[Imagine here a photo of giant zukes in a laundry basket, just a small part of the harvest — the photo simply will not load for me on the post, as opposed to the main page, waah]
Zucchini overload, take it as read! But seriously, this is the recipe I go to for zucchini “bread” (cake really, but no one is complaining) — I don't use any other. It's from Auntie Sue.
The big zukes I slice and grill — I probably will post/already have posted on Instagram about that. It's simple — even the biggest ones that you forgot about under those giant leaves can be sliced, tossed with a little oil, and grilled. There is some in the freezer as we speak for delectable roasted vegetable lasagna in the winter.
And of course save your harvest by grating extra when you make this recipe for bread and putting it in the freezer in 2-cup quantities (I use quart-sized freezer ziplocs), ready to be pulled out for new batches later. No draining, just chucking into this easy recipe that is a one-bowl, no fuss wonder.
I confess, as I see now that I am transcribing rather than glancing at the recipe, that I mindlessly put a bit more than four cups of grated zucchini in this batch without doubling the rest of the ingredients, and used my truly extreme chickens' eggs, each of which is worth two of the normal large ones you buy, and ended up adding more flour because yes, it all seemed a bit drippy, but it was fine. I suppose these errors are what account for the slightly more open crumb at the top of those slices, but in the end it's only more tender and moist than in its normal perfection.
No matter what, this recipe is going to yield a universally beloved snacking cake and amply justify having planted all that squash.**
NB: The vanilla and cinnamon are non-negotiable in my opinion – -they are the flavorings that give the bread its irresistible flavor; but the nuts can be omitted.
Auntie Sue's Zucchini Bread
Makes two loaves (you can also make zucchini muffins of course — just bake for 18 minutes, depending on the muffin cup size, until springy and puffed)
Preheat oven to 350℉.
Spray or grease well two loaf pans of a normal size†
Mix all together in a bowl, giving the first 3 ingredients a stir to blend before adding the oil:
3 large eggs
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup oil (I use peanut oil*)
2 cups grated zucchini
3 tsp. cinnamon
3 cups flour (I used my freshly milled winter white wheat flour and it's perfect)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup nuts (pecans would be good)
coarse sugar for sprinkling on the batter before baking for that appealing crusty-glazed top
Divide between your two prepared loaf pans.
† I have also made this in two 9″ cake pans, lined with waxed paper, and when cooled, frosted with a rich cream cheese frosting such as you would use for carrot cake. And that is a heavenly way to gussy it up!
Bake for 45 minutes or until a tester comes out clean and the top has puffed up and even cracked a bit.
Turn out onto a cooling rack. Enjoy!
*My plan is to feed the excess produce, even after all the projected storage, to the chickens. With feed at the prices it is now, and rising, I think doing this will also justify having over-planted!
**I really only use animal fats, olive oil, coconut oil, and peanut oil (that I buy in small quantities to avoid having it go rancid) in my cooking. You can read about how bad seed oils are for you. What are your thoughts about this? Something is up with how unhealthy we Americans are in general…
bits & pieces
- I like this decorating blog, though it's hard to read (she is working on changing her platform and maybe it will be better). Lots of design information, especially about paint. I would add, about blue paint, the topic of this particular post: remember that when you turn the lights on (as you almost always will in the dining room, say), the yellow of the light will render the paint… green. Blue + yellow = green, that's just how it works. So examine your chip or swatch in the light you will actually be using (and make it incandescent, not LED, light, so that you can be happy and not strangely depressed and discontented with your lot).
- Educating children is a primary goal of marriage (wrapped up in their begetting and inextricable from it). And what is the primary goal of education? Bishop Conley, who studied with my hero John Senior, has a good essay on this topic.
- There should be zero controversy about being informed on a medical decision. No labels should ever be slapped on someone seeking to know more about a treatment, especially an invasive one (for instance, a shot). In fact, it ought to shock and warn us if we are told we should not question such things. This website has a lot of information on vaccines, much of which is taken from the material supplied by the manufacturer. Poke around and see what you think.
from the archives
- Regarding Beauty and Saving the Neighborhood and all, I have been brainstorming how to make a shrine (ie have The Chief make it) and how to get a weatherproof icon for it. A friend sent this promotion from Legacy Icons. “Free icon with purchase of wooden shrine.” I haven't looked into it yet, but thought I'd link it here so we can figure it out together — the offer is good until the end of July. Looks like you have to get to the checkout to get the free icon…
- From Deirdre: Is it scary to start a St. Gregory Pocket?
You can look up at the menu bar to see our posts about what and where they are! And here's a good idea to meet up with people: go to the geographical Facebook page for your area and simply ask, “Are there any members here who go to [name your church]/read the blog Like Mother, Like Daughter/are interested in a traditional-minded mothers' group near [name your town]/are homeschooling using Charlotte Mason principles” and so on. People will reach out to you and you can get the beginnings of your Pocket that way.
And dear reader Katie's family is military and will be heading for Warner Robins, GA soon. She is interested in meeting like-minded LMLD readers in hopes of starting a Pocket! If you are near there, please contact me! We can get it going.
