Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies and An Impromptu Victorian Tea Party

On Saturday, my Mom gave me the last zucchini from her garden.  I have been making zucchini bread all summer and while we all love it, I thought it might be time for something new!  

I came up with these Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies and the whole family loved them!  (Make sure to click on the link for the recipe!)  While I was waiting for them to bake, I was visiting LOTS of blogs and sharing the news about my new Homemaking Link-Up Weekend linking party!

I saw so many beautiful tea parties that I decided to set up one of my own to show off my new recipe!

Once I got it all set up, I realized I had sort of a Victorian era theme going on!  Here is the beautiful spoon-backed parlor chair that I found at an antique store when we were living in Mount Vernon, WA.  It came from a farm house on Whidbey Island.  The original needlework on the cushion must have taken a lot of time, patience, and eye blinking to complete!  The pillow features ladies from the Regency era and was also found in a shop in Mount Vernon.

This pretty pink bonnet came from the same booth as the chair and since it's from the same time period, I'm assuming it also came from the same farm house.  Most of the pretty beads are still sewn onto it.  I just love how delicate and clean it is!  My 11-year-old daughter loves to wear it and I'm so glad that I'm not too stuffy to let her! Like she always says, "It's just stuff!"

Here are two books from one of my favorite authors, Louisa May Alcott.  Jo's Boys was published in 1886 and this copy is from 1899.  Under the Lilacs was published in 1878 and my copy is from 1898.  I just love these pretty books!  I'd like to find the whole set.

My tea cup is not Victorian but it is from a favorite set that I hope to collect more of!  It's called Bella by Debbie Segura. 

My pretty little teapot is not Victorian either---though it is a good replica!  I got this for my birthday about 8 years ago from my Dad and his wife.  I believe they found it at a local shop in Baker City, OR and that it was hand-painted by a local woman.

I hope you enjoyed my little tea party today!  Please grab my Homemaking Link-Up Weekend button at the top of the page to help you remember to come link up your homemaking post this weekend!  Anything related is welcome:  recipes, decorating, crafts, DIY, a story about something you did lately...  I'd love to have you!

Linking up to these fun parties:

Show Off Your Cottage Monday @ The House In the Roses
Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays @ Blessed With Grace  
Amaze Me Monday @ Dittle Dattle 
Tea Time Tuesday @ Rose Chintz Cottage 
A Return to Loveliness @ A Delightsome Life 
L.A.C.E. @ Lily-Rose Cottage 
White Wednesday @ Faded Charm Cottage 
Homemaking Link Up @ Raising Homemakers 
Vintage Thingie Thursday @ Coloradolady 
Teacup Thursdays @ Miss Spenser's 
Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch 
Pearls and Lace Thursday @ Faith, Grace and Crafts

How To Freeze Basil: Easy Tutorial

I adore basil. It is my most favorite herb! In fact, I love it so much that the name Basil has been on my "names for little boys" list since 1999!

I recently finished putting some freshly picked basil away in my freezer and thought my readers would enjoy an easy tutorial!

It's only within the past couple of years that I've begun to use fresh basil, and while the dried-in-a-jar variety is fragrant and delicious, it doesn't hold a candle to my homegrown!

You will know that your basil is at it's best "picking state" when it gets buds on it and begins to flower.  
Clip as much off as you want but leave a few leaves to soak up the rays for more plant growth! Something to keep in mind with basil: the more you clip, the more you get as basil grows back two new stems for every one that is clipped!

Pick off the big leaves and carefully wash each one. Be aware that little bugs like to hide in the shady places under the dark basil leaves. Wash both sides and run your fingers along to wipe off any dirt or baby snails!

Take a moment to look for any that might be trying to get away!!
When you've washed all the leaves, place them in a colander and shake or use a salad spinner if you have one. Then lay them out in a single layer on paper towels or napkins and pat dry--soaking up as much water as possible.

  Next, place the leaves in a food processor, if available, and pulse until they're the size you prefer. I don't have a food processor so I used my Pampered Chef Food Chopper.

You'll want to add a little bit of olive oil to the basil to keep it from turning black in the freezer. (It doesn't affect the taste...just helps the appearance)

If you are using a food processor, you can add it in as you're chopping the basil. I just poured some in the bowl when I was done chopping with my food chopper and mixed it up with a spatula. The amount you'll need will vary depending on what you plan to do with your basil, but I just used enough to cover each piece.

Finally, you'll want to decide how you're going to divide it up to freeze. It is wise to freeze each recipe size separately. I divided mine up to have a couple good spoonfuls in each container. I plan to put it in pasta sauce and my pasta sauce must feed a family of 10!

