"Knock Your Socks Off" Zucchini Bread

One of the things I like best about Fuel, the restaurant I'm working for, is the location. This statement isn't meant to take away anything from the funky decor or the delicious menu at all- we just happen to be in a great area.

First of all, downtown Wilmette is full of neat little shops and independent business owners. They are quite a friendly bunch and really go out of their way to help one another. (I especially appreciated this during the sidewalk sale when the guys from The Bottle Shop carried all of our cupcake decorating stuff back to the restaurant in the RAIN. Just to be helpful....)

Secondly, we basically share a parking lot with the train station. Which means, of course, that we get all kinds of weekday commuters early in the A.M. Even more importantly, though, is the fact that the Wilmette Farmer's Market is right outside our front door on Saturday mornings. Oh lord- I was excited when I got up for work this morning!

Because I'm smart, and a little sneaky, I volunteered to greet people at the market and pass flyers for our end of summer cooking classes. It seemed like a good way to spread the word about Fuel but mostly do some shopping at the market! I met a lot of neat people and even got some free zucchini out of the deal. I decided since I got to hang out in the sun at the market while everyone else was actually working, it would only be fair to make a few loaves of zucchini bread to serve at the restaurant tomorrow.

When I realized I didn't even have a zucchini bread recipe at the restaurant, I was starting to feel a little sheepish. However, Ty, one of our super talented baristas, called up his mom and jotted down her delicious, amazing, oh-so-good recipe for me to use. Ty's mom- you are awesome! I hope you don't mind me sharing your recipe because something this moist and good is meant to be shared....and enjoyed over a cup of coffee at Fuel tomorrow.

Ingredients:

3 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

3 large eggs

1 cup vegetable oil (or 1/2 c. vegetable oil and 1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce)

2 1/4 cups sugar

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups grated zucchini

1 cup chopped walnuts, rolled in flour to prevent sinking

Extra chopped walnuts for sprinkling

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

-Grease and flour 2 loaf pans.

-Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon.

-Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar in a bowl.

-Add dry ingredients to the wet and mix until combined.

-Stir in the zucchini and walnuts.

-Divide into the 2 loaf pans and sprinkle with additional chopped nuts.

-Bake until golden brown and a tester comes out clean, about 55 minutes.

-Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 20 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

*Check out more great posts about Fuel at fuelbreakfast.blogspot.com!