Zucchini Bread

Before you turn your nose up & say eeewww to zucchini bread - try it!  I said eeewww too many years & I'm so sad I did.  It will change your world...well, maybe not change your world - but it tastes delicious & could possible become a new family favorite!   Modified from a recipe from Everyday Food in 2003.  Enjoy!

• 1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest (**adds a brightness to the flavor)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan with cooking spray, and set aside. Grate zucchini on the large holes of a box grater (to yield 1 1/2 cups); set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together sugars, oil, vanilla, and eggs.
2. Into a small bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt. Add flour mixture to egg mixture, and stir to combine well. Stir in grated zucchini & zest.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes; invert onto a wire rack, then reinvert, top side up. Cool completely before slicing.

Tennessee Apple Cake

One of my favorite places to eat lunch in Tennessee was at a log cabin cafe called the Apple Cake Tea Room.  I was never able to get my hands on their apple cake recipe.  It's amazing when you bite into something how it can bring back a memory.  One bite of this apple cake & I was sitting in the Apple Cake Tea Room.  It warms my heart each time I eat it!  I usually make it in a 9x13 pan - but recently made it in a bundt pan -- DELICIOUS!  Hope you enjoy!

Tennessee Apple Cake ;)

2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
2 eggs
3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. vanilla
3 chopped & peeled large apples (about 3 cups - whatever type is your favorite - I use Golden Delicious)
1 cup chopped pecans

Mix dry ingredients.  Add oil, eggs, & vanilla.  Fold in the apples & nuts.  You will feel like it doesn't have enough moisture when mixing everything together.  Don't you worry - though - it will turn out nice & yummy!  Grease & flour baking pan of choice.  Place in the oven (this recipe begins w/ a cold oven) & then turn on the oven to 350.  Bake for 1 hour or until done.

Caramel Glaze:
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup. light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup milk

Mix and boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly - pour the caramel glaze over the cooled cake.  Enjoy!

Good news! Good news!

I was saddened recently, when I was discussing yummy restaurants with a couple of friends at a birthday party.   I was told the famed El Siete Mares Seafood Mexican Restaurant had closed their doors.  WHAT?  My mouth waters at the thought of their red snapper tacos.  Besides, my sweet neighbors fish tacos, I have found none to compare to Siete Mares fish tacos in Waco.  After I began this blog, I became curious at other blogs out there & what I could learn.  I was doing a search this morning for blogs in Waco and stumbled across the blog:  www.wacofork.com
Scrolling through the blog I saw a post concerning the closing of Siete Mares.  According to the post, El Positano owner, Sergio Garcia plans to reopen the Positano location under the new name - Sergios.  What will be on Sergios menu?  Beginning sometime in September, Sergio plans to incorporate Siete Mares menu items on Friday and Saturday nights.  HOORAY!!!! 


Location of (Positanos) Sergios:  4th Street and David Drive, which is on 4th Street between downtown and the Cameron Park Zoo

The Rumblings of My Heart

As a family of six, overwhelmed, can be a feeling I experience on a regular basis.  I was at a real breaking point this past weekend as we have three kids in school, and fall schedules are kicking in.  I just feel like I'm spinning in circles and fixing my eyes on Jesus can get lost in the, "where are my shoes, she took my toy, what's for dinner, let's look at the calendar, ....    How can I choose Jesus and walk in the Spirit rather than react in the flesh when I am hurled mulitple interactions at the same time.  The last couple of years have been a journey of abiding and drinking in by the bucket loads God's sweet sweet grace.  I've learned about myself that in a split second, the flesh can be chosen because it feels right in my tainted perspective.  If I'm not listened to, understood, or respected, that split second is all the more in need of Jesus and His perspective.  I'm a work in progress and there are plenty of moments I fail and fall short of what I desire my heart response to be.  Instead of letting it spoil the rest of the day, I am learning to fall into God's sweet grace & lavish in His presence.  I read a book a few years back called practicing His presence.  Walking through each moment in the presence of God and abiding in His love.

My heart was stirred this week when reading the story in Exodus 17.  The people of God are angry because they are thirsty.  They rise up against Moses and he cries out to God out of fear for his life.  In great Old Testament form, God reveals Himself mightily through an event only to be followed up by another trial.  Moses hits a rock & out bust forth crystal clear water to provide for their thirst.  Shortly after, they are attacked by Amalekites.  Joshua takes choice men out to fight & Moses goes to the top of the hill & holds the staff of God in his hands.    Here is the rest of the story:

So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven.”

Moses built an altar and called it The LORD is my Banner. He said, “Because hands were lifted up against the throne of the LORD, the LORD will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation.”

