Savory Parmesan and Zucchini Bread

      

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We Oregonians are a hardly lot, but weather extremes seem to initiate strange behaviors in us. We don't get a lot of very hot or very cold weather here, and when our usually comfortable temperatures rise or fall, a mass migration to areas of artificial heating and cooling occurs. Folks stay home. I was at one of my favorite farm stands this morning and I was the only customer there. This kind of heat takes a toll on berries and while I had not gone looking for a bargain due to the lack of customers and the rapidly deteriorating condition of the berries, I was able to buy flats of them at half price. When I got home I realized that I had also been gifted more zucchini. I got the berries processed and then puzzled through what I could do with the squash. I had just made a dessert type bread, so I decided to move to the savory end of the spectrum. I've used this Taste of Home recipe before and, save for increasing the amount of cheese used in the ingredient list, I've pretty much stuck to their version of the recipe. This is a nice loaf to serve with barbecue and the bread also makes a lovely toast. It comes together quickly and, because of the zucchini, it stays moist and keeps well. This is another recipe that works well in a cottage or cabin kitchen and it is a great starter recipe for young cooks to try. This savory bread will neither make nor break your reputation as a cook. It is a pleasant loaf whose major virtue is ease of assembly. It is also a great way to use up zucchini when it starts to come in. Here's how the loaf is made.

Savory Parmesan and Zucchini Bread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Taste of Home

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 cup shredded peeled zucchini
1 tablespoon grated onion

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Set aside.
2) Combine flour, cheese, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl.
3) In another bowl, whisk eggs, buttermilk, sugar and butter. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in zucchini and onion.
4) Pour into a greased and floured 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted near center of loaf comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Yield: 1 loaf (16 slices).

One Year Ago Today: Summer Pudding

Two Years Ago Today: Martha Stewart's Spaghetti 101

Three Years Ago Today: Frozen Strawberry Souffle

Four Years Ago Today: Chicken Wellington