Victim of Zucchini

I took a longer break from cupcakes than anticipated.  I was still going strong the weekend after July 4th, but then remembered that if I didn't get back to working at my vintage clothing business, there wouldn't be any excess cash to feed this cupcake affliction.

Enjoying zucchini muffin with fresh Amish butter and a good cuppa!

My boys have loved my zucchini bread since they were very little.  I don't remember where I got the recipe, unless it was from my Grandma Lucy.  The first year after Hubster made me my new raised bed garden, my zucchini was prolific and I made probably 6 or 8 batches of zucchini bread.  After the first couple of loaves, we realized that the waistline was becoming the wasteline.   I found 3 little loaf pans stashed away in my cupboard and started making mini breads, but quite time consuming with only 3 little pans, so I graduated to muffin/cupcake pans.  A perfect snack for one!  I froze the muffins, I gave the boys muffins to take with them wherever they went, and finally ended up freezing them.  I even froze the shredded zucchini so I could make it later, but it was so long before anyone could stand more that it got freezer burned. 

The past 3 summers, I've tried to grow various squash including zucchini.  We were actually missing the bread again.  :)  I only got a few "proper" sized zucchini at the beginning of the year and used/froze those.  By the time I was ready to let them grow to a larger size, they were attacked by squash bugs.  This year, I hadn't planned on even attempting any squash until I learned the secret to getting rid of them (other than soap that didn't work for me or chemicals that I really don't want to use and didn't work either).    

I'm PROUD of my zucchini plant!  The radish flowers are actually kind of pretty.

 To try it out, I planted 2 hills of zucchini seeds - no use planting a bunch and feeding the entire county's squash bug population.  Then I added the secret:  Radishes.  I planted radish seeds around each hill and then scattered some randomly.  They have to be left to go to seed.  I think it's safe to say that it's a success, now that I've got 2 HUGE plants that have produced the nicest zucchini I've ever grown.  Now they're doing the turning-from-a-little-bitty-zuke-one-day-to-a-caveman-club-the-next thing that they're so famous for, so it's time to crank up the oven, get out the pans, and shred that zucchini!  I'll notify the grocers that I'll be needing every available egg again!

Power tools make life worth living

After I cut out the seeds, I thought of my small ice cream scoop.  Easy peasy!

 

SERIOUSLY YUMMY ZUCCHINI BREAD

3		Eggs
2	C	Sugar
1	C	Vegetable Oil
2	C	Zucchini, grated
3	tsp	Vanilla
1	tsp	Salt
1	tsp	Baking Soda
1/4	tsp	Baking Powder
3	tsp	Cinnamon
1	C	Walnuts, coarsely chopped (optional)

Beat the eggs until light and foamy.  Add the sugar, oil, zucchini, and vanilla and mix lightly but well.  Combine the flour, salt, baking soda ,baking powder, and cinnamon .  Add to the egg  and zucchini mixture.  Stir until well blended.  Add nuts,  if desired, and pour into greased pans.  (I tried using the candied walnuts used in salads.  They added a nice little crunch.)  Bake in preheated 350o oven.  Bread is done when toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.  Remove from oven and cool in pan 5 minutes, then turn out and finish cooling on wire racks.

9 x 5 x 3 loaf pans, bake for 1 hour (there should be enough batter for 2 loaf pans of this size)

Muffin tins, bake for 20 minutes        (approximately 20 muffins)

Mini loaf pans, bake for 27 - 30 minutes   

Hungry?

These freeze really well.