Farm to Table Farmers Market is OPEN in Monroe!

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I'm a fan of buying local and supporting the "small town" feel. Being connected to my community is a great feeling - knowing your neighbor, waving at a friend in the grocery store. I love it! I never had that in the town that I grew up in for 18 years, and yet there is something special about Monroe, WA that changed all of that in less than three years for me.

This week was the grand opening of the Farm to Table Farmers Market! The location was perfect; right under the iconic Carnation smoke stack that visitors and residents see when they pass through town.

Lots of great vendors were there -

 
Kenzie's Pendants - handmade wire wrapped jewelry  // Whackadoodles & Wanderlust - repurposing old spoons into jewelry
 
Tons of great food options too - a veteran run taco truck, wood fired pizza, a beer & wine garden AND frozen yogurt.

I was excited to see the variety of what our locals brought in. There was definite pride in craftsmanship from each of the vendors and I loved getting to meet some of them personally.

Farm to Table Farmers Market 

location: 

501 E. Main Street

Monroe WA

Wednesdays 3-7 during the summer

online // facebook // contact

Sour Cream Zucchini Bread with Coconut Oil

This is a revamp on my previous recipes of sour cream banana bread and sour cream pumpkin bread. Seriously, what else can I mix into this fantastic recipe that won't be a win?

Yields 2 loaves

You will need:
non-stick cooking spray
1/4 c of sugar with 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 c softened butter (or 1/2 c Tropical Traditions Extra Virgin Organic Coconut Oil)
1 1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
2 c shredded zucchini (drain for 30 minutes)
2 c  sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 1/4 c flour
*Optional: Toppings such as more cinnamon-sugar, candied pecans or chocolate chips.

You will do:
1. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.
2. Spray 2 bread pans with your non stick spray.
3. In a small bowl mix the 1/4 cup of sugar with the 1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon. Dust onto the greased pans.
4. In a stand mixer cream butter and remaining sugar together. Add eggs, zucchini, sour cream, vanilla, and cinnamon. Mix until well blended.
5. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Slowly incorporate into the zucchini mixture.
6. Divide batter between your pans.
7. Top with cinnamon-sugar, candied pecans or chocolate chips.
8. Bake for about an hour (but check at 45 minutes), or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

To freeze extra loaves for later:

• Allow the bread to cool off completely
• Wrap tightly in plastic wrap
• Bag in a large freezer bag
• Freeze
• Use within 3 months

Farmer's Market Day

Farmer's Market season has officially begun! Penny and I ventured out and drove to a market that was about 30 minutes away to check it out.

It was a gorgeous day and the drive to the market is a scenic back road. Prior to becoming a mama I would have just pulled over and taken pictures of the magnificence, but for the most part there really wasn't a large enough shoulder to pull over on so of course I didn't risk it. But friends, I promise that very soon I will find a way to safely take a picture of what our drive looked like. Because words are not enough. So I won't even try. Just trust me - it was gorgeous!

This particular market was not a very big one, less than a dozen vendors, but each one was interesting and unique. There was a veggie stand, local grassfed beef, a jam & pickle man, apples & pears, a local pizza parlour brought out a portable wood fire oven and baked pizzas for you on the spot. The best find? A little mom and pop stand where they have probably 3 dozen different pastries set out and there was a line about 20 people deep. I *knew* this was the place to check out.

The person standing in line ahead of us was a very tan older man with a thick New York accent. He was clearly a regular, and he was talking with the lady-owner about his week and such. He turned around to me, suddenly, exclaimed how I must try their challah bread, and that my little girl had the cutest dimples and blue eyes. Thank you, I said with a proud smile, to which he replied that she of course gets it from her mom. Cue the blush. Then he asks her name, to which I reply "Penelope" and he looks into my eyes with the most sincere look that I would reserve only for the best of friends and told me that I couldn't have picked a more perfect name for her. Gosh, that man made my day over again.

So we bought a strawberry rhubarb pie for the hubs and an apple cinnamon bread that Penny and I shared while we walked around downtown and visited the little stores and played at the playground. This mama sure is blessed :)