Lemon Zucchini Bread

Did I mention that we have a goodly amount of zucchini at our disposal? We're not in the "we're completely drowning in zucchini" phase. Thank goodness. In fact, I'd say we have just enough both for baking and as a side to whatever it is we are currently eating.

This is my other favorite thing to do with zucchini--lemon zucchini bread. YUM! Once again, this is not my recipe. Find it here!

What makes this recipe so great is that it's perfectly moist and stays that way even after a few days. You can thank the yogurt for that. I go for the vanilla flavored one, but you could opt for the lemon flavored if that suits your fancy. You can do it with out without the glaze. I opted out of the glaze this time around but that's mostly because I started baking too late, and then my baby needed me, and then it was bedtime. It just didn't happen. But it's still delicious! The glaze gives it a little extra punch of that lemon flavor,
so if your a lemon enthusiast, you may want to make time to get that glaze on there.

I did mini loaves again. I'm a mini loaf fan. It's great if you want to give someone a little treat without giving them a full loaf. It's also more convenient for my husband to run off with have a loaf as he's heading out the door for work. Also it doesn't take as long to bake which can definitely come in handy sometimes.

So give it a try and tell me what you think! Are you more of a chocolate zucchini bread fan or a lemon zucchini bread fan? If we ever had an in person book club meeting, I would make your three loaves--chocolate, lemon, and plain ol' classic zucchini bread. All are delicious! And those are the only three variations I know! I'm sure there are more out there. Do you have a secret family zucchini bread recipe that's to die for?

Happy baking!

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Hey guys! How's the reading going? How's the baking going? How's the combo going? Nothing's better than eating a delectable baked good while curling up to a good book...until you get crumbs and or melted chocolate on the pages. It's probably worth the risk though.

I've been getting some good baking in, so it's time for another recipe post! Huzzah!

I don't know about you, but there always seems to be a surplus of zucchini in the summer time. We aren't even the ones growing it! But when you live close to the in-laws who are growing it, you inherit a bunch of the green squash (I'm totally not complaining by the way). There are a few different ways to savor the vegetable, but with my baking tendencies I must say my favorite is bread form. I have a few different variations up my sleeve. This double chocolate version is definitely a favorite. I mean, it's double chocolate. What else is there to say?

This recipe come from another blog, so I'm actually going to redirect you over there. Click here!

This recipe is so good! My husband and I both said it's like eating a Costco chocolate muffin, but you can feel a little better about it because it has a vegetable in it, right? RIGHT?! Plus when I've seen copycat recipes for Costco muffins it basically says, "Buy a cake mix." This has to be a little better than that. Or so I'm telling myself.

I made this recipe in a mini loaf pan. It takes at least 30 minutes that way. Often I start with 20 minutes and then go from there because I had a streak of overcooking banana bread when I tried to do it in mini loaf or muffin form. Better to start out smaller than to cook it for too long.

Since it is chocolate it can be a little harder to tell when it's done. When it doubt, poke it with a toothpick or cake tester and if it comes out clean it's done! Give it some time for cooling and enjoy! Your taste buds will thank you.

As for reading, I'm currently reading Endling by Katherine Applegate. Pick up a copy and follow along!

The Time Machine

Title: The Time Machine

Rating: 3.5/5
Author: H. G. Wells
Page: 140
Genre: Science Fiction


You may recall that there are some classics worth reading and some classics that I wonder how they became classic in the first place (unless your a classics enthusiasts and love all classics. Is there such a person that loves all classics ever? Probably not since I wouldn't expect a lover of any genre to give every book in that category two big thumbs up. I think this parenthesis conversation has gone on long enough.)

For instance, why has the Twilight fandom quieted down while I have nieces who haven't even reached the double digits yet who are already Harry Potter enthusiasts? To be clear, I'm not trying to give new life to Twilight versus Harry Potter arguments. I'm just curious as to what makes something classic. What makes it stand the test of time? Thoughts? Comments? Do share.

