Zucchini-Squash Bread

 We went to a farmer's market the other day and brought home two discounted bags of slightly overripe and banged up vegetables, some of which happened to be squash and zucchini. I was faced with a choice: vegetable gratin or zucchini squash bread?

The Internet, you see, seems to think a gratin is a wonderful way to use up excessive amounts of vegetables. Sadly, we'll never know because said vegetables didn't make it into a gratin. To be honest said vegetables had exactly zero likelihood of being made into a gratin, simply because I had made this recipe before. And I knew. I knew what deliciousness was awaiting. There is very little that I will let come between me and a moist, sweet, flavorful quick bread, y'all - least of all a measly gratin.

The original recipe calls it snack cake, which I think may be a bit misleading. It's perfectly fine to eat for breakfast, is all I'm saying.

When I looked up the original recipe, I realized it could be simplified. (Who honestly needs fennel seeds in their bread? Not me.) So I tweaked it, as I'm prone to do, and I think it's pretty good. Enjoy!

Zucchini-Squash Bread
Inspired by Martha Stewart
Makes 1 delicious loaf; serves 12

1 large yellow squash
1 large zucchini
1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease one bread pan with Pam or butter. Grate squash on the holes of a large grater or using a food processor fitted with the shredding blade. Put in colander and let drain while you make the rest of the recipe. In mixer fitted with paddle attachment and set on medium speed, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about one minute.

Add eggs, one egg at a time, and mix well after each addition. Add vanilla. With mixer running, add flour, salt and baking powder until combined. Using clean dish towel, squeeze excess water out of grated squash and zucchini. With spatula, fold in grated squash and zucchini until combined. Don't freak out if your batter looks a little curdled, it'll bake up just fine. Pour batter into prepared pan, bake for ten minutes at 425 degrees. Then lower oven temperature to 350 and bake for one hour.

Let cool, slice, eat, enjoy.