Dreaming of doughnuts

I bought this yesterday:

Wilton Doughnut Pan

Because I love those gourmet cake doughnuts that don't require a fryer, all you need is special pan and some creativity. Why did I wait so long to buy said pan? Well, first it would require shopping and that is one of my least favorite activities. Next, they were generally $10-12 a pop and that's too much money for me. And then I saw this:

SALE PRICE

Apparently, I could suddenly get two for less than the price of one. And I was sold. And then I went on a mad Pinterest spree and found these incredible recipes:

• Pina Colada Baked Doughnuts
• Confetti Cake Baked Doughnuts
• Mojito Doughnuts
• Fall Classics: Apple Crisp, Pumpkin Spice & Gingerbread from single core recipe
• Carrot Cake Doughnuts with Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting

When I finally try them out, I'll let you know how it goes. Plus, I plan on figuring out my favorite O Doodle Doos doughnut: Maple Blueberry Pancakes with Bacon Doughnuts. That's right. BACON.

CSA: A review of a summer of farm- fresh produce

Yesterday was the first CSA-free Saturday since a summer chock full of fresh fruits and vegetables began (with the exception of the sad, post-Irene Saturdays). So I figured today was a good day to review a summer of deliciousness before my fall/winter shares start up.

From week one...

...to the final week...

...the experience has been a mix of emotions, running the gamut from giddy to guilty to grateful. The first week's delivery of berries was a great kick off and left me excited for the coming weeks. Somewhere in the middle, after trashing almost every single item in a delivery, I was left feeling guilty and more annoyed that I had months left before I wouldn't have to worry about cooking all this food. By the end, I was so happy to get deliveries after a week of nothing that it finally hit me that this had been a great experience. I've made some great food along the way, too. From chocolate zucchini cake to corn chowder to roasted eggplant and caramelized onion pizza, we've definitely ate well this summer. And more than that, we've ate well without spending a ton of money. So here comes the moment of truth. You know, the one where I share that pesky price breakdown that proves how awesome the CSA is.

Price Breakdown

• Week 1: $ 41.44
• Week 2: $29.24
• Week 3: $33.68 
• Week 4: $34.46 
• Week 5: $39.58 
• Week 6: $29.19 
• Week 7: $41.32 
• Week 8: $38.21 
• Week 9: $41.77 
• Week 10: $27.19 
• Week 11: $35.42 
• Week 12: $33.67 
• Week 13: $37.20 
• Week 14: $36.70 
• Week 15: $35.17 
• Week 16: $33.40 
• Week 17: $0 (Irene) 
• Week 18: $0 (Irene)
• Week 19: $18.23 
• Week 20: $58.42 (double share)
• Total price if bought at Harris Teeter: $ 644.29
• Total CSA cost: $420.00 
• Total Saved: $224.29 

Note: I priced my veggies by using the Harris Teeter Express Lane website, which allows you to shop for your groceries online. Whenever possible, I used the organic options, since my CSA follows organic practices.

All in all, I think the verdict is the same that I thought it would be way back at the beginning, when I assumed I'd get a lot of better quality veggies for cheaper if I signed up for a CSA. The only downsides were my failing, simply that I sometimes didn't have enough time to cook all that amazing food. I can't imagine what I would have done had I purchased a full delivery instead of the half deliveries. Hopefully, when I get to enjoy my fall/winter encore in a month I'll do better.

CSA Week 20: End of summer

Well, my little experiment has finally ended. And I would say it's been a roaring success, with the exception of my occasional inability to cook all the food. That's my fault and it's something I'll have to start planning around since the fall share starts up in a month! That's right, I loved this so much that I went ahead and signed up for deliveries in November and December. I'm not sure what I'll do come January since I won't be getting my weekly dose of inspiration.

This week's delivery was actually a double delivery, meaning we got more than we normally would because she was making up for the post-Hurricane-Irene missed delivery. Remember that post saying it would be a loss for us? Yeah, just kidding about that. Anyway, here's this week's price breakdown. I'll be following up soon to share the season-long totals and some more reflections. I just have to find the time to put it all together!

