I Wish I Could Give You a Zucchini

     Oh no, it doesn't end with the cucumbers.  Zucchini have taken over my garden and my yard.  I cautiously approach the plants, slowly lift up the leaves, and there they are -- just what I feared -- zucchini the size of a watermelon.  That's what happens when I ignore them for a few days. There are more zucchini out there than I will ever have an appetite for.  Why can't the squirrels, mice, and my French Bulldog Pipi eat the zucchini instead of my tomatoes?  Again, neighbors are the (grateful?) recipients.
  

     And I almost feel as though I should apologize for passing along another zucchini bread recipe... Almost.  I have done various types of sautéed zucchini, stuffed zucchini, and zucchini fritters.  The one redeeming thing about zucchini bread (or muffins) is it freezes well.  And that's what I've been doing; about 3 loaves a week.  This time, the zucchini bread is studded with plump dried cranberries; tasty when spread with salted European butter :-P

• 1 cup dried cranberries                               
• 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup canola oil
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups shredded zucchini
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350˚F
1.  Place the dried cranberries in a small bowl and cover with boiling water.  Let soak 10 minutes to plump; drain and set aside.
2.  In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and nutmeg.  In another bowl, whisk the eggs, oil, and vanilla together until smooth.  Add the zucchini and mix just to combine.  Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry.  Mix until almost all of the flour is incorporated.  Add the walnuts and plumped cranberries and fold through the batter until evenly distributed and no flour remains. 
3.  Divide the batter between 2 oiled and floured 9x5x3-inch bread pans.  Place on the middle rack of the preheated oven and bake for 60 minutes or until done.  Remove from oven and cool for 15 to 20 minutes before removing from pans.

MORE ZUCCHINI...