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| Zucchini Cashew Bread |
Yesterday (Thursday) was another good day! I spent most of the morning blogging and reading blogs and most of the afternoon and early evening repairing the quilt.
I also managed a short walk around the garden in the evening. The peach tree top seems to have broken off, again! M will be here, later today (Friday) and he can take another look at it and see if it can be taped, again. If not, we will probably cut it off and hope that the tree will recover and the side branches will continue to grow. Otherwise, we'll try again with a new peach tree, next year!
I also tried making a version of zucchini lasagna using about a third of the huge zucchini we had harvested on Wednesday and stuff I had on hand. I didn't take any photos, but, I layered an 8 inch by 8 inch glass (Pyrex) baking dish with slices of zucchini topped with some spaghetti sauce I had in the freezer and thawed, topped with another layer of zucchini slices and a layer of mozzarella cheese on top of that; daughter finished topping the dish with the cheese for me and put the dish in the oven (we baked it at 350F for 30 minutes). I rather liked how it turned out although the zucchini had a lot of moisture which oozed out and made the sauce rather watery. If I make this dish again, I will salt the zucchini and leave it for 30 minutes or so to remove some of the excess moisture. Since this was the first time I had prepared most of a meal since last month, I was thrilled to bits!
Afterwards, I grated the rest of that zucchini and daughter baked two loaves of zucchini bread! My zucchini bread recipe called for walnuts. We didn't have any walnuts, so daughter substituted cashews. It turned out really well (we sampled it, last night!) Daughter doubled the recipe and used two cups of the grated zucchini for the bread; she froze the remaining 2 1/2 cups of grated zucchini. Yes, that was a big zucchini, indeed! Since daughter had already run the dishwasher before the baking was done, I washed the bowls, etc. that were used in making the zucchini bread by hand. When daughter asked me what I was doing, I replied, "Nothing"! LOL. I was happy that I could do the washing up!
In other news, my doctor had emailed me the authorization for the MRI! Oh, I am so grateful to have received the authorization! No doubt I'll receive the official letter of authorization from the insurance in the mail in the next few days. I now need to call and make the appointment.
Yesterday, I was grateful for:
- Another pain free day
- Being able to stand for longer periods of time without pain
- Being able to help a bit in the kitchen, with the meal preparations and washing up
- The insurance approved the MRI referral
- My doctor emailed me the authorization
My joyful activities, yesterday, included a walk in the garden and helping in the kitchen!
Today (Friday) seems like it will be another good day! So far (I'm writing this in the early afternoon), I've had a pain free morning! I was able to make my own tea and put coffee to brew for my daughter. Small accomplishments, but, I am rejoicing in being able to do them! The fact that I can do them without pain is an answer to my prayers! I am still taking things one step at a time and one day at a time, but, I am hopeful that I have turned a corner in my recovery.
Plans for the rest of the day include M's visit to tend to the garden this evening and more quilt repairs.
Today, I am grateful for:
- Another pain free morning
- A working printer (I printed out the authorization my doctor forwarded to me)
- Answered prayers
- M tending to the garden
- My daughter being there for me
Today's planned joyful activity is another walk in the garden when M is here.
I don't have anything planned for the weekend, other than continuing to repair the quilt. I believe my daughter's friend A will be over for a visit, tomorrow, and there is a possibility that aunt C and cousin N will visit on Sunday.
How is your Friday coming along? What are your plans for the weekend?
Well just yum!
ReplyDeleteUsing the zucchini in both ways is such a good idea.
Hope your weekend is glorious and pain free.
Thank you, Anne. Zucchini bread is my favorite way to have zucchini! I think I'll have to join you in the throwing zucchini at the neighbors game! M picked another 8 or 9 zucchini, today! :D
DeleteI'm glad to read that you are having some pain free time, and able to move around more. It's good you can get the MRI soon, and hopefully you're on the way to recovery. I am not a fan of zucchini, but in bread it can be very good. Ive never made it though. It's been in the high 90s here, so not turning on the oven! Best, Celie
ReplyDeleteThank you, Celie. I am hopeful I can schedule the MRI for sooner rather than later. I prefer zucchini in the form of zucchini bread than in any other way, but, it is a vegetable I will eat. Although 14 zucchini plants all producing like crazy might be a bit too much! LOL. Wise of you not to turn the oven on when it is so hot! Stay cool! Hope your sister is doing OK.