A friend of mine has a book club that I've taken some part in. This month's book was The Time Machine, so I decided to give it a go. All I knew about The Time Machine was the movie released back in 2002 (which I apparently liked better than Rotten Tomatoes which gave it 29%) and an episode of Wishbone, which I don't remember all that well if I'm honest. So I was really curious to see how the movie compared to the source material. More about that in a minute.

Synopsis:

Well, the synopsis for this one is pretty straight forward. Our main character, simple known as the Time Traveler, sets out to prove his theories correct, that time travel is possible, and he's built just the machine to do it. On his maiden journey, he travels 800,000 years into the future where he finds that man has evolved into two separate groups, one peaceful and carefree, and the other creatures that dwell in the darkness. When his machine goes missing, he is faced with the daunting task of recovering it and returning home before he gets trapped in the future forever--and possibly hunted down.

My Reaction:

My first thought is that this is one of those books where I actually enjoy the movie better, but that's not because the book was bad. Here's the thing, the book is told almost from a scientific perspective which is what you should expect when the main character has the sort of intellect to create a time machine in the first place and those he is telling his story to are also highly educated men of different fields. The book, therefore, is appropriate in it's telling and still has moments of excitement and mystery as the Time Traveler tries to work out his situation and comes closer to danger with every passing minute that he stays in the future. To sum up, the book is great if your a fan of science fiction, and it's not super long either.

It has been quite awhile since I've seen the movie. I admit that. Still, from what I recall, here's why I like the movie better. (In case you haven't seen the movie, I'm about to spoil it for you). The biggest reason is the difference in motivation for the Time Traveler. In the book his driven simply by the desire to travel through time, to prove it possible, and to observe his findings. While this is part of the motivation in the movie, his need becomes more desperate when the love of his life is killed. The emotional aspect of this version pulled me in more and made me more invested in his story.

While core elements of the stories are the same, the movie adds some more depth to the characters. We're also introduced to more characters in the movie, such as Jeremy Irons as the leader of the Morlocks. There are a few more differences I could get into, but the motivation and character depth were the biggest differences that made the movie a more enjoyable experience for me. However, as mentioned above, the book is a great piece of science fiction. Clearly I simply get more enjoyment from a story when I'm more emotional involved.

Also, I love this bit from the movie soundtrack. That has nothing to do with the story itself, but it's still a fact that this track is amazing.


Reader's Guidance:

When the Time Traveler is describing the innocence and carefree nature of the Eloi, he refers to some as "making love." It is also inferred that the Morlocks hunt and eat the Eloi. Both groups are supposed to be descendants of men.

Discussion Questions:

Well here's something new! As I've discussed some books with others, there have been some really good discussion questions brought up to help us talk about what we've read. As I read through The Time Machine, I found myself thinking of my own questions and observations. So I've decided to include this section. Feel free to answer in the comments below!

1. Considering that The Time Machine was published in 1895, what can we learn about the time period based on the Time Travelers observations about the future?

2. The majority of the characters in the story aren't given specific names. The Time Traveler himself is never identified by name. One of the few characters whose name is given is that of Weena, one of Eloi. Why do you suppose this is? How does that lack of time, or a given name in the case of Weena, affect how you view the characters?

3. If you could travel through time, would you travel to the future or the past? Why? If the past, what period of time would you most like to visit?

Orange Scones

I have been wanting to write a post for FOREVER! Apparently I haven't figured out how to juggle reading, baking, and blogging along with the other things I have to do, like caring for a three month old (which I love). But hey! I still plan on stopping by here when I get the chance, and I still do fit in some baking and reading. Mostly I've been reading children's picture books. I've found some real gems by the way.

But today is a baking post sort of day! If you were to come visit me this week for a live, in-person book club, I would probably make these for you, or possibly something patriotic given the upcoming holiday. These are delicious though, and really aren't that difficult to make.

