Monday

Our weekend was actually quiet and slow.  Even the phone didn't ring much.  DH took a few naps and I spent Saturday in the sewing room. 

I belong to a quilt group/forum at Missouri Star Quilt Company.  One of the best things about belonging to a group like this are the many projects you can work on with other quilters.  This weekend I worked on some blocks for a Quilt of Valor that will go to a Missouri soldier who lost both legs and an arm in combat.  I can't think of a more worthy recipient.  Just this Spring we lost one of our young men from Licking in combat.  He will never be forgotten.   

The colors for the QOV are, of course, red/white/blue and the pattern is Missouri Star, not an easy project at best.  We are also making some Rail Fence blocks to be incorporated into the border.

The garden is heavy with tomatoes which we are sharing with our neighbors.  The zucchini plants have been pulled out for this year. 
Several loaves of zucchini bread have been baked and are awaiting us in the freezer.  I can't imagine life without a freezer to store the garden's bounty for those long, cold winter days.   My zucchini bread recipe makes two loaves and is so simple it can be mixed by hand in no time:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Grease and flour two loaf pans. 

Beat together 3 eggs and add 1 cup vegetable oil, 2 cups granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla and 2 cups shredded zucchini.  Sift together 3 cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and add to wet mixture, mixing well.  Add a 20 ounce can of crushed pineapple (well drained) and 1 cup chopped nuts (I use pecans and sometimes I toss in a handful of coconut).  Mix well and pour into prepared pans.  Bake for 55 minutes.  Cool on rack.  This zucchini bread freezes very well.  I wrap the loaves in waxed paper and then heavy foil and slide the individual loaves into freezer bags. 

I make pineapple cream cheese to spread on our zucchini bread:  To an 8 ounce brick of softened cream cheese stir in an 8 ounce can of well-drained crushed pineapple.  This needs to be served at room temperature so the spread doesn't tear up the delicate bread.  It can be thinned with a little milk or pineapple juice. 

When we have a bounty of zucchini I shred it either by hand or in the food processor and freeze it in bags for future loaves of bread.  Zucchini has a lot of water, so if you are using frozen zucchini be sure to pat off the water.  Defrosting it in a colander helps.  I freeze bags containing about 3 cups shredded because with the loss of the water you need more zucchini for your recipe.

If you have ever grown zucchini, you know what bounty is all about!  I wish you a wonderful day!!!