Ole Fiesta Salad

Somewhere in the world there is a fiesta going on. It's sure not in this neck of the woods. Fall has settled in. Most of the colorful leaves of a few weeks ago have flown away. I love those wind storms we get only because they save me from doing any raking. The leaves are usually nicely blown into neat piles around the yard. The weather is noticeably cooler with storm clouds hovering over the mountaintops.

So why am I putting this recipe on my blog? It seems so inappropriate for the weather. Everyone is busy making Halloween costumes or making concoctions where pumpkin plays the starring role.

One reason is that it has been on my featured recipes list long enough and it's also super easy to throw together. Healthy too! You can always offset it with a few snickers bars, tonight! So if you're in a bind for time make this any time of the year.

Ingredients:

1 cup black beans

1/2 c red pepper, chopped

2 T onions, cut up

1 T chipotle hot sauce

1 T fresh lime juice

salt & pepper to taste

1 c roasted corn, or cooked frozen will do.

1/2 c chopped cherry tomatoes

1 handful chopped parsley

1 handful chopped cilantro

Mix all the above in a bowl, refrigerate for an hour or longer. Ole!

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Breakfast bars

The original recipe for these breakfast/snack bars called for banana chips on top. Somehow the chips were not very appetizing so I had no problem removing them. I also substituted so many ingredients that suddenly it became "my own original"!

I replaced the butter with pumpkin puree and used egg beaters instead of real eggs. (watching that cholesterol). All in all, the finished product was actually quite good and very simple if you're in a hurry. Superfiberalicious!

Ingredients:

2 c rolled oats

3/4 c brown sugar

3/4 c peanut butter

1/3 c pumpkin puree

1/2 c egg product or 2 eggs

2 T oat bran

1/4 c mini chocolate chips

1 tsp vanilla

1/8 tsp five spice powder (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray an 8 inch square baking pan with cooking spray.

Mix together in a large bowl the oats and brown sugar. Add the peanut butter, eggs, pumpkin puree, oat bran, vanilla and five spice. Add chips and mix well. Put into pan, spread evenly while pressing down. Bake for 25 minutes, cool and cut into squares. These can be wrapped individually and frozen but they get eaten too quickly around here! Makes about 10-12.

Pasta of the Month - October Butternut Squash and Sausage Penne

Pasta has always been one of my favorite dishes. As I've been exposed to different cultures I've found that creating pasta has endless possibilities. Pretty much, anything goes or shall I say, anything can go into pasta. Be creative!

As I've explained in previous entries, I like to roast most of my vegetables before they enter into a recipe. The flavor becomes so sweet and earthy at the same time and improves the overall dish. For "October pasta of the month" I chose to roast butternut squash. It's almost as seasonal as pumpkins. The hard part is cutting up and peeling, but, it's so worth it!

This last weekend we got together with some dear friends, our traveling buddies. We've spent time together in Mexico and Italy and will be in Costa Rica by the end of the year. It's a great friendship and partnership. They even let me experiment on them in their beautiful kitchen. I precooked most of the ingredients beforehand, packaged them up for the drive and literally threw them together for our dinner together. My only regret is that I'm not familiar with propane stove tops (mine is electric) and almost succeeded in blowing up their house! Not good!

Anyway, we sat down to a wonderful meal with great friends. Salute!

Ingredients:

2 cups pre -roasted butternut squash cut into bite size pieces

2 Italian sausages removed from casings and crumbled (I used hot)

3/4 c onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp fennel seeds, fresh fennel would be better

2 T olive oil

box of penne pasta

1 handful basil, fresh chopped

1 handful parsley, fresh chopped

2 handfuls Parmesan cheese, grated

1/2 c pasta water

2 handfuls pine nuts

drizzle of more oil

Roast the squash and set aside. Put sausage in skillet and brown, add oil, garlic , onion and fennel seeds. Meanwhile boil water for penne. When done, add the 1/2 c pasta water to meat mixture. Then add the drained pasta, stir together and add the butternut squash, basil, parsley, cheese and pine nuts. When completely mixed drizzle with more olive oil and serve with additional cheese and red chili flakes for more heat if you wish.

