'Tis the Season

Grandma Nola gave us a HUGE zucchini out of her garden. There were a bunch of them but we only accepted one, which is a good thing because I got sixteen mini muffins, two little loaves, and two big loaves from it. Most of it is in the freezer, ready to become a convenient side dish. I like it toasted with butter. Here is the recipe I used. (It's from The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook). Enjoy.


This is for one loaf. I tripled it because of the size of zucchini I had.

If you are using a large zucchini, cut it in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds.




INGREDIENTS
about 2 1/2 cups shredded zucchini*
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped coarse and toasted**

1. Put an oven rack in the middle position. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Generously coat your pan(s) with vegetable oil spray. (Baking paper is helpful.)

2. Whisk the sugar, melted butter, eggs, yogurt, and lemon juice together in a large bowl.

3. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, and salt together in a separate large bowl.

4. Gently fold the zucchini, the yogurt mixture, and the nuts into the flour mixture with a rubber spatula until just combined. Do not over mix.

5. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan(s) and smooth the surface. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few crumbs attached, 55 to 60 minutes. (About 20min for the muffins and about 45min for the mini loaves)

6. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool for 1 hour.


*REMOVING MOISTURE FROM SHREDDED ZUCCHINI: Zucchini has a high moisture content. After shredding, squeeze the zucchini to remove as much moisture as possible. Use a clean dish towel or several layers of paper towels or squeeze the water out the opening of a plastic bag. If you skip this, the batter will have too much moisture and won't cook through.

**TOASTING NUTS: Toasting nuts strengthens their flavor. To toast a small amount of nuts or seeds put them in a dry skillet over medium heat. Stir or shake the skillet occasionally to prevent scorching and toast until they are lightly browned and fragrant, 3 to 8 minutes. Watch the nuts closely because they can go from golden to burnt very quickly. For a larger amount of nuts, spread a single layer on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven, shaking every few minutes, for 5 to 10 minutes.

I need a bigger bowl...