autumn for breakfast

i am getting achy for autumn to present itself to us here.  one morning last week we woke up to a chilly fifty-something degrees.  the boys practically thought we had moved to the yukon.  {they've adapted to this warm weather much better than i have.}  but it was only a ghost of colder days.  it was gone before lunch time.  the next morning the sun was shining and the a/c was running as i chauffeured them to school once again.

this morning i opened the windows to find that a mist had settled itself over our backyard in the early hours.  it looked like the kind of mist that nips your nose and tingles your cheeks.  it looked like it could be autumn out there.  so i set off to the kitchen to make a breakfast fit for the season, not daring to open the door and find that the beautiful fog was actually warm and soggy.  in our mostly empty dining room, we sat around the table and enjoyed homemade cinnamon raisin oatmeal, orange slices and cinnamon toast.  it was delicious and i still haven't opened a single door.  i decided i should make autumn for breakfast more often.  it might just pull me through these final days of slummer.

happy weekend.

xoxo.ash

super moist zucchini bread

i was in the fifth grade when my mother's friend sent her home with a crinkly brown bag overflowing with zucchini from her garden.  that evening she fried some up to go with our mashed potatoes and i decided right then and there that i was not born to be a zucchini lover.  i swore the stuff off on account of the smell and the texture.  so you can imagine my protesting when she asked me to pull out the recipe book and search the index for zucchini bread.  blah!  i thought she must be mad. but to my very pleasant surprise, once the heap of grated zucchini was mixed up into the cinnamon laced dough, something amazing happened.  it smelled and tasted amazing to me.  i fell in love.  it also buoyed up my belief in the fact that sugar and cinnamon could save just about anything.

i think that bag of zucchini must have yielded at least ten loaves of that heavenly bread over the next few weeks.  not only did it satisfy the bellies of her seven children and one husband, but also the bellies of friends and neighbors and surely strangers alike.  i can't recall a time in my childhood when any baked goods were actually made for the sole purpose of feeding just our family.  there was always something set aside for someone.  i can't tell you the number of times we made a "home run" batch of cookies {that's what we called it when we would quadruple the recipe} so that we would have enough to share.  so naturally when i bake, i feel inclined to do the same.  that is half the joy of baking is it not?  it's a tradition that i try to follow and i hope that it's something that carries on with my own children.

and now, after making it through my introductory story, here is a fantastic recipe for yummy and moist zucchini bread that i found on all recipes.  really the only change that i made was cutting back the sugar a bit.  this recipe will yield two loaves, so think about doubling it and sharing some home baked goodness with someone else!

enjoy!

super moist zucchini bread

3 C. all-purpose flour
1 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1 T. ground cinnamon
3 eggs
1 C. vegetable oil
2 C. white sugar
1 T. vanilla extract
2 C. grated zucchini

1. preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease two large bread pans.  

2. in a small bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon.

3. in a large bowl, beat eggs, oil, vanilla and sugar.  slowly add in the dry ingredients until thoroughly mixed.  last you'll add the zucchini and mix until evenly distributed through batter.  the consistency should change noticeably at this point.  get a spatula and split the batter between your two prepared pans.

4. bake for 45-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes clean out of the center.  let cool on rack and then remove from pan.

leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for weeks and extra loaves can even be stored in the freezer.  just make sure they are well wrapped.

happy baking!

xoxo. ash

messes in the kitchen::chewy chocolate chip cookies

we made pistachio chocolate chip cookies yesterday.  somehow this picture doesn't quite capture their boogerish tint.  take a bite in one though and there's no denying that it is indeed green.  for that reason, they were a hit with the six and four-year-olds.  the flavor was definitely interesting for me.  don't let me kid you, i've eaten plenty.  as far as texture goes they are amazing though.  those tricky little things!  i am thinking i won't make them again until halloween and maybe drop in a teensy bit of food coloring to up the green factor.  a funny  little after school snack perhaps.

all i did was change up a few ingredients from my favorite ever chocolate chip cookie recipe.  i should give recipe credit here, but i can't remember where in the world i got it from.  i'll give you the original and then tell you what changes i made for yesterday's experiment.

The World's Best Chewy Choco Chip Cookies...EVER!

4 3/4 C. flour

2 tsp. baking soda

2 C. softened butter (not melted)

1/2 C. granulated sugar

1 1/2 C. packed brown sugar

2 packages vanilla instant pudding

4 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

4 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips

{all i did was substitute pistachio pudding mix for the vanilla pudding mix and instead of 2 tsp. of vanilla i did 1 tsp. vanilla and 1 tsp. almond extract.}

1- heat oven to 350.  in small bowl combine flour and baking soda and set aside.

2-in large bowl, cream together softened butter and sugars.  mix in pudding mix until just combined and then beat in eggs and vanilla.  

3-add dry ingredients and mix well.  stir in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed.

