Zucchini Bread Has Magic Properties

I've always loved my mom's zucchini bread recipe. So of course I've mislaid my copy of it. I've tried a few other recipes, but they all seemed to dry in the bowl and turned out to be that way baked too. And that should not be. The bread should be dense and moist. Paula Deen is Southern and not afraid of spices so I decided to take a chance on her version. It's not Mom's but it's close and it's damn good.

Also, every morning since I made it, and breakfasted on a nice thick hunk? No morning sickness. Could this be a miracle food?


3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup water
2 cups grated zucchini
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, nutmeg, baking soda, cinnamon and sugar. In a separate bowl, combine oil, eggs, water, zucchini and lemon juice. Mix wet ingredients into dry, add nuts and fold in. Bake in 2 standard loaf pans, sprayed with nonstick spray, for 1 hour, or until a tester comes out clean. Alternately, bake in 5 mini loaf pans for about 45 minutes.

I'd go with walnuts, personally. Also, up the nutmeg and cinnamon to 1.5 tsp. If you can still get good zucchini in the stores, go for it. The bread freezes great. You can also grate the zucchini and freeze just that in 2 cup portions for the next time you want to make miracle bread. And yes, I believe I'll be doing that this weekend.