zucchini, zucchini and more zucchini (recipes)!

My neighbor just brought over three ginormous zucchinis, and by ginormous I mean the size of a watermelon! So I'll be shredding and freezing a ton of zucchini this weekend, and in the spirit of zucchini shredding, here are a few zucchini-filled recipes for today's food for thought friday. The first two are tried and true and total favorites in our home. The others are ones I found on Allrecipes.com that sound super yummy as well. Got zucchini? Then shred away!

Zucchini Brownies
1/2 c vegetable oil
1 1/2 c white sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 c shredded zucchini
1/2 c chopped walnuts

Frosting
6 T unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 c margarine
2 c confectioners' sugar
1/4 c milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan. In a large bowl, mix together the oil, sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla until well blended. Combine the flour, 1/2 cup cocoa, baking soda and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Fold in the zucchini and walnuts. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven or until brownies spring back when gently touched. To make the frosting, melt together the 6 tablespoons of cocoa and margarine; set aside to cool. In a medium bowl blend together the confectioners' sugar, milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in the cocoa mixture. Spread over cooled brownies before cutting into squares.


Chocolate Zucchini Bread
2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
3 eggs
2 c white sugar
1 c vegetable oil
2 c grated zucchini
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 c semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans. In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave chocolate until melted. Stir occasionally until chocolate is smooth.

In a large bowl combine eggs, sugar, oil, grated zucchini, vanilla and chocolate; beat well. Stir in the flour baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared loaf pans. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a loaf comes out clean.


Italian Sausage Soup
1 lb Italian sausage
1 clove garlic, minced
2 (14 ounce) cans beef broth
1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes
1 c sliced carrots
1 (14.5 ounce) can great Northern beans, undrained
2 small zucchini, cubed
2 c spinach - packed, rinsed and torn
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt

In a stockpot or Dutch oven, brown sausage with garlic. Stir in broth, tomatoes and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in beans with liquid and zucchini. Cover and simmer another 15 minutes or until zucchini is tender. Remove from heat and add spinach. Replace lid allowing the heat from the soup to cook the spinach leaves. Soup is ready to serve after 5 minutes.


Corn and Zucchini Medley
4 slices bacon
2 c chopped zucchini
1 1/2 c fresh corn kernels
1 small onion, chopped
1 pinch pepper
1/4 c shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Reserve 1 tablespoon of drippings. Drain bacon, chop, and set aside.

Heat the bacon drippings in the skillet over medium heat. Saute the zucchini, corn and onion until tender but still crisp, about 10 minutes. Season with pepper. Spoon vegetables into a bowl and sprinkle with chopped bacon and shredded cheese.


Greek Pasta Salad
Dijon Vinaigrette
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 large clove garlic, minced
Big pinch of salt
Black pepper, to taste
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Pasta Salad
2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 medium yellow pepper, halved lengthwise, seeded
2 T olive oil
Ground black pepper and salt, to taste
2 T salt for pasta water
1 lb medium pasta shells
1 lb cooked shrimp, halved lengthwise
8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
3/4 c coarsely chopped, pitted Kalamata olives
1 c crumbled feta cheese
1/2 small red onion, cut into small dice
2 tsp dried oregano

To make the vinaigrette whisk together the first five ingredients, then slowly whisk in the oil for a thick consistency. Pour into a jar with a tight-fitting lid if transporting the salad.

Adjust oven rack to highest position and turn broiler on high. Toss zucchini and bell pepper with olive oil, salt and pepper and arrange on a large baking sheet with sides. Broil eight to 10 minutes, until spotty brown, turning zucchini slices and pepper halves once. Set aside in a large bowl to cool, then cut into bite-sized pieces.

Bring 1 gallon of water and 2 Tbs. of salt to boil. Add pasta; boil using package times, until just tender. Drain thoroughly (do not rinse) and dump onto the baking sheet. Set aside to cool. Put vegetables, pasta and remaining ingredients (except dressing) in the bowl or a gallon-sized zipper bag (can be refrigerated for several hours). To serve, add dressing; toss to coat.

"Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie." --Jim Davis' Garfield

delicious stationary from PaPaYa!

Though I don't purchase a lot of stationary products, I could easily become a stationary junkie when it comes to the beautiful line from PaPaYa! I first discovered PaPaYa! in a boutique in Kauai and I immediately fell in love with their artistic, colorful, yummy designs. One look and I was definitely hooked! After today's that's hot! thursday, you'll be hooked too!

For starters, take their 2009 Birds & Blooms calendar. Each month is a work of art and a glittery, refreshing break from your standard scenic calendar. And how could their journals not inspire creativity? PaPaYa! offers everything from gift enclosures to cards to art panel prints. No matter how long I browse their site I can't get enough of the fanciful designs.

I love the story behind PaPaYa!, a "mother/ daughter team who ... share the Vision of 'Creative Abandon' by striving to bring inspiration & beauty into the far reaches of [their] business. ... PaPaYa! is intended to be [their] melting pot of ideas & curiosities with no apologies for being bold, varied, humorous. ... Everything from life is welcome."

We could all use a little more creative abandon in our lives. Me? I'm creatively challenged so I'll be turning to PaPaYa! for a little help. If you're not sure how to add creative abandon to your life, a good place to start would be by picking up a postcard, magnet or even "Love Letter" from PaPaYa!. --Emily

MAGHOUND: all your favorite magazines for one low price

I don't subscribe to very many magazines because I either can't keep up with the reading (Time once a week was killing me) or I get bored before my year or two subscription is up. Plus subscribing to more than one or two magazines at a time is tough on the budget, so what's a magazine junkie to do? Today's wonderful web wednesday brings you MAGHOUND, the new online membership service that lets you "choose, change, and manage all the magazines delivered to your home for one low monthly fee."

First you choose your level of membership, from three titles ($4.95 per month) to five ($7.95 per month) to seven ($9.95 per month) and up (an additional $1 per title). MAGHOUND has hundreds of magazines to choose from. To see if your favorite magazine is on MAGHOUND, click here. You can browse by top sellers, subject or search by keyword. Then you customize your package by how many titles per month you'd like. From there you can manage your account online--replace, cancel or add magazines anytime. Sounds too good to be true but the only catch I've found is that some magazines are tagged as "premium" and require an additional fee per month.

Though $60 a year sounds like a lot for a subscription, if you add up three of your current magazine subscriptions I bet they'll be close to this price or more. And I highly doubt Real Simple is going to let you change their magazine for People with just the click of the mouse.

Right now MAGHOUND is offering a 30-day free membership. They claim "no hidden commitments and no obligation to continue." You are able to cancel your membership "anytime, online, 24 hours a day, with no cancellation fees." I say it's definitely worth a try! And though they don't offer gift certificates (yet), MAGHOUND would be a great gift this holiday season. --Emily

what to eat before a workout

Today's take it off tuesday is all about food--more specifically what your body needs before you work out and when it needs it. In "Fuel for Your Workout: Which Foods Work Best" from the site divine caroline, Allie Firestone talks about the types of food that will give you the most bang for your bite before and during your workout...and depending on the type of workout you have planned.

The basics? Complex carbs with a side of protein is the best: "...whether it's yoga, an hour of hardcore kickboxing, or a weightlifting session ... [your meal] should ... be composed of foods that break down slowly, supplying the body with a steady stream of energy and nutrients." So basically half a king-size Twix isn't going to cut it but a ripe banana with a side of peanut butter should do the trick.

Just as important as what you eat is when you eat it. Timing depends on the size of your meal and the types of food in it:

Different factors affect how quickly the meal will break down, like whether it's liquid or solid (liquid digests faster), or if it has some healthy fats (fat needs more time to break down). ... A more snacky meal... usually takes one to two hours to digest, but a larger meal ... will need a full two to three hours.

