Zucchini Muffins

Making just 12 standard size muffins, this recipe is scaled especially perfect for harvesting zucchini early. These one-bowl muffins are as delicious as zucchini bread but cook much quicker, making them perfect for summer breakfast.

Zucchini Muffins

• Spritz the 12 cups of a muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray, set aside.

To a medium mixing bowl, add:

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/16 tsp cloves

Sift together. Add all of the following to the dry ingredients before mixing:

8 oz zucchini, finely shredded

1/2 cup yogurt (plain recommended)

3 Tbsp oil

2 Tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla

Fold all of the ingredients together. Initially it will appear too dry. Keep folding. The movement of the ingredients will cause the zucchini to release sufficient liquid to incorporate everything.

Set aside, resting batter ~5 minutes. Then stir in:

1/4 cup miniature chocolate chips

Divide batter between 12 standard muffin cups (it will seem very liquidy, don’t let that worry you). Bake at 350 F for 25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm with butter.

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Brenda’s tips:

• Serving size: 12 standard muffins

• These muffins work best if muffin/cupcake liners are NOT used

• This recipe can be doubled

• Substitute 1/4 cup sour cream + 1/2 cup milk for the yogurt if needed

• Brenda is a strong proponent of delicious flavor, recommending that zucchini squash is harvested when it’s about 8” long and the diameter is equivalent to a quarter

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Window to B’s kitchen . . .

Sautéed Zucchini

The secret to using the zucchini your garden produces is to pick it while it is still very small. For real. Summer squash ideally needs to be picked when it’s about 8” long. At this length it has the best flavor, the seeds are tiny (practically indiscernible), and the texture is crisp.

Combine a few ingredients from your garden to make this quick side dish. It is so good you can serve it with just about any meal.

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