So, I always hate it when I want to get to a recipe on a blog but people always chat forever about it when I just want to see the recipe so I can eat it. Even so, I'm going to make you read a little bit more before I give you the recipe.

Has anyone else referred to fry bread or know people who refer to fry bread as scones? Well, those aren't the scones I'm talking about (although, those are quite tasty with a bit of homemade jam, cinnamon and sugar, or honey butter). My husband has grown up calling those scones, and I had heard that too, but I also knew scones as a delicious baked treat that I can get at Panera Bread or at a fair not too far from where I grew up. Because of this, there's been some confusion in our house when it comes to the mention of scones. My husband is usually thinking of deep fried goodness while I'm thinking of baked heaven. I decided to do some research because especially now that I can hold Google in the palm of my hand I like to learn anything and everything that has to do with random facts about, well, pretty much anything.

Here's what I found out:
Referring to fry bread as a scone is a regional thing, particularly to Utah, and it seems that no one knows why people started referring to deep fried dough as a scone. It appears that the baked scone has much older roots. Apparently, the deep fried versions are also known as Utah Scones or Pioneer Scones. My research is basically wrapped up in this one article from the Salt Lake Tribune.

Okay, know that I've shared my random collection of knowledge with you, let's get to the baking! I should note that this is actually a mashup of two recipes. Here's what I came up with:


Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 and 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, frozen
Zest of 2 medium oranges
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla

For the glaze:
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. *Grate the Frozen butter. Toss the grated butter into the flour mixture and combined with a pastry cutter, your fingers, or two knives until the mixture resembles course meal. Stir in orange zest.

In a small bowl whisk the cream, egg, and vanilla together. Drizzle the wet ingredients over the flour mixture and then toss the mixture together with a rubber spatula (I use a spoon and my hands a little) until everything appears moistened. Try your best to not overwork the dough. Sometimes, I add a tiny bit more cream to get it all to stick together, but be careful not to add too much as you don't want your dough to get too wet.

Work the dough into a ball with flowered hands and transfer to a baking sheet with parchment paper. Press into a 8 in disc and cut into 8 equal wedges with a very sharp knife.

Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and using a sharp knife separate the scones so there is a little more space between each one. Bake for 5 more minutes or until lightly brown on the top and edges. If you don't separate them before that second back, the insides of your scones won't cook all the way through. I've noticed with my oven that I sometimes have to cover the scones with aluminum foil to prevent the outsides from burning while the insides finish cooking.

Mix all the ingredients for the glaze together in a small bowl. With a spoon, add as much or as little glaze as desired. The glaze will firm up as it dries on top of the scone. For best results, let the scones cool a little before adding the glaze.

*Note: I don't always use frozen butter. Sometimes I cut up refrigerated butter into small cubes and then put it in with the flour using either a pastry cutter or two knives to sort of cut through the mixture. The danger is having your butter melt too quickly. As we're getting into warmer days, I thought I was going to have an issue with it melting. I made it once grating frozen butter and once my cubed way and both turned out fine. If you're worried about it, I'd say go the frozen butter way.

There you have it! I hope you enjoy these as much as I do. And now I must leave you as I do believe I hear a little one who has decided nap time is over. Fare thee well follow readers and bakers!

The Book of Three and The Black Cauldron

Hello out there! Salutations! Greetings! And so forth.

It's certainly been awhile, but I hope that hasn't stopped you from enjoying an array of baked goods and fine reading material. I've been adjusting to life as a new mother (which I love!), which is why I never talked about The Book of Three, and I've only just now finished reading the sequel, The Black Cauldron. I've also been reading quite a few children's books as my goodreads profile will attest to.

But let's talk about the first two books in Lloyd Alexander's Prydain Chronicles. I first read them years ago, and it's been fun to go back and revisit them. I didn't realize how much I'd forgotten or remembered incorrectly as the Disney movie was fresher in my mind than the source material.

