minutes apart and there would be no need to be induced!
 I arrived at the hospital around 7:20 am and gave some back rubs and encouragement to Michelle.  A little while later she was ready for the epidural and was then heard to say, "I've never felt so comfortable!"  It made a huge difference for her and she was smiling, happy, and just waiting for the progress. Four hours later the doctor told her it was time to push! 
What a tender time for me to comfort my baby who was about to have her own first baby!
I held my breath through all those counts of ten, 3 x during each contraction.  It was hard not to!

What a wonderful moment when the little baby made his appearance, and was placed skin to skin upon his mommies tummy.  We all gasped when he just lifted up his head to look at her.
Every moment and look at him was precious!
It's so great to have a new baby in the house - such sweetness and tenderness felt by all.





big boy, almost outgrown his newborn outfit!


Michelle and Marco came home on Sunday and we had Cisco's parents to dinner so they could enjoy the new little one.  We had a great time!

Trying out the Mamroo swing - so cool!  It can play songs on the iPhone.

First bath

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Before I forget

The 20 Minute Meal
I have lots of fresh basil in my garden, and just enough zucchini to make some bread, and cook up different ways.
I wanted a quick meal so I improvised on a Marth Stewart recipe I found in my collection:
 Start the water for fettucini pasta.
 slice an onion, a red pepper, and some zucchini - very thin.
Start sauteing veggies in olive oil, add some diced garlic or garlic powder.
soften 3 - 4 oz of  low fat cream cheese
heat up some chicken broth using the chicken base from Costco and 3/4 cup water
add  1/4  cup evap milk - to the cream cheese so it will mix in smooth
open one can of chicken, or add your own diced chicken
add chicken to veggies, then pour liquid and cream cheese over. Heat through.
Add 3 -4 good shakes of Parmesan cheese
add 3 t. corn starch to 3 T cold water.
stir into veggies and sauce. Let thicken
toss one handful of basil, sliced thin, into the sauce mixture

drain pasta and serve sauce over.  There was so much sauce we ate it in bowls!
Add a sliced peach as the side dish and dinner is done in 20 minutes!

This has to be lower fat than homemade alfredo, but it sure was creamy and tasty.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Book shower

Nicole hosted a very clever "Book Shower" for Michelle and her baby to be.
Since Michelle reads about 3 - 5 books a week, it seemed only fitting that Michelle and Cisco's new baby would also have a great supply of books on hand from day one.
The invitations looked like little books.

 B is for boy, Bis for Books, B is for Brunch!
G is for Gifts

Luckily we still have lots of old books around the Nicole could use for decor - vintage!



The spread: banana chocolate chip muffins, fruit, breakfast casserole, lemon bundt cake.


Davis came to the shower too - to hang out with Stella!

Lisa's clever wrapping impressed us all.

Letty brought a wreath made of 'denim' diapers. fun!

Mary and Lori

Amy and Mary

Lisa and Davis

Here are the pages of the alphabet book created by every one who attended. Cute! In the top of the photo you can see the little thank you bags of Alphabet cookies for the guests.

Stella said this party was a success!

Stella time

We had such a great time with Stella in June and July.  We miss her little smile, giggle, and her very alert eyes. We miss Camille too.
Here are some photos of their time with us in Utah.
looking at her mommy
Grandpa Clyde got hooked on playing with Stella.
She's  so fun to hold and watch.
Stella with her 2nd cousins Davis Keeler, and Vida Lynn Robinson, all born within 5 weeks of each other.
Getting used to the bouncer.

A huge smile for Grandma!

No way does Stella want to miss out on any action!

Stella with Michelle and a cousin not yet born...

Love her.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Stella comes for a visit

We are loving our days with Stella in the house. She smiles at us, loves looking around, and talks and coos to us.  I love sitting with her on the front porch in the cool morning and rocking her back to sleep.
She is a cutie for sure and getting lots of kisses from her grandparents!

OK, perfect.

That's what Bennett said when we were leaving the hay ride and he asked "go on slides?"  Grandpa Clyde said  "yes, we are going to the slides."  Bennett replied, "OK, perfect." 
We had a great time tending Alex, Bennett, and Ruby for a few days while Emily was in Utah.  Even with the help of Clyde all day, and KC at night and mornings, I am now so much more amazed by Emily and how she does so much by herself with the triplets in tow.  They have quick two year old minds, and often have their own plans,  making it a challenge to herd them all from the car to the house.

Where's the coconuts?
Grandpa makes a good horsey
We loved our days, bath time, stories in our laps, mealtimes, (they are so polite and say "thank you" so sweetly), trips to the park, and singing in the car.  They amazed us when they knew we had not traveled far enough into the park with the farm animals. Clyde made a wrong turn and they started to cry, thinking we were going home!  They recognize the landmarks of their favorite parks.
Alex and Bennett with their own hoses
Ruby
We had a blast with a hose for everyone ( what child does not love water?), and a slip  n slide we set up to go down the steep hill in the back yard.  Such delight when they figured out how to slide backwards and frontwards on their bellies!
Alex having a blast
We took a field trip to Costco, and had their favorite treat of yogurt swirl.  We had to get everyone their own cups because Costco had just stopped giving out courtesy cups the week before!
It took me a few nights to get the songs out of my head so I could sleep, but we're missing them a ton already.
here's a couple videos for fun: