Zucchini Mania

My parents brought us "a few" zucchini's from some family friends this weekend.

I was thinking, "great, I'll use them in a veggie saute", but what I didn't realize was the amount we were inheriting...

I mean, really.  At some point you cross the line between gracious and obscene.  

So, this left us with only one option:  time to bake!

So we baked....

And baked....

And baked....

AND baked....

And in the end, guess how much zucchini we went through?

Yep.

One.  One, huge, 6lb, newborn sized, zucchini.

And we still have 3....

But we did find a really yummy recipe for bread, muffins, and cake that I wanted to share.

Simply use a variation of the below and you too can turn a festival-sized zucchini into treats for your family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, distant relatives, homeless man down the street, and any other random person you wish!

For ours, we used raisins in the bread, then cranberries and chocolate chips in the muffins and cake (for the cake we added cream cheese frosting)

Zucchini Bread

3 eggs

1 c. olive oil

1 3/4 c sugar

2 c grated zucchini

2 t vanilla

3 c flour

3 t cinnamon

1/8 t nutmeg

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. baking powder

1 t. salt

1/2 c. chopped walnuts (or pecans- we used walnuts)

1 c. dried cranberries, raisins, chocolate chips, or a combination thereof

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Grease and flour two 8x4" loaf pans and 24 muffin liners

In a large bowl, beat the eggs, then mix in oil and sugar, followed by zucchini and vanilla

Combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt (as well as the optional nuts, chocolate, and/or dried fruit), then stir dry mixture into wet mixture slowly

Bake loaves for 60 minutes or until tester comes out clean.

Note: muffins will bake much quicker (about 20-25 minutes)

What's that you say?  You'd love to try this recipe, but have no zucchini?!  Email me and I'll personally deliver some, free of charge!

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In other news, Kevin started his engagement with Dedrium today!  I miss him already, and it's only 10 o'clock.

Maybe I should do something productive...  like go have a baby already!!