Speaking of which, if you haven't seen Disney's The Black Cauldron, I wouldn't bother. Well, you can if you're really curious. It's not one of Disney's successes. It's not even one of those that failed at the box office, but then you watch it a few years later, fall deeply in love with it, and can't imagine why nobody likes it. (For example, I'm a huge fan of Treasure Planet and think it deserves more love than it gets. Anyone else out there with me?) The Black Cauldron, unfortunately, falls short. Perhaps there's some cult following of it somewhere, but I have yet to meet a person who talks about it being one of Disney's greats.



There are a few problems with the film as I recall. However, I think the thing that bothered me the most was some of the voice acting. Okay, mostly just Taran. I can't stand him. To be fair, he definitely has his flaws in the book, which is intentional. One of the great things about these first two books (the film was based on both) is the character development of Taran in particular. He's kind of arrogant with delusions of grandeur, but he has some humbling experiences and meets characters that help him learn what it means to be a true leader and hero.

There's much more depth in the books than the movie managed to portray. It's not an easy thing making a book into a movie, and now that these books are fresh in my mind, I would say that this story could be potentially difficult. It's not that it wouldn't make a great film. It's more that there are many elements, locations, and characters to deal with. For the time limit they were allowed and the number of plot elements in the story, it must have been a difficult task indeed.

The books themselves are worth a read. The characters are unique and memorable and learn valuable lessons on their journeys. I enjoy each of the main characters and could take time talking about each one as they truly each have something that sets them apart. It's a great introduction to the fantasy genre and would make a good starting point to transition over to something like Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.

My favorite bit of these books was the quote I shared recently on Facebook from a character who you will not see in the film--"Is there not glory enough in living the days given to us? You should know there is adventure in simply being among those we love and the things we love, and beauty, too."

If Netflix ever wants to turn  the books into a series, I would give it a go. For now, if you're a  fantasy fan, I would definitely give these a go.

Also, now I kind of do feel like I need to watch the Disney film again just to see if it's as bad as I remember...

Valentines, Excuses, and Chocolate Mousse

Ready for my confession? I'm sure you may have a guess as to what it may be. I mean, have you seen how long it's been since I wrote a post? I really shouldn't shower you with excuses when this happens, but I'm going to anyway.

I haven't read a single page of a book since that last post. Okay, that's not entirely true. The other night I couldn't sleep so I started reading a book about the making of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. I definitely read more than one page. And I've read recipes while preparing dinner in the evening, so it's not like I haven't been doing any reading at all 😆

The fact of the matter is this: I have a big life changing event coming up in a few weeks, and my mind has been a bit preoccupied with that. Not to mention I've gotten sucked into watching the original Twilight Zone with my husband in the evenings. My last excuse/distraction was the release of Kingdom Hearts III. I'm not just a book lover. I enjoy a good video game now and again. I finally started playing the new game yesterday even though I've had it since it was released in the end of January partly because I've been trying to get things ready for aforementioned life changing event and also because I was trying to play through (most of) the previous games and I was stuck on the last one. Finally, I got fed up, watched the final scenes on YouTube, and began the new game. (For the record, I have beaten that game in the past. I'm not a complete cheater. Ha!) Kingdom Hearts has it's own rich (if not sometimes convoluted) story line, so my need for a good story is still being met!

Basically, I have no particular book to talk to you about today, so instead, I'm going to share a treat with you that I tried the other day! It's not technically a baked good...but hey, I would still give it to you if you came to my house for an official book club meeting.

This was my first attempt ever making a chocolate mousse. From what I can see from other recipes online, this is quite a simple version. It's quick and easy and doesn't involve eggs like the other recipes I peeked at. The whole reason why I gave this a go is because I had made a dinner using heavy whipping cream, and I always have cream leftover. I really didn't want it to get wasted, so I googled things to do with whipping cream--you know, besides making whipped cream...

This called for four ingredients, which I already had, and it's done in a few minutes. The recipe can be found here.

