Goodbye Summer - see you next year!

This picture of Molly and the kids in the hammock was taken on one of our last swimming nights. We have a lot of swimming nights around here. It's finally cool enough to be outside and the pool is shaded, so we don't worry about sunscreen. (We are lazy that way :) The thing is, you never know when your last big swim hurrah is going to be. One day it's 105 degrees and then wham! Now there is a cool breeze all day and the nights have been down right chilly. And the pool is just plain old cold.

But I must admit that I am not sad to see summer go... I LOVE FALL. I am in love with the days right now. So maybe it's goodbye to all our pool fun, but now we can enjoy other things like scooter riding around the neighborhood on cool, brisk fall evenings. This weather makes me want to bake something. And since our garden is still producing zucchini, I think I will make a Zucchini Cake with Chocolate Chips. This recipe came from my sister in-law, Patty or my mother in-law (I'm not sure who to give credit to.) But ultimately, I think this was a recipe from the Dolley's in Maine. The combo of chocolate and cinnamon is divine. And the zucchini makes it a very moist cake. Plus it's a vegetable - so it's practically good for you!!

Zucchini Cake with Chocolate Chips

Mis en place

1/4 pound margarine or butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup oil
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
2 med. eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup zucchini, grated
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts (optional) walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 9" x 13" cake pan.
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, oil and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and buttermilk.
In a medium mixing bowl, sift dry ingredients together and add slowly to creamed mixture. Stir in grated zucchini. Pour into greased/floured cake pan. Sprinkle top with chocolate chips and chopped nuts.
Bake for 45 minutes at 325 degrees.

enjoy!