Zucchini Bread

Jess here, with another recipe!  If you have a summer garden, then you are probably looking for recipes to use with your zucchini around this time of year.  One of our favorite ways to use zucchini is to make our Aunt Margaret's famous zucchini bread.  We're not sure where she got the original recipe, but this is a crowd pleaser that we make all summer long!  Lucky for you, the recipe makes two loaves, so you can have one for yourself and one to share!  Or you can do what I often do and slice and freeze the extra loaf.  Then you can reheat it in the microwave or toaster.  Easy, fast AND it has vegetables!  Need I say more?

On to the recipe:

Aunt Maggie's Zucchini (makes 2 loaves)

• 3 1/2 cups flour **see note**
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice **see note**
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 1 tsp vanilla 
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (or 325 convection) and spray 2 loaf pans with non-stick spray (you can skip this step with a non-stick pan). Grate the zucchini.  You can do this by hand with a box grater or with a Cuisinart or food processor using the grating attachment.  (I do this and it saves SO much time!) Combine the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until foamy.  Gradually add the sugar, oil and vanilla then whisk to combine.

Hopefully your sous chef won't lose interest as early as mine did!

Alternately add the dry ingredients and zucchini and combine.  I like to start with flour and then zucchini and do no more than 3 additions, to avoid over-mixing.  So, it goes something like 1/3 flour mixture, 1/2 zucchini (stir), 1/3 flour mixture, 1/2 zucchini (stir) 1/3 flour mixture (stir).  I like to use a folding motion and mix just until combined.  Finally, fold in the walnuts.

In the middle of mixing

Separate your batter between the two loaf pans.  If you're fancy, you can measure or weigh your loaves to make sure they're exactly even.  I just eye-ball this, as I've done it lots of times.

Ready for the oven!

Bake for 55-65 minutes (My convection oven takes longer to bake, but makes a crunchier crust).  You can tell they're done when a tester toothpick comes out clean.  Cool on a rack (I like to cool them for just a bit before removing them from the pans) and enjoy!  If you plan to freeze a loaf, let it cool and then slice it.  I place the slices on a sheet pan or tray in the freezer first, to keep them from freezing to one another.  I suppose you could freeze it as a loaf, but for us, this makes grabbing a slice on the way out the door much easier.

**Notes**

• I often use 2 1/2 cups regular flour and 1 cup of whole wheat flour.  I'm sure Aunt Maggie wouldn't do this, but I find it doesn't impact the flour or texture but adds a little fiber.
• The original recipe calls for a teaspoon of cinnamon, but I like to substitute pumpkin pie spice.  People always ask if there's a special something added and I think it's this twist that makes it unique.

So there you have it!   Delicious bread AND you don't have to worry about all those zucchini in your garden going to waste!

Do you like zucchini bread?  Try it out and let us know how it goes in the comments below!