Zucchini Muffins

Yesterday, on my last day off, I made zucchini muffins for breakfast! They were okay but not nearly as good as my Grandpa Norm's recipe for zucchini bread....but it was too early in the morning to convert recipes. Even Mr. Lawyer noticed right away that it was not Grandpa's recipe....yikes! Guess I learned my lesson. Once you give a boy the best you can't go back!

Zucchini Muffins

(from Taste of Home)

Ingredients:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I doubled this)
1 egg
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup finely shredded unpeeled zucchini
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup dried currants or chopped raisins
Directions:
1. In a bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Combine the egg and oil; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the zucchini, walnuts and currants.
2. Coat muffin cups with cooking spray or use paper liners; fill three-fourths full with batter. Bake at 350° for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Yield: 6 muffins.

Muffin Girl

I made some muffins because my kids have been asking for them all week (and it's been a good week) but my boys at home are eating them all before I even get to school! Between Mr. Lawyer and the Dork (my baby bro is here!) I have four less muffins. Can't they just have some pulled pork for breakfast?!
I made a bunch of regular sized muffins and then some mini-muffins in case anyone is unsure if they like Apple Cinnamon Muffins but why wouldn't you?! I made them last year and the recipe is here!

"You Ain't Bluffing With That Muffin!"

So says Mr. Lawyer. I'm not a huge banana bread fan. I just prefer zucchini bread. I like fresh bananas but sometimes banana flavored things can be weird. This recipe called for three bananas but I only had two bananas marching towards liquefaction on the counter. This worked out in my favor as the muffins were pleasantly banana-ish but not in your face banana flavor. Also, muffins just seem more fun than a loaf of bread. I made half of the batter with some pecans. The sugar crumb topping adds a nice sweet pop to them.

Banana Crumb Muffin

(adapted from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3 bananas, mashed
1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup butter, melted (I subbed canola oil)

1 teaspoon vanilla

Topping:
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease or place liners in your muffin pan. I got 12 regular sized muffins out of one batch.
2. In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. 

3. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugars, egg, vanilla and melted butter (or canola oil). 

4. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
5. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

mmmm melted butter and sugar topping!

Muffin Mania!

What to make on a cold, blustery December day?

Apple Strudel Muffins!

12-18 full size muffins
(allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup softened butter

½ cup white sugar

½ cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1¼ teaspoon vanilla

1-2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

3 cups apples (half chopped, half shredded)

Strudel Topping:

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon flour

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon melted butter

Optional: Oatmeal

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and grease your muffin tin.

2. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg together.

3. In a second bowl mix butter, brown and white sugars, and eggs until smooth. Mix in vanilla and apples. Then combine with flour mixture.

4. Mix strudel topping ingredients in a different bowl.

5. Pour batter into muffin tin, top with strudel and bake for 20 minutes.

These work well as mini muffins too, just bake them for a few minutes less. If you’re feeling ambitious you can double the strudel mix and layer it into the middle of the muffin. The strudel is my favorite part so I always make a double batch and really layer it on. Mmmm gooey melty strudel. Mr. Lawyer loves these and I doubt they will last through the week.