Bacon-Cheddar Zucchini Bread

Armloads of zucchini appear on our doorstep through August, from whom we’ll never know. Small town summer life is idyllic here in Maine. I want to bake this quick bread for breakfast with a house full of guests. Serve it with scrambled eggs, freshly snipped chives, and chopped tomatoes. It’s amazing warm right out of the oven. So make two loaves at least!

Bacon-Cheddar Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:

• 3 strips thick cut bacon, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups zucchini, grated, squeezed, and drained
• 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 4 scallions, ends trimmed and chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup milk

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9 x 5 inch metal loaf pan with butter or olive oil. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until browned. Drain on paper towels. Combine bacon, zucchini, cheese, scallions and rosemary in a small bowl. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and paprika in a mixing bowl. In another large mixing bowl combine eggs, oil, and milk. Stir dry ingredients into wet until just combined. Fold in bacon, etc. Smooth batter into the loaf pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 55-60 minutes. Cool in the pan, 5 minutes, then turn onto a rack and let the bread cool completely.

Tagged as: bacon, dairy, quick bread, vegetables

About the Author: Jillian Bedell

Jillian grew up in Connecticut, went to university in Boston, college in New Haven, did some post-grad soul searching in New York, exiled herself to Mexico, married her longtime sweetheart, and lived in a house on the ocean. She suspected Maine might be the perfect place to raise a family, so she came back home to New England two years ago. Now a mom to Violet Maeve and living in Rockland, where she hopes to settle for a good, long while, Jillian reads, writes, walks, and practices Nia, when not watching Malcolm photograph sandwiches.