Thursday, September 4, 2008

Creating A Welcoming Home - 5

Good morning! It's Thursday & time for Creating a Welcoming Home! Today I'll give you some welcoming tips based on the sense of TASTE!!
PLUS, a yummy recipe for Zucchini Bread:

3 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. oil
4 eggs
3 c. grated zucchini
3 c. flour
2 t. baking powder (small t = teaspoon)
1 t. baking soda
1 1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
1 c. chopped nuts
  1. Cream sugar & oil together
  2. Beat in eggs
  3. Sift dry ingredients & mix w/ sugar/oil/eggs mixture
  4. Add zucchini & nuts (use wooden spoon for this step)
  5. Grease & flour 2 loaf pans

Bake @ 350 degrees for 1 hour, or 325 degrees if using a glass pan.

(To make recipe GLUTEN-FREE, just substitute white rice flour cup for cup, and for flouring the pans! Super easy!)

This is the recipe my family used since forever, and we enjoy it with butter & powdered sugar on top! But "any way you slice it" (HA!) it'll be yummy-yummers!!

Tips for using TASTE to create a welcoming home:

So often people gather together to enjoy one another's company over food! It's such a large part of entertainment & hospitality, and mealtime can be special family time as well. Make mealtimes special at your house. Plan to eat together as much as possible. It lets everyone relax from their busy day and fosters communication.

Master a few simple dishes, and invite someone over to share it with! Hold a "get-to-know-you" or "haven't seen you in awhile" neighborhood barbeque or potluck. Our block has several block parties a year, usually for July 4th or Labor Day, and are planning a Halloween parade & treats. It really lets the neighbors connect! While living in TX one year there were lots of us with no family to share Thanksgiving with, so a group of my work friends did a pitch-in (potluck) and it was one of my best Thanksgivings ever!

Use fresh ingredients when possible. Many towns have lovely Farmer's Markets that sell local & super fresh fruits & veggies. Or if you planted your own backyard garden you are able to enjoy delicious foods only a few steps away! Foods in season have the best color & flavor, and add so much to your dishes. I love to add fresh herbs to our foods for the best flavor.

For older kids, provide a kid or teen friendly place for your kids and their friends to hang out. Have a cookie jar with "open access" during group times. My best friend's house was the one everyone wanted to hang out at. Not cause we could get away with anything, quite the contrary! Her parents were always there and friendly with the kids. But her home was comfy, the mom was welcoming, and she had the MOST AMAZING brownies & cookies that she put in a jar on the counter for everyone!! Yum!

Give a tasty meal or treat to someone who needs some love in their life. Maybe someone just had a baby or surgery and could use the extra help! Maybe someone lost a loved one and is too overcome to think about grocery shopping or cooking a meal. Maybe an elderly neighbor or co-worker could use a cupcake or treat (tie 3 cookies with ribbon) to feel important. You can do this as an act of love for someone, and they'll never forget your kindness!

That's all for today, folks! If you want some more lovely ideas for a Welcoming Home you should also check out Emilie Barnes &/or Terry Willits fabulous books. They are Christians who make a welcoming home their focus.

Don't forget to visit The Inspired Room for more fall nesting ideas!

And of course I'll be back every Thursday for "Creating a Welcoming Home"!

How do YOU use Taste to create a Welcoming Home?

Blessings,

Stacey

18 comments:

Rue said...

Hi Stacey :)

That bread looks so good and I could eat just about anything with powdered sugar on it LOL

Great inspirational post. I believe that making a home family friendly by cooking from scratch and having a place for the kids to gather is really important too :)

Happy Fall!
rue

mommyholly said...

Omg, I can't wait to try that recipe!! It looks delish! :) Your blog is gorgeous! xo!

The Beauty Bargainista said...

This looks so good! It must be in the air! I just posted a zucchini bread recipe too! :) hehe I just LOVE fall!!

Joy said...

YUMMMMM! My taste buds are watering just looking at the picture!

I'm enjoying the touches of fall in your home. I think I REALLY need a corbel like the one you have on your floor with all of your inventory items. It's fantastic!

Teresa said...

Oh...I'm missing my Mom- she always made the best bread- Your post gave me a happy memory- Thanks for sharing-
Happy Fall

Rene said...

Stacey -- Thanks so much for coming by my blog on my BATW day last week. Sorry for the late thank you but hubby's cancer diagnosis sort of moved around my priority list. Things are starting to get back to normal -- well, a new normal anyway.

That bread looks great and I am drowning in zucchini so I'll have to try it out!!

Stacey @ The Blessed Nest said...

I'm so glad to hear from all of you! And thrilled that you are going to try the bread! Let me know if you make some :).

. said...

Hi
Thanks for the recipe looks great. Blessings to you. Denise

Buzzings of a Queen Bee! said...

I love your suggestion of butter and powdered sugar. Yummy!! I will definitely have to try that.
Carrie

Jen - Balancing Beauty and Bedlam said...

We are all about taste in this home. That is a great twist on my zucchini recipe.
Your fall decor looks gorgeous, and so welcoming. :)

Nancy Rosalina said...

Hi Stacey, Enjoyed this post! I love to bake...I think the smells of baking and the fresh breads, cookies and cakes really help to make a welcoming home and the kids love it too. Blessings, Nancy

Kristen said...

That looks yummy! Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting last night. I really like your idea of having one job and one fun thing for every day that Hubby is gone. I can make long, long lists in both those categories! It will definitely help pass the time. Thanks!

Shell in your Pocket said...

I work hard to have a welcoming home and smells of food can make it feel "cozy". However, sometimes I have to stop and just realize a welcoming home is not always clean, decorated and candles burning. It is the love shown and working together that is welcoming also!
-Sandy Toes

Lorrie said...

Hi Stacey,
You've captured my philosophy of home - a welcome place for family and friends. Baking bread, cozy decor and most of all, love, combine for a welcoming place.

Thanks for sharing. Thanks, too, for commenting on my blog so that I could come and find yours.

Lorrie

Anonymous said...

Hi Stacey,

That bread looks amazing! Also good advice re:teenagers. That's what my Mum used to do and she always knew where me and friends were - generally eating her out of house and home, but we weren't on the streets getting up to mischief.

Hugs
Liz x

Pennies In My Pocket said...

I LOVE your blog!! And I cannot believe you have this recipe on this post. I just received some yummy zucchini bread from a neighbor as a 'welcome to the neighborhood' gift (we just moved in) and I wanted the recipe!

Adore your blog. Bookmarking it!

Oh and as far as how do I make my home welcoming with taste...I love to have dinner parties. We invite people at least once a week for dinner. Sometimes it's family sometimes friends.

~melody~

Stacey said...

Love your Thursday posts. The zucchini bread looks wonderful. You are definitely right about food for kids!!

Please come by for a visit at my very new blog. :)

http://www.poofingthepillows.blogspot.com/

cherry said...

Yummy bread recipe. Love all the ideas! cherry