Fresh Zucchini Bread

Ah...fresh veggies!  It is August and I live in upstate NY, not downstate like Winchester County, upstate as in the Rochester area.  Living in farm country has always been a blessing for us.  No, we don't have a farm of our own, but I do grow a small vegetable garden, and I love having the opportunity to visit farm stands in our area.  Unfortunately, this year my garden isn't doing well at all, so that means more trips to the farm stand...which is working out well because the veggies they are offering are delicious!  How does visiting a farm stand fit into my weekly grocery budget?  Well, typically farmers have very good prices for their veggies.  For example, I was able to get each zucchini, at the farm closest to my house, for $0.75 each.  Each zucchini, when grated, was exactly 2 cups. 

This week, while shopping with my children, my son Ryan specifically asked for zucchini bread.  I really feel like I'm doing something right when my kids ask for something that has vegetables in it.  I know, zucchini bread is full of sugar and oil, so not necessarily the healthiest thing ever, but hey...I'll take what I can get!   Making snacks from scratch helps to reduce the amount of money that I am spending on processed foods at the grocery store.  To show you how much money I saved, I did a short cost analysis of this bread per slice.  The cost of making this recipe is very minimal.  With all of the ingredients, each loaf of zucchini bread for this recipe was about $0.93.  I can get 12 slices from one loaf, which makes this snack very budget friendly at $0.08/ serving.  Awesome right! 

This recipe is the one that I have used for years...I tried looking at Pinterest to see if there was anything that looked better, but I found this recipe to be pretty universal.  My kids have already devoured 3 loaves of this bread and are currently working on a forth!  If your family is like mine, storing it shouldn't be an issue for you, but if you want to save a loaf for later, it freezes beautifully! 

 

    In a mixing bowl, mix together the oil and the sugar, then add the eggs 1 at a time and mix well.  You will get a nice, sunny yellow mixture. 

 

 

Add the cinnamon, vanilla, baking soda, salt, and baking powder.  Mix well and then add the flour one cup at a time until all of the flour is added.  The batter will be thick. 

Add the zucchini and mix well.  Pour into two 8x4 inch bread pans that you have sprayed or greased. 

Bake the loaves at 350 for 50-60 minutes. 

This bread is delicious and easy! 

 

Zucchini Bread- Makes 2 loaves

Preheat oven to 350

 

1 cup of vegetable oil

2 cups granulated sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

3 cups of flour

2 cups grated zucchini (I grate mine with the skin on which gives the bread beautiful green specks.) 

 

Directions-

1.  In a large mixing bowl, combine the oil and sugar and mix well until smooth.  Add the eggs 1 at a time and mix until combined and the batter is a nice sunny yellow.

 

2.  Add the baking soda, powder, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla and mix well until well combined. 

 

3.  Add the flour, 1 cup at a time, until the batter is thick and smooth.  Add the zucchini and stir well. 

 

4.  Pour into 2 8x4 bread pans that have been greased.  Bake the bread for 50-60 minutes at 350.  When the bread is done, pull it from the oven and allow it to sit in the pan for 5 minutes.  Remove to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.  Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week or freeze. 

 

This delicious bread is best when zucchini is plentiful and in season.  To enjoy this bread year round, simply grate zucchini and freeze it in quart size freezer bags in 2 cup increments.  Then all you have to do is pull it from the freezer, thaw, and make the bread.  It's that easy!

 

I hope that this recipe brings your family as much joy as it brings to mine!

 

Blessings to All!