We are now in Week #18 of the Zakka Style Sew Along,
and it's never too late to join us.
{Visit Lindsey at LRStitched for details.}
I love this week's project, contributed by
Rachel Roxburgh of Roxy Creations.
{Rachel has a way with linen, wouldn't you agree?}
Already I've seen several versions from the sew along,
and they are all just as darling as the model from the book.
I had already started to make mine before I saw the others, which
are mostly light-colored and very cheery.
Mine is kind of dark, since I opted for my charcoal gray linen,
as the main body. I also used a navy plaid homespun for the handles.
I can't believe I didn't think of using gingham, like
{I still love it, though!}
I've seen some beautiful buttons out there, too.
For mine, I made a covered button to match the handles.
{One of the most fun steps was braiding the little loop from string!}
I love this print from Recess by American Jane,
for the interior.
{I also love the way the handles tie into a sweet little love knot.}
What's that inside the bag, you may ask?
Why, it's a loaf of homemade zucchini bread,
and as your reward for sticking with me,
I'm going to share how to make it, right now.
{You may find the printable version of the recipe for
here at allrecipes.com.}
Start with a nice big zucchini...
I live in Pennsylvania, and our local gardens
are always bursting with zucchini.
{Like my Dad always said, I don't have a garden, but I cultivate friends with gardens.}
Use a grater to shred the zucchini into a bowl.
{Just shred the whole thing, and freeze the rest in plastic bags, with 2 cups in each bag. This particular zucchini will make 8 loaves of bread!}
I love to collect all my ingredients and pretend I'm on a cooking show.
Here's all the stuff needed for this recipe.
Mix the eggs, oil and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
{You may use a mixer, or just stir everything together for this recipe.}
Stir in the zucchini and vanilla...
And then the dry ingredients, which have been sifted together.
Pour into two prepared loaf pans.
When they are baked, they have a wonderful, slightly chewy crust,
and the inside is tender, with tiny green flecks of zucchini peel.
{The first time one of my sons tasted it, when he was very small,
he said, "Mmmmm...I'll have some more of that bikini bread, please!}
Now,I must say that when I pictured this bread basket,
I thought it would be a lot larger...
{"Is it bigger than a bread basket?"}
Although it's not big enough to hold a regular loaf of bread,
it is just right for pesenting homemade goodies,
which makes it even more appealing!