Memories Made in Momma's Kitchen

In writing this article for the best zucchini bread recipe, it conjured up many memories of years gone by. My mom would be in the kitchen peeling and grating the fresh zucchini that we bought from Medeiros' Fruit Stand in Little Compton, RI, while the four of us crazy kids were either building tents or making some kind of racket in the house.

When mom wasn't making knitted dolls, sewing or taking care of our skinned knees and various bruises, she was baking goodies and healthy ones at that. If she couldn't get us to eat as many vegetables as she'd like, she would disguise them in homemade breads and we never thought about it because they were so delicious. I think she even had a recipe for a chocolate cake that included mashed potatoes - sounds weird but it was good, very light and fluffy.

Instead of just using non-stick pans or greasing the pans, mom lined her loaf pans with wax paper, for easy removal of the breads. I still do it that way and they come out without a hitch, wonderful and golden brown.

I also use her original recipe card. It's discolored with age but still legible. I won't rewrite it, as there are too many sentiments attached to it. It rests on the cardholder so that I can follow the directions exactly. Although it calls for baking it on 325*, I bake it on 350*. I think that perhaps our oven back then may have been set too high.

Therefore, without further adieu, here is my mom's Zucchini Bread Recipe. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Zucchini Bread
Makes 2 loaves

Ingredients

3 Eggs
2 cups of peeled and grated zucchini - packed
1 cup Vegetable Oil
3 tsp. Vanilla

3 cups Sugar
3 cups Flour
3 tsp. Cinnamon
½ tsp. Baking Powder
½ tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp. Salt
1 cup chopped Walnuts

Directions

Beat eggs until foamy. Add oil, zucchini and vanilla. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nuts and add to the mixture. Stir with wooden spoon.

Line two loaf pans with wax paper held in place by strategically placed spats of butter. Pour mixture evenly into the pans.

Bake at 350* for 1 hour. Remove bread from pans and cool them on wire racks. Peal off wax paper. Cut, Serve and Enjoy!