winter baking, with summer bounty

We keep our house pretty cool in the winter, pretty hot in the summer. As people should. Wear a sweater! right? Of course that means that in the summer we eat mostly what can be cooked on the grill and avoid turning on the oven, but when the weather turns I really love getting back in the kitchen and, especially, baking. We had one of those great summer zucchini crops. Gave some away, made various varieties of zucc-tomato-onion-cheesy dishes, and also shredded up a bunch for the freezer to await turning into zucchini bread and maybe even cookies. So now I am ready for some delicious whole wheat dark chocolate chip zucchini bread - and check out the super cool paper baking pans on greenstylemom's blog! (there is also a little giveaway contest to take part in) I am thinking star-shaped banana, or zucchini, bread on the holiday table will be the greatest thing since homemade bread. When I make some Ill post a picture. Meanwhile, here is the zucchini bread recipe, in case you also have some summer bounty stored away in your freezer:

Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread with Dark Chocolate Chips

3 eggs

3/4 c. vegetable oil

1 1/4 c. brown sugar

1/4 tsp. vanilla

2 c. grated zucchini

2 1/2 c. flour (whole wheat)

3/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ginger

1 tsp. soda,

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 dark chocolate chips

Beat eggs; add oil and sugar. Beat well. Add zucchini adn vanilla; mix well. Mix dry ingredients together and add to wet mixture. Add chocolate chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour in small loaf pans. Cool in pan until bread removes easily. Cool on wire racks.