Lavender Nut Pancakes

If you read yesterday's entry this is a continuation or Part II. Not only do I love lavender in my pancakes, I love the relaxing moments the plant brings. Lavender has it's roots in Spain, France and Italy. It is from the mint family so it resows itself readily. Just give it some dry sandy soil and it will usually grow. It has antiseptic properties and has been used in soaps and to clean floors! Sleep comes easier when you rub your temples with lavender essential oil or take a warm bath with bath salts. I use linen spray starch for my husband's shirts while ironing. (It lessens the burden of ironing!) It smells so good!

I'm just learning more about the culinary possibilities of the lavender plant. I like to use herbs de Provence ( lavender is one ingredient) in recipes. It's great in soups, as a rub for meats and now for pancakes! Even though I have many plants in my yard I chose to buy some culinary herb from the market.

I've used this pancake recipe for over 30 years. Or you can simply use any store bought pancake mix. I think they just taste better from scratch.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 flour

2 T sugar

2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1 egg, beaten

1 1/3 c milk

3 T canola or vegetable oil

Mix all of the above ingredients first. If you want thicker pancakes only use 1 c milk. Add 2 T lavender and 2 T chopped nuts. Pecans or walnuts are a good choice. Heat a griddle or skillet until a drop of water sizzles on the surface. Brush with oil or pan spray. Pour the batter in pan making a few at a time. Turn them when they begin to bubble and the ends are dry. Serve with butter and maple syrup. Makes about 10 4-inch pancakes.

Warning: You may want to take a nap after these you'll be so calm!

Nuts for Lavender Pancakes

Lavender pancakes bring back special memories. A few years ago we took a trip up to Washington state with our frequent flyer miles which were scheduled to expire. As part of our journey we caught a ferry from Anacortes and sailed into Friday harbor on the island of San Juan.

Arrangements were made to stay at the Hilltop House, our first bed and breakfast experience. I have to say it felt a little weird entering some one's home knowing we would be served breakfast by our gracious hosts. They had fresh cookies and a wine hour which we passed on so we could begin to explore the island. These vacations are usually whirlwind with lots of driving and cramming in as much of our surroundings as we could. More about this in a later post.

We chose the "Paris" room which was decorated in black and white toile and incredibly clean and comfortable. Upon rising the next morning we ventured out into the common dining area to be greeted by our hosts and a few other lodgers. Still feeling slightly intimidated and attributing it again to the catholic school girl quilt, I began to smell the aroma of lavender pancakes and coffee! Against one wall was a buffet of sorts where they had fresh fruit, muffins, and home made granola with chocolate! As I took my first bite of the pancakes I was pleasantly surprised by the flavor of these gems. I never got the actual recipe but I have always been meaning to try this at home.

If you're ever in the San Juan islands there is a winery, llama farm, beautiful harbors, great seafood restaurant, bald eagles, whales at times and a lavender farm, a must see and smell!

The recipe for pancakes will be on tomorrow's blog. Tune in...

Working Woman Wings

When I was a "working woman" I struggled every day to make a nutritious meal for my family. At one point in time (the 80's) wings were all the rage. Mounds of hot wings everywhere, the hotter the better. Of course, served with ranch dressing! The only healthy part of the meal was the stick of celery which normally accompanied those crunchy chicken parts!

Being the working woman who could do it all and did, I bought into the wing craze. I came home and would make the wings from scratch after sampling them. Also, in those days we would use the "fry daddy" for almost everything. Fried zucchini, wings, french fries, etc. Now, I cringe at the idea of frying anything. How people can now devour fried Twinkies is beyond me. I would die just from the catholic school guilt! I don't care how healthy the oil is. It just can't be healthy. But, back then, I fried my little heart out. Sorry family!

I got wiser in the 90's and figured I could bake my wings and get the same results minus all the grease! As a serendipity it took less time. So, if you're a working woman, this recipe is for you! No more frying batches of wings in spattering face-burning grease!

Recipe:

12-14 wing parts

Take a large cookie sheet and spray with cooking spray. Arrange wings onto pan and spray again. Oven should be preheated to 350 degrees. cook for 15 minutes, turning once and cook for 5 more minutes. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan combine about 1/4 c wing sauce. (hot sauce of your choice) and 1 T butter. Pour this onto wings or brush it on for a lighter coating. Continue to bake for another 10 minutes or until done. If you want them crunchier you can increase the cooking time or raise the temperature on the oven a bit.

