Lemon Zucchini Bread

Bread machines make me happy.

They warm up the house on cool days, produce a mouth-watering smell, and do all the work in making delicious homemade bread.

C'mon, what's not to love?

Today I have a light and cheery recipe to share.  It's sure to brighten up all the gloomy days that are bound come as the fall months progress.

Plus, it's made in the bread machine so the hands-on time = practically nothing.

A slice of this bread would be absolutely amazing on a rainy morning alongside a good book and a steaming glass of lemon tea.

And then I recommend you make a sandwich out of it for lunch.  You could also revisit this delicious bread for dessert topped with some sweet jam.  And maybe a midnight snack.

There are millions of other options too.  Please don't let my suggestions limit you're creativity.  I'm pretty sure this is one recipe that you'll never tire of.

Lemon Zucchini Bread - from The Bread Lovers Bread Machine Cookbook
(makes a 2 pound loaf)

• 1 cup fat-free milk
• 1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 2/3 cup bread flour
• 1 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp gluten
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 1/4 tsp SAF yeast or 2 3/4 tsp bread machine yeast.

Place all ingredients in bread machine pan in order listed.  Set crust on medium and program for Basic cycle.  Press start.  Wait as the smell of freshly baked bread slowly wafts through your house making it feel like you live in a bakery.  When the baking cycle (finally) ends, remove bread from pan immediately, and let cool before slicing and serving.

I think it's only fair to tell you guys that zucchini does not play a major role in this bread.  It's pretty much just in it to provide some more nutrients and veggies.

Therefore, anyone who's a true believer that zucchini doesn't belong in sweet foods, may like this recipe a bit more.  At least, as long they're willing to even taste it.

Of course, that's not to say that a zucchini bread lover would not enjoy this.  I myself am a zucchini bread lover and I enjoyed it quite a bit.  All I would say is approach this recipe as a lemon bread, not a zucchini one.  That way, there's no disappointment when the zucchini flavor doesn't shine through as much as you were expecting.

Well, that's pretty much it.  Hopefully next time something's making you feel down, you'll whip up this bread and let it brighten up your day.

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Lemon Blueberry Scones