Vanilla Scented Zucchini Date Bread

I love walking out on my front door in the morning and finding homegrown zucchini and yellow crookneck squash that my neighbor left for me. Thanks, Monica!

Here’s a joke for you…

“A woman grew the world’s largest zucchini, so she went to her friend’s house to show it off. The zucchini was so huge, it stuck out the car window and she couldn’t lock the car. After stopping at the grocer’s for a few things on the way, she returned to her car to find something awful happened while she was in the store… someone had left her the world’s second largest zucchini too!”

It’s true that a zucchini plant produces lots and lots of fruit. But, what do you do with too much zucchini? Oven baked zucchini fries. Fried zucchini slices. I used some in sandwiches. I love trying new things with the squash! Oh, and zucchini bread…

Quick breads are nice because, well, they’re quick for one thing. They’re usually moist; some are even more cake-like than bread-like.

A woman who runs a bed & breakfast said this was her mom’s recipe for zucchini bread – though I cut back on the sugar to make it a little less sweet. Zucchini doesn’t have a strong flavor, but it keeps the bread moist, and adds some nutrition. I grated the zucchini on a box grater; this way, I was able to make sure most of the shreds had some nice dark green on them. But, you can also grate the zucchini in a food processor if you wish.

zucchini for Vanilla Scented Zucchini Date Bread

Zucchini grated on a box grater

Be sure to use good quality fresh dates- they will give a chewy honey-like flavor to the bread. You could add ½ cup of walnuts to the batter as well. You could even guild the lily by drizzling icing over the bread once it has cooled. This bread freezes well, so if you want to save some for later, you can.