I’m still trying to find ways to use up all of the zucchini that we have laying around my kitchen and figured I’d try making cookies with some of it. So I went off to see what Google & Pinterest could find for me.

I was led to a recipe on a great food blog, When Harry Met Salad, for chocolate chip oatmeal zucchini cookies. I was a little hesitant when the recipe said that you had to put the oatmeal in the food processor until it was finely ground since  I was looking something more like a regular oatmeal cookie but figured I’d give a try.

Here’s the recipe with my edits in parentheses.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Zucchini Cookies
adapted from Cook’s Illustrated’s Baking Illustrated and Carole Walter’s Great Cookies
(makes about 4½ dozen 2½” cookies)

½ lb. zucchini ( I used about 2 cups grated – let drain for about 30 minutes)
¾ c.  lightly packed dark brown sugar (I used Demera sugar – not packed)
2½ c. old fashioned oats (I had less than 1 cup of regular so I used steel cuts)
2/3 c. + 2 T. sugar
1¼ c. flour (unbleached all purpose)
¾ t. salt
½ t. baking soda
¼ t. nutmeg (left it out)
1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temp (Used salted)
1 egg
2 t. vanilla extract
2 c. chocolate chips (Is 2 cups equal to an entire bag if mini chips?)
2 c. chopped pecans (or walnuts) (Left them out totally!)

Place the brown sugar, 2/3 c. sugar and ½ c. oatmeal in the bowl of a food processor and process for 2 -3 minutes until the oatmeal is finely ground.  With steel cut oats this took a long time!

Mix the butter until it’s light and fluffy and then add the oatmeal-sugar mixture a little at a time making sure that you mix well after each addition.  Add the egg and vanilla and mix well.  Add the dry ingredients in stages, mixing just until blended.

Mix in the chocolate chips and then finally the zucchini.

Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared cookie sheets, spacing them about an inch or two apart.  Bake for about 10 minutes or until the edges begin to turn golden brown.  Remove the cookies from the oven and cool on the sheets for 2-3 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.

Now, these were ok…. I think that if I had used regular oatmeal instead of the steel cut then they would have turned out a lot better…. and less crunchy. I also think that I needed a little more flour so they wouldn’t spread out so much.

But all in all I think I’ll try it again with a few changes!

What are you making with zucchini?

The first day of school has come and gone without much drama or excitement around here. Honestly, the most difficult part was getting up before the sun around here.

I personally have been looking forward to this day since the 2nd week of summer vacation. Why? Well, summer break is a lot more work than sending the girls off to school every day especially when I have to go to work daily. I have to plan & shop for breakfast, lunch and dinner instead of dinner and cold cereal for breakfast that I get during school.

While I’m at work I have to answer the phone calls from the kids asking what’s for lunch or if I’ll order lunch to be delivered for them, can they go to this friends house or can they come to our house, and a host of other questions throughout the day. This can get tiresome after a while, don’t you think? If you’re unsure trust me… it is.

Now this summer has been a bit different because aside from the normal softball we also had drivers training, band camp and summer homework for AP classes. This equaled a lot of work for my oldest and us since we had to cut back on our vacations in August. I think that it’ll be worth it though.

Every year before we head out to school I drag the kids out and take some pictures for them. This year they added a few fun ones to the mix.

This is Caitlin my oldest and she is now in 10th grade! I know…. I know…. a teenager! But she’s a great kid, does incredible in school, plays sports, is in the band, and this year she’s taking AP classes which are technically college classes (for college credit too). She’s determined and knows what she wants.

Middle girl is Natalie and she started 7th grade this year. She’s following in her sisters footsteps and taking all the advanced classes that they offer. But she doesn’t have that same determination yet and really is a more fun loving, unique, and social type of person. This year she’s going to try cross country… this scares me a bit since she’s not the most graceful child and has the tendency to get hurt rather easily.

Also…. she’s my human stick child and I now know who wears those size 0 tall jeans I’ve seen in the store. Yup… my kid.

And finally we have the big 4th grader, Lauren. She’s my big talker…. like she never stops. As a matter of fact I think that she may talk in her sleep. But it’s ok because she’s cute! I mean just look at her! Everyone is her best friend and there isn’t a mean bone in that little girls body… she is friends with everyone that she meets.