Price Breakdown

• 1 head of cabbage: $6.27
• 1 watermelon: $7.99
• 1 pound of butter beans (that's what these crazy Southerners call lima beans): $3.58
• 2 acorn squash: $5.96
• 2 butternut squash: $7.45
• 2 cucumbers: $3.58
• 4 tomatoes: $7.98
• 6 red potatoes: $2.90
• 4 Granny Smith apples: $6.73
• 4 Red Delicious apples: $5.98
• Total cost: : $58.42
• Total savings: $16.42
  (Out of $42, since this was a double delivery)

When inspiration hits

It had been a while since I was inspired by the items in my CSA delivery. So it's seems odd that it took an onion to kick my inspiration back in gear. Specifically this onion:

Yes that's my CSA delivery from right before Hurricane Irene and, yes, that is a honking big onion, pulled right out of Suffolk's rich soil and brought to me by my favorite food fairy, Jan of Clayhill Farms. And it got me wanting to create something using only CSA items, or at least something that didn't require me to leave the house. And looking at my delivery, I suddenly lit upon the idea of mixing roasted eggplant and caramelized onion. I had never done either, but I figured it couldn't be that difficult. And then, after discovering leftover pasta sauce and two kinds of cheese, I knew I'd be making pizza.

Specifically roasted eggplant and caramelized onion pizza with feta and mozzarella. And it was so good, I figured I'd (finally) share the recipe with you.

Roasted eggplant and caramelized onion pizza

Makes enough topping for two pizzas
1 medium eggplant, skinned and cubed

2 tbsp. olive oil

sea salt

pepper

2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1 tbsp butter

1 tsp. honey

Pizza sauce (fresh or store bought)

Fresh pizza dough (you can make this or buy fresh dough at most grocery stores)

For the eggplant:

• Skin and cut into cubes. Salt and leave covered on the counter or in the fridge for at least a half hour. This will draw out the juices, which can leave the eggplant bitter when cooked. (You can skip this step but if you have a more mature eggplant, you'll regret it.) Drain, rinse and pat dry.
• Toss cubes with olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh rosemary, chopped. Scatter on a baking pan and roast in a 400 degree oven until browned. 

For the caramelized onions:

• Cut onion(s) in half and then slice into thin strips. You can go thicker, but I just wanted the onions to almost melt away so cut them as thinly (read safely) as a could. 
• Coat the bottom of a wide, deep saucepan with 1 tbsp. of butter per onion or a mixture of olive oil and butter (I only used one onion, so I just did at tablespoon of butter).
• Add onions and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt and 1 tsp. of honey (optional). Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes to an hour, or until the onions have reached your desired color, tenderness and taste. I only did 30 minutes. 
• Try to avoid stirring constantly. You need to butter/oil to brown but you don't want the onions to burn. 

For the pizza:

• Your oven should already be at 400 degrees, but if not, preheat it. Put your pizza stone in there to heat up while you assemble your pizza.
• Roll out your dough using cornmeal to keep it from sticking to your paddle. Press out from the middle and fold over the outer rim to create a crust. You want this dough thinner so it crisps up enough to handle the toppings but also thick enough to handle the toppings. It's pretty much trial and error here folks.
• Add sauce, mozzerella, eggplant, onions and feta. 
• Bake until the cheese is brown and to crust is crispy. Eat as is or drizzle with balsamic vinegar to cut through the rich earthiness of the roasted eggplant and carmelized onions.

Notes:

• When I make pizza, I use a pizza stone preheated in the oven. I slide the pizza onto the stone with a pizza paddle. Don't have these items? Get them, STAT! Or add them to your Christmas list, as we did. Why? Because pizza stones make the best pizza. However, you can also just cook this on pan, round or square. You just have to shape the dough to fit the pan and be aware that it won't be as awesome as my pizza, though it will still be delicious.
• Yes, these are a lot of steps and yes it took a lot of work for two pizzas. But they are amazing pizzas. Consider making one pizza and then using the leftover ingredients for a layered pasta dish on another day. The toppings will keep for a week or so in the fridge and can be used in many ways.
• As I always say in pizza posts, customize away. 

