CK's kitchen: ZUCCHINI BREAD

Humid, sweltering mid 90-degree temps and mask-wearing requirements were not enough to deter me from going to my first outdoor farmers market of the season. I donned my favorite sunhat, straw bag and the tiniest sundress that would be socially acceptable in public. My mental shopping list was easy: tomatoes for BLTs and the largest zucchini I could carry to make my mama's recipe for zucchini bread, a summer tradition that must play out in my kitchen at least once a season. Thankfully my local market is small and manageable to get through quickly. Within minutes, I found the best-looking produce stand and then stood in line, six feet from fellow shoppers. It wasn't lost on me that we were doing our civic duty to protect each while supporting our community farmers. It was a very satisfying way to start my Sunday, regardless of the sweat pooling in every conceivable location. Peel & Grate After collecting four juicy beefsteak tomatoes, the largest zucchini I could find, peaches, red leaf lettuce, green beans, potatoes and garlic, my market bag was heavy, I was out of money and it was time to head home. It took hours for the produce to cool off in the air conditioning. I had a little date for dinner so I wanted to bake this bread before heading out for the night. I would allow almost two hours for peeling, grating, making the bread batter, baking and cleanup. I fit a shower in there too! The most time-consuming portion of making the sweet bread batter is the grating because even though you only need two cups for this recipe, you have to grate the whole zucchini, which yielded six cups total. The shredded zucchini is very easy to freeze or add to pasta sauces for extra veggies. Secret ingredient Aside from two cups of sugar and one cup of oil (yikes!) for the two loaves, the ingredient that makes the most impact is the half cup of sour cream. This creamy addition lends richness, keeping baked goods moist and full flavor without thinning the batter. It does all this thanks to its high fat content and acidity. The batter will be lumpy and light brown, not the most appetizing, but don't worry: this is the best zucchini bread on the planet, according to my family. We grew up stealing huge slices off the counter when my mom wasn't looking. She couldn't bake enough loaves for my twin sister and I, let alone if anyone else wanted some. I've never had to bake this longer than an hour. It should be a deep golden brown. Do the toothpick check if you're unsure. Let cool in pans, then remove. It freezes well but who are we kidding? Best enjoyed at breakfast, lunch, dinner and all snacks until fully consumed. Enjoy! The Dish Zucchini bread 3 eggs (beaten) 2 cups peeled, grated zucchini 3 teaspoons vanilla 2 cups sugar 1 cup oil 3 cups flour ¼ teaspoon baking powder 3 teaspoons cinnamon 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ cup sour cream 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional) 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. Mix beaten eggs, zucchini, vanilla, sugar and oil in medium bowl. 3. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda in larger bowl. Add zucchini mixture and sour cream (and nuts, if using) 4. Pour into two 9x5x3 greased baking pans. 5. Bake 1 hour. Source: My mom, Mary Agnes Kadleck Contact Chrissy Kadleck at ckadleck@sbcglobal.net.