Frittata - A Healthy Twist

The first time I ever tried a frittata I thought, "well this is just some veggies and eggs!" My mother-in-law made it for us many years ago. I liked it then and I like it now. The nice thing about frittatas is that you can serve it for breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack. You can also choose your veggies like an omelet! It's good warm or cold. As a matter of fact many Italians will pack a wedge of frittata in their lunches. I can buy into that! Also, if you ever have any leftovers, you can make a sandwich out of it. Maybe you can trick your kids into eating their veggies!

I normally prepare my frittatas with a little more cheese and some half and half for a richer taste and a fluffier consistency. But in keeping with healthier eating I made some substitutions. It still turned out nicely.

It's very important to start with a large non-stick skillet. Add 1-2 T of olive oil. Then add what ever type of veggies you like. You can't really mess this up. I chose:

2 c red bell peppers and green (Anaheim type) peppers combined

1/2 c chopped yellow onion

1 c pre-roasted Yukon potatoes, sliced

Saute these for about five minutes. Add spices:

1/2 tsp lemon thyme

1/4 tsp red chili flakes

1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 handful chopped Italian parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

Meanwhile I combined 2 large eggs and enough "egg beater" type product to total 1 cup. To this add 2 T milk or half and half, beat well. Add egg mixture to pan with veggies. If you've ever made an omelet the technique is the same. Work the egg underneath from the middle to the sides while lifting the edges until it is still a little runny in the middle. At this point you can add some cheese on top. I chose only 2 T grated parmesan. Put into the broiler on low and keep an eye on it. Cook until just browned on top making sure the egg is done. Remove and cool for about 10 minutes. After cooling time it should slide out of the pan onto a serving plate. (Miracles do happen) Cut into wedges and enjoy! A fancy presentation for basic eggs! Serves 2 but you can easily increase the amounts for a larger version.

Seared Tuna Salad with Ginger Wasabi Vinaigrette

As a farewell to summer salads my ginger wasabi tuna salad was an overwhelming success. Quite the surprise! So much so that Ralph put aside his favorite dressing (blue cheese) for a drizzling of my homemade vinaigrette. I'll toot my own horn on this one. I even had visions of bottling my dressing it was that great! Any takers?

Growing up I always had an endless supply (so I thought) of tuna fish. There were several canneries in the port of LA town I was from. Most of them are now gone. Over the years I've found myself actually craving tuna for whatever reason, I'm not sure. Could it be the protein or the taste or both? Was I conditioned from living in "fish town, USA"? Was I experiencing homesick tuna syndrome? After doing a little research I suppose I could be lacking in omega fatty acids, protein, magnesium or potassium, all of which are found in abundance in tuna. Listen to those cravings, your body may be trying to tell you something!

Before I met my husband I would dine on tuna sandwiches and chocolate milk! My kitties loved me for that. Very affordable when you're living on your own. Another way I like to enjoy my tuna sandwiches is with a slice or two of jellied cranberry sauce! Pretty weird but it works for me!

As I strolled through the market the other day the tuna caught my eye. I must have had that craving again. Almost as powerful as a chocolate craving! I have to say thanks to my hubby for letting me experiment from time to time (quite often). This time the payoff was great. I only purchased a small amount but what I bought went a long way with the following recipe.

Ginger wasabi Vinaigrette:

Whisk together

1 tsp finely grated ginger root

2 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp wasabi powder

1 T minced cilantro, fresh

2 T oil, canola

1 T garlic infused rice wine vinegar

1 T honey

Season the tuna steak (1/3 -1/2 lb piece for 2) with salt and pepper. Using a grill or griddle pan on med-high heat, sear on both sides for a total of about 5 minutes. Slice thinly and add to your salad greens, tomatoes, onions, etc. Drizzle with ginger wasabi dressing. Yum! Another great addition would be orange or pineapple slices or toasted almonds! Serves 2.

Temptation Comes in Many Forms

Yes, temptation comes in many forms. This week was a birthday week for my husband. Enough said! I'm sure it is written that it's bad luck to refuse a piece of birthday cake. Or, so I've been told. I had to make sure Ralph's amaretto cake was worthy of this blog. Evidently, it passed the test. That was Thursday's entry. And, I was forced to sample the lasagna sans the sausage. (I tossed the meat onto Ralph's plate.) Even though I was the official taste tester, I did adhere to my "delete the meat" policy.