4-drop in spoonfuls on ungreased baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes.  cookies should be lightly browned on top.

let cool and eat as many as you can before they disappear!  

if pistachio isn't your thing, i suggest you at least give the classic chocolate chips a try.  you will not be disappointed!

xoxo. ash

boxed cake mix secret

yesterday afternoon i was in the baking isle of our local grocery store when a very obviously lost man approached me.  

"so i need to make cupcakes but i can't find cupcake mix."

i kid you not, we were standing smack dab in front of rows and rows of cake mix.  i told him that you just use cake mix and he immediately questioned me on if i was sure about that.

i then proceeded to help him gather the supplies for forty-eight cupcakes for his daughter's end of year preschool party.  baptism by fire is what i call that.  i'd be lying if i didn't say i was curious how that went for him.  bless his heart.

the point of this post is that i really wanted to share with him the secret that i learned a year or so ago on how to make your boxed cake absolutely delicious and moist, but i didn't want to overwhelm him.  so then i thought, i will blog about it!  i really don't know why i hadn't shared it up to this point.  but here goes my grand, or not so grand, secret!

1 box cake mix

1 box pudding mix

1 extra egg

double the vegetable oil

reduce the water to 1 cup

tada!  that's it.  it doesn't produce your perfectly formed cupcakes for sure.  i've never much cared for that anyhow.  i kind of dig the look of imperfection when it comes to baked goods.  clearly i would be a very unsuccessful baker.  but boy will everyone love the way they taste.

p.s. when it comes to choosing your pudding mix, i've learned that you don't have to be too incredibly picky.  i've mixed strawberry with chocolate cake mix, cheesecake flavored pudding with lemon cake mix and others too i am sure.  they all were still very delicious.

happy baking!

xoxo. ash

a fall treat

honest to goodness these are my favorite thing to bake for fall. ever. they are delicious! so of course i feel the need to share. try them out. they're so simple and so yummy. if you don't feel like baking up a bunch of cookies just do a sheet full and refrigerate the dough for another day.

pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

1 C butter {room temperature}
1 C shortening
2 C granulated sugar

++Cream first three ingredients together.

15 oz pumpkin {plain}
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla

++Add pumpkin, eggs and vanilla to creamed mixture. Stir just to combine.

4 C flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

++Add all dry ingredients to mixture and mix well. Dough should have even coloring.

Drop in spoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes.

Enjoy with a nice cold glass of milk!

Happy baking friends!

xoxo.ash

a happy monday to you

mondays and i have a rather complicated relationship.

i love that my week is new and my to-do list still seems attainable...but i drag coming out of my sunday mindset. sunday is my day of rest. we attend church and i try to limit myself to only what is necessary and try to fit in things that i don't get to on a regular basis. for example, letters to my missionary brother, loading up on old conference talks, games with my boys and the occasional batch of cookies. yesterday was coconut chocolate chip cookie day. yummy.

the boys had one fresh from the oven with milk right before bed last night. they don't normally get treats before bed so they thought that was pretty special.



i had a few this morning as i thumbed through my new country living magazine. it always feels a little like my birthday or something when they come.

and just because i loved how it turned out, i thought i would share the bunting that i made for baby girl's nursery. p.s. i also finished binding her quilt and i am in love. i can't wait for her to try it out!



i also worked on another nursery project last weekend that i'm not ready to share yet, but i did have some excess fabric and made this little pillow cover to put in the shop. i kind of understand the rage over chevron patterns now. love it!



what's your take on mondays? love them, hate them, don't really care either way.

i'm all ears!

xoxo. ash

a bowl full of strawberries

so i'm pretty sure that strawberries aren't actually in season right now but that did not stop me from snagging a carton from the grocery store last night. we munched on a couple this morning with our pancakes and now all i can think about is all the amazing things i can do with them. like dip them in sour cream and brown sugar. yum! i love fruit. i love feeling like i'm eating healthy and knowing that my boys don't realize that they ARE eating healthy as they chow down. tonight when we eat them on our ice-cream, covered in chocolate syrup, i probably wont even feel guilty about it.

do you have a favorite strawberry dish?

do tell.

xo.ash

happy halloweenies!

today we made our traditional halloweenies for lunch. we got to do it a few days early since we'll be gone on halloween day.

they are super fun and simple and the boys LOOOOVE them.

all you need is a can of pillsbury cresent rolls and a package of eight hotdogs. i buy bun length because it gives you a little more to work with.

just roll out the cresent dough. with a pizza cutter, cut strips of different sizes going with the direction of the dough perforations.

grab a hotdog and start wrapping. this is so simple for little ones to do on their own.

doesn't he look proud of himself?

line them out on a cookie sheet and bake for 13-15 minutes at 375 degrees.

let them cool, give them creepy ketchup eyes and enjoy!

and to top it off we washed them down with goblin guts. aka: a green goodness fruit smoothie from bolthouse farms.

yummy!

do you have any halloween traditions??

