Green Tomato Bread

In 1976 Mildred Council opened Mama Dip’s Kitchen in Chapel Hill with $64: $40 went to food and $24 for making change. At the end of the day, she took home $135 and has been in the restaurant business ever since.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup sugar
1 cup grated green tomato, drained (3 to 4 medium tomatoes)
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped, toasted pecans
1 cup raisins, optional

1. Grease the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan; set aside. In a large bowl combine the flour, salt, and baking soda. Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl combine eggs, sugar, grated tomato, oil, and vanilla. Add tomato mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened. Fold in pecans and raisins, if desired. Spoon batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack. Wrap and store overnight before slicing. Makes 1 loaf (8 to 10 servings).

This recipe is from Mama Dip’s Family Cookbook, by Mildred Council. Copyright (c) 2005 by Mildred Council. Used by permission of the University of North Carolina Press. www.uncpress.unc.edu