CSA Week 17/18: Recovering

I know what you're thinking. Why wasn't there a CSA post last week? And it's simply because Hurricane Irene ruined the crops that were ready for delivery on week 17. And here we are, already four days into week 18 and I haven't posted about my CSA. And no, this time it's not because I didn't get a delivery. I did. It's just been a crazy couple of weeks and I haven't even managed to take a picture of my food (again). I suppose it's because the share was mildly disappointing. Or maybe it's the fact that I was just so happy to get a share that I cooked most of the delivery before I remembered to take a picture (again). But excuses aside, I have returned to offer a review of the last couple of CSA weeks.

Week 17 Price Breakdown

• No delivery: $0
• Total saved: $0
• Total lost (here's a first): $21

Week 18 Price Breakdown

• 1 watermelon: $5.99
• 2 green peppers: $3.98
• 1 cabbage: $6.27
• 1 lb. of green beans: $1.99
• Total cost: $18.23
• Total lost: $2.77

That's right. This week's delivery was so small, I actually lost money. And I even priced everything at the more expensive, organic prices. But the good news is that so far, even with the bad luck of Irene, I've still saved money overall. With 2 weeks to go, I'm not above calling it early and declaring the CSA the winner of my experiment. I'm sort of banking on it, since I've also signed up for the fall/winter delivery. Kale, sweet potatoes and winter squash, here I come! And let's not forget the savings. A quick bit a math puts the total I've saved over the summer (minus what I've lost) at $270.87. Wowsa!  

CSA Week 16: Blame Irene

OK, I have bad news. I've been a bad blogger. Not only have I not post in nine days, I haven't even managed to  give myself much to blog about. See, I've gotten increased duties at work that have double my workload so I have less time and inclination to do "work" outside of my job. Then an earthquake hit. And then there was this little hurricane named Irene. And we were without power for three days. So cut me some slack, please?

Thanks! Alright, so my cardinal sin this week might have been the fact that even though I received a CSA delivery (a few days early so we wouldn't have to travel during the storm), I never took picture. And I've already eaten or given away half of the delivery. Lame. Teaches me not to put off taking the dang picture, that's for sure.

Anyway, here's my breakdown anyway:

Price Breakdown

• 1 cantaloupe: $3.69
• 1 head of cabbage: $6.27
• 4 tomatoes: $7.98
• 1 eggplant: $1.79
• 6 yellow squash: $10.09
• 2 cucumbers: $3.58
• Total: $33.40
• Total savings: $12.40

CSA Week 15: Challenges

I used to think that getting items that I've never or rarely cooked with would be the challenge of getting CSA deliveries. Not so. Turns out it's a whole lot more difficult to be creative when you are faced with using the same vegetables over and over again. That's how I ended up throwing a few yellow squash and a whole lot of cucumber away a few weeks into the program. I know, I know. Shame on me. But I suppose this week's delivery is an opportunity to make up for it:

That's right. 4 yellow squash and 3 cucumbers. Plus, I'm finding it hard to think of anything but corned beef and cabbage to utilize that admittedly gorgeous head of cabbage. But why fight it,  right? My husband is a fan and it's kind of in my blood. I suppose I'll be picking up corned beef at the grocery store today.

Price breakdown

• 1 head of cabbage: $5.92
• 2 pints of cherry tomatoes: $7.98
• 10 ears of corn: $9.18
• 4 yellow squash: $6.73
• 3 cucumbers: $5.37
• Total: $35.17
• Total savings: $14.17

CSA Week 14: Decisions

This week's delivery was exciting not just because of the gorgeous vegetables, but because of a simple piece of paper that announced that we have the chance to continue getting deliveries through the second week of December.
My first instinct was to celebrate. My second instinct was apprehension, mostly because I've already had a bit of trouble trying to use everything from my deliveries. We have until September to make the decision about whether or not we want to extend our program, but I'm already leaning toward getting it. That's because we can expect broccoli, kale, winter squash (like butternut) and sweet potatoes, and all of those items are super exciting. Plus, the deliveries are the same price ($21 per week, or $147 fro 7 weeks) and I've pretty much proven that the CSA saves me a boatload on veggies. I think this week and next week will help make that decision by acting as a test of whether or not I can make these deliveries worth it, i.e. whether or not I can actually eat all that food.

