Bumper Crop of Zucchini

This afternoon I found myself with some extra time... My older son was at a day camp and my younger son had a friend over and I was looking ahead to a weekend of fun with having another family to the lake.  To get a jump start on preparations for the weekend, I decided to make zucchini bread.  I have been making this zucchini bread for nearly 20 years, and it is a no-fail recipe that never ceases to delight the eater (myself included!).  

In addition to growing up eating this zucchini bread, I also grew up hauling water at my family's community garden plot.  Sadly, I never put two and two together - that the consistent watering would lead to a bumper crop of zucchini which in turn would mean mom's homemade zucchini bread.  This recipe is a wonderful way to use zucchini, and anyone who has ever had a garden knows that while a bumper crop of zucchini is a great thing, it is even better when you have good and simple recipes that use the zucchini.  

This quick bread is deliciously flavored with vanilla and cinnamon (three teaspoons of each), is super moist thanks to the zucchini and comes together in no time at all.  Then while it bakes, your house is filled with the aroma of warm cinnamon.  The original intent was to make a batch and then freeze it for breakfast at the lake.  It makes a great breakfast and if you toast it and slather it with butter, it is especially good, if not altogether healthy.  But it also makes a great snack, and anytime my kids spy this zucchini bread cooling on the counter, they immediately want a slice.  Thankfully the recipe makes two loaves.  So while one will be frozen for the lake, the other would be ready to eat just about the time my oldest arrived home from camp.  Warm zucchini bread after a day-long camp is not such a bad thing.  And, with any luck, there would be enough for breakfast in the morning, or to include as a treat in his camp lunch.  

I was not so happy about having to water the garden as a child, but I now have a garden so I can happily harvest zucchini and make my own bumper crop of zucchini bread that my family will more than happily eat!

ZUCCHINI BREAD

3 eggs

1 cup oil

2 cups sugar

2 generous cups grated zucchini (peel included)

3 teaspoons vanilla

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325.  Butter and flour two loaf pans.  Beat eggs until foamy.  Add sugar, oil, zucchini and vanilla.  Mix lightly.  Blend dry ingredients with a whisk and add to wet mixture.  Blend together.  Pour evenly into prepared pans.  Bake for 1 hour at 325.  After an hour, test with a wooden toothpick.  If the toothpick comes out clean, the bread is done.  If not, bake for another 2 minutes and test again.  When done, slide a thin knife around the edges of the pan to loosen.  Remove from wire rack and cool completely (if you can wait that long).  

Enjoy!  

Written August 13, 2014, Posted August 24, 2014