Quick Takes: Summer

 Can you believe it's almost September? Summer is waning, fall fast approaching, and I still haven't made my garden markers! But summer vacation flew by so fast! Absurdly fast. I didn't have the time! I was only just putting putting away our sweaters and coats, and and now I have to think about getting them out again already.

The whole summer's been a blur, but the last two or three weeks have been especially hectic, as we've scrambled to get all the children where they've needed to be for the school year, with all the things they'll need while they're there. It seems like we've had an amazing number of side-trips and activities through August, too, on top of trying to get geared back up for our own year of homeschooling. It's been a circus! But, things are finally settling down a bit now that the big boys are back in Omaha and it's just us girls and the little boys home again. At least the trapeze artists have come down out of the high wires. Still got the clowns going on, though, of course, and a little lion taming now and then...

But I finally have a little bit of time to look back at the summer. And, looking back, I can say it was a good one.

Busy, but good.

Chilly and rainy, but good.

Short, but good.

I thought I'd take the chance to use today's Friday Quick Takes to scrapbook our summer - and what I liked best about it. (Click on the button to access lots more Quick Takes!)

1. Summer Cooking

Palisade Peaches

Peach Cobbler

8-9 peaches, peeled & sliced

1/2 c. water

3/4 c. honey

2 tbsp. flour

Pinch salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp nutmeg

2-4 Tbs. butter

Prepping the Peaches

Cook peaches in water until tender. Mix flour, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add to peaches. Mix. Pour in bottom of 9x13 pan, drizzle and lightly mix in honey; dot with butter.

Pastry for the Cobbler

1 c. flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/3 c. shortening

1/2 c. sweet milk -- for a loose dough.

Blend flour, salt and shortening to coarse meal texture. Add milk. Pour (it's "globby") over peaches. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until top is brown.

Sweet Cherries:

(The pic below looks gruesome, doesn't it? Looks like I'm carving on someone's spleen or something...)

Cherry Conserve

Ingredients for four pints:
1 quart pitted sweet cherries

2 oranges peeled

1/4 cup lemon juice

3 1/2 cups sugar

water

Directions: Finely chop oranges (with Cuisinart or by hand). Places oranges and juice in a sauce pan, cover with water and cook until oranges are soft. Cool. Stir in cherries, lemon juice and sugar. Bring to a boil and cook until thick and clear or until juice sheets from a spoon. Pour into clean hot sterilized jars or jelly glasses. Finish off in boiling water bath, ten minutes.

Zucchini:

Our Favorite Zucchini Bread
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 1/4 cups white sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chopped walnuts (if desired)

Directions:
1.Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2.Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
3.Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.
4.Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes clean

2. The Park

Our favorite one -- in Georgetown, CO

3. The Garden

(You can see who my little garden and kitchen helper is, can't you?
Not that the girls aren't a great help, but Gabey is particulary gung-ho! )

4. The Flowers

5. The Hikes

6. The Fun

(Why everyone's shirts are all stretched out around here...)

7. The Faces