Zucchini Bread

If you've never tried zucchini bread, you may be skeptical. 

A vegetable? In a baked good?

Absolutely.

Similar to carrots in carrot cake, when baked into a cinnamon-spicy batter, zucchini takes on a mildly sweet flavor and makes the bread incredibly moist. People often confuse this treat with banana bread (which sometimes works to entice your picky eaters!), and can hardly believe that a green veggie is the star ingredient.

Although nothing fancy, I have to say this recipe is one of my favorites. My grandma has been making zucchini bread for as long as I can remember. For me, this is comfort food. Soft and sweet with a hint of spice, I always crave it when I'm feeling a bit nostalgic and missing home.

This bread makes for an indulgent breakfast bite or yummy snack. I particularly like to cut a big slice cold out of the fridge, and smear a dab of butter across the top. It tastes wonderful plain, but you can also throw a few handfuls of chopped pecans, walnuts, or chocolate chips into the batter before baking.

If you try this, I promise is will quickly become one of your well-worn recipes!

Zucchini Bread via my Grandma Mary
Makes 2 medium sized loaf pans, or 3 small disposable loaf pans

Ingredients

3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt (scant)
3 eggs
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 1/2 cups grated, peeled, medium sized zucchini (leave half of the peel on)
Optional: 1 1/2 cups or so chocolate chips or nuts

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease the pans.
2. Sift together: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Beat in: eggs, sugar, oil, vanilla, cinnamon, and zucchini. The batter will be stiff until you add the zucchini, and then it will start to loosen up.
4. Optional: stir chocolate chips or nuts (or both!) into the batter
5. Bake in greased loaf pans for 50-60 minutes. The zucchini bread will be done when the top looks dry and a skewer can be inserted into the loaf and come out clean.
6. Let cool in the pan 10 minutes then remove and let cool