Monster Zucs Become Zuchinni Bread

Are you overwhelmed with zuchinni from your garden? Has your elderly neighbor been giving you those monster zucs that are as big around as a softball bat? Well, here's the recipe to beat all recipes for Zuchinni Bread...with options too!

3 eggs - organically raised are the best!
1 cup vegetable oil - a better quality is good and canola is best
2 tsp vanilla extract - and not the cheap imitation stuff!
2 cups sugar - raw (brown) works ok, just use less
2 cups shredded zuchinni (more is ok - up to another near cup)
3 cups flour - (all purpose works fine, I've even blended in rye)
3 tsp cinnamon - more is good; do it to your tastes
1 tsp baking soda - soda, not powder
1/4 tsp baking powder - powder, not soda
1 tsp (or less) salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (fresh - older nuts will add a bitter taste)
Preheat your oven to 325 and grease 2 8 X 4 loaf pans.
Beat the eggs til light and fluffy. Mix in the oil and sugar. Blend in the zuchinni and vanilla.
In another large bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt and nuts.
Blend. Stir the dry mix into the wet mix.
Evenly divide your batter between the 2 loaf pans and bake for 60 - 70 minutes. Turn out of pans to stop cooking after letting the pans set for just a few minutes. Wrap well once cool to keep fresh.
Experience Tips: Freezes well. Wrap in plastic (ziploc-type bags work great), then wrap in foil.This recipe doubles well...I've even made a double and a half (serious influx of monster zucs!) with no loss of quality. I'm trying a substitution of cashews for the walnuts right now and will share how well it worked later on.
Options include: add 3/4 tsp nutmeg, 1 can (8 oz.) pineapple chunks - juice drained and saved for another culinary adventure, 1 cup raisins. These options mandate upping the cooking temp to 350 and you'll bake the loaves for an hour (60 minutes).
Although this is what's classified as a "sweet" bread (or a coffee cake to some of us), it is beyond good when warmed with a pat of butter on a chilly morning.
We're talking sex in your hand, folks. It's that good.

Techno Weenie Alert

My "Techno Weenie" self has climbed out of her closet for a brief appearance. I've allowed her to post here a few of my favorite reference charts. This first one (to the left) is a Conversion Chart - handy for taking centimeters to inches and such. I use this one more than I thought I would for more than knitting projects.



This next chart will be useful to you fellow dye pot fiends. It helps convert US ounces to metric grams. I use it not only for dye adventures but also in my soapmaking...very handy.
And her final contribution to geekiness is a US to MM to Crochet Hook Comparison Chart. Again, I use this more than I thought I would.

Now Miss Techno Weenie Geeky Self...back in your closet!
Although, if any of you out there are feeling your geekiness today, feel free to save these images to your own desktop for easy reference.
For PC users, simply right-click and choose Save Picture As.
For Macs, I'm assuming the latest OS release still allows you guys to click and hold? Somebody let me know as I'll wonder til I fire up the laptop later and find out.
Anybody interested in a chart that shows the new yarn weight numbering sytem with a brief description and recommended needle sizes?

Feather and Fan - Frog It or Finish It

Frog It or Finish It
Originally uploaded by vykky3630

Butt-deep in the Frog Pond this morning. Have finally accepted that this gorgeous yarn is not destined to be a feather and fan dresser scarf. Instead, it will be cast on later as my first attempt at a Mobeius. Woohoo!
Simple Feather and Fan
Using a multiple of 6 plus 3 at each side for the edging.
Row 1: knit
Row 2: k3, p to last 3, k3
Row 3: k3, *(k2tog) 3 times, (yo, k1) 6 times, (k2tog) 3 times - repeat from * to last 3 sts, k3
Row 4: knit

