Zucchini Bread

Well- it is that time of year! The zucchini is in full swing and so are my zucchini recipes! I found a few great ones that I can't wait to share, so keep your eye out! You can't go wrong with a "Paula Deen" recipe and this one was excellent. I also added lemon zest and cranberries and I think it was because in my heart, I was pining for my FAVORITE zucchini-cranberry bread recipe. (Sometimes you shouldn't try to branch out if you've got a good thing going. :) This one was really good, but it didn't top Peabody's. Her's is so moist and good, but this one was still super good. I guess what I'm getting at is that they are both winners, but if you have to chose between them, pick the Zucchini-Cranberry Bread. There isn't a wrong answer though. :)

*This recipe made 4 mini loaves and 2 larger loaves.

Zucchini Bread (Paula Deen)
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup water
2 cups grated zucchini
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
(I also added dried cranberries because I love them!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, nutmeg, baking soda, cinnamon and sugar. In a separate bowl, combine oil, eggs, water, zucchini and lemon juice. Mix wet ingredients into dry, add nuts and fold in. Bake in 2 standard loaf pans, sprayed with nonstick spray, for 1 hour, or until a tester comes out clean. Alternately, bake in 5 mini loaf pans for about 45 minutes.