Zucchini!

My parents have a large garden this year. They built 4 more raised beds that are about 4 x 12 and are growing everything I can think of.  They have had rhubarb growing in their yard for several years too.  Now they have a blue million zucchini (why don't people only plant ONE plant?  It seems like about this time of year people just give the stuff away).  So I get sent home with large zucchini and several rhubarb stalks just about every time I am at their house.  Which is a few times a week during the summer because we use the pool so often.

Like any person of my generation, I turned to the internet looking for recipes of what the heck to do with all of this.  Zucchini Cakes. Flop.  I'm not big on plain zucch either.  I'll occasionally saute it in a stir fry but it's just not my favorite.  Right now I have some shredded and draining in the fridge with some shredded russett potatoes to make potato pancakes.  I'm betting if I just go with how *I* normally make potato pancakes (which is without a recipe really, just by how I think they should look), they will be better and everyone will eat them. 
Then there's the ol' standby - Zucchini Bread.  I made this and DD loved it.  She even knew it had zucchini in it! 

Zucchini Bread

1 1/2 c. all purpose flour

1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour

1 t. salt

1 t. baking soda

1 t. baking powder

2 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. ground nutmeg

3 eggs

1 t. vanilla extract

1/2 c. vegetable oil

1/2 c. applesauce

1 c. brown sugar

1 c. granulated sugar

2 - 2 1/2c. grated zucchini (do not drain)

1 c. chopped nuts (optional)

2-3 T. raw sugar (optional)

Grease and flour 2 loaf pans.  Heat oven to 325 degrees.

Beat eggs, vanilla, oil, applesauce, and sugars together until well mixed.

Sift (or stir like I do) together dry ingredients and add to wet mixture.  Stir until combined.

Add zucchini and nuts and stir until combined.

Pour batter into prepared pans.

Sprinkle top of batter with raw sugar.

Bake for 40 - 60 minutes (start testing at 40 min.) or until tester comes out clean.  Cool in pan 10 minutes and remove to cool completely on wire rack.

This bread is so moist and yummy that what was left of my last loaf spoiled after several days.  I'm just happy DD ate it!  I am out of wheat flour so today I used only all purpose flour.  It's a bit less "healthy" that way but it comes out fine.  The applesauce and fresh zucchini make the bread so yummy!