Sweet, sweet victory

Pack up your whites, folks, because Summer is over. Another Labor Day has come and gone, and now we have cool and cozy Autumn to look forward to. As always, I'm one step ahead and have been burning my "Pumpkin Caramel Latte" and "Spiced Apple Cider" candles for about a week now. I absolutely adore Fall, with its crisp weather and flavors, and intend to draw this year's out for as long as I can.

That being said, I was determined to pay Summer its final respect at our informal Labor Day picnic in Central Park this year. I needed to come up with an easy travel dessert (no one likes carrying crushed creations from the subway) that embodied sweet Summertime, and settled my sights on chocolate chip zucchini bread. Zucchini is one of my favorite veggies, and I'm bummed that I didn't eat more of it this season. What a perfect time to play catch up! This loaf definitely has 'dessert' written all over it when you toss in those chocolatey morsels, and the zucchini can be your excuse to lose all that goody-guilt and indulge. Plus, this was a great chance for me to tackle my nemesis: bread.

OK, so its not your classic bread, but you've got to win some battles before you can win the war.

And boy-- did I win! Its safe to say this baby was to-die-for delicious, and still warm when I sat down to nosh with my friends at the Bethesda fountain (I'll be sure to inclue the recipe for all you bakers at the end of this post, you do not want to miss this).

Happy Labor Day!

My dear friend Nazlı brought some yummy pasta salad chock-full of goodies like tomatoes, green olives, pinto beans, and black-eyed peas, to name a few. Finger's crossed she'll post the recipe on her blog, Good Food for Good Soul, and we can all steal it. She was also smart enough to bring plastic bowls and spoons for all of us to use, while I toted some wimpy napkins and a prayer to assist in the serving of my contribution. You see why I need her, right? 

Our party was completed when Andy showed up with the wine, and the three of us enjoyed the breezy afternoon on our blanket. That was until wrestle-mania began just inches from our spot. No, really.

"You wanna tussle?"

We were not amused. And their caretaker was not concerned. Kids.

While it did cause quite the disturbance, it gave us some pretty good laughs and inspired Nazlı to follow through on her Caramel Apple Onion prank. Note to self: accept no treats from this girl.

All in all, I spent Summer's last hurrah just the way I like to spend my days: with good food and even better friends. It was a greatly appreciated and satisfying end to one of the most whirlwind summers of my life, and I look forward to jumping into Autumn in the same manner.

As promised, here's your new favorite recipe. Victory is sweet, y'all.

Bon Appetit!

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 cup unsweetened applesauce (this recipe has enough sugar; trust me, you do not miss out on flavor with the unsweetened variety)
1 1/2 cups finely shredded zucchini (use your food processor for an extra time saver!)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, whisking together until well mixed.
2. In a large bowl, combine sugar, vegetable oil, and eggs until thoroughly blended. Stir in your applesauce.
3. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture, blending just until smooth, and stir in zucchini and chocolate chips.
4. Spray a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray, and spoon in batter. Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick can be removed cleanly from the center. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove and cool completely on a wire cooling rack.