You can freeze your basil in small containers, if you have them. I used these two:

Notice they're not fancy! I got one at the Dollar Tree for my daughter's baby food and the other is a little Rubbermaid-type lunch box one. You just need something that will be airtight to avoid freezer burn. If I didn't have these two containers, I would have used sandwich bags and then just placed all the bags into one large freezer bag.
 
You can also measure your basil out into ice cube trays and freeze it that way. Then, once it's frozen, pop all the little cubes into a freezer bag to be taken out individually for soup, sauce and more! I will be designating a tray specifically for this as I imagine the tray would eventually take on the wonderful aroma and color of basil! (Though that little taste of basil in lemonade or iced tea might not be too bad??)

Herbs will keep for many years but you'll get your best flavor if you use your basil within the year. Here are a few facts about basil:

**Basil comes from the Greek language and means "king". Basil has been called the "King of the Herbs"

**Basil is highly poisonous to mosquitoes, (Yay!) but safe for rats (bummer!)

**Basil is thought to be a great treatment for arthritis and has antioxidant and anticancer properties.

**Basil will affect the taste of tomatoes if planted too close together. This could be a good or bad thing--depending on what you're doing with your tomatoes!

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial! Have a wonderful evening!


Linking with:
Lou Lou Girls Party
Inspiration Monday @ Your Homebased Mom
Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch
Motivate Me Monday 
Modest Monday @ The Modest Mom 
Living Proverbs 31
Inspire Me Monday @ Create With Joy 
Masterpiece Monday @ BoogieBoard Cottage 
A Round Tuit @ Creating My Way to Success 
Monday Funday @ C.R.A.F.T. 
Making Your Home Sing Monday
Tabletop Tuesday @ A Stroll Through Life
A Return to Loveliness @ A Delightsome Life 
Teach Me Tuesday @ Growing Home
Tutorial Tuesdays with Hope Studios 
(Titus 2)s Days @ Time Warp Wife
The Scoop @Stone Gable
Make Bake Create @ Hope In Every Season
Cottage Style Party @ Lavender Garden Cottage
Tasty Treats @Simply Helping Him
Winsome Wednesday @ My Daily Walk in His Grace
Whole-Hearted Home Wednesdays 
Encourage One Another @ Deep Roots at Home
A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
Homemaking Link Up @ Raising Homemakers
Home @ Rose Chintz Cottage  
Inspire Me Wednesday @ MamaBuzz
What's It Wednesday @ Ivy and Elephants 
Wednesday Link up at Adorned from Above
Home Link Up at Raising Arrows
Homemaker's Encouragement Party

Am I Complete?

Colossians 2: 8-10: "Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power."

How many times do we go looking for someone or something to "complete" us? If we are single, we say we need a spouse to complete us. If we are married, we say we need children to complete us. After that, we start saying things like, "If only I...was not so overweight, would gain a little weight, didn't have this debt, had a cleaner home, owned my own place", etc.

We have this sense that we, in and of ourselves, are not enough. We know that we are lacking, so we go on a quest to lose the weight or adopt the newest organizational system or find the perfect spouse. So why, when we do finally accomplish these things, do we still feel the empty spot? Why do we immediately recognize the next big thing that needs to happen for us to feel complete?

The problem is that while we know that we are lacking--that we, in and of ourselves, are not enough--we are going in the wrong direction to find that fulfillment. Verse 9 says "in Christ dwells all the fullness of the Godhead"--the Three In One--the Trinity...and we are complete in Him. We have been cheated and lied to--and we have bought right in.

The Bible gives us a caution--that we wouldn't be cheated or deceived by the traditions of men or principalities of the world. Have we made the world's deceptions our truths? Have media and magazine covers become our gospel?

The funny thing about God is that He knows our hearts. He knows and understands that empty place where we feel the need for completion. What's more, He knows exactly what we need to fill it. We can find all we need in Him.

Even in Christ, completion won't come by forgiving our brother or cleaning up our act. Yes, those things are important and that time will come, but it can't come until Christ has our hearts. Completion and fullness in God must first take place in our hearts as we surrender everything to Him and ask Him to teach us and to work on us in His timing. Once this surrender to Christ is complete and we are being filled by Him, we will begin to emulate Him. People will begin to see Christ in us as we forgive our brother and get our act together one step at a time through Christ.

My challenge for myself and my readers today is to not accept the lies and traditions of the world. Instead, invite Christ to fill you with his truth and power and find completion in Him.

I am honored to have had this article published in The Christian Home Magazine.  This is an encouraging online magazine that is published weekly.  Check it out!