Thyme For Cooking, the Blog: Courgette?? Zucchini?? Whatever...they're winning....

Everyday I go down to the garden and pick all of the long, green things...and everyday there are still more to pick! I've fixed them in every way known to man (and woman), cold, hot, raw, cooked, shredded, cubed, sliced, sauced, stuffed and spiced. I've put them in everything I could think of (including the compost bin but that inspires the 'starving children in India - German Catholic childhood guilt). I've even fed them to the dogs - fun to chew 'cause there's lot's of moisture...but they don't actually swallow any...big mess! I swore that I would not resort to the American tradition of baking (mainly because I always thought it was awful) but yesterday I succumbed. I just couldn't take it anymore! I would make Zucchini Bread! Of course I made this momentous decision on Sunday. In France there are no stores open on Sunday, no shops, except, of course, the bakery. One must be able to get one's daily bread, after all! Whatever recipe I found had to be fudged to include the ingredients I had on hand. In Minnesota we once borrowed a cup of vodka from the neighbors (it was a birthday, we wanted to have vodka-tonics before dinner and we lived miles from the nearest store). Here, in France, I would be thoroughly shamed if I had to borrow any food stuffs. What a poor 'femme au foyer'! I searched the cookbooks and the net to find a good starting point (crushed pineapple? no, no, non for so many reasons). It actually turned out rather well! We liked it, of course almost anything still warm from the oven and dripping with butter is good....we'll test again with coffee in a minute.
~~Courgette~~ Zucchini Bread
3 eggs
1 cup sunflower oil
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups flour
3 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
Cream together eggs and sugars. Add oil and beat lightly. Stir in zucchini and vanilla. Add the rest of the ingredients (put the flour on top first and the rest of the ingredients on top of the flour) and stir in well. Prepare 2 8 X 4 loaf pans (20cm X 10cm), butter, then flour. (I also put wax paper on the bottom, buttered and floured - it just makes it easier). Divide batter evenly between pans and bake in 350F (180C) oven for 60 minutes. The top should be cracked and look dry. Test with a toothpick inserted into the middle: it should come out clean and dry. If not done leave in for 5 more minutes and test again. Timing will depend a little on the moistness of the zucchini.
Remove from pans, slice while still too hot to touch, slather with butter, eat.
Note: I just noticed the little green flecks in the bread....brings back memories of baking in college...;)
Note 2: Check out the video on this site - it's a hoot LOL