Notice that I don't have any St. Greg's swag, membership, fees, or dues. I'm not monetizing this. It's simply a template for people to use the internet to form offline, real-life friendships in hopes of building that larger community that will be there for the children when they desperately need peers whose families have standards. It's for making friends in the community who will be there not only for the bookclub, but for taking care of kids during doctor's appointments, bringing meals, and getting the husbands together too.
liturgical living
follow us everywhere!
My book, The Summa Domestica: Order and Wonder in Family Life is available now from Sophia Press! All the thoughts from this blog collected into three volumes, beautifully presented with illustrations from Deirdre, an index in each volume, and ribbons!
My “random thoughts no pictures” blog, Happy Despite Them — receive it by email if you like, or bookmark, so you don’t miss a thing!
My new podcast can be found on the Restoration of Christian Culture website (and you can find it where you listen to such things) — be sure to check out the other offerings there!
Stay abreast of the posts here at LMLD, when they happen:
Consider subscribing to this blog by email. In the current situation, if we can’t meet here, it would be good for us to be connected by email!
We share pretty pictures: Auntie Leila’s Instagram, Rosie’s Instagram, Deirdre’s Instagram. Bridget’s Instagram.
Auntie Leila’s Facebook (you can just follow)
The boards of the others: Rosie’s Pinterest. Sukie’s Pinterest. Deirdre’s Pinterest. Habou’s Pinterest (you can still get a lot of inspiration here! and say a prayer for her!). Bridget’s Pinterest.
claybyfaith says
Lovely! I hope we will have zucchini this summer. The plants look promising. We always flavored ours with more cinnamon and a dash of cloves (JUST a dash!). This always gives it a delectable twist that makes the cinnamon slightly more complicated. It should also be eaten spread with BUTTER. I’ve been avoiding most seed oils too. I have used Olive oil, butter, coconut oil, and avocado oil.
Leila says
Yes, a little clove would not go amiss here! And a smidge of nutmeg too!
Dixie says
That zucchini bread looks amazing! Do you ever make yellow squash casserole? You can make it with zucchini, too, and it’s so yummy.
An aside, but an important one — do you have a “lying liars and how to cure them” post? I was just saying to my husband that we need one on that topic just like the “Whining Whiners” ones. We don’t have a big problem with this in our family, but I for one would like to know your thoughts (for various ages/stages).
I remember when I learned the difference between a lie and a tall tale — when I told my mom the latter about seeing a rattlesnake crawl through the empty eyesocket of a Civil War captain’s skull in a hideout in the desert! (Little did she know, I actually *had* seen a rattlesnake on the path — just not…in a skull…etc.)
Hee hee.
Thanks!
Leila says
What is the yellow squash casserole you speak of? Recipe?
I don’t have such a post… but it would be good to discuss. All my fairy-tale enthusiasms come to mind. Nothing like a fairy tale to show the importance of telling the truth, having self control, and so many other virtues!
Dixie says
You know, kids start to lie deliberately right at peak fairy tale time, don’t they? And Aesop’s fables and “The Boy Who Cried Wolf.” Also becoming aware of the Ten Commandments. I would love to hear more of your thoughts if you ever find time to write them out. Especially for different ages. It seems like something that gets more and more serious the older the child is.
The casserole is a Southern classic. So yummy. It is one of those dishes that is very forgiving. You can use whatever amounts and cooking times you want, and it always turns out great. My family recipe is:
Summer Squash Casserole
Yellow squash and/or zucchini, sliced
1 onion, diced
Mayo
Sour cream
3 eggs
Shredded cheddar cheese
Butter
Salt and pepper
Milk or cream (optional)
Sleeve of crushed Ritz or other crackers or breadcrumbs (optional)
Grease a 9 x 13 pan. Preheat oven to 350.
Parboil onion and 4-5 medium/big or 8-10 small yellow squash or zucchini or a combo of the two (this is blasphemous in the South — using zucchini — but I do my thing and it tastes so good) for 5 minutes or so. The squash/zucchini should be sliced before you parboil them.
You want them to be just partially cooked. Some of them will fall apart a little; it doesn’t matter.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl beat 3 eggs. Add two heaping spoonfuls (about 1/2 – 2/3 cup) mayo and the same amount of sour cream and mix. Mix in about 1/4 cup milk or cream if desired. Next, stir in about 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar. Add salt (1 tsp? remember that the Ritz are salty) and pepper. Altogether, this will make a very thick sauce.
Drain the vegetables. Add them to the sauce and mix well. Spread in the greased pan and add additional cheddar. Sprinkle with crushed Ritz and pour a few Tbsp melted butter over the whole thing.
Bake for about half an hour or until Ritz are browning and sauce is set (it will have a creamy scrambled-egg kind of texture). You will still see bubbling liquid on the edges because of the melted butter.
Let rest for ten minutes before serving.
The Ritz makes it over-the-top awesome, but this is also a really good low-carb dish if you just leave them off. It still tastes great.
Let me know if you try it! It’s great with steak or burgers.
Teresa says
Thank you for this recipe!
