After School Snack

I try to live in the moment. Especially now that the last four months have passed by so quickly. But I can’t help but think about what lies ahead for my little peanut.

I daydream about family vacations and his little legs running all over the beach, picking up seashells, and wiping his sandy hands all over me.

I think about conversations we will have about manners, good grades, being kind to others, and always doing his best.

I daydream about after school snacks and doing homework at the kitchen table.

I think about the sun starting to set and calling for him, William and Finn to come out of the tree fort and inside to eat dinner.

I’ve practiced, aloud, my scary mom voice for, “Don’t make me call your dad.”

One time, I caught myself daydreaming about moving him in to Russell Hall in Athens, William telling him how proud we are and me making him promise to make good decisions and call home. Then I started crying and made myself go back to living in the moment.

I look at my seventh graders and wonder which one he is going to look like. I thought I had it figured out. Size wise. I even went as far, last week, to ask one of the boys (that I figured might be what Wills would look like) how big he was as a baby so I could compare. Haha. Like he knew. He just stared at me with this really funny look on his face. “Nevermind,” I quickly said.

The point is, as much as I try to live in the moment, I still daydream about the future.

Especially, when I’m cooking. Lately, I will casually comment to William, “this will be good to make one day when Wills can eat real food,” or “I bet Wills will like this dish,” or “when we’re at the baseball field, guitar lessons, or golf course late one night, this will be good to put in the oven when we get home.” William usually just nods and obliges me with, “Yes, good idea, baby.”

That’s when I decided to try a recipe, from Martha Stewart, that would be perfect for my daydreams about after school snacks.  My little boy will have no idea that his sneaky Mommy filled these cupcakes with zucchini. It will be my little secret. And one I better keep from William, too. I hope they don’t turn out green. If so, I guess that’s what icing is for, huh?

Before I begin, I have a confession. I’ve never made a cupcake before. Ever. Yes, I have aspirations of opening up a Cupcake, Wine and Book shop in a quaint little corner store in Beaufort.  Don't laugh. I’m serious. I don’t know much about wine. Except that I like it. Books, I think I could handle. Clearly, I know nothing about cupcakes. So, I can’t explain this moondream of mine, except to say that these are three of my favorite things. Who wouldn’t want to combine them into a charming little shop in their favorite town? Kind of like The Shop Around the Corner in You’ve Got Mail. Please tell me you know what I’m talking about.

Back to the zucchini cupcakes.  Don't run away yet.  At least give it a chance.  This recipe was really easy, and I have to admit, I'm pretty excited about the outcome.  

 

I cut the recipe in half because I only had one zucchini that we didn't use for our dinner last night.  I mixed 3/4 cup of flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon and salt, and 1 teaspoon of baking powder.

I grated the zucchini using a cheese grater.  This was a little strange, but I kept on and trusted the recipe.

I mixed the zucchini with one egg, 1/3 cup of vegetable oil, and 1/2  teaspoon of vanilla.

I poured this into the flour mixture.  I know it doesn't look very appetizing. 

And then into a greased muffin pan.

I baked them on 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

I made cream cheese icing from the cookbook Tony gave me for Christmas. 

I mixed about 4 ounces of light cream cheese, 1/3 cup powdered sugar, 1 Tablespoon of butter and 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla. 

A zucchini cupcake and a glass of milk will be the perfect afternoon treat for Wills.  I can't wait to talk kickball, cooties, and his state capital's quiz before we start spelling homework.  I'm pretty pumped about it. 

By the way, William ate one in the dark.  I made sure the lights were off.  He loved it!  He said he was impressed and, "man, I could eat a bunch of these."  I can't stop laughing, and he keeps asking me why.  I'm a little scared for him to read this blog post.  Until then, I'm not saying a word.