Apple Pie and Crust Recipe

Canning at the "Done" stage
Originally uploaded by vykky3630

There's lots more to be done but so far, we have a couple dozen jars of blackberry jam, some low-sugar preserves and apple-pie-in-a-jar. In a couple of days, there will be another wave of these huge Himilayan blackberries ripe so I'll be doing more preserves then. I prefer the preserves over the jam since I use half the sugar and no pectin. (Can't you hear all my diabetic friends applauding?!?)
The Apple-Pie-in-a-jar bakes up so well in my "Nanny's Wonderful Pastry". As a heavier crust, it is perfect for heavy fruit pies, like apple, as well as for quiche and meat pies. Just make sure you have waxed paper on hand before making it as you will NOT be able to roll it out on a floured board. (Trust me on this - I've tried too many times.)
Nanny's Wonderful Pastry
(Double for a 2 crust with left-overs for turn-overs)
2 cups flour
1/2 cup salad oil
1/4 cup cold milk (whole is best)
salt - dash
Mix and roll between 2 sheets of waxed paper.
Can bake at 400 til set then reduce to 350.
Experience Tips: Make the double batch. Use the waxed paper. For use with the apple pie; bake 15 minutes at 425 to set then reduce to 350 for 45 minutes. This will allow you to bake any meat or whatever for dinner while saving time and electric.

Apple Pie in a jar Recipe

Canning at the "Doing" stage
Originally uploaded by vykky3630

Canning leftovers include jars that didn't seal which are immediately made up into fresh apple pies! And yes, I make a hell of a mess when I can...don't you?
Apple Pie in-a-jar Recipe (Makes about 7 quarts)
28 cups home-grown (free is best!) apples; sliced and peeled
1/2 tsp nutmeg
4 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup cornstarch
10 cups water
2-3 tsp cinnamon
3 Tbsp lemon juice
Pack the apple slices fairly tightly into hot quart jars. Make a syrup from the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, salt and water. (You can also "show the bowl" some All-Spice, if desired). Cook and stir until thick and bubbly. Add lemon juice, fill jars leaving about 1/2 inch space. Seal and process in boiling water bath for 20 minutes.
Use 2 quarts for a deep dish pan or 1 1/2 for a lower rimmed pan. Use balance of 2nd quart on waffles or ice cream. Yum!
Stats per the recipe...
Servings per recipe: 16
Calories per serving: 378
Total fat: 0.8 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 151 mg
Total Carbs: 97.1 g
Dietary Fiber: 6.1 g
Protein: 0.5 g
Experience Tips: I use about half of the syrup called for so as to sharply reduce the amount of sugar/carbs. I also can get away with using only 2/3 cup of cornstarch and 1/2 tsp salt too. Lemon juice is dashed over the apple slices while tossing into a bowl for prep (which takes 2 - 2 1/2 hours) so I re-use the lemon juice from the bottom of the bowl in the syrup recipe.
"Apple canned anything" is a whole lot of labor with little return so it is surely a labor of love. Make it worth your time by making a fresh pie for a loved one while your last batch is in the canning kettle. Use left-overs in a smaller "personal" pie for that man who is always snacking. And grow your own organic apples or make the day of that old farmer down the road...take him a jar already done and ask to pick his apples. Chances are, many of us have an elder farmer nearby who's wife has either passed on or is too old to do much baking. They both will enjoy the gift and you get free smiles and apples too.

That's a Screamin' Blue Dishcloth

That's a Screamin' Blue Dishcloth
Originally uploaded by vykky3630

I'm hoping and trying to teach a friend to knit. I needed a simple one-stitch project to show her with and since she loves bright colors AND this vivid blue matches a swirl on the counter-tops in my kitchen...I had to use it. Such a lovely cotton from Sweden; Cotton Lux by idena the label says. The rest of it is in Swedish, I guess, so I am clueless on what it says.
Vykky's Eyelet/Dobby Border Whatever
(An old-fashioned simple knit usually used for dishcloths, I've found this works wonderfully with any yarn, in any pattern, with any stitch and to any size. Making a shawl with really funky art yarn? Stop halfway as a triangle at the size desired. The perfect mindless knitting and take-along project).
CO4
*sl1, k1, yo, k1*, k to end
Repeat from * to * each row then knit/purl/whatever pattern you choose to end.
If making a shawl, BO at desired size.
If making a square (ie; a dishcloth, blanket, etc.), once project is a triangle of half desired complet size, do the following:
*sl1, k2tog, yo, k2tog, k1*, knit/purl/whatever pattern you've chosen to end.
Down to 4 stitches? BO.