This passage struck right to my core.  When Moses got tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it.  How many of us can say we get tired of fighting the good fight.  If we are being honest, we get weary & He says "come to me & I will give you rest."  My application of this was to picture and pray over our home to our Jehovah Nissi - The Lord is our Banner.  In Song of Solomon, the lovers describe their love with a picture of it flying over them as a banner.  In Isaiah it says the Root of Jesse (Jesus) will be a banner for all peoples.  The banner over us is Jesus and Jesus is love.  As you drive down the road and see all sorts of flags flying, picture the banner over you is Christ & His love for you.

Alongside picturing Jesus as our family's banner - I want to wash our hearts with the water of His word each day(Eph. 5).  Simply for myself - having notecards with scripture in various spots throughout my day to trigger my heart towards Christ.  With our kids, we talk with them along the way (Deut 11) .... One practical way I saw this played out this week - Ryan has been listening to an old mp3 player w/ worship music as he practices juggling the soccer ball.  He loves that he has an ipod to listen to.  Completely unexpected as a result of him listening to it, he comes in that night quoting John and then later was found on his bed looking up verses in his Bible.  It encouraged me so much how he was impacted by wrapping truth around His heart during his day. He wasn't forced but rather by engaging His heart with truth, the Spirit of God stirred within Him a desire to understand something or should I say Someone more. Praise Jesus!

One extra fun idea I got by email this week was for Scripture sandwich wrappers.  I think you could also just print off strips of paper w/ fun messages to your kids encouraging them or saying way to go.   

www.aholyexperience.com

Here is a peek into our lunchbox this morning:

One day last year I had a thought after repeated cries for what I affectionately call junk cereal - "you're only a kid once!"  So we instituted Fun Friday Cereal Day.  I buy all different types of sugar cereal - cocoa puffs, lucky charms, fruit loops, ...you get the idea & they can have them Friday morning.  They have a blast & look forward to each Friday to choose their cereal.  This year, I took it a step further & wanted to add Fun Friday Lunches.  I attempt to pack healthy lunches for the kids each day.  Although, most days you will find me flying around the kitchen scouring to see what I can toss in a sack.  I wasn't sure how this would look on Fridays - but was inspired by a sale on Izze & Hansen sodas.   I pack a fun drink (they usually have water bottles the rest of the week), yummy chips, extra special treat, a fruit they usually just have at home (today was nectarines), & a main entree (sandwich, soup, or today it was pb crackers b/c I need to go to the store).  :) 

My heart today to encourage any one who may read this is to delight in the Lord today.  Even if it's a day that feels like *&%^@#$ as of 9am this morning - take a quiet moment to talk to your sweet Father in heaven about where you are at. Thank Him for Jesus & sending Him to cover all the *&%$#^ days/moments we have.  Ask Him for victory in the name of Jesus & ask the Spirit of God to be stirred in you in those split second moment to choose Him & not your flesh.  Do not feel condemned, weighed down - God does not have a Spirit of condemnation...but of love!!  Even if simply - ask Him to reveal Himself, even in a small way, to you along today's journey.  Ask Him for His eyes to see with His perspective.

If your day is in need of a restart moment, TAKE IT!!! Restart button pressed.  By the sweet grace of Jesus - go have a yummy fall coffee/tea & ask the now what question of where the day should go.  Sometimes I find myself in the kitchen just praying and holding my tongue from barking at the people in my house asking Him to show me His way in that moment & that I literally can't move from that spot w/out him showing me.  He always does!!  It's not always with trumpets or a loud - Go this way...but maybe with a child who asks a sweet question or gives me a hug or my husband walks in the door :)  It looks different every time.  Sometimes as I wait - I blare a song that ministers to me and bring a sacrifice of praise that helps me feel like I can breathe again.

See His Love for you in the Simple Today!

Photo credits: The photos w/ hearts are from various blogs w/ topics on love.

It's Football Time....

We are very excited to post that this week begins one of favorite events of the year - college football season!!   Our family has taken quite a journey in our loyalties with college football teams.  Chris & I went to TCU for college & Chris' master's degree.  We were loyal fans, I even cheered my sophmore year for the Frogs.  At the time, we were not a winning team.  They did well, but nothing of the caliber they are today.  Winners of the 2010 season - Rose Bowl.   We remember our roots & say with pride - Go Frogs!

