Tuesday, September 23, 2008

More About The Last Post--

First, about the Jack O'Lantern quilt. Ratherbquilting left this comment:

". . . I assume you drew up the faces yourself? Surely you didn't hand applique all that just since Friday night. Please say it's machine appliqued. . . ."

Nope, I didn't hand applique the faces. I didn't exactly machine applique them either--not in any traditional way. What I did was pin the quilt and outline quilt the pumpkins and the squares they are in. Then I used black felted wool for the eyes and mouths and just sewed them on as I was quilting. Extremely fast and easy! That was my real goal with this quilt--to make something cute and quick. With all the applique and quilting I've been doing recently, I was Jonesing for a fast, pieced project.

And drawing out the faces? Nope, not that either. I just went at a piece of wool and cut. Kind of like when we carve real Jack O'Lanterns and just start hacking away with a knife. Most "mistakes" could be fixed easily or just left "as is."

Now, my question to you--should I post directions? I can tell you cutting sizes and post a few photos if anyone's interested. My quilt will measure somewhere around 38" square when it's finished, but a four patch of pumpkins--rather than a nine patch--would look equally cute and would be even quicker to make.

Second--the zucchini nut bread, which also drew its fair share of comments. I took a photo of the loaves this a.m.


If you haven't had zucchini nut bread and think it sounds weird, try it. You really don't taste the zucchini much. Want the recipe? Let me get out my old, tattered, stained, much used sheet of binder paper and share it with you. I'd like to tell you it was grandma's recipe, but I might be lying. Truly, I can't remember where I got it, but I've made it many, many times over the years.

ZUCCHINI NUT BREAD

3 eggs
1 cup of oil
2-1/2 cups of sugar
2 cups grated zucchini
3 teaspoons of vanilla extract

First grate the zucchini--you'll probably need two to three zucchini. Set the grated zucchini to drain on a couple sheets of paper towels. Now preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two loaf pans.

Now, in a medium/large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix lightly but well.

To the wet mixture, add:

1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 teaspoons cinnamon
3 cups flour
1/2 cup nuts (I like nuts, so I add about 1 cup of walnuts. I like them kind of chunky too so I don't chop them much--I just break up the halves a bit.)

Mix until well blended. Pour into prepared pans and bake about one hour or so--use a toothpick to check for doneness.

I love this stuff spread with cream cheese. Yum!

11 comments:

  1. Your Punkin quilt is cute Kim and yes wool is fast, fun and forgiving!
    I have had Zuchini bread before and it is tastey.
    I think it is an older Granny type recipe, kind of brings to mind canning and all that good stuff!

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  2. Hi and WHEW, no lightning-fast hand applique, LOL. I'm sure others would like to see the directions for that cute quilt, if you have time to write them out. And your Zucchini Bread recipe is remarkably similar to mine. Mine is an old recipe I got over 30 years ago. Oddly, mine calls for 1 1/2 cups of 'mixed coconut and nuts'. I really don't like coconut, but you don't taste it...I guess it helps keep the bread moist. Therefore, though, mine only calls for 1 3/4 C sugar...

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  3. YUMM, that bread looks so good. Lots better than mine did. But I used that receipe and didn't add the nuts as I didn't have any and DH doesn't like them, but he only ate one piece.

    Cute way of doing the faces on those pumpkins.

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  4. That pumpkin quilt is so cute! I would love directions to make it. I'm a newbie quiltmaker, but I think I could tackle that.

    Amy

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  5. I LOVE your pumpkin quilt. It's adorable. Did I already say that? If not, I should have! If I did, it bears repeating!

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  6. That quilt is just too cute Kim! I think the twist and turn was perfect for these blocks. I may try to whip one out for myself. I'm not as artistic so I'll have to look at your faces and copy them!!!!

    I don't like zucchini but I'll take your word for that and give it a try. I could probably slather cream cheese on just about anything and be happy ;-) Thanks for sharing the recipe.
    Patty

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  7. Oh please do post your directions! It's absolutely adorable!! :) I do so enjoy your blog, Kim, and wish I had more time to comment and also to post more on my blog. Alas, I truly (literally) have my hands full right now with these two wienie dogs. Soon, tho, I do hope SOON I can pick up needle and thread again, and also post and comment more regularly.

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  8. I just love your pumpkin quilt. Please post directions. I'm a beginner .... there is no way I can do it by just looking at it.

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  9. Oh yes... Zuchinni Bread is soooo good. My grandma used to make it with chocolate too and raisins.. yummo!

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  10. Hi Kim:

    Your hallowe'en quilts are fantastic. Thanks for the applique lesson. I'll have to try that method.

    Pat H.
    Toronto, Canada

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  11. How I love zucchini bread, and I am going to make this recipe - looks yummy! Thank you, Kim!

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