Recipe: Kitchen Sink Bread

Both of my kids are big fans of bread … banana bread, brown bread, baguettes … you name the carb and they likely inhale it.  So when my sister-in-law came over for lunch this past weekend, I decided to take a different tactic with the bread and go with zucchini.  And dried cherries.  And nuts.  And oats.  And coconut.  It’s nearly downright healthy.  And before you wrinkle up your nose at the combination, I assure you it just magically works when combined together; the flavors marry well, each one giving you a hint of its presence, but not enough that you’d be able to pick it out readily.  Well, maybe the cherries, but that’s certainly not a bad thing.

This bread would be perfect for an upcoming bake sale, or toasted with a little smear of butter for breakfast, or to send over to your neighbor just because.

Project 365
April 21, 2011, Photo #110
I should not have attempted this at 11 pm last night. I was dog tired, beyond spent and just didn’t have the patience and wherewithal to get ‘er done. I left it on the counter when I went to bed, planning to throw it in the garbage in the morning. But then this morning, I saw it in a new light. I guess it did kinda sorta look like a carrot.  Madeline and her classmates don’t care that it looks nothing like the picture. That I couldn’t find what I needed to make the green part of the carrots. That it was only a half-hearted attempt to make something fun for them for Easter. The plate was empty when I picked her up. Next time I’ll just start maybe a teensy bit earlier. You know, before I have nothing left to give.

Kitchen Sink Bread
Recipe courtesy of Cate O’Malley

1 cup zucchini, shredded and squeezed dry
1/3 cup coconut
2/3 cup oats
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup dried cherries
1-1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 light sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
glaze (confectioners’ sugar and water mixed together until glaze consistency)

Preheat oven to 350.  Lightly coat a 9×5 inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.  In large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon until well mixed.  In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and add the vegetable oil, sour cream and vanilla.  Once thoroughly combined, add to flour mixture.  Combine.  Add in the zucchini, coconut, oats, walnuts and cherries and mix until just combined.  Spread the batter in the pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 55 minutes.  Cool in the pan and then turn onto rack to cool completely.  Top with glaze.

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