Hazelnut Zucchini Bread

Here's a nice variation of zucchini bread giving it a wholesome twist that I adapted from one of my favorite food blogs The Vintage Mixer. When we were in Vegas, Lauren was telling me how she loves hazelnuts and anything hazelnut-flavored so that gave me this idea. It made me remember Family Day at George Fox University when Nick was a freshman and we stayed at a hazelnut farm bed & breakfast. Lauren loved going out and collecting hazelnuts in their orchard which was a welcomed activity by our hosts - the perks of staying at a bed & breakfast. We love B & Bs!

You could always buy hazelnuts at little stands on the side of the road this time of year and we'd always bring some home. The Willamette Valley is such a neat area and a great place to go to college since parents always have wonderful places to stay and lots of beautiful sights everywhere you look. (Lots of wineries, too) So, if you love hazelnuts, you'll love this recipe.

Makes 2 loaves

3 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

3 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp baking powder

3 eggs

2 cups sugar

3 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 cup hazelnut oil

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3 cups grated zucchini

1-1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts, skins removed and toasted

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

1. Prepare hazelnuts. Remove skins by mixing 3 cups of water and 1/4 cup baking soda. Add hazelnuts and bring to a boil. Boil them for 3 minutes stirring with a whisk which will help remove the skins while maintaining a low boil.

Rinse the nuts well under cold running water

Use your fingers to remove any remaining skins. The skins will slip right off. Put nuts on a kitchen towel as you remove the skins.

Rub them a bit to make sure they are dry

Toast them in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.

Remove nuts from oven, cool and chop.

2. Butter and spray 2 loaf pans.

3. Whisk together flour, salt, soda, cinnamon, and baking powder.

4. Beat eggs with an electric mixer.

5. Add sugar, vanilla and oils to eggs and mix well.

6. Add zucchini to egg mixture.

7. Add dry ingredients, mixing well.

8. Stir in 1 cup of the nuts.

9. Pour into loaf pans.

10. Sprinkle the rest of the hazelnuts and pumpkin seeds on top of batter.

11. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until bread test done. If making muffins, bake for 20 minutes.

12. Cool on rack and then remove from pans. Enjoy a delicious slice of your Hazelnut Zucchini Bread.

Comments

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