Then, there was that blister from the trail of torture. See Sunday's blog. No major walking until I found those corn cushion! So, Thursday morning the scale was not cooperating and moving in the wrong direction! But, that's okay... I just went back to square one where I ate mostly steamed zucchini spritzed with lemon during the day and steamed swiss chard with raisins along with roasted rosemary potatoes for dinner. Stepping back onto the scale Friday was more to my liking! I can do this...

I once heard a great saying, "How do you eat an elephant?" Answer: One bite at a time. And Rome was not built in a day, for that matter. I'll apply these wise sayings and take one day at a time and the inevitable will happen. And when this phase is over the maintenance will begin. It never ends but I will enjoy the journey...

Sorry, no food today unless you want to know how to steam veggies!

The picture displayed above is of the gorgeous sunrise in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. It stirs my soul.....

Amaretto Bundt Cake

My amaretto bundt cake should really be called "Ralph's cake". Years ago we visited my husband's Uncle Mike and Aunt Rosie in California. I remember she made a rum cake that was a huge hit with the family. Shortly after I saw a recipe that might work for the holidays. To make it my own though I took out the rum and replaced it with one of my favorite's, Amaretto! The recipe card is probably the "most used" in my file and has become quite the tradition when it comes to a quick, moist and delicious cake.

I guess if you're a "dunker', and you know who you are, it's perfect for that kind of quirkiness. Both my husband and son are dunkers. It must be one of those hereditary traits. I've never understood that, except when it applies to dunking oreos. After they have been split apart and the white filling is eaten, I believe, oreos should be dunked in milk. Not quirky at all.

Although this can be made from scratch I still use a boxed cake mix as a base. Why change a good thing and besides, I was a working women when I acquired this "keeper" of a cake. I still have some butterscotch schnapps in my cupboard so I may try a version of this in the future with butterscotch pudding and liqueur. Sounds good! Until then try this!

Ingredients:

1 8 1/4 oz yellow cake mix

1 3 1/2 oz vanilla instant pudding mix

4 eggs

1/2 c oil (canola or vegetable)

1/2 c cold water

1/2 c amaretto

1 c chopped nuts , I've used almonds, pecans or walnuts.

Combine all ingredients, mix and fold in the nuts. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a bundt pan. Add the mixture, bake for 1 hour. Cool and invert onto a plate. Dust with powdered sugar. Dunk if you must!

Zucchini Oatmeal Spice Cookies

What a mouthful for a cookie name! These small cookies pack a big punch when it comes to flavor and you'll want a mouthful because they're almost "guilt free". I had a request to make more "healthy" cookies so I went to the pantry to see how I could switch it up. I found raisins and oats summoning me. I also had a small amount of hazelnuts waiting to be used. This is how I cook. My pantry has a way of dictating my meals.

I substituted a few ingredients from the chocolate zucchini cookie version I posted a few weeks ago and came up with the following equally good if not better healthy cookie. I even eliminated the butter and eggs in this recipe!

Ingredients:

1/2 c applesauce

1 c brown sugar

1 1/4 c oats

1 T oil

1 c flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp nutmeg, ground

1 1/4 c grated zucchini

1/2 c raisins

1/2 c hazelnuts

1 tsp orange zest

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl or stand mixer cream applesauce and brown sugar. Combine flour, oats, spices, baking powder and salt. Gradually add to the sugar mixture until blended. Add zucchini, mix and add nuts, raisins, and zest. Drop by spoonfuls onto a greased or parchment covered cookie sheet. Bake for around 15 minutes. These are soft, healthy and full of flavor. Makes about 3 1/2 dozen.

My next cookie extravaganza experiment will be a Zucchini chocolate chip oatmeal cookie! Yum!

Splendor in the Sierras or the Trail of Torture?

I got a new pair of shoes yesterday. Trail hiking shoes. In order to condition myself for some hiking in the Costa Rican rain forest, (right) we set out from our home for a climb into the Sierras. I've been walking a bunch lately as part of my slim down plan. Walking is the best exercise I've found. What a revelation! This would be a piece of cake.

