Summer Squash

Zucchini is pretty inexpensive at the market right now. If you have some time on your hands and aren't too put off by the heat to turn on the oven, I highly reccommend giving my mom's recipe for zucchini bread a try. It is along the lines of carrot cake, but a little lighter in color and texture. I don't peel the zucchini because it adds pretty flecks of green to the finished product. The orange zest also adds color plus a citrusy aroma and flavor. I didn't add anything else, but you could add golden raisins, candied ginger or even chocolate chips to jazz it up. I was thinking you could also make a simple glaze of orange juice and powdered sugar to pour over the cooled loaf.

Mom's Zucchini Bread
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground ginger
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups grated zucchini
2 tsp orange zest

Butter and flour loaf pan. Mix dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. Add orange zest. In a large bowl beat eggs. Add oil and zucchini. Fold dry ingredients into wet. Pour into loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes.

K.