Though natural foods are best, protein bars and shakes can be a good option if you're in a hurry or on the go. "Fuel for Your Workout" even outlines the best meals for Pilates or yoga (dark chocolate--yum!), cardio (oatmeal--yummy with a little brown sugar and a handful of raisins) and weight lifting (it's all about the protein, baby). With what limited time you have to work out, you might as well get the most out of it! --Emily

Mike Michalowicz dispels five common entrepreneur myths

Today's mompreneur monday features a recent guest post by Mike Michalowicz, author of The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, on The Big Idea Blog. In his post "Don’t Share Your Big Idea Because Investors Will Steal It (And Four Other Stupid Misconceptions)," Michalowicz puts to rest five common myths related to being an entrepreneur:

1. Don’t share your big idea (i.e. investors are not lying in wait to steal your idea; they have better things to do)
   
2. Go in 50/50 with your best friend (think about assigning equity based on performance; LeShan and I are happy with a 50/50 relationship but it doesn't work for everyone)
   
3. Writing a business plan improves your chances for success (save a few trees and stick to three important documents: a one-page prosperity plan, a one-page quarterly plan, and the daily metrics)
4. Count your profits at the end of the day (do just the opposite and set up a PFA or "profit first account"--I really like this idea!)
   
5. Balance work and family through self-employment (ha ha! any mompreneur knows balance is about as achievable as a daily nap, but integrating the family in the business can help!)
   

Michalowicz gives more details on each myth in his post and it's truly worth your time to read it in its entirety (it's not very long). And when you're done you might want to read more about his book The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur. After reading more about him and the rave reviews about his book, I'm thinking his book is going to be a must-have for my business library. --Emily

win a gorgeous lizzy anne quilt!

I am so glad there are talented (and beautiful) quilt makers out there because I will never be one, so it's up to these women to supple the rest of the world with gorgeous quilts and quilt designs. Daria at Boutique Cafe sent me the link to a quilt giveaway on Pigtails and Snails, a blog by Elizabeth Cranmer of Lizzy Anne quilt designs. The fabulous fall quilt she is giving away is titled "spring up" and is a Lizzy Anne original design.

The quilt is a raw-edge applique quilt, and though I don't know much about quilting, I do know this is one of my favorite techniques. It means the edges are frayed and usually already washed so they're soft. Measuring 70" x 100" the quilt is a generous twin size. You can read more about the quilt and the woman who quilted it by reading the original quilt giveaway post. She will also have 2nd and 3rd-place prizes, so you have three chances to win! You don't want to miss out on this gorgeous quilt giveaway, so enter before October 17th! Good luck! --Emily

sunday morning cinnamon rolls

With fall comes the holidays and with the holidays comes cinnamon rolls. Sure, you can eat them all year round but there's something extra yummy about eating them on a Sunday morning when the frost is thick on the ground. A good cinnamon recipe is worth more than the weight of its pan in gold, and here's a real treasure from my girlfriend Chris Rich. (Thanks, Chris!) Refrigerate, roll, raise, slice, bake and enjoy!

Sunday Morning Cinnamon Rolls
Note: Make the dough the day before

1 c water
1 c butter
3/4 c sugar
2 t salt
1 c cold water
4 eggs slightly beaten
2 packages yeast or 4 ½ t yeast
1/2 c warm water
7 1/2 c flour
1/2 c butter softened
1 c brown sugar
1/4 c cinnamon
1 recipe Powdered Sugar Glaze

In a large pot bring 1 cup water to a boil. Add the 1 cup butter, sugar and salt. Remove from heat. Add the 1 cup cold water. When mixture is lukewarm, add beaten eggs. In a separate bowl dissolve yeast in the 1/2 cup warm water. Allow yeast to rise about 5 minutes, until foamy. Stir into mixture. Add flour and stir together. Cover pan with lid and refrigerate overnight. (A 5-quart ice cream bucket with lid also works well.)

