Zucchini Bread

Shredded zucchini goodness

Yesterday I made zucchini bread...it was a first for me. I normally am a banana bread person but for some reason I decided to make zucchini bread instead this time. Allen was unsure at first...squash nor zucchini are his favorite. For an extra added flavor, I added chocolate chips and omitted the pecans/walnuts because I was making the bread for Allens' co-workers. Never know who might be allergic to nuts & I would hate for someone not to be able to enjoy the yummy zucchini bread. The recipe below is from one of my favorite recipe websites - Smitten Kitchen and you can find her website link under "Some of my favorites" located on the right-hand of the page.

Zucchini Bread

Yield: 2 loaves or approximately 24 muffins

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. 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.

*I substituted unsweetened applesauce for the oil - less fat. My bread was a tad bit hard on the edges (not sure why but next time I will probably add more applesauce & maybe reduce cook-time by a few minutes). But if you heat up the bread and put butter on top...it's delicious! Allen said it was "a hit" at work...hopefully he wasn't telling me that to just make me feel good ;) I made one good size loaf pan & 12 cupcake muffins with this recipe.

Dry Ingredients w/ chocolate chips

All mixed together ready to go into pan

Friday morning breakfast