Zucchini Bread Recipe!

And because I am a feminist who loves the art of cooking (and eating well), I'm adding to my previous post. Here is my mother’s zucchini bread recipe, as requested by a friend of the Abundant Table:

2/3 c. oil
1 1/3 to 2 c. brown or white sugar
4 eggs
3 c. zucchini (shredded, unpeeled)
2/3 c. water
3.5 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cloves
2 tsp. vanilla
2/3 c. nuts, chopped

topping: 1/3 c. flour, 2 Tbsp. sugar, 2 Tbsp. br. Sugar, ½ tsp. cinnamon, ¼ c. chilled butter

Heat oven to 350. Grease 2 loaf pans. Mix sugar and oil in a large bowl, then add eggs, zucchini, and water. Blend in flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and cloves with vanilla. Stir in nuts, then pour in pans. Top with topping if desired. Bake until wooden toothpick comes out clean, about 40-50 min. Cool slightly, loosen sides with butter knife. Remove from pans and cool completely before slicing. Keeps 10 days in fridge.

Note: I like to use almost all (about 3 cups) of whole wheat flour, often with a little flaxseed meal mixed in for a more “breakfast” bread rather than a dessert bread. Also, you can use less sugar, no topping, and 1/3 c. applesauce substituted for half of oil if you want a healthier bread.

If you like food and cooking as much as we do here, I recommend the movie ‘Julie and Julia,’ which Sarah and Casey and I saw last week.