Dana says
I have been trying squash recipes for years to replicate the cafeteria casserole I had when I lived in Dallas. It contained saltines, if I remember correctly. Alas, no such restaurant exists in Michigan! My family doesn’t appreciate it so more for me! Thank you for the teacake recipe too, Layla! Have you tried it with coconut oil? I like the Nutiva butter flavored in some recipes.
Lisa G. says
Goodness, just this week I’ve heard that seed oils are bad for us, and here you are saying it, too. I’m looking at a gallon of avocado oil on Amazon – I may get it.
Dixie says
Let me tell you all my oil trick. Extra virgin olive oil is a great workhorse for when you don’t mind having the flavor there, but it’s horrible for baking, like in quick breads and muffins that call for vegetable oil. Sometimes coconut oil, warm enough to be in liquid form, works as a sub, but sometimes not.
Enter “extra-light-tasting olive oil.” It has a neutral taste and can be used as an exact substitute whenever vegetable or canola (ew, extra gross) oil are called for. It’s not a “lite” or otherwise altered oil — my understanding is that it’s just taken at a different step in the refining process than the extra virgin.
It’s saved me many times when I’ve had to be dairy-free while nursing, too. It subs pretty well for melted butter in quick breads, muffins, and yeast breads, and even in cakes that don’t need the butter for structure.
Dixie says
(I mean the extra virgin olive oil is horrible in baking because it has such a strong taste. It definitely works, but your banana bread *will* come out tasting of olive oil. Not the best.)
Leila says
Yes, I use EVOO for salads and anything not cooked and regular olive oil for cooking. My understanding is that EVOO is not stable for cooking anyway.
I do prefer peanut oil in cakes, unless it’s a cake that specifically calls for olive oil (and hence the taste!).
Dixie says
Oh, I didn’t know that about EVOO and cooking! I might have to change what I use for sauteeing, etc.
Leila says
Well, another issue is the age of the oil. Oil does get rancid as it sits. I keep butter, lard, and bacon fat in the fridge and go through it pretty quickly (also the bacon fat has a lot of salt in it).
The other oils are out in the cupboard (and should be in dark glass or tin containers). I don’t know how much I personally would use avocado oil (I just don’t know what it tastes like or how it behaves in baked goods etc).
So I stick to the ones I mentioned. Olive oil is a tried and true!
Annie says
I use avocado oil for roasting and as a sub for vegetable oil in baked goods. It’s pretty neutral. It’s relatively expensive, though after moving back to Texas I was happy to find that HEB sells it in large, economical bottles which wasn’t the case at the Kroger I shopped at previously!
Diana says
I use avocado oil for SO much – it is truly the perfect oil. Can be kept at room temp, totally neutral flavored, and it is the most heat-stable oil out there. I use it in baking that calls for oils (like zucchini bread!), for sauteeing, for basically anything. Highly recommended!!! Love that stuff.
Blayne says
Maybe you could share your roasted vegetable lasagna recipe! I’ve made a veggie lasagna before with not great results.
Leila says
I still use pasta noodles but I add layers of roasted eggplant, red pepper, and zucchini as well. The trick is to have those WELL roasted so that they don’t add a lot of moisture (wateriness!).
It’s really nice. I will try to post about it when I make it next (probably not until it’s under 97 degrees LOL)
Katie says
First time growing zucchini here, and one plant has yielded ~20 squash so far! (The other two plants have given me about 6 between them 🤔) Your recipe looks very similar to mine! I use coconut oil, have never tried peanut so maybe I will switch it up next time.
We moved last year, and the previous owners of our house picked such lovely paint colors. Three shades of blue throughout the first floor and stairway, and it’s never ever looked green to me. Very lucky for us!
Beth says
This sounds delicious! We have been getting tons of summer squash in our CSA box for weeks now, so I’m starting to shred it for a variant on this recipe that I can bake once I’m back on my feet postpartum.
Maybe you have written on this already (I know you have the post on sick children generally) but I would appreciate a collective memory overview of kid problems like bee stings, eating something they shouldn’t, rashes, etc. etc. We’re about to have newborn twin boys any day now, and I’m already looking ahead to the many boyish troubles they will inevitably get themselves into! Love all your posts and your book, and so so glad your blog was recommended to me as we converted to Catholicism.
Anamaria says
I’m going to make this today! Can I just use melted butter for the oil??
Leila says
Sorry I didn’t see this — you can!
It is better with oil, I think, but you can use butter.
Anamaria says
Thanks! I ended up running out of time yesterday and making this today, adding frosting for one loaf for our feast day treat and freezing the other one for after baby no. 5 arrives next month! Everyone loved it, even with the butter (I just have olive oil, avocado oil, and sesame oil around- I’ve heard mixed things about peanut oil 🤷♀️)
Leila says
I’m glad it turned out!
I have heard different things about peanut oil but it’s not seeds so…
You could also use non-EVOO (for mild taste) or avocado oil or even coconut oil if you want, but butter is fine!
Leila says
Yay about the baby! Exciting!
Anamaria says
Thank you!! We are excited- especially my current youngest who just turned 3! He asks about the baby the most!! 😊