make it a date

i am not really one to brag on restaurants. at least i don't think that i am. but today i'm going to break protocol and tell you that if you ever find yourself in our beautiful mountains, you really must stop and try my new favorite place! Red Devil Pizza. yum.

i have tried quite a few of their menu items-- pizza, chicken parmesan, fettuccini alfredo, lasagna, tortellini alfredo and broccoli and i would recommend all of them! best of all, while on a lunch date last week with a friend, she let me in on a little secret--their bruschetta is divine! seriously-divine.

i am craving some now.

the key points of this post::

red devil. pinetop. delicious. go.

now try it and let me know what you think!

with help from our garden

we have had tomatoes and jalapenos coming out our ears over here so i finally decided to make some salsa last night. my favorite salsa EVER can be found here. but it's something i rarely have unless my mom makes it. matt doesn't go for the chunks of "non salsa" items. i do. boy i do! but in an effort to keep the hubby happy i tend to keep it simple.

so here is what i made last night.

for a small batch::
3 large tomatoes
1 large can diced tomatoes
1 garlic clove, diced
3 tbsp diced onion
2 fresh jalapenos, diced
1 medium can diced green chiles

because matt doesn't like chunks i blend my salsa completely. you do not have to. you may also substitute any of the fresh ingredients for canned or vise versa. i prefer to have part canned tomatoes and part fresh, it just seems to have better flavor that way.

{like my fancy repurposed jars? i never throw away my spaggeti sauce jars anymore.}

i am dreading our last batch of fresh salsa because that will mean our garden is done producing for the year. but on the other hand, that also means lots and lots of soup. yum.

a good morning

this morning we indulged ourselves with a yummy homemade breakfast. i love mornings like these. they remind me of when i was younger. it was easier then. i was the one piddling around the house while the smell of breakfast wafted through every room. i came when i was called, ate my delicious meal and went back to my business.

now i am the one in charge. i watch my boys play with each other and feel them pulling at my legs while i whisk through the batter. i'm the one that is silently praying that it all comes out edible. i am the one who gets the thrill out of watching my family enjoy. that makes it all worth it.

i wish i was a better mom. i wish i had the energy to do this every morning. that is something i intend to work on.

happy sunday!

waffle recipe:

3 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
4 eggs (separated)
2 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup butter (melted)

Whisk together dry ingredients. In separate bowl, mix together egg yolks, milk and butter. Combine the two mixtures and cook on hot waffle iron.

Enjoy with your favorite topping.

{self control and the lack thereof}

oh yum. we made these tasty treats yesterday.

easy. fun. kid friendly.

oh and did i mention...yum.

i posted the recipe here.

now i think today i will try to squeeze in a little run to make up for my lack of self control. really, what is happening to me? i've been in a slump. don't know why. but it makes me eat. a lot. i was doing so good with my weight loss goals. i haven't stepped on a scale for a few weeks now. strictly for the fear of what it will show me. even though i don't need a scale to see that i've been slacking big time.

i think a self-motivating post is soon to come. that's your warning.

but for now it is off to show low we go. bossy pants has an appointment with dr. b. something tells me he has another ear infection.

perhaps it's the lack of sleep, constant grumpiness and his need for my hands to be covering his ears at all times.

this is something i hoped and prayed we would be past by now. who knows, maybe i'm wrong.

muah.

{mallows}

You asked so here it is. Yummy Homemade Marshmallows. Seriously, these make for the best cup of hot chocolate ever. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

.75 oz unflavored gelatin {3 envelopes Knox gelatin}

1/2 C cold water

2 C granulated sugar

2/3 C light corn syrup

1/4 C water

1/4 tsp salt

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Line a 9x9 pan with plastic wrap and lightly oil it. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 C cold water. Soak for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine sugar, corn syrup and 1/4 C water in small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a rapid boil and let boil hard for 1 minute.

Pour the boiling mixture into soaked gelatin and turn on the mixer, using the whisk attachment, to high speed. Add the salt and beat for 12 minutes.

After 12 minutes, add in the vanilla extract. Beat to incorporate.

Scrape the marshmallow mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly. {Lightly greasing your hands and spatula will help a lot}

Take another piece of lightly oiled plastic wrap and press lightly on top of the marshmallows, creating a seal.

Let mixture sit for a few hours, or overnight, until cooled and firmly set.

In a shallow dish, combine equal parts cornstarch and confectioners' sugar. Remove marshmallow form pan and cut into equal pieces with scissors or a chef's knife. Dredge each piece for marshmallow in the confectioners' sugar mixture.

Store in an airtight container.

Makes about 40 large marshmallows depending on the size you cut them.

It probably looks a lot harder than it actually is. Don't let it intimidate you!

{a look at the thirty-first}

We fed our lizard pumpkin cookies

We {and by 'we' I mean Bossy Pants} ate crumbs from the floor

We made some mummy-dog friends


And proceeded to eat them


We shared our cookies with friends


And we got ready for our big night on the town!

We'll be sharing our costumes soon!