Squash Bread, Etc.

Our friends who have a garden were super generous and gave us two HUGE zucchini and summer squash. So I thought I would make some bread. The first batch of zucchini bread was pretty good but not something to write home about. The squash bread however was really tasty! Now, I have to admit that before I received this squash I never even knew squash bread existed. Hopefully I'm not the only one?! Maybe I am...all well. Anyways, here is the recipe if you have some squash laying around :)

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 cups shredded summer squash

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease 9x13 baking dish. I used a smaller dish and split into 2 loaves.
• In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the eggs until fluffy. Beat in the sugar, oil and vanilla. Gradually mix in the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. Fold in the squash. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
• Bake about 45 min in the oven, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. 

In other news, I bought a milk frother!! I understand that this news may not be quite as exciting to others, however I have wanted one for about a year now so the long wait is over. We have been enjoying our coffee a little more fancy these days. 

 We have had quite the rain storm this weekend

Louie has taken up Italian in his spare time

 Squash bread & coffee

Having fun with the duck dynasty app!

 

You guys, yesterday I actually pulled off a prank! It was SO fun. In the late afternoon I went to the local drug store to pick up some essentials and I decided to wander down the halloween isle just to see what kind of decor they had. I came across this hideous looking rat. It had two big teeth coming out and gross long tail. I immediately thought, oh, I wonder if I could get Brian with this. I decided to buy it. When checking out the guy laughed just looking at this rat and I told him my plan to play a prank on my husband and he laughed even harder and told me to put it on Youtube. Well, I'm not that cruel. hehe So I got home and put it strategically in his underwear drawer and actually forgot about it. When he got home and was going through his drawer I heard him yell "AAAHHH!" I came running into the room laughing and still in disbelief that I actually pulled it off. Then I kindly reminded him of when he did the exact same thing to me about 3 years ago :)

 

What's For Dinner

I have started watching The Sopranos from the very beginning last night and since then I have had a craving for what else...pasta of course! Some good, old fashioned bolognese. So I am cracking open this cook book that I have had for a couple years now and knew I would find just what I was looking for. 

Simple Bolognese

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 celery stalk, minced
• 1 carrot, minced
• 1 lb ground beef chuck
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 8 fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Directions:

• In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium flame. When almost smoking, add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion is very tender, about 8 minutes. 
• Add the celery and carrot and saute for 5 minutes. 
• Increase the heat to high, add the ground beef, and saute until the meat is no longer pink, about 10 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes, parsley, basil and 1/2 tsp each of the salt and pepper, and cook over medium low heat until the sauce thickens, about 30 minutes. 
• Stir in the cheese, then season with more salt and pepper to taste. 

 

Somehow over the coarse of living up here in Washington Brian and I have managed to become football fans. More specifically, Seahawks fans. I suppose it's not so much for the football but more about sharing the fun experience and the comraderie. And boy there are a lot of Seahawks fans here in this city! So today we ventured out to a sports bar and watched the game, ate chicken wings and nachos and drank beer. America! :)