So here's this week's delivery:

Big excitement of the week: an onion! I know, it seems a little silly to find something so simple like an onion, but it's a very essential item and I never seem to remember to buy them. Plus, I've never actually tried a fresh-from-the-farm onion.

Price Breakdown

• 1 watermelon: $5.99
• 1 onion: $1.34
• 2 eggplants: $3.58
• 4 tomatoes: $7.98
• 5 green bell peppers: $9.95
• 6 yellow peaches: $7.85
• Total: $36.70
• Total saved: $15.70

CSA Week 13: More chances to experiment

There were a lot of repeat items in this week's delivery, but they are favorites that allow me to do some experimenting with cooking.

So far I've used two of the eggplants and the pink-eyed peas. The peaches will be meant for peach crumble and I'm thinking of roasting the tomatoes and tossing them with feta cheese and balsamic vinegar.

Price Breakdown

• 1 watermelon: $5.99
• 1 cantaloupe: $3.99
• 8 peaches: $10.47
• 3 tomatoes: $5.99
• 3 eggplant: $7.98
• 1 lb. of pink-eyed peas: $2.78
• Total: $37.20
• Total saved: $16.20

Note on the pictures: The tomatoes were slightly under-ripe (hence the orange color) and the peaches were really dusty. A quick scrub for the peaches and a two days on a sunny windowsill fixed these babies right up and they look just as a good as they taste. Often with fresh, farm-grown fruits and veggies, they really don't have to perfectly formed for them to be tasty and healthy.

CSA Week 12: Purple and pink

When the owner of my CSA farm Jan asked me if I wanted eggplant I almost squeaked with excitement as I attempted to calmly say sure. Eggplants are one of the most maligned member of the vegetable world, taking their unglorified place next to Brussels sprouts and okra. But eggplants are incredible, unlike those other two examples. I mean, seriously. They are versatile and take on the deliciousness of whatever sauce you cook them in. Plus they are good for you. So, that's why this sight makes me delirious with joy:

That's right. Five eggplants. I don't know how I got so lucky. Also, you see that bag? That was my surprise item of the delivery:

That is a bag of pink-eyed peas, the prettier cousin of black-eyed peas.They offer another challenge that I'm hoping a creative recipe will help me overcome. See, my opinion of black-eyed peas is decidedly negative. So, I suppose this is my chance to change my opinion. This, of course, was one of the main reasons I got a CSA. Besides getting cheaper, fresher fruits and vegetables, I wanted to stretch my culinary abilities.

The whole delivery includes a watermelon, a cantaloupe, a pound of pink-eyed peas, five eggplants and 10 ears of corn. And a new culinary challenge.

Price breakdown

• 1 watermelon: $5.99
• 1 cantaloupe: $3.99
• 1 lb. pink-eyed peas (priced for 2 pounds of dried black-eyed peas): $5.56
• 5 eggplants: $8.95
• 10 ears of corn: $9.18
• Total: $33.67
• Total saved: $12.67

Vegetables are gorgeous

This eventually became mixed veggies sauteed with balsamic vinegar and served over brown rice.

Summery fresh: Corn chowder

Alright, I can understand why you might think that corn chowder isn't really a summery dish. I mean, with the temperature being in the triple digits right now, I'm not sure myself if I want to dig into anything warmer than a nice cool salad. But then, I get to work, where they keep the thermostat at an almost unbearable 60 degrees, and all I can think about is hot soup and tea. Besides, corn is about as quintessentially summer as you can get and my CSA sure delivers a lot of it. The best thing about this chowder (which I came up with all by myself) is that it only takes 30 minutes and yet still manages to be delicious and flavorful. The key? Farm fresh ingredients, herbs from my own patio garden and  a bit of chicken stock.

