Autumn Calling

I have decided that I am ready for autumn. The 4th of July is over, so there is really no reason to continue the oppressive summer heat. I have never been a "Dog Days of Summer" kinda person. Bring on the changing leaves, the brisk winds, the array of sweaters and jackets. (The kids starting back to school is an added bonus!)

There is something about the nip in the air, the sound of the school band practicing on the field in the early morning, and the smell of smoke billowing from fireplaces that makes me want to fill the pantry to the brim, to start bake with abandon (particularly anything in which I can include "pumpkin" as an ingredient), and to sort out the "winter clothes" and pack away the shorts.

Unfortunately, this mood has come particularly early this year. Yesterday I baked two dozen blueberry muffins, and two loaves of zucchini bread. And this morning I have already made a batch of homemade buttermilk biscuits.

But, for now, I am trying to pacify myself with merely planning for autumn. I am already collecting every pumpkin based recipe I can find. I am contemplating what the kids might like to be for Halloween. And I am trying hard not to "wish" the summer away. After all, there is still plenty of berries with which to cook and bake. Oh, and the peaches! The Porter Peach Festival is next weekend...

Maybe I can hold off a bit longer.

Summer Bounty

Well, along with the heat of summer we are finally getting summer's bounty as well. My in-laws planted a fabulous garden and are very generous with its abundance of zucchini, tomatoes (finally), yellow squash, red potatoes, and onions... As soon as the zucchini makes it to the kitchen, the kiddos start asking for my zucchini bread, so that is what I will be doing today. Although the rich sweet scent of cinnamon and cloves has a decidedly autumnal aroma, I can't pass up the opportunity to take advantage of the free zucchini! For those of you who are, likewise, lucky enough to have an abundance of zucchini, feel free to join me.

Zucchini Bread - Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3 eggs
1 c. oil
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. granulated sugar
3 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. pureed zucchini
2 ½ c. all purpose flour, sifted
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cloves

Grease and flour two bread pans; set aside. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, oil, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Add the vanilla and zucchini. Mix well. Add the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Mix until combined. Pour mixture into prepared bread pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted near center of loaf comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.

My husband loves the bread warm with butter, but I think it tastes even better the next day (preferably with a nice cup of hot tea, before the kids have woken up).