This Is A First...

Well, I did it! At least, I think I did...Starting a food blog was a suggestion from a dear friend of mine. She is always coming up with ideas to occupy my time (and hers) and suggested that I do something about the one thing in life I seem to do the best and most often...cooking. Hmmm, not sure where writing about it fits in, but we will just have to wait and see. Pictures too...another big Hmmm! Technology is a wonderful thing, but somewhat daunting to a woman born in the early 50's. So, bear with me as I explore this brave, new world and see just what I can do!

I suppose a start would be to tell you a little about me. I was born and raised in rural Rhode Island on a farm. My exposure to food was intense from the start. My parents had a chicken farm and my grandparents owned a dairy farm. With the exception of wild game (provided by my uncles) and pantry items (purchased at our local general store) the farms provided the food we consumed. I went to my very first supermarket when I was about 16 years old and couldn't believe people actually bought all their food from places like that! More another time about all that...but, thought I might like to start this blog with a recipe of my mother's and wanted to provide some background to explain my early adventures in cooking. As with most of Mom's recipes, this is a very simple one but very tasty!

Mom's Zucchini Bread

3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 medium zucchini, grated and well drained (2 cups)
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups sifted, all purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
3 tsp. ground cinnamon (try grinding fresh cinnamon...worth it!)
1 tsp. salt
1 cup raisins
1 cut chopped walnuts

Beat eggs lightly in a large bowl. Stir in oil, sugar, zucchini and vanilla. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt into another bowl. Stir into egg mixture until well blended. Stir in raisins and nuts. Spoon batter into 2 well-greased loaf pans. Bake in 375 degree oven for 1 hour or until center springs back when lightly pressed. Cool in pans on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely (or, cut a slice while warm and spread with cream cheese....YUMMM!)

Sorry, no pictures this time. Will be practicing the picture thing for my next post!