30-minute Corn Chowder
3 slices of bacon, diced
4 ears worth of corn
5-6 red potatoes, skin-on and diced
3-4 cloves of garlic
About 1 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
About 1 tbsp. chopped fresh oregano
About 1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsely
1 1/2 cups chicken stock (1 bouillon cube dissolved in 1 1/2 cups hot water)
1 cup soy milk
2 tsp. cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
Shredded cheddar cheese

• Dice up bacon and put in a preheated pan. Remove the cooked bacon and some of the grease (I do this to decrease some of the overall fat in the soup).
• Add the corn, potatoes and garlic to the pan. Add salt and pepper to taste. Once the potatoes are lightly browned, add the stock. Bring it to a boil. 
• Turn the heat down. Add the fresh herbs, cayenne pepper and soy milk. Simmer until it's reached your desired consistency. Stir often so the soy milk doesn't scald. 

This dish is not only super easy to make, it uses very few ingredients, and most of them tend to be sitting around your house anyway. On a sidenote, if you don't have fresh herbs I suggest growing an herb garden! Just kidding, that's not necessary. But just remember that when subbing dried herbs for fresh ones, decrease the amount by half. In this case I'd do a teaspoon each of oregano and parsley and two teaspoons of rosemary. Why? Parsley and oregano tend to be superstrong when dried. Rosemary is slightly weaker and you'll need extra so it's not overshadowed. Also, make sure you get crushed rosemary. It is very difficult to chop dried rosemary and the herbs won't be in the dish long enough to soften. And no one likes getting a huge chunk of chewy rosemary in their chowder!

CSA Week 11: Helping us beat the heat

It seems Clayhill Farms knows a thing or two about beating the heat. My delivery consists of all the juicy items that would be excellent at keeping everyone hydrated and happy in this triple-digit heat.

Today's selection includes 10 ears of corn, half a pound of green beans, eight peaches, two cantaloupe and a watermelon. All of this just in time for my birthday cookout. So yeah, I'm looking at this delivery like a birthday gift from my wonderful CSA friends. 

Price Breakdown

• 10 ears of corn: $8.98
• 1/2 lb. of green beans: $2
• 8 peaches: $10.47
• 2 cantaloupe: $7.98
• 1 watermelon: $5.99
• Total: $35.42
• Total saved: $14.42

We've passed the halfway mark on deliveries, by the way. There are only 9 more to go, with the last delivery set for Saturday, Oct. 1. I'm really looking forward to seeing what sort of items will be in the September deliveries. For now, I'll be enjoying this week's delivery, likely with a handful of napkins to sop up all the peach and melon juices. Having a CSA can be messy!

CSA Week 10: Big and small

This week's CSA delivery ran the extremes of sizes. I got a large watermelon and a bag of gorgeous cherry tomatoes. It was a most excellent surprise to get such a large watermelon. I can't wait to try out the recipe for Watermelon Mojito Salad that I've been imagining.

The delivery included one watermelon, one cantaloupe, a pint of cherry tomatoes, half a pound of green beans and 10 ears of corn. This was one of the lighter deliveries, but it still included some great food.

Price breakdown

• 1 watermelon: $5.99
• 1 cantaloupe: $3.99
• 1 pint of cherry tomatoes: $3.99
• 1/2 1b. green beans: $ 1.25
• 10 ears of corn: $11.97
• Total: $27.19
• Total saved: $6.19

CSA Week 9: Melon!

This week I received 10 ears of corn, a cantaloupe, six tomatoes, six peaches and four cucumbers. I used the corn at a cookout with the in-laws and donated my cukes to them, too. I'm not a huge fan of cucumbers, at least not so many. I think I've gotten some with every delivery. The cantaloupe was amazing, as well.

