COOKING WITH CLORIS - CHERRY CHOCOLATE CHIP ZUCCHINI BREAD

I’ve mentioned previously how disappointing the zucchini crop was this year, but Cloris recently found a huge zucchini hiding under a tomato plant when she went to pull the dead plants in her garden. She scooped out the seeds, grated the zucchini, and froze it in two cup portions in plastic freezer bags to use for baking and in soups and spaghetti sauce over the winter. Here’s one of her yummy zucchini bread recipes. -- AP

Cherry Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

makes 2 loves

Ingredients:

3 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3 eggs

2 cups grated zucchini (seeded, skin on)

3/4 cups vegetable oil

3 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup dried cherries

1 cup chocolate chips

Soak cherries in water while preparing batter.

Mix eggs, oil, vanilla, and zucchini together.

Reserve 2 tablespoons flour. Mix remaining dry ingredients together. Sift together with wire whisk.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing well.

Place remaining flour in a plastic Ziploc bag. Add drained cherries and chocolate chips. Seal bag and shake to coat cherries and chips. Fold cherries, chips, and any remaining flour into batter.

Pour evenly divided into two greased loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees 50-60 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.