Sautéed kale flowers with leftover pasta

For breakfast!

They are good, a sweeter and milder kale takeoff. 

Also I just learned you can eat black locust tree flowers. (Only the flowers, mind. The leaves and seeds are kinda toxic.) They taste a bit like sweet, flora peas. 

http://the3foragers.blogspot.com/2011/06/black-locust-flowers.html

Mother's Day in Portland

I don't have much to say at the moment, other than I'm enjoying visiting Oregon, but here's some pictures of the fun to be had.

What is it like to have four kids?

Sometimes you just have to run away. 

On the other hand some of them can be civilized. 

But the best thing to do with baby goats is to cuddle them.

Look at the floppy ears that Mom and Karl found. 

Erin really likes baby goats. 

Karl's checking out the wisteria. 

It might eat the house...

But they survived! You should smile at the camera though Karl. 

As you can see we had fun on Mother's Day weekend. I'm not sure how we missed Heidi in the pictures. But she and Dad were here too so we had the whole family together.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

I am always looking for this recipe and having to call Mom or Karl to get it when I'm away from home. So I will post it on my blog so I can always find it wherever I am. You can use it too, oh intrepid blog reader. It is a great recipe and a family staple for potlucks and the like. I will add my personal notations in italics too.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake from Wilma Cox (who was it again, Mom?)

Turn oven to 325 degrees F to preheat. Grease a 9"x13" baking pan and flour it with cocoa powder if you want it to come out extra-easy. (Although that's not really necessary for a sheet cake that you remove by the piece, just greasing is enough.)

Cream together:

½ c butter
½ c oil
1 ¾ c sugar (or half brown sugar or only 1 ½ c)

Beat in:

1 t vanilla
2 eggs
½ c sour milk (usually buttermilk) 

Whisk together:

2 ¼ c flour (up to half whole wheat)4 T cocoa (usually increased to ½ c)
1 t baking soda
½ t each ground cinnamon, cloves, salt

Fold the dry mix into the wet mix, then add:

2 c finely grated zucchini (pack it down and use a full 2 cups)

Stir until just combined. Spread into prepared baking pan. Over the top of the batter sprinkle:

Update: the original recipe is ¼ c nuts, I misheard last time I asked for it. More is good though.
¾ c chopped nuts (roast them first for more flavor and filberts are really good)
½ c chocolate chips or chopped chocolate pieces

Bake 45 minutes at 325 degrees F or until done when poked in the center. Cut out a warm piece and eat it with a big glass of cold milk.