The ingredients you will need are:
Heavy Whipping Cream
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
Powdered Sugar
Pinch of Salt

She made this by shaking it all together in a mason jar. I mixed it up in the kitchen aid, and that did the trick. I might play with the cocoa to sugar ratio as it was a little bit more bitter than I wanted it to be. Or perhaps I'll just drown it in more whipped cream! Either way, this is something I would do again, and it's a nice quick, easy treat.

So, if you haven't thought of some Valentine's Day treat yet, perhaps you should give this one a go! Happy Valentine's Day to all of you! I hope it's a good one filled with great people (or perhaps a fur baby who will be more than willing to give you all the loves).

Until next time!

The Little Selkie

Title: The Little Selkie

Rating: 3/5

Author: K.M. Shea

Pages: 318

Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy

Synopsis:

Dylan is a selkie which means she has the ability to change from a human form to a sea lion form as long as her sea lion pelt remains safe and undamaged. She also has a special connection to the ocean and a duty to protect it. When the waters are tormented by a wicked sea witch, Dylan brashly races onto land to confront her. Too late she realizes the severity of her mistake.

The selkie is captured and her pelt stolen from her. She’s certain the sea witch will force Dylan to use her special powers to help aid her in her wicked plans. But Dylan’s powers only work through her ability to sing. When Dylan stumbles upon a passing enchantress, she begs her to seal her voice. Now, unable to speak and fearing that she may never retrieve her pelt, Dylan must discover the sea witch’s plot and do whatever she can to thwart it before it’s too late.

My Reaction:

Recently, I saw a book list full of books with strong female characters, so I know that’s something some readers are looking for. If that’s you, than K.M. Shea may be the author for you. One of the positive things about both of her books that I’ve read so far are female protagonists who get the job done!

Aside from that, The Little Selkie was another enjoyable read. However, I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as Beauty and the Beast. I appreciated the fact that she was a selkie instead of a mermaid. It changed the dynamic of the story a little bit as her motivations are different than say Disney’s version of the tale. Also, there’s no turning into sea foam involved, so that’s a plus for Dylan. I kind of would have liked a just a little more information on selkies. I mean, you can figure out the concept, but I found myself wondering if they spent more time in seal bodies versus their human forms since Dylan thinks of things like all her sister’s books or sleeping on straw mattresses which didn’t really match what I was picturing in my head (waterproof books, perhaps?). But, you’ll understand the important bit—a destroyed pelt equals bad news for a selkie.

Also, I will admit that I googled “selkie” because I wasn’t sure what it was as opposed to a mermaid. See? Reading is good for you. You learn stuff.

You may notice that this book as well as Beauty and the Beast are part of the series, but fear not. You don’t have to read them in order. In fact, you could just read one book out of the series and still be fine. From what I’ve seen, they are stand alone books that may make subtle references to each other just to let you know that they are in the same universe.

Oh! I nearly forgot to mention that there is still a love story in there. Don't worry about that :)

Reader’s Guidance:

I can’t think of anything.

Similar Books:

I feel like I’ve run out of fairy tale books to tell you! Here’s an idea: what are your favorite fairy tale related books out there?

Next Book:

So, I started reading another fairy tale, but then thought, “Maybe I need to shake this up and come back to this one.” But the first few pages seem interesting, so I may just keep reading it anyway. It’s called Goldheart by Kenley Davidson, and it’s a retelling of Rumplestiltskin. I was a little hesitant to start reading a retelling of that particular story as I read Rump last year and absolutely loved it! Based on the first little bit though, I think they’re going to be totally different in both style and twist on the original tale.

The other books I’ve been thinking of are The Prydain Chronicles. You may not know that name, but perhaps you’ve heard of The Black Cauldron, which is one of the books in the series (and not one of Disney’s finest adaptations into film). I read the series some years ago now. I was talking to my husband about Disney’s take on the book and found that I couldn’t remember much about the series as a whole except that I liked it. It’s sitting on my shelf ever so patiently waiting to be read again.

