I can still remember my mom making zucchini muffins every summer when I was younger. I absolutely loved them, though I couldn’t tell you what a zucchini looked like or was to save my life. And if I had known that she had baked a vegetable in muffin form there is no way I would have touched it.

I’ve already admitted I was a brat when I younger so this should come as no surprise.

But due to my mom’s ever-present wisdom, I was never clued me in and to this day zucchini bread remains one of my favorite treats.

As is the case with everything else in J’s garden (see: basil), his overzealous zucchini plants just won’t stop producing. I have already shredded and frozen 18 cups of zucchini. This does not count the 6 new large zucchini sitting in his fridge now that need using.

Looks like I’ll be making zucchini something- or-the-other long into the winter.

With my food processor working overtime to shred all of this zucchini, I decided it was time to make my first loaf of zucchini bread for the summer.

This bread is the simple, no frills kind like my mom used to make. For someone who is always looking for ways to improve and/or change something up when cooking and baking, this is one that doesn’t need any spicing up- it is perfect in it’s simplicity. Because I do have so much zucchini to dispose of, I’m sure I will eventually experiment a little with the bread and some mix-ins.

But for now, I’m enjoying my slice of childhood summers.

Zucchini Bread

• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 c. shredded zucchini
• 1/2 c. vegetable or canola oil
• 3/4 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 1/2 c. flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Liberally spray a 9″x5″ loaf pan with cooking spray.

2. Whisk the eggs, then add the zucchini, oil, sugars and vanilla.

3. Fold in the remaining dry ingredients, until just mixed.

4. Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Bake the bread for approximately 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Slice and serve.