How many of you have loads of zucchini that are ripe and ready for picking? Just a few plants seem to produce lots of long slender veggies that taste great sliced and sautéed with carrots and onions, diced and cooked into a spicy spaghetti sauce, or shredded and dumped into your favorite quick bread recipe.
A local farmer dropped off a bag full of produce last week. I was delighted to see the assortment of zucchini that often overwhelm the garden. I graciously thanked my friend and scooped up the zucchini with this delicious recipe in mind.
Tip: I always use my food processor to shred a summer’s worth of zucchini and then place in freezer bags in 2 or 4 cup quantities. (Label with date, product, and amount). This way I have zucchini ready whenever I want to bake this quick bread throughout the year.
This recipe yields four deliciously moist loaves that can be eaten, frozen, or given away as fresh baked gifts from the kitchen. Don’t forget to share a loaf or two with a local grower who might be inclined to share some freshly picked produce when he/she has more than they can use.
Late Summer Zucchini Quick Bread
6 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon baking powder
6 teaspoons ground cinnamon
6 eggs
2 cup vegetable oil
4 cups white sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
4 cups grated zucchini
2 cup chopped walnuts
2 cups raisins
1 package instant oatmeal for topping, any flavor
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray with cooking spray, four 8 x 4 inch pans. In a very large bowl, mix flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together.
Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a separate large bowl. Add wet ingredients to the dry mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini, nuts, and raisins until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans. Sprinkle flavored instant oatmeal evenly over batter.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20-30 minutes. Carefully, remove from pan, and cool completely.
On a recent Saturday outing, my family and I stumbled upon a quaint new restaurant in the middle of our town square featuring Mexican cuisine. As we were seated in the festive dining room, a heaping basket of freshly made chips and salsa was delivered to the table. Looking over the extensive menu, I was excited to find a chicken dish that seemed fresh and flavorful with simple ingredients. I immediately requested the dish and continued to munch on the crispy chips and spicy salsa while listening to the sounds of the lively Mexican music streaming through the sound system. 
There are very few recipes that I bake where I don’t use oatmeal as an ingredient in some form or another. I often stir a handful of oatmeal into the batter for cakes, cookies, and muffins. Or, I might sprinkle oats over the top of the batter just before popping pans into the oven. I even stir oats into my ground beef when making meatloaf, hamburgers, or meatballs. I’m a big fan of the flavor, texture, and health benefit that oats can bring to many recipes. 
I often visit a local discount bread store during my lunch hour. The outlet carries nearly expired items that I use for stuffing, meatloaf, and bread pudding recipes.
Simply Made Kitchen and Crafts 