Zucchini Bread

It's zucchini season! I love the stuff, but unfortunately, Mr Minx can't abide it. I buy it anyway, hoping to have an opportunity to sneak it into some dish or another. The easiest way to get the hubby to eat Summer squashes is to concoct something sweet. Zucchini bread, especially when it's full of nuts and chocolate chips, is really the ideal vehicle.

I tried the recipe from Smitten Kitchen. It's good, but a bit too cinnamon-y for me, so I cut back on the quantity of that spice in the directions. If you love its flavor, feel free to add the whole 1.5 teaspoons to your batch! I also upped the amount of zucchini - the more the merrier - but made sure to squeeze out a lot of the moisture so I wouldn't end up with a soggy bread.

This made for almost a week's worth of yummy work breakfasts for me!

Zucchini Bread adapted from Smitten Kitchen

2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
1.5 cups grated zucchini, placed in a tea towel and squeezed as dry as possible
1.5 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1/2 cup dried cherries, cranberries, chopped apricots, or mini chocolate chips, or any combination thereof

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease and flour one 8 x 4 loaf pan.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs, then whisk in oil, vanilla, and sugar, followed by the zucchini. Add flour, spices, baking soda and powder, salt, and whatever mix-ins you're using.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Posted by theminx on Minxeats.com.