Zucchini - it's everywhere

Did you ever hear the one about the country cousin and the city cousin?  They go visit each other, and each one has a hard time adjusting to the other one's door-locking habits.  The city cousin wants to lock everything, the country cousin doesn't give locks a second thought.  Then one Sunday the city cousin goes to church with the country cousin, and the country cousin is adamant about locking the car doors.  Of course, the city cousin is confused - of all places, you lock your doors at church?  The country cousin says, "You HAVE to lock your door at church...if you don't the whole car will be full of zucchini when you come out."

Ya, ya...hardy har har, but really during this time of year, zucchini seems to be everywhere.  My neighbors, friends, and in-laws have all tried to pawn theirs off on me, which I would have gladly taken if I didn't have a garden-full myself.  You'd think that we'd all be smarter than that and just start planting less.  Or maybe it's become some kind of tradition to pass zucchini around at the end of the summer.  Either way, there's gotta be something we can do with it. :)

In the next couple of days, watch for recipes that have gotten rave reviews around here.  By the time we're through, you might even wish you had MORE zucchini!  Actually probably not, but you're sure to enjoy what you have.  Starting.....now.

My neighbor and friend brought Zucchini Bread over to us a couple of weeks ago.  Nice huh?  Not only was it nice, it was de-licious.  I feel like I've had my fair share of zucchini bread over the years, but this one topped em all.  I ate almost the entire mini-loaf.  Not in one sitting, of course.  I was standing, and only cut off one slice at a time, which I cut in half, took that half and always came back for the other half.  I don't know why I feel okay about eating way more than I should if I take it with me in small pieces.

Back to more important things.  Here is the recipe:

ZUCCHINI BREAD 

Ingredients:

3 eggs

1 cup oil

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 cups peeled & grated zucchini (roughly XL zucchini)

3 cups flour

Directions:

Mix together in order listed.  Bake in 2 greased and floured (I just use Pam...I think it works better) bread pans for about 1 hour at 350.  Or you can use the little loaf pans and bake for about 45 minutes.

****Notes: I used to be really bad at making banana/zucchini type bread.  It always came out doughy in the middle.  I think that's because it looks done before it IS done.  Do yourself and your friends/neighbors a favor by testing the middle of your bread with a knife before you take it out.  If it's doughy leave it in until it's not anymore, no matter how done the outside looks/smells.