Thursday, August 4, 2011

Taking a Break

SparkPeople.com: Get a 100% FREE Online Diet

I found a message from My Points introducing me to SparkPeople.
I didn't know I was going to start a diet today but I did.

The tools, logs, reports and more on SparkPeople are great!
I think they are just the ticket to get me motivated to lose some weight.

I used to think I did not have time to exercise. Then I really thought about my online habits. I used to get up and check email and facebook, makeand read blog posts and generally surf around the internet for a while. It is amazing how much time we waste on line isn't it?


I think I am going to change things up a bit. I am going to get up and exercise right away.
I have plenty of time to check emails and other stuff in between calls while I am at work.

SO ........ I am taking a break from blogging and blog reading.






Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Melons

We have melons at the McGatha Garden Co Op!!

We have not had very much luck growing melons thus far.
We had trouble with bugs and disease in years past.

So this is our first melon harvest and we are super excited!!

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

McGatha Garden Update- Day 87

Day 87

The BIG Tomate plant fell in a bad storm

I think this plant has more tomatoes on it than it did last week!

Friday, July 22, 2011

Chocolate Zucchini Bread



Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Recipe by OurBestBites.com

2 C flour
2 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 t baking soda
6 T unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 C canola oil
1 C sugar
1/4 C brown sugar
3 eggs
2 t vanilla
1/2 C sour cream
3 C grated zucchini
3/4 C mini chocolate chips



Topping:
2 T brown sugar
2 T white sugar
1/2 t cinnamon


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 2 loaf pans and set aside.
Mix topping ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Place flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.

With a stand or hand mixer beat oil, white sugar, brown sugar, and eggs until combined and slightly fluffy, 1-2 minutes.

Add vanilla and sour cream and mix until combined.

Gently stir in the grated zucchini.

Take a spoonful of the flour mixture and stir in with the chocolate chips (that will help keep them evenly distributed.) If you only have regular chocolate chips, or a chocolate bar, just give it a chop so it's the size of mini chocolate chips. Stir remaining flour mixture into batter and mix just until combined. Add chocolate chips and stir to combine.

Divide the batter between the two pans. and sprinkle topping over each.

Bake in your preheated 350 degree oven for 50-60 minutes. I set my timer for 45 minutes and then keep an eye on it for the remainder. Ya never know how different ovens handle things.

When it's done a toothpick or skewer should come out without goopy batter on it and the top will be gorgeous and cracked with sugar.

Let it cool on a rack for 5-10 minutes and then remove from pans. You definitely have to eat a slice warm. And slathered with butter.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

What I am Reading

Safe & Ready Life



We visited the Safe and Ready Life Store in Milford, OH yesterday. We got some great emergency preparedness stuff and even more ideas for things we want to add to our supplies.

This Store has what you need to be prepared for most anything. They are an excellent source for emergency and disaster supply merchandise.

You can shop online or in store. The friendly, knowledgeable staff can help with product selection. They are even having a class this weekend on Cooking without power!

We highly recommend Safe and Ready Life.

Just click one of the links and check them out!


Monday, July 18, 2011

McGatha Garden Update- Day 80



Look at all the tomatoes on this ONE plant!!

Backyard Garden- Mid July

The grapes are planted and growing!


Bed 1 and Bed 2
Both survived the straight line wind storm we had last week
It just pushed the peppers over a little.
We stacked them up to help support them.
Just in time for some storms tonight!



The tomatoes are growing tall!!



The blackberries are turning!







Cucumbers on the trellis




Linked to Homestead Revival's Barn Hop

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

What I am Reading

Free Salad


Fresh Express® salads washed in Fresh Rinse™ are ready to eat...not ready to wash.


We're giving away coupons so you can try them for FREE:
vocalpoint.com/FreshSavings


Fresh Express® has developed a breakthrough, eco-friendly produce wash called Fresh Rinse™ that is 7x more effective in cleaning salads than traditional chlorine wash,1 but is still gentle on lettuce.