When ready to roll out, divide dough into thirds. Lightly flour surface of bread- board. Roll dough out into a 12x6-inch rectangle about 1/2-inch thick. Spread each rectangle with one-third of the softened butter. In a bowl combine brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle 1/3 of brown sugar and cinnamon mixture over surface of dough.
Roll up jelly roll style and cut into about 12 rounds. Place on greased baking sheet. Follow same procedure with other two portions of dough. Let raise 2-3 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake one sheet at a time for about 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Spread with Powdered Sugar Glaze while still warm. Makes 3 dozen rolls.

Powdered Sugar Glaze
1/2 c butter, softened
2 c powdered sugar
2 T milk
2 t vanilla or 1 t vanilla and 1 t almond extract (her secret ingredient)

Cream above ingredients together and spread over warm cinnamon rolls. Don't forget to lick the bowl!

"I like cinnamon rolls, but I don't always have time to make a pan. That's why I wish they would sell cinnamon roll incense. After all I'd rather light a stick and have my roommate wake up with false hopes." --Mitch Hedberg

Olive Kids character-free bedding

Because I'm especially exhausted tonight, today's that's hot! thursday is a teaser for the full Daily Dish review on Olive Kids children's bedding over at Boutique Cafe. My favorite thing about Olive Kids bedding and decor is the total lack of TV or movie characters. You won't find Spiderman on the sheets or Dora on the comforter, and for someone like me who only allows characters on underwear, it's very refreshing. Here's a little blurb from the full review:

Olive Kids was created to offer parents like me 'an affordable alternative to the character based entertainment licenses.' The company believes kids' rooms should inspire creativity and play and not serve as an advertisement for a TV show or movie. I couldn't agree more! Though my baby girl isn't old enough to realize it, she is now the proud owner of Olive Kids' Tea Party bedding set. My mom was in town when I opened the box and she and I could not stop oohing and aahing over every single piece. ...

Read the full review to learn more about why I love Olive Kids' children's bedding and decor. Don't miss the fabulous giveaway at the end of the review. Just comment on the post for your chance to win Olive Kids' awesome canvas growth chart! Good luck! --Emily

Marshalls Shoe Mega Shop: enter to win $250!

I may love shoes but I rarely pay full price for them. If I'm not reviewing a fabulous pair of Penny Loves Kenny or Söfft shoes for Boutique Cafe then I'm shopping Nordstrom Rack or Famous Footwear's BOGO sale. But now I may have a new must-visit store for shoes; Marshalls is opening a new Mega Shop and it sounds perfect for bargain-loving shoe-lovers like me.

Marshalls' new concept is "5,000 square feet of shoe-lovers heaven, featuring top brands and the latest styles found in department and specialty stores, but for up to 60 percent less." With an easy-to-shop layout and a plethora of styles and sizes it's sure to be a mega hit!

To kick off their new Shoe Mega Shop, Marshalls is offering you a chance to win $250 in gift cards! Check out the widget below for your chance to win:



I've actually played the game a few times and it's quite fun, although I have yet to be successful at matching the shoes in all three rounds. But $250 is a tempting prize so I may have to play until I finally get it right! Good luck, and may the best shoe-lover win! --Emily

Zabitatz is THE online meeting place for homeowners

I am still getting used to this twitter thing. I almost gave up on it once or twice but am slowly getting the hang of it. Though I'm not a 24/7 twitterer I do enjoy reading what others have to say and sharing my own two cents now and then. Once in a while I even come across fun new sites and today's wonderful web wednesday is the result of such a tweet, so thank you, twitter!

If you're a homeowner in need of design advice or in need of a forum to share your fabulous design ideas, then Zabitatz is the site for you. Claiming to be "the fun, never-intimidating and always informative site where passionate members meet to share advice, insight and inspiration about everything home-related," Zabitatz is place where beginners and experts alike can ask questions and get answers on everything from painting a room to gardening to choosing the right appliance.