On the way the sights are always breath taking as our home sits at the base of the mountain range with streams carving their way into the Truckee Meadows. We found a level winding trail just skirting the Montreux golf course which we followed into the forest. Evidently it's a mountain biking and horse trail but an easy and steady climb you can walk for miles. That is until you decide to go treasure hunting for gems. I guess I've been watching too many Travel Channel segments about finding treasures in rocks. Thankfully I wore a multi pocketed jacket to start out because I 'm just sure I found the biggest jade rock on the trail. Needless to say, I stuffed my pockets with "treasures" and carried them out. (in much smaller pieces)

Now, I stepped on the scale this week and was down about 13 lbs (hooray!) so I could easily carry these rocks out with me. Did I mention that I was ready to call a cab after the first mile? And by the home stretch of maybe a 1/4 mile I found myself singing my ipod tunes (I don't usually sing in public.) to mask the pain I was feeling in the balls of my feet. I was breaking in my new shoes! Or were they breaking me in? Rounding the corner to my house I wanted to jump for joy but I knew that would have done me in. Was it the torture trail or a stroll in the Sierras? Actually both, but I'm always thankful that I can experience the pain and pleasures that life has a habit of revealing. Enjoy the journey no matter where it takes you and how you feel!

Chicken ala Wendy

Another simple chicken dish is what everyone needs, right? Normally I like to use boneless chicken thighs or breasts that are organic, cage-free and the list goes on. I'm not out to save the world but I do care what my family eats these days. Several months ago I rented a movie called, Food, Inc. Very eye opening to say the least. Since then I have a hard time in the meat section of the grocery store. I usually whiz right past it. But, I don't want my hubby to suffer for my aversion to most meat so I buy the local, if possible, grass fed , organic types of meat. Just watch the movie and you will understand!

With that said, I created this recipe because it's simple and tasty. I didn't have any boneless chicken handy so I changed it a little but I would prefer to go with the boneless. (It lessens the cooking time.)

5-6 boneless thighs

2 T olive oil

1/2 c flour

1/2 tsp paprika

1 tsp garlic powder

1/4 c Marsala (optional)

asparagus spears (8) cut on the diagonal into 1-2 inch pieces

1/2 c chicken broth

1/4 - 1/2 c onion, cut up

handful of Parmesan cheese

Method:

Mix flour, garlic powder and paprika in a shallow plate. Dredge the damp chicken pieces into this mixture giving them a light coating. Place oil into a large skillet (with lid) and start to brown the chicken. Turn once and add the Marsala after browning on both sides. Cook for a few minutes, add the onions and asparagus and then the broth. If you don't want to use Marsala you can use more broth or white wine. Cover and cook on medium until chicken is done. Sprinkle on the cheese, cover until it melts.

Stuffed Italian Peppers

Traditionally I've sauteed these peppers with simply olive oil and garlic. The Italian style peppers stand alone in flavor. You can also add a few mushrooms and onions to the mix for variety. Always seeking to find a different twist on mundane meals I chose to stuff them. I know, I've been doing a lot of stuffing lately, it seems. But, this is a new creation worth a try. Thank you, dad and mom, for your contribution of peppers. They had an overload situation with the peppers this year. I'm always happy to help them out!

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. I parboiled the peppers whole for about 10 minutes, gave them a cold water bath to stop the cooking and made a slit in them to clean out the seeds. Place them on a foil lined sheet pan and they're ready to stuff.

Make the orzo. I used 1/2 cup dry to yield 1 cup cooked. (I didn't use all the orzo because I wanted to save some for breakfast.) I used about 1/2 cooked orzo for this recipe. Set aside. In another saute pan cook:

1 T olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

2 T chopped onion

2 medium size portabello mushrooms, chopped

1 T tomato sauce or marinara sauce

Cook for a bit and add 1/4 c water and orzo. Mix well. Cut up small nickel size chunks of mozzarella cheese. Put some chunks in the pepper before adding orzo mixture and leave some for the top. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes or until heated through and the cheese melts.

Enjoy!

Serving size differs. I used 5 peppers for this but you can double it quite easily.

Traveling Tuesdays - Alabama Hills

One of the joys of traveling by car is that you can leave the main route at any time and arrive in a totally different world. This was the case last Friday on the drive home from Southern California. Although we have been down this road before (about 50 trips too many) there is a great deal of beauty and history that is waiting to be told.

