Zucchini Bread

It's official.  I've grown too many zucchini plants!  Yesterday I came back from the garden with 8 zucchinis and 2 of them were starting to get large.  I'll have to be checking them every day now and I hope I can find some friends to take excess.

However, today I made a really nice zucchini bread.  I used my own raisins and it took 2 good-sized zucchinis to get the required amount.  I used butter, but oil would probably work just as well.  You could use pecans instead of the walnuts, and dried cranberries would be a good option.  Next time I'll try brown sugar instead of white.  This recipe makes 2 loaves.

Zucchini Bread

2 eggs, beaten
1 1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups grated fresh zucchini
2/3 cup melted butter
2 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup walnuts
1 cup raisins

Grease two 5x9 loaf pans and preheat the oven to 350F.

In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, eggs and vanilla.  Stir in the grated zucchini and then the melted butter.

Mix the dry ingredients in another bowl and add to the wet ingredients a third at a time, mixing well.  Fold in the nuts and raisins.

Divide the batter equally between 2 loaf pans.  Bake at 350F for 55 minutes (or until done).  Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then cool on wire racks.