Note from Aunt Helen; This is the time of year for zucchini and what does one do when you have a garden full of zuchinni (or in my case, friends that have gardens with zucchini), well you make zucchini bread. This recipe I came across and made and it is delicious, especially with the pecan crunch topping.
Zucchini Bread
Ingredients:
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 (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.
Pecan Crunch Topping
7 1/2 tablespoons butter
12 tablespoons brown sugar
6 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup pecan pieces, chopped small (optional)
To prepare topping, melt butter in saucepan. Add sugar and milk, stirring constantly. Cook until syrupy. Remove syrup from heat and add chopped pecans. Pour syrup over bread and place the pans under the broiler for 3 to 4 minutes until very bubbly, being careful not to burn the topping. Let cool completely before slicing.
NOTE: Walnuts may be substituted for pecans.
Heather's Fowl Mouthed Kitchen 