The Alabama Hills can be reached from highway 395 in the town of Lone Pine which is south of Bishop, CA. Just take the Whitney Portal Road towards the Sierras and within a mile or so you are taken back to the days of the John Wayne Western movies. Many a film crew frequented these hills because of its rugged rural settings. With the unique rock formations you can almost envision the cowboys and Indians in those old Western movies.

We only drove in a few miles (we were on a schedule) but the vistas were incredible and I would say it would warrant another trip to the area to explore the trail further. The road meanders about 13 miles to the start of a walking/hiking trail which climbs to the highest summit elevation of 14,505. I don't think the complete hike is on my "bucket list" but maybe it's on yours!

The only other time we were subjected to that kind of elevation was when we went to the top of Pikes Peak via the cog railway near Colorado Springs, CO. The elevation was a mere 14,110. Along the way we saw herds of bighorn sheep and majestic views. When we reached the top we decided to visit the snack bar and purchased some greasy donuts. As a rule, visitors are only allowed 30-40 minutes at the peak before they need to return. The reasoning behind this is due to frequent bouts of altitude sickness! Of course, that fell on deaf ears but we began to wonder when we all started to feel nauseous on the descent part of our journey.

So the moral of this story is:

1. Always get off that beaten path for the beauty. You won't regret it.

2. Don't eat the donuts over 14,000 ft. You will regret it

Disclaimer: The mention of donuts qualifies this still as a food blog. It just needed to be shaken up!

Vanilla Peachy Colada

Peaches and zucchini were plentiful this year in our area of the world. I expect to create a few more surprises in the next couple of weeks with the season's bounty. I'm thinking maybe a zucchini lasagna or more zucchini cookies with apples and spices!

When I woke to rain this morning it was a pleasant surprise. I felt as though a good Umbrian soup or clam chowder would be appropriate but I know those days are ahead. Last week we experienced another blast of summer. I had made a cocktail from some peaches and wanted to share it with you. The only thing missing is the 95 degree weather but just as it's five o'clock somewhere it is surely 100 degrees still somewhere!

2 shots of vanilla vodka

2 ripe small peaches

1 c crushed ice

1 tsp sugar

2 drops vanilla flavoring

1 drop coconut flavoring

Peel and pit peaches and place in blender along with the rest of the ingredients. Blend until smooth and pour into a nice stemmed glass. Garnish with mint or a peach slice. Serves 2.

Road Trip Chocolate Zucchini Cookies

We took a road trip of sorts last Wednesday. A quick ride to the OC in California and back a day later. I can't tell you how many times we've driven this road since we moved from there over 35 years ago! We can probably do it in our sleep. It was actually for my aunt's funeral and you just do what you have to do and always do what's right. More on that later.

When it comes to food and snacks on our road trip it has always meant, Cheetos! Although I'm not a fan of chips and crackers I love, love Cheetos. I even had a cat that would help me eat Cheetos. He'd sneak into the cupboard, pry open the door and dump them on the ground to eat them! Pretty smart!

Anyway, this trip was different, No Cheetos. How will I survive? Chocolate is always a good substitute so I came up with these chocolate, zucchini, of course, cookies. I used a recipe from allrecipes.com but changed a few ingredients to make it even healthier! They taste much better than they look. (They resemble a cow paddy, sorry.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a cookie sheet or simply use parchment paper.

Ingredients:

1/2 c butter, softened

1/2 c white sugar

1/2 c brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

2 c white flour

2 c whole wheat flour

1/2 c rolled oats

1/3 c cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 3/4 c zucchini, grated

In a bowl cream the butter, and sugars until smooth. Add the egg, vanilla and spice. Combine the flours, oats, cocoa, baking soda and salt and gradually stir into the other mixture. Fold in the zucchini and drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Bake for approx. 11 minutes. Allow to cool. Makes about 4 dozen soft cookies. Perfect for that road trip! Enjoy!

Honey Giveaway Qualification

Just a quick note to talk about the monthly giveaway at the FloodieBlogroll site. Go check out the honey at www.tenonanatche.com

They have wildflower, orange blossom , etc. It has antioxidants and live enzymes among other properties. And besides I need to write this so I can qualify for their monthly giveaway.

Back to regular posts tomorrow. I've been out of town for 3 days. Excuse the absence!