A Traditional Farm Life - Zucchini Bread

A Traditional Farm Life

By Shasta Hamilton

Greetings from Enterprise, dear friends.  Lock your car doors at church, folks, this is zucchini season!

It’s that time of year once again.  Gardens are beginning to overflow with fresh, flavorful goodies.  If you don’t have a garden yourself, you probably know someone who does and is more than happy to share—whether you like it or not!  Local Farmer’s Markets are a fantastic place to stock up as well. 

We’ve chosen not grow zucchini ourselves; it seems there is always someone ready to share their seemingly endless supply.  Today some dear friends who know we like zucchini bread gave us a “baseball bat” to shred for the freezer.  Personally, we think zucchini bread is the best way to use that fast growing “one that got away.”

We are finally enjoying tomatoes from our own garden.  Our daughters brought in a cute little basket brimming with them this morning.  It’s about time!

Now picture this:  It is a cloudy morning mid-July.  You are standing under a shade tree, half asleep, with your mouth propped open and your dentist is on one knee with arms extended high, sawing back and forth on your teeth with a file. 

I’m not making this up.  Our draft horse Jewel had the “pleasure” Tuesday of having her teeth “floated.”

Our vet, Dr. Sarah Mills, made a house call and filed the sharp edges off Jewel’s teeth that were making it difficult for her to eat properly. 

After sedating Jewel enough to make her sleepy, Doc Mills put a speculum in the horse’s mouth to keep her mouth open and promptly got to work.  My husband Michael held Jewel’s head while Doc used a variety of files to take off the rough edges.  While Jewel didn’t appear to mind her visit with the dentist, just watching the procedure was enough to make our human teeth hurt.

The next day was a historic day for us at The Buggy Stop.  We had the distinct pleasure Wednesday of serving 57 folks on a “mystery tour” with Great Adventure Tours out of Topeka.  Before their meal, lifelong Enterprise resident Ray Jackson hopped on the bus and gave them a guided tour of our fair city.

As our little Mom and Pop restaurant only seats 24, we made arrangements with the City of Enterprise to rent their Community Building just across the street from The Buggy Stop.  Hats off to our city employees who went above and beyond the call of duty to make this event a success.

As this was a “mystery tour,” the participants signed up not knowing where they would end up.  We assume Abilene was next on their itinerary, but the tour leader could not answer our query in order to avoid spoiling their plans.  (Ironically, we found out later one of the tour participants drove from nearby Chapman all the way to Topeka only to find out they were touring her home stomping grounds.  Isn’t that how it goes?)

If your garden—or your neighbor—hands you a tour bus full of zucchinis, roll up your sleeves and get shredding.  Divide shredded zucchini into 2-cup portions and place in reclosable freezer bags.  Flatten and squeeze out as much air as possible before completing the seal and freezing for zucchini bread all winter long.

The following Zucchini Bread recipe is a family favorite handed down to our family from my mother-in-law, whose mother gave it to her.  That makes our daughters at least the fourth generation baking up this special treat.  My mother-in-law uses white flour; if that is your preference see the note following the recipe for instructions.

Now, grab your nearest “baseball bat” and step up to the plate!

Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread

3 eggs

1 cup butter, melted

2-1/2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 cups unpeeled and grated zucchini

  (If frozen, thaw and include liquid.)

3 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

3/4 chopped nuts (optional)

3 cups white whole wheat flour

1-1/4 salt

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1.   Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2.  Cut parchment or waxed paper to fit the bottom of three (8” x 4”) loaf pans.  Spray pans with non-stick cooking spray, place paper on bottom of pan, and spray paper.

3.  In a large bowl, beat the eggs.

4. Add sugar, butter and vanilla; mix well.

5.  Add zucchini, cinnamon, nutmeg and nuts; mix well

6. Sift in the flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder; mix only until well combined.

7.  Divide batter evenly between prepared pans.

8.  Bake one hour, or until bread tests done with a few moist crumbs on toothpick.  Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 20 minutes.  Carefully loosen edges with a table knife, turn out from pan, remove parchment paper, and finish cooling on a wire rack.  Wrap any leftovers tightly in aluminum foil, label, and freeze for future use.  Yield:  Three (8”x4”) loaves.

Note:  If all-purpose white flour is preferred, reduce baking soda to 1 teaspoon and baking powder to 1/4 teaspoon.

Copyright © 2015 by Shasta Hamilton

Shasta is a fifth generation rural Kansan now residing in Enterprise, Kansas.  She and her husband own and operate The Buggy Stop Home-Style Kitchen with their six home-schooled children.  You can reach The Buggy Stop by calling (785) 200-6385 or visit them on the web at www.thebuggystoprestaurant.com.

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