Lemon Zucchini Loaf with Lemon Glaze

I spotted this recipe for Lemon Zucchini Loaf at NancyCreative and when she described it as a “a moist, lemony delight” I knew I had to give it a try.  Nancy wasn't kidding...this bread is wonderful!

Lemon Zucchini Loaf with Lemon Glaze

Makes one 9×5″ loaf

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk (I used 1/2 skim milk + 1/2 Tablespoon white vinegar)
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
1 cup grated zucchini (you don’t need to peel the zucchini before grating it)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9×5″ loaf pan; set aside.
In large bowl, blend flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
In medium bowl, beat 2 eggs well, then add canola oil and sugar, and blend well. Then add the buttermilk, lemon juice, and lemon zest and blend everything well. Fold in zucchini and stir until evenly distributed in mixture.
Add this mixture to the dry ingredients in the large bowl and blend everything together, but don’t overmix.
Pour batter into prepared 9×5″ loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack and cool completely.

Lemon Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons lemon juice

In small bowl, mix powdered sugar and lemon juice until well blended. Spoon glaze over cooled loaf. Let glaze set, then serve.

Who Doesn't Love A Good Mystery?

I started doing a bit of research on my "new" machine and have found myself in the middle of a mystery.  I began with some of the different serial number lists found across the web, but each showed a different date and model number for the serial number on my machine.  I then decided that I would email Singer direct for a date verification.  They sent a fast reply stating that their records showed that serial #G9990077 belongs to Singer Model 15 manufactured on May 1, 1923 in Elizabeth, New Jersey.  Sounds good, but this machine is definitely not a Model 15.  I sent them photos of my machine and the serial number and they replied that there was obviously an error in their records and there's no real way to know exactly when my machine was made, only that the Singer Model 128 was manufactured from 1917 to 1959.  Maybe the date of 1923 is right and just the model number is incorrect?  Maybe it's all wrong?  It's certainly a mystery!

I Didn't Know There Would Be Gifts!

Back when I signed up for the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative's $1000 Promise I had no idea that there would be anything more than a warm fuzzy feeling for completing that promise, but it seems that the AAQI has a few sponsors that send rewards when someone meets their $1000 goal.  Surgeron's Skin Secret of Grand Rapids, MI is one of those sponsors.  I just received the most wonderful assortment of lemon scented skin care products from them...everything needed to do a little pampering and get my skin ready for the beach this summer!  I haven't used much, but I can honestly say that it smells wonderful and just a tiny dab of the moisturizing cream softened my hands and lasted for hours...even after a couple of hand-washings!  My thanks to Surgeon's Skin Secret for this lovely gift!

Silent Sunday

Seriously?

Just how smart are the robots anyway?  I mean, seriously, how is a human supposed to decipher this secret code?  At the beginning of the year, when Blogger first changed their word verification system, I figured that I would battle the spam on my own.  It was my opinion that it would be better for me to be annoyed by a bit of spam than to annoy the people who were trying to comment on my blog with impossible to read word verification codes.  I did have to disallow anonymous comments to completely block the spammers, but since then I have not had a single spam message.  It was well worth the trade off! 

Tiny Tumblers

As much as I enjoy making modern and art quilts, I guess I'm still an old-fashioned girl at heart because I can't resist traditional patterns and reproduction fabrics!  42 tiny tumbler blocks make up this month's Priority: Alzheimer's Quilt, each a different Civil War reproduction fabric. 

Several readers have asked how they can purchase my Priority: Alzheimer's Quilts.  If you click on the AAQI tab near the top of this page it will take you to a list of the quilts that I have donated to the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative.  Click on each quilt title to see a photo of the quilt and its status with the AAQI.

You can also visit www.alzquilts.org/quiltsforsale.html to see the list of all of the Priority: Alzheimer's Quilts that are for sale. There are some great bargains right now...some quilts are priced as low as $5.00!  Remember, all profits fund Alzheimer's research!

My "New" Machine

My husband's friend (the one who is moving to a smaller home) stopped by with another box for me last week.  This box was quite a bit heavier than the box of ties that he brought earlier in the month.  This box contained a Singer Model 128 made in 19??!  It has spent the last I don't know how many years stored in a barn, so it's musty smelling and filthy dirty, but otherwise it appears to be in working condition!  Now to do a little research to figure out the best way to go about cleaning and restoring my "new" machine.

Silent Sunday

Snazzy Little Scissors Necklace

Here's my finished Snazzy Little Scissors Necklace from the beading class that I took last month.  It took me several tries to come up with a design that I really liked, but when I finally decided to go with my usual "less is more" school of thought, I was happy!  I even made a matching beaded scissors fob to go with it.

You can find the Snazzy Little Scissors Necklace pattern at Tree Top Threads Studio.

TMNT 2

I was cleaning out my sewing room a bit last week and discovered the vintage sheet scraps from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle quilt that I made for our youngest son last Christmas.  I did a little measuring and found that there was enough fabric to make a toddler size sheet and pillowcase for the lil' cowboy!  How long after he gets the new bedding do you think it will take for him to get the matching quilt away from his daddy?

Silent Sunday

The Works!

I knew that my Juki sewing machine (the one that I have on my quilting frame) had a trap door on the bottom of the machine to make cleaning easier, but it's such a hassle to take it off the frame carriage that I rarely take it apart.  Honestly, I thought that I was getting it clean enough from the bobbin access.  Apparently, I was wrong!  Just look at the size of those lint balls...I'm surprised that it still ran with that much lint tucked in there!  I guess I should do a full cleaning/maintenance more than once a year.  How often do you give your machine "the works"?

Winner

I entered a few different giveaways during the Sew, Mama, Sew! Giveaway Day(s) and I was lucky enough to win the one that I was really hoping to win!  The question to enter the giveaway at Raggie Girls was, "What is the one quilt on your bucket list?"  The quilt that I have always wanted to make, but haven't yet, is a kaleidoscope quilt and the assortment of books and patterns that I won has not one, but two great kaleidoscope quilt patterns!  I guess I don't have any more excuses for not making a kaleidoscope quilt!

Silent Sunday

I can't remain silent this Sunday, because this photo deserves some commentary!  Friday morning I noticed something black go by our living room window.  I first thought that the neighbor's dog had gotten loose, but when I took a second look I realized that it wasn't Casey...it was much bigger than a cocker spaniel!  It was a HUGE black bear looking for some breakfast!  By the time I got the camera and got outside (Yes, I stepped outside to take the picture...I know, I know.) he was already across the street nosing around the neighbor's camper, but he didn't hang around long when he realized that there wasn't anything to eat there either.  This bear lover is tempted to keep a few doughnuts on hand for unexpected guests, but feeding the bears is not recommended or legal in our area!

AAQI June Online Quilt Auction

The Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative June Online Quilt Auction has begun! To bid on your favorite quilt visit www.alzquilts.org

All Tied Up!

Earlier this week my husband came home from work and asked if I could make quilts from ties.  I reminded him of the little quilt that I had made from ties for the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative a couple of years ago and told him that I had some ties leftover for another quilt one day.  That's when he handed me a box and said that he had a few more for my collection.  One of his friends is cleaning out in preparation for a move and thought that I might like to have them.  I haven't counted them, but I can tell you that the box weighs 7 pounds!  That's a lot of ties!