Covid Journal, Day 312: Chocolate Zucchini Bread, and Projects

Dark and cold this morning, 31 degrees and heavy overcast. The day has warmed up and now it is raining, melting yesterday's little bit of snow.

I realized that I had not posted the recipe for the Chocolate Zucchini Bread I make. I found this recipe on the Taste of Home website, and we love it. The little zing of cinnamon gives the bread--which I think is really more like cake--an unusual and delicious flavor. I'd never have thought of mixing chocolate and cinnamon. I especially like that it makes 2 loaves, one to eat, one to give away or freeze for later. It freezes very well. I suppose to my British readers, zucchini is called courgette?

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

2 cups sugar

1 cup canola oil

3 large eggs, room temperature

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup baking cocoa

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

2 cups shredded peeled zucchini-- I shredded baggies of it in the summer, just so I'd have some on hand for this recipe. I promise, it's really that good.

In a large bowl, beat the sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla until well blended. Combine the flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and baking powder; gradually beat into sugar mixture until blended. Stir in zucchini. Transfer to 2 greased 8x4-in. loaf pans.

Bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

Little other news today. We're working on a rolltop desk and have it almost ready to go, and possibly already sold, which would be wonderful. It still needs cleaning up, but the tambour--rolltop--is repaired and working correctly, and the drawers are re-glued so cleaning and polishing is the last step.

I have finished the dresser I've been working on, 

and a small table, 

and have started work on a small buffet. Larry is feeling stifled, as the weather is keeping him inside more than he'd like, but he is continuing to tackle a lot of small home repairs. 

I'm still enjoying reading. My last book was The Sound of Glass, by Karen White. A good story, although again a woman being told by a man what she needs, so annoying that so many books have such stereotyped characters. There is an interesting mystery and just enough intrigue that it kept me reading. My current book is Talk Before Sleep by Elizabeth Berg, one of my favorite writers. It's the story of two friends, one dying of cancer, and how their interwoven lives impact this last stage of their friendship. Well written, sad, but also often humorous. I'm almost finished this one, and thinking about what next to read. Such fun to have time for this old pleasure.

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.