We graduated from TCU, and moved on to Dallas where Chris worked for a few years at ATT & I taught school in Plano.  As we began to dream of who we desired our Blocker family to be - we began dreaming alongside God & asking what he desired and where he wanted us to be.  In 2003, we packed up all of our belongings & moved from Dallas to Knoxville, TN, for Chris to begin a four year business doctoral program at the University of Tennessee.  We fell in love with Knoxville, and as I've written previously, the beautiful seasons.  It was a joy to experience Chris living out a dream of one day becoming a professor.  For family time, we would hang out with friends, take walks or have picnics in the beautiful trees or Smoky mountains.  In the fall, we were most definitely faithful watchers of the Volunteers.  It is hard to escape the contagious spirit of 100,000+ screaming fans shouting Rocky Top at the top of their lungs.  My degree may be signed with the TCU emblem, but the Blocker family most definitely bleeds orange.  Passion is contagious (in all aspects of life).  But in this case, our 3 year old daughter that never lived a day in her life in TN - sang every word of Rocky Top in the backseat of the car.  So in honor of the 2011 season -- "It's football time in Tennessee"  "In to the checkerboard!"

Even though our time in Tennessee was limited to four years, we continue the tradition of flying the flag proudly for football games & running laps around the living room each time the football enters the checkerboard.  We moved our family from Knoxville to Waco & are now Baylor Bears where my husband in a professor.  So in honor of showing local spirit & creating new traditions.  Here's to the Green & Gold - Rise Up & Sic' em Bears!

So if you are needing a little taste of fall, turn on the tv next weekend to your favorite college football team.   Crank down the A/C, make a crock pot of queso, & enjoy what has been a celebrated tradition across the nation for hundreds of years!!

CROP Hunger Walk

The Heart of Texas

CROP Hunger Walk

(Communities Reaching Out to People)

The walk begins at Bledsoe-Miller Recreation Center, and will take place along the scenic Brazos River on Sunday October 9, 2011, with registration beginning at 2:00 PM.  Join your Waco community for an afternoon of fun!  There will be live music for everyone!

Click here for directions to Bledsoe-Miller Recreation Center

Call (254)752-5331 or email cropwalkwaco@earthlink.net to find out more information about CROP Walk or to request walker forms for your congregation, organization, or just to walk on your own.  Click here for more information from the press release. **Note the press release says the 10th - but Sunday is the 9th.

Video from 2010 - See if you can find any of the Blocker bunch in the video!

Shainsware

We recently purchased bracelets online from California.  Each item can be personalized with different letter or icon elements – all in a variety of colors and styles.  They have bracelets, necklaces, headbands, belts, dog collars, notebooks, & keychains to choose from.  The best part was this bracelet with 60 elements was only $12.  Rebekah & I had such a great time putting the bracelet together.  She was even more excited that she could change the message anytime she wanted.  Check out their website for more information:

www.shainsware.com

Bon Appétit!

“This is my invariable advice to people: Learn how to cook - try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all have fun!”   — Julia Child — My Life in Paris

In honor of the beginning of this blog.  I thought I would share our favorite family recipe.  A couple of years ago, my husband and I went to Paris to celebrate our 11th wedding anniversary.  In preparation for the trip, I decided I would cook French meals for a week to have a little fun.  I remember calling my husband while at the store buying the ingredients and said, “I feel God’s pleasure as I shop today, delighting in His goodness and the bounty He has provided for us.”  One of the meals we enjoyed was Boeuf Bourguignon.  The hours of preparation were enough to make your mouth water and to place it in your mouth felt like an orchestra were playing right in the room.  Delicious was and still is an understatement.  Our kids to this day, even years later, request it for each of their birthdays or special occasion.  In the picture below, I am standing in front of the famous E. Dehillerin store with my new red La Creuset dutch oven…which I now use every time this recipe is made.  I adapted Ina Garten’s recipe from her Barefoot in Paris cookbook and will share it with you below:

Beouf Bourguignon

Adapted from Barefoot in Paris cookbook

by Ina Garten

1 tablespoon good olive oil

8 ounces good bacon, diced

2  1/2 pounds beef chuck cut into 1-inch cubes

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 pound carrots, sliced diagonally into 1-inch chunks

2 yellow onions, sliced

2 teaspoons chopped garlic (2 cloves)

1/2 cup Cognac

1 (750-ml) bottle Burgundy wine

2 to 2-1/2 cups beef broth

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 pound mushrooms, stems discarded caps thickly sliced (optional – I don’t always add)

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset.  Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is lightly browned.  Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a large plate.

Dry the beef cubes with paper towels and sprinkle them with salt and pepper.  In batches in single layers, sear the beef in the hot oil for 3 to 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides.  Remove the seared cubes to the plate with the bacon and continue searing until all the beef is browned.  Do not toss all the meat in at once or you will not adequately brown the meat – instead you would sweat the meat & it would turn the greyish color.  Set meat aside.