So there you have it… a recap of our first day of school or our 22nd if you add up all the first days we’ve had over the years. It’s the start of another busy and exciting school year that I am looking forward to.

Are you looking forward to the school year? How was your first day of school?

I may have said this once or twice before but I feel guilty when I leave the house to go to work. I feel terrible that I’m not there for my son like I was for his sisters when they were little. I feel really bad when he follows me to the door and cries when I leave.

There are times that I wonder if he will grow up as smart and talented as his sisters because I’m not there to teach him things, do things with him, or help him in the same way that I did with the girls. It breaks my heart.

It upsets me that he spends all day with a babysitter who has children of her own to attend to in addition to mine and that he isn’t going to get the full attention that I think he deserves. Then I wonder will she sit with him and teach him to write his name, show him what the letters of the alphabet are, or how to count. The answer is simple…. probably not. It’s not her job and she isn’t paid to be a preschool teacher. Is it what I would like… of course.

I have missed out on so many things and so many of those moments when I could have taught him something good instead of him learning to scream when he wants something.

But this I do know without a doubt. I love my son and my daughters and they know that without a doubt.

I also know that I work so they can have the things they want, need, and desire. I work to help pay the bills because I have to, not because I want to. I am working so my son and his sisters can have a better life. Shouldn’t that be enough?

So for now I am making the best of our situation and spending what time I can with my children when I’m not at work. I’m making sure that I’m there for them when they need me.

I’m taking time off of work to do their school activities.

And yes, once in a while I’ll call in sick, take a vacation day, or just take an unpaid day off so I can stay home with them.

For us and for now…. that is enough.

This post is part of the Monday Link up with Just Be Enough a site that I am so incredibly proud to be a part of. What makes this Monday link up so special this month?

We are fighting Cancer and kicking it right in the ass with the help of two incredible partners: Bellflower Books and Crickett’s Answer for Cancer. For every 20 link ups received this month, Bellflower Books will donate  $75 certificate toward a 20-page memory book to a family identified by Crickett’s Answer who are fighting the good fight against Breast Cancer. Our goal is to be able to provide ten women the opportunity to receive a special book created by family and friends that will be treasured not only by the brave women fighting, but for their families as well. Having created a Bellflower book myself, I can tell you that this will be something extremely personal and cherished by those creating the book as well as the recipients.

Please help us make a difference in someone’s life by writing a post about what small moment you were proud to accomplish, that “Be Enough Me” feeling,  and link it up each Monday.

Why?

Because you CAN.

If you’re looking for me today I’m off to another corner of the blogosphere! You’ll find me guest posting over at Taming Insanity where I’m talking about a horrible vacation!

I’ve got a winner for the Hapari Swimswuit giveaway!!! It was lucky number 33, Kristen!

If you’re looking for my post from Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop you’ll find it here.

Welcome to Monday!!

Today I’m traveling around the blogosphere and you’ll find me over at Amy’s place! I’m her guest today and I’m sharing my war story. So come on over and check it out.

So you may have read in a previous post where I said that I’m a big Staind fan. It’s true.

Last week my iPod seemed to know exactly what I needed to hear and was playing Staind and as usual one random thought led to another and I was looking to see when they were in concert again.

It was a happy day! Aaron Lewis (lead singer of Staind for those who don’t know) is going to be here in my lovely state of Michigan, live and acoustic! AND on a Friday night! This last bit is important you see…. being a mom that has to get up at 5ish in the morning to go to work makes it hard for me to do things on a weeknight.

So the music gods were smiling down upon me. I was excited. Was being the important word here because I quickly found out that it’s sold out. In all reality the music gods were just taunting me.

Anyway a co-worker pointed out that Aaron Lewis has an album out and that it’s pretty good. And with that I was off to check it out. It has a country sound to it which is different from what you’d expect from him, but it’s really good.

The name of the album is called Town Line and you can get it for $6.99 on iTunes too!

My favorite song is Massachusetts but I couldn’t find the official video for it so instead I give you Country Boy. After you listen let me know what you think!

Enjoy!!

Oh… and if you’re wondering where this Melodic Monday thing started head on over to Dysfunctional Supermom’s corner and read about it.