Zucchini Bread

Zucchini Bread

3 cups shredded zucchini (2 or 3 medium)
1 2/3 cups sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil (I use canola)
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose or whole wheat flour (I used 2 cups whole wheat and 1 cup all-purpose in mine)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (I used about 1 1/2 cups for mine)
1/2 cup raisins, if desired (I left them out in mine, because I never desire raisins)

1. Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bottoms only of 2 loaf pans, 8 1/2 X 4 1/2 X 2 1/2 inches, or 1 loaf pan 9 X 5 X 3 inches, with shortening (I sprayed my 2 loaf pans with Pam).

2. Mix zucchini, sugar, oil, vanilla and eggs in large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients except nuts and raisins. Stir in nuts and raisins. Divide batter evenly between pans.

3. Bake 8-inch loaves 50 or 60 minutes, 9-inch loaf 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. (I cooked my 2 loaves for 1 hour.) Cool 10 minutes in pan on wire rack (I didn't let mine sit for the suggested 10 minutes--I immediately emptied them onto a cooling rack).

4. Loosen sides of loaves from pans; remove from pans and place top side up on wire rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours, before slicing (we always slice after about 15 minutes--so yummy hot with butter, or Smart Balance, which is what we use now). Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days.