Collaboration is the key on Zabitatz. If you have a great idea about how to display family photos or have learned from a design mistake, share it. If you would like to know more about types of flooring or even managing finances, just ask. Members can post to forums, review products, share their favorite links, and even upload photos and videos.

Right now on Zabitatz you can enter the Wacky Tacky Home Design Disasters Contest. Just upload a photo of a crazy design distater (yours or someone else's) and if your photo wins by public vote, you could be mortgage free for a year! Zabby of Zabitatz is also highlighting her favorite pink products that support breast cancer reasearch and has opened a "pink" forum where members can discuss their favorite pink products and discuss the important topic of breast cancer.

I'm no design guru (that would be LeShan) and so this site is a great resource for the design-challenged like myself. But even if you're an ol' pro you'll still find a lot of "zabtastic" info on Zabitatz. --Emily

Polyvore let's you mix & match to your heart's content

Even though fashion trend tuesday is usually LeShan's department I'm going to attempting one today only because the site speaks for itself. Though creativity in fashion isn't my cup of tea I might be able to brew a pot or two after playing around on Polyvore.

I first heard about Polyvore from Lena's Notebook. The site uses a unique web application that lets you mix and match images from the web. You can create full outfits from head to toe, new ideas for your living room or any collage that suits your fancy. Apparently it's highly addictive, or so the site claims and so I've gathered from Lena. (I love her To Do list!) The stats are impressive. Since the site launched in February, 2007:

• 1.4 million unique visitors per month
• 300,000 registered users
• 2.2 million sets created
• 2.3 million products

I played around a little bit on Polyvore this evening and am hooked. I started by choosing a background and immediately fell in love with the ones from aliciabock.com. Here is my first attempt. Now keep in mind I am very left brained so this isn't the coolest set you'll find on Polyvore:



If we're lucky LeShan will discover Polyvore and then we can all be seriously impressed! I admit it, I could spend a lot of time on the site but will sign off for now. One thing that's really awesome is you can check out featured sets like this one and it details every item (name and from where it came). In fact, I just checked my set above and the site had already broken it down with links to purchase the items pictured. SO COOL!

If you're like me and need a little help when it comes to creaticity in fashion, check out Polyvore's blog. I am loving the Scooby Doo Halloween costume ideas! The blog also has great fashion tips such as what to wear with argyle and how to accessorize high-waisted skirts. Fashion lovers, beware and be well rested. You'll be mixing and matching for hours on end. Have fun! --Emily

are you an overwhelmed mother?

The answer is probably yes, especially if you're a mother and mompreneur. I have many a day where I wonder how I'm going to get everything done on my to-do list, and that doesn't count the numerous unplanned interruptions (potty training fits right into that one). That thing where you run around like a chicken with its head cut off? I've used that expression one too many times. Tired of being a headless chicken I am slowly learning my world--family or business--won't fall apart if things aren't checked off the list. I'm trying to be more flexible, focus on the moment and fight the addiction to multitask every moment of every day.

I missed this week's Oprah about the overwhelmed mother who left her two-year-old girl in the car all day while she was at work. She simply forgot she was there. It was a tragic yet touching story that hit home to those of us trying to balance the daily demands of a life filled with children, groceries, laundry, invoices and emails. My first thought was, "How could she not remember her daughter was in the back seat?" And then I remembered the times when I've turned around in the car to make sure my daughter was in her car seat--I couldn't recall actually strapping her in when I left the house! Like Oprah mentioned, I too have arrived at a destination not knowing how I got there (and wondering if I ran any red lights along the way).

The message I took home from this Oprah episode was to slow down, focus on the task at hand and do whatever I can to avoid becoming overwhelmed. If you missed "An Overwhelmed Mother's Deadly Mistake" I highly recommend you read the episode (I believe it's close to the full transcript). It will help put your multitasked life into perspective. Hopefully none of us will ever have to go through something so tragic. --Emily