Ciambotta - questo anno

Today it finally happened : the annual Ciambotta ritual was accomplished. I posted the recipe for my Italian family's summer vegetable stew last year here.

No salt pork here, and for class (class?) I added a few shitake mushrooms (my dad would be rolling over in his grave)** and Yukon Gold instead of Idaho potatoes to this parte seconda versione. The basil I added was from a phenomenal plant I've been growing this year. Usually by August it is leggy and anemic but not this gorgeous, green, aromatic guy! deliziosi

** after my dad passed away 15 years ago the end of July, my mom went a little wacko, bought even more cats (25 tops), and started dating a guy with questionable intentions and a rap sheet, (sigh). . .So my sister and I were discussing this one day and she said, "Well, Daddy is already turning over in his grave like he's on a rotisserie, one more cat isn't going to make much difference."

The family. We were a strange little band of characters
trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another's desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together. ~Erma Bombeck

Spring blows my hat off!

In hommage to the Violet-wreathed muses and spring that blew in this week, making the grass green and the lakes melt, I offer a spring-y recipe. I baked this yesterday using spelt flour, wheat's older and nicer cousin.

Zucchini Lemon Bread

1c all purpose flour

1/2 c. whole wheat flour (I used spelt flour)

1/2 c. sugar

1-1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 c. packed, shredded zucchini

1/3 c. chopped walnuts

1T grated lemon zest

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 c. fat-free milk

1/2 c. canola oil

2 lg. eggs

Preheat oven to 350, prepare 9x5 loaf pan w/nonstick spray.

Mix flours, sugar, soda, salt & baking powder, zucchini, walnuts, cinnamon & zest in large bowl. Combine eggs, milk and oil. Add to dry mixture until just moistened. Spread evenly in prepared pan. Bake 50-60 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

Let sit in pan 5 minutes and then turn out onto rack to cool.

Cut into 18 slices=122 cals. each; exchanges: 1 fat, 1 starch

[adapted from The New Family Cookbook for People With Diabetes]

note to self:

"Promise me you'll always remember:

You're braver than you believe,

and stronger than you seem,

and smarter than you think."

Christopher Robin to Pooh A.A. Milne