DeleteI'm so happy that you are continuing to have pain free days and able to do a bit more each day, thankful that you can get the MRI now too! I hope the peach tree will be ok. That really was one huge zucchini lol! Have a great weekend Bless. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Martha. I am hopeful that the MRI will help with figuring out what caused the sciatica in the first place! M taped up the peach tree top and we shall see how that works! He also picked more zucchini! I think I might have to get a second freezer just for the zucchini harvest! :D
DeleteYou and your daughter have been busy little bakers. Much too hot in these parts to be turning on our oven. Sorry about the peach tree, but so glad you'll be able to get an MRI. Happy to hear that. Wishing you a good weekend! Denise
ReplyDeleteThank you, Denise. I, too, don't bake when it gets hot, but, it's not that hot here, yet. :) I am so grateful that the MRI was authorized! I will call next week to make the appointment. Hope you are staying cool during your hot weather. Have a lovely weekend.
DeleteThat's good news that the MRI has been authorised. I hope you don't have to wait for too long for an appointment. Good news that you continue to be pain free and that you're managing to do a bit more in the kitchen. Just don't overdo things!
ReplyDeleteAs far as I know I haven't eaten zucchini bread but it looks delicious so may be something to try. Is the consistency like bread or like cake?
I have my fingers crossed for the poor old peach tree and hope M is able to save it.
Yes, it's very good news that the MRI has been authorized. If nothing else, we will be able to know if there is a herniated disc or not. I am taking it easy; still spending most of my time sitting up in bed! Don't want to trigger another flare up!
DeleteZucchini bread is more like cake - it's sweet. Although, my daughter said she found a recipe for a more savory bread with zucchini and cheese; we haven't tried that, yet.
M taped the peach tree up, again - we shall see if it holds!
Fourteen zucchini plants is rather ambitious. Soon you'll be leaving them on peoples' doorsteps while they are sleeping. :)
ReplyDeleteI honestly didn't expect them all to grow! Not just grow, but thrive! M has been tending to them and feeding them and they've responded well!
DeleteThat's wonderful news! I am so happy to hear that you are pain free. It really makes you appreciate the ability to perform small tasks and chores. My hip surgeon told me to think of chores as physical therapy. I like that idea.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Stephenie. Yes, being able to do those little daily tasks one needs to do (like stand at the sink and brush your teeth!) without pain is a blessing! I like the idea of thinking of household chores as physical therapy! :)
DeleteThat jointly produced bread looks wonderful! So glad you have been able to do a lot of things without pain, and that you will be able to get the MRI. I hope the peach tree survives. It is too enthusiastic to produce fruit for you!
ReplyDeleteI've just been watching a video about pruning tomatoes and learned for the first time that there are two different types, determinate and indeterminate! I haven't a clue what I have so I will just have to watch how they grow and figure it out. I've retrieved some pop bottle watering devices from the shed, which I hope will help in the dry weather.
Thank you, Bushlady; I only grated the zucchini for the bread, my daughter did the rest of the work (mixing and baking!) It turned out really well and the first loaf just disappeared (we shared some with M).
DeleteAh, yes; I have one determinate tomato plant (the Roma tomato, the majority of the crop will ripen at once) and one indeterminate (Early Girl, the plant will continue to produce throughout the season). If you know the name of the type of tomato plants you have, you might be able to do a search online to see what they are. :)
I have no idea if they are tiny grape tomatoes or beefsteak or any other so it will be fun to see what they produce. Life needs surprises, and I am thankful that in the old days we never had a way to know the gender of our son before he was born!
DeleteYes, those little surprises are welcome, aren't they? I made all neutral colored clothes (white, mint green, pale yellow) for my daughter when I was expecting her. But, when I went for my amniocentesis, the doctor asked if I want to know if I'm having a girl or boy and at that point, I said I'd like to know. :)
DeleteIt's so nice to read of your activities and how you are getting stronger.
ReplyDeleteGood news on the approval for the MRI. I hope you are able to schedule it soon.
All this zucchini talk has reminded me of a recipe I used to make years ago. It was a sort of savory zucchini pie. The odd thing was you spread a bit of mustard on the crust before adding the vegetables - and then I think there was egg and cheese- and then baking.
The mustard addition sounded so weird but it was delicious.
I wonder if I still have that recipe. I'm going to go look just in case I end up with a zucchini gift this year. lol
Thank you, Debra. I am getting stronger, again, aren't I? I scrubbed one side of the kitchen sink, today (I have a double sink) - it's the side where we keep the dish drainer and that was given a quick scrub, too. :)
DeleteI've read a couple of recipes for zucchini pies, both savory and sweet! I wouldn't mind trying one of the sweet pies, but, since I need to be mindful of my sugar intake, I think I'll just do a mini pie, if I make it! I hope you will be gifted a zucchini over the summer. :)