Toss the carrots, yellow onions, 1 tablespoon of salt, and 2 teaspoons of pepper into the fat in the pan and cook over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.  Add the Cognac, stand back (I can’t emphasize this enough from experience)  , and ignite with a match to burn off the alcohol.  DO NOT HAVE THE HOOD VENT ON   Put the meat and bacon back into the pot with any juices that have accumulated on the plate.  I often times keep the beef & bacon separate.  I feel like the cooked bacon gets chewy & its a texture issue for me…so often times I cook it in the pan to get the flavor in the pot & then toss the actual bacon or use it for something else.  It’s up to you.  Add the wine plus enough beef broth to almost cover the meat.  Add the tomato paste and thyme.  Bring to a boil, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, and place it in the oven for about 1-1/4 hours, or until the meat and vegetables are very tender when pierced with a fork.  Remove from the oven and place on top of the stove.

Combine 2 tablespoons of the butter and flour with a fork and stir into the stew.  In a medium pan, saute the mushrooms in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned, and then add to the stew (optional).  Bring the stew to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.  Season to taste.  Bon Appétit!!

Plan a date night!

“SEVEN DAYS IN UTOPIA follows the story of Luke Chisolm (Lucas Black), a talented young golfer set on making the pro tour. When his first big shot turns out to be a very public disaster, Luke escapes the pressures of the game and finds himself unexpectedly stranded in Utopia, Texas, home to eccentric rancher Johnny Crawford (Robert Duvall). But Johnny’s more than meets the eye, and his profound ways of looking at life force Luke to question not only his past choices, but his direction for the future.

Based on David L. Cook’s best-selling book Golf’s Sacred Journey: Seven Days at the Links of Utopia, SEVEN DAYS IN UTOPIA also stars Melissa Leo, Deborah Ann Woll, Brian Geraghty, Jerry Ferrera, Joseph Lyle Taylor, KJ Choi and Kathy Baker. The film is directed by Matthew Dean Russell from a script by Cook, Rob Levine, Russell and Sandra Thrift. The film was produced by Mark G. Mathis (Brick, Precious) and Jason M. Berman (The Dry Land).” – Excerpt from the Seven Days in Utopia website

David and Karen were sweet friends of ours while we were living in Fort Worth.  As Chris and I were just beginning our life together – David & Karen were so kind to love on us and encourage us in our early years as a couple.  Chris and I would come babysit their girls & learn by example from watching them as a family.  Each time we were there, they would tell their girls that they were a blessing.  One night, the girls told us we were blessings.  It was my first real encounter with blessings & blessing those around us.  Since then, we have four kids of our own & tell them every night before bed – “You are a blessing, a treasure & soooooo special!”  I highly recommend the book & the movie!!

Movie Release:  September 2nd
Rating:  G

http://www.sevendaysinutopia.com/

The Joy of Fall

Seeing, smelling, tasting, experiencing all the many joys of fall – sparks in me a joy like no other time of the year.  Living through the heat of the summer and the kids being back in school, something inside me longs to be refreshed & renewed.  The first sight of a pumpkin, cooler air or changing of the trees, my heart leaps within.
I have gone back and forth over the last year on whether I should start a blog or not.  After friends and family have asked me to jot down ideas or share my thoughts on different experiences, I decided today to take the plunge.  I don’t offer anything new or claim to have anything profound to share – just me on a blog.  My heart in starting this blog is just to share life experiences and hopefully offer encouragement to those traveling through life in a similar place.  Each of us are unique and gifted in how God made us – this site is just a snapshot of my heart and the things I learn and enjoy as I embrace each day God gives me.  Welcome to The Sweet Leaf!  I hope you enjoy!
How to use this blog:
For the time being, as I adjust to typing on blogger…I will write the posts and assign each one a label.  The only posts that will show on the main page are the last posts I have made.  So in order to find a particular topic, you will need to look at the label section on the side of the page and click on the topic of choice.  If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to send me a comment & I will respond as quickly as I can.
Labels:
SHARE:  I believe life was meant to be lived to the fullest in who God made you to be.  As we live out our life, we are to invest and love on those around us.  As a mom of 4 kids, I am always looking for ways that we as a family can love on those around us.  How can we practically serve & share w/ those around us.
ENJOY:  Life was meant to be enjoyed and bring glory to God.  This will be the place for journal thoughts or ways I have seen life lived to the fullest.
EXPERIENCE:  A place to find my favorite activities to do as a couple, with family, or friends, etc..  This will also be the spot around the holidays where I share our favorite family traditions.
BUY:  If I find a fun item that I can’t help but share with everyone – I will post it here.  I grew up in a retail family & when I find a product that I love – I can’t help but share w/ everyone about its greatness.
TASTE:  I love to cook & bake.  I will share stories & recipes centered around the happenings around our table & town.