Summer's Bounty

Last night I finally had the chance to use up some of the pounds and pounds of zucchini I just couldn't resist buying at a recent trip to the farmer's market. For dinner I made one of my favorite (light?) pizzas -- zucchini and kalamata olives with red onion and mozzarella cheese. While that was in the oven - and while I was still on my gin & tonic buzz around the kitchen, feeling super motivated - I finally decided to have a go at making the zucchini bread recipe that's been in my plans for a week. I'd heard that using a food processor for the zucchini works fine, and I still can't find my loaf pan from the move, so I opted for the bundt (I do love bundts so very much). An hour later, the fragrant, sweet bread emerged from the oven. Now there's the problem of what to do with the two-recipe's worth of zucchini bread (that it took to fill the bundt pan in the first place). I do recommend the recipe. Come on, you know you have some sqash to use up. ;)


Zucchini Bread Recipe from smitten kitchen

Yield: 2 loaves or approximately 24 muffins (or one bundt)

3 eggs
1 cup olive or vegetable oil
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 cups grated zucchini
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
1 cup dried cranberries, raisins or chocolate chips or a combination thereof (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease and flour two 8×4 inch loaf pans, liberally. (See those pictures of the cakes inside their non-stick pans? Yup, they’re pretty much hanging out in there for the time being.) Alternately, line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk. Mix in oil and sugar, then zucchini and vanilla.

Combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt, as well as nuts, chocolate chips and/or dried fruit, if using.

Stir this into the egg mixture. Divide the batter into prepared pans.

Bake loaves for 60 minutes, plus or minus ten, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Muffins will bake far more quickly, approximately 20 to 25 minutes.

photo via smitten kitchen