Price breakdown

• 10 ears of corn: $10.00
• 1 cantaloupe: $3.99
• 6 tomatoes: $11.97
• 6 peaches: $7.85
• 4 cucumbers: $7.96
• Total: $41.77
• Total saved:$20.77

Getting tomatoes these past couple of weeks has been especially exciting because my problems with my own tomato plants. Remember how gorgeous and optimistic these plants were:

Unfortunately, something went very wrong. Part of growing plants in containers is that you can miss out on some of the natural nutrients in the soil. Turns out, my tomatoes were severely lacking in calcium. This lack causes blossom end rot in tomatoes. Which leads to inedible and ugly tomatoes. Like this:

I've been able to get my tomato fix, but not in the way I wanted. Next year I'll know better. And, according to my neighbor, all I need to do is put a little lime in my pots and all will be well. They also make a blossom end rot spray that apparently works. Too bad my plants have mostly given off their last tomatoes of the season. Maybe next year. Til then, I still have my CSA.

CSA Week 8: Sunflower days

It's a good day when you wake up to a giant hug from an old friend and a smile and a sunflower from your CSA. Besides those wonderful wake-up calls, I also received a pound of green beans, six tomatoes, 10 ears of corn, six peaches and four cucumbers, just in time for Fourth of July grilling. Grilled corn and peaches? How can you go wrong?

Price breakdown

• 1 lb. green beans: $2.49
• 6 tomatoes: $10.09
• 10 ears of corn: $11.97
• 6 peaches: $4.70
• 4 cucumbers: $7.96
• 1 sunflower: $1
• Total: $38.21 
• Total saved: $17.21

CSA Week 7: Tomatoes!

This week's delivery is really the reason I bothered to get a CSA in the first place, and I can explain it in two words: fresh tomatoes!

This delivered included a bag of fresh green beans, two green bell peppers, eight ears of corn, 10 red potatoes, two cucumbers, four zucchini and five tomatoes. This is my most exciting delivery since the first one, which included strawberries and blueberries.

Price breakdown

• 1 lb. fresh green beans: $1.99
• 2 green bell peppers: $3.98
• 8 ears of corn: $11.92
• 10 red potatoes: $4.84
• 2 cucumbers: $3.38
• 4 zucchini: $5.24
• 5 tomatoes: $9.98
• Total: $41.32
• Total saved: $20.32

This total seemed higher to me than normal, but I realized that I was able to price for almost all organic produce, and this delivery was huge. The tomatoes, by the way, are delicious. Like food-gasm delicious. Seriously, I was making groans like Sally (from When Harry Met Sally) and the other restaurant patrons next to me said, "I'll have what's she's having." 

CSA Week 6: Yellow gold

This week's CSA included some usual favorites (pattypans) and my favorite summer treat: corn!

My bag included a pound of fresh green beans, eight ears of corn, three green bell peppers, five pattypans and 10 red potatoes. The plan is to grill the corn and pattypans with my steak tomorrow. Oh yeah, and I'm making steak tomorrow. Yum!

Price breakdown

• 1lb. fresh green beans: $1.99
• 8 ears of corn: $7.98
• 3 green bell peppers: $5.97
• 5 pattypans: $8.41
• 10 red potatoes: $4.84
• Total: $29.19
• Total saved: $8.19

The only organic items are the bell peppers and the yellow squash (which I use as a pricing for the patty pans). I got the "farmers market" corn, which at Harris Teeter means it came from somewhere in the area, as opposed to the cheaper corn that's from Mexico. Everything else is just regular old produce.

Healthy dessert: Chocolate zucchini cake

OK, it may not actually be healthy, but chocolate zucchini cake is a great way to not only use up the tons of zucchini I've been getting from my CSA but also to sneak some veggies into an otherwise totally unhealthy cake. And did I mention it's delicious? Plus it was an excellent opportunity to break out my racy red Kitchen Aid:

Isn't she the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?

