Baking on Vacation

I also did some baking while in Portland. I made two quick breads from zucchinis and figs I collected from the garden.

Zucchini Bread

2 cups zucchini, shredded
3 eggs, beaten lightly
1⁄2 cup vegetable oil
1⁄2 cup sour cream
2 tbsp. vanilla extract
2 1⁄2 cups flour
1 tbsp. cinnamon
1⁄4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped nuts (I used pecans.)

Preheat oven to 350º degrees. Mix first 5 ingredients until blended. Mix dry ingredients together and then add to the first mixture until incorporated. Then fold in nuts. Pour into 2 loaf pans. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out dry.

I got the recipe from someone, who got it from someone, who got it from her sister, who got it from Florence F.—the name scrawled next to the recipe.

For the fig bread, I used the same recipe, substituting figs for zucchinis (obviously) and adding a couple more spices—cloves and nutmeg. I also baked the mixture twice as long.

Fig Bread

2 cups fresh figs, chopped
3 eggs, beaten lightly
1⁄2 cup vegetable oil
1⁄2 cup sour cream
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
2 1⁄2 cups flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. nutmeg
1⁄4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped nuts (I used a variety of mixed nuts.)

Preheat oven to 350º degrees. Mix first 5 ingredients until blended. Mix dry ingredients together and then add to the first mixture until incorporated. Then fold in nuts. Pour into 2 loaf pans. Bake for 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out dry.