Zucchini Bread

We recently got a bunch of organic zucchini from my aunt.  Whenever I think of zucchini I think about this delicious zucchini bread served at our local salad place.  This isn't that recipe, but it comes fairly close.  

Zucchini Bread
(adapted from Paula Deen | makes 2 loaves)
ingredients

• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 cups sugar -- original recipe calls for 3 cups, but that's just asking for diabetes
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 2 standard loaf pans with nonstick spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, nutmeg, baking soda, cinnamon and sugar. 
3. In a separate bowl, combine oil, eggs, water, zucchini and lemon juice. 
4. Mix wet ingredients into dry, add nuts and fold in. 
5. Bake in 2 standard loaf pans for 1 hour, or until a tester comes out clean. You can also bake in 5 mini loaf pans for about 45 minutes.

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Orange-Spice Pumpkin Bread

The holidays are right around the corner which can only mean one thing... time for some pumpkin goodness! While attempting this recipe, I was starting to lose faith, especially when I thought the mixture was curdling, luckily I stuck to it because the result was this light delicious pumpkin bread.  Definitely something I'll make again. 

Orange-Spice Pumpkin Bread
(adapted from William Sonoma)
ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. allspice
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 10 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. finely chopped orange zest
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup pumpkin puree

directions
Have all the ingredients at room temperature.

1. Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 350°F. Grease a loaf pan.
2. To make the bread, over a sheet of waxed paper, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and cinnamon. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat together the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and orange zest on medium speed until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and pumpkin puree and beat until incorporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour mixture in two additions just until smooth.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the top springs back when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes.

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ATK's Banana Bread

I have to give credit to my friend Brian here, because if he didn't distract me at work with episodes of America's Test Kitchen, I never would have found this fabulous recipe! Personally, I'm not a fan of bananas, but put it in a bread or smoothie and I just might force myself to ingest some. So you can say it was a good distraction, since just a few days earlier, The Husband was forced to eat 4 overly ripe bananas by himself... in one sitting.

BANANA BREAD

350F, 8.5” x 4.5” loaf pan

ingredients: bread

• 5 super ripe banana
• 1 3/4  flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 stick melted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 c toasted walnuts or pecans

: topping

• 1 banana, sliced quarter inch
• 2 tsp sugar

directions

1. Peel and put banana in bowl cover with plastic wrap, puncture some holes, microwave on high for 5 minutes.  This releases liquid.

2. Drain, pour liquid into saucepan and reduce till 1/4 cup about 5 minutes

3. Combine, salt, flour & baking soda, whisk and put aside

4. Take juice & microwave banana and mashed together. Make sure there’s no big piece of banana

5. Mix butter, vanilla, eggs and sugar with the banana mixture

6. Mix in dry ingredients. Don’t over stir flour mixture. Fold in walnuts

7. Spray 8.5 x 4.5” loaf pan with baking spray

8. Pour mixture into loaf pan

9. Slice 6^th Banana into quarter inch slices

10. Line side of pan with overlapping sliced banana (2 long-side, not down the center)
11. Sprinkle 2 tsp of sugar on top, this candies the banana & makes a nice shiney crust

12. 350F oven, middle rack, 1 hour.  Rotate at 30 minutes

13. Let it cool for 15 minutes

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