First up, I should mention that this cake is closer to a brownie in texture than a cake. It's quite dense, and so moist that it never really made it to the light crumbly texture most cakes have. And that's alright with me, and all of my taste-testers (these certified testers include my husband and coworkers). The taste-testers, by the way, ate up all my cake before I could get a picture of just a slice by itself. It looked fairly close to this image, from Chocolate & Zucchini blog, which is where I got my recipe from:

Chocolate Zucchini Cake, Photo by Clotilde Dusoulier of Chocolate & Zucchini blog

I frosted mine with a thin layer of whipped cream cheese frosting, mostly because I was out of powdered sugar. Here's the star of this post, the recipe:

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 cup loose dark brown sugar (as opposed to packed)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons strong cooled coffee
• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups unpeeled grated zucchini
• 1 cup chopped chocolate (I used milk chocolate, but I would recommend getting a semisweet bar instead, since the milk chocolate chunks lost almost all flavor in the cooking)
• Confectioner's sugar or frosting (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a 10-inch round springform pan or 8 1/2-inch square pan.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In the bowl of a mixer (or by hand in a large mixing bowl), beat the sugar and butter until fluffy. Add the vanilla, coffee, and eggs, mixing well between each addition.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the zucchini, chocolate chips, and about a third of the flour mixture, making sure the zucchini strands are well coated and not clumping too much.
4. Add the rest of the flour mixture into the egg batter, half a cup at a time. Mix until just combined; the batter will be thick.
5. Fold the zucchini mixture into the batter, and blend with a spatula without overmixing. Pour (or scoop, mine was super thick) into the prepared cake pan, and level the surface.
6. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer onto a rack to cool for 10 minutes, run a knife around the pan to loosen, and unclasp the sides of the pan. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar, frosting or a chocolate glaze, if desired.

Being a new recipe, I have several things I would do differently. I would likely add about 1 tablespoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon nutmeg and a 1/2 teaspoon cloves, just to spice things up a bit. I was even thinking some ginger, cayenne pepper or cardamom would all be good ways to kick this recipe up a notch. Finally, I think I'd want to either leave it unfrosted or go with the powdered sugar, maybe even the coconut pecan frosting that normally goes on German chocolate cake. Now for the photos:

That's my cup of coffee. And yes, there's caffeine in this cake, but not very much. And you can't really taste it. It merely adds depth to the chocolate.

This recipe utilizes the classic cake-making steps: Mix dry ingredients in one bowl...

Cream butter and sugar in another bowl...

Add the rest of the wet ingredients to the creamed mixture. Traditionally the flour is added to the creamed mixture in a few parts and then you're done.

But I was adding chocolate chunks (hand-chopped from a Symphony chocolate bar) and zucchini.

So this means that I had to worry the additions would clump together and not distribute properly.

But that's not really a worry if you remember a simple step: Mix your additions with a third of the flour mixture. The floury coating will help the additions evenly distribute in the batter. I'm not an expert on the science, but I know it works.

My Kitchen Aid came with an attachment that helps me funnel the dry ingredients into the bowl without flour going everywhere, which is a big problem with stand mixers. I essentially added the flour in 1/2 cup increments until it was all incorporated.

The recipe calls for a springform pan, but you don't need to use it. I did because I got a set of three for the wedding that I still hadn't used. They are also much deeper than any of my round cake pans, which meant that my batter would definitely not overflow.

The walls of the springform pan are separated from the base. The black clip essentially tightens the ring around the base, creating a seal that keeps batters from leaking out.

When the batter is cooked, you release the clip and lift of the ring and...

Viola! You have lovely cake with perfect sides that didn't require a lot of effort and finger-crossing to remove from the pan.

Tomato tragedy

Apparently I fail as a tomato baby mama.

After the first peek of red, I let my babies mature, content in their relative safety in my suburban backyard. And then tragedy struck, in the form of the dastardly birds that I had, only a few months ago, welcomed as a sign of glorious spring. 

The horror! There are puncture wounds all over my beautiful bounty, but they didn't even bother to eat any of the little guy. This is truly murder. If only I had a BB gun I'd show those bloody birds what's what! Anyone have a better solution to protect my lovelies?