Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Jim typically refuses to eat zucchini. But he's hard-pressed to find anything wrong with this bread, even exclaiming "I really like this" the first time he gave in to my pleading for him to try it. You'll really like it, too, as long as you like moist and chocolatey goodness in a quick—and easy—bread.

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup cocoa

2 1/4 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 medium zucchini, grated (about 2 cups)

1 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour two 8 X 4-inch loaf pans.

Whisk together dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk together eggs, oil and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients and mix well. (Mixture will be fairly thick and slightly dry at this point.) Stir in zucchini, then stir in chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pans. Bake 65 minutes or until center no longer seems mushy. Cool in pan on wire racks for 20 minutes; remove from pans and cool completely.

Makes 2 loaves.