Basically, I’m claiming to be reading two books now, though in all honesty I probably won’t read them simultaneously. I don’t think I’ve ever been successful with that. Usually one book falls by the wayside. Well, I’ve committed now. You’ll be expecting reviews on both. Let’s do this.

Also, does anyone else feel in need of another baking post? Perhaps I need to bake something… I

mean, I bake usually once a week at least, but I should maybe document it. Ha!

Beauty and the Beast

Happy New Year! It's only day four of 2019, and I've already managed to get one book under my belt. I feel accomplished. I should have made the resolution to read a book, and then I could already check one off my list... Next year...

Title: Beauty and the Beast

Rating: 4/5

Author: K.M. Shea

Pages: 293

Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy

Synopsis:

Elle has one job to do, and it certainly doesn't involve falling through the ceiling of an enchanted chateau. But that’s exactly what happens. With one misstep, Elle finds herself falling to the ground below and breaking her leg. She is now forced to heal and rely on the good graces of the chateau’s cursed owner, Prince Severin, and she’s not so sure he has any good graces to spare.

The prince has his own problems to deal with, and although his servants are hopeful that Elle could finally be the one to break their curse, Prince Severin sees her as little more than an inconvenience. At first he is eager for her leg to heal so he can be rid of her, but the longer she stays, the more he realizes that he truly doesn’t want to be rid of her at all.

But will he feel the same once he learns Elle’s secret?

My Reaction:

Have you noticed by now just how much I enjoy a good fairy tale retelling? And let me remind you that Beauty and the Beast is my favorite fairy tale. That being said, I’ve read a good handful of retellings of that particular story, some of them better than others. And yet, Shea’s version of the tale offered something different from what I’ve seen before, most noticeably the background of the two main characters. Elle in particular has a secret that drives her motivations which was a new twist to the tale.

I wasn’t immediately pulled into the story, but it didn’t take long for it to catch my interest. By the time I got to the end, I had just the right amount of girlish gushing that I would expect of myself when a love story is involved. You know, when the main character realizes they’re in love, but then there’s a conflict, and then it’s all resolved in the end. Yep, this story had just the right amount of romantic build up and resolution. Not to mention, the characters were well crafted and enjoyable to follow.

There were a couple of small things that made me give it a 4 instead of 5, but they really are small things. The book as a whole is quite enjoyable and is great for cuddling up on the couch and indulging in like I did yesterday afternoon. Without revealing too much, I found the mention of Elle’s secret slightly repetitive. There was also a moment I found a bit cliché, but the rest of the conversation balanced it out. Finally, I didn’t really understand why characters reacted the way they did towards the end. It made a little more sense in the following chapter, but it still just seemed a little unexpected. It came to my realization that the characters' understanding of a major plot element was not the same as my understanding of the major plot element. (FYI, my understanding was the correct one. Take THAT fictional characters!) That threw me off a little bit. All in all, none of those things were enough to keep me from enjoying the book and recommending it. In fact, some of you may not even notice those things. So read on and enjoy!

P.S. Don't be fooled by the cover. This is not a modern retelling. Also, it's not a harlequin romance like my husband thought it was. Ha!

Reader’s Guidance:

There are a couple of moments that involve death by sword, but there are no graphic details.

Similar Books:

I could tell you every Beauty and the Beast retelling I’ve ever read. I also thought of Pride and Prejudice as I read mostly because I couldn’t help thinking how Elle and Severin are totally Elizabeth and Darcy, if Darcy were a man cursed to be a beast until he found true love that is. There are plenty of Pride and Prejudice retellings out there that may suite your fancy.

K.M. Shea has also written a good deal of other fairy tale retellings, so if you enjoy this one, you ought to give some of her others a shot!

Next Book:

I’m thinking I may try out another one of K.M. Shea’s books. I think I’ll go with The Little Selkie which is a retelling of The Little Mermaid. I don’t think I’ve ever read a retelling of that one before. Here goes nothing!