Zucchini Bread and Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

    This is what happens when you are gifted a zucchini and you didn't have plans for said zucchini. You make an attempt at zucchini bread. I hear that's what everybody does with the oodles of zucchini that they don't know what to do with. Ha! Ok, so maybe ONE zucchini isn't oodles....and maybe I could have grilled it which I LOVE...but I wanted to try zucchini bread.
    I did a search for zucchini bread recipes. There are about a zillion of those out there by the way! I decided to base mine off of a famous lady named Paula's recipe. However, I made mine gluten free. I also took out the gobs of oil she used and replaced it with cinnamon applesauce. Lastly, I switched up some of the spices because of what I had on hand. I also added chocolate chips to one loaf. I hear that chocolate chips are yummy in zucchini bread.

Zucchini Bread - gluten free

3 cups GF Flour Mix
3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pie spice
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups sugar
1 cup cinnamon applesauce
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
2 cups grated zucchini
2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon almond extract

* add 3/4 Cup Chocolate Chips to make Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine flour, xanthan gum, salt, pie spice, baking soda, cinnamon and sugar. Mix wet ingredients into dry. Add the grated zucchini and stir until combined.  Bake in 2 standard loaf pans, sprayed with cooking spray, for 1 hour, or until a tester comes out clean. Alternately, bake in 5 mini loaf pans for about 45 minutes.

Use a cheese grater/ box grater to grate the zucchini.

Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

Add in the grated zucchini and stir until combined.

Plain Zucchini Bread Batter

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread Batter (I divided the batter in 1/2. I did one loaf plain and one loaf chocolate chip by adding 1/2-3/4 c. Chocolate Chips to the batter)

Plain Loaf is done!!

So moist and yummy!

YUM!

Chocolate Chip is done!!

So pretty

Look at those chunks of chocolaty goodness.

Two yummy loafs of zucchini bread.....THIS is the way to eat your veggies!

After making and trying my zucchini bread I have no idea why I have never made this before. It is GOOD! I do believe I am a fan of zucchini bread now....mmmmmm.

-Jessica

Spaghetti squash are taking over!!

     Last season I had purchased a spaghetti squash at the farmers market. During the winter it got a soft spot on it and I had to toss it out. I thought I would just toss it out into my raised bed garden and then harvest the seeds out of it to plant. Well, nature beat me to it. Before I knew it I had little spaghetti squash plants popping up in my raised bed garden this year. They have been very fun to watch. They grow more and more each day and they are taking over the garden. 

March 27 I noticed I have squash appearing in my garden

April 3 They have doubled in size in five days!!

April 27 Wow!

May 11 They are creeping out of the bed. Had to move the herb garden planters.

May 11th the blooms are starting to appear.

May 16. Yesterday I counted over 30 blossoms, there are even more today.

The squash is taking over the yard!!. I keep having to move my herb "garden" planters.

May 24th. First Sign of a baby squash! YEAH!

June 8th.....creeping further up the lawn.

June 8th, Thank you Mr. Honey Bee for pollinating the squash!!

June 11th. More baby squash spotted.

June 12th. I don't know how this big guy snuck by me! He is about 5-6 in. long and growing!

I'll try to update this with pictures as they continue to grow. So, if you are a nerd like me you can check back and watch my little squash grow!!

-Farmer Jessica