Zucchuni Bread Variations

Charlie is having some down time after a busy morning of puzzles, play dough & baking.  We had a big old bag of zucchini on Sunday and we used about half of it to make the delicious zucchini chips I posted about last week. 

The other half I shredded and covered tightly with plastic wrap, waiting for a day that seemed a bit cooler for turning on the oven.  Baking with Charlie is always an excellent lesson in patience for me....at the height of our baking, here is what the island looked like:

I pulled up some tried and true recipes and made my usual pineapple zucchini bread since it freezes so well.  My pantry is stocked with canned pumpkin that I bought last winter for 50 cents since I love making pumpkin gingerbread, pumpkin crunch & allrecipes Downeast Maine pumpkin bread.  Charlie & I made a new recipe that we invented today-let's call it zucchini pumpkin bread.  When they come out of the oven, I will post a pic.  The house smells sooooo good right now.

3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup apple butter (I used my homemade stuff, but you can use oil here, too)
2 Tbs. oil
1 (15oz) can pumpkin
2 Tsp. vanilla
3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon
2 1/2 cups zucchini, shredded
1 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Mix eggs, apple butter, oil, sugar and vanilla.  Stir in pumpkin.  Add rest of ingredients, except zucchini and nuts.  Fold those in last.  Bake at 350 degrees until done.  We made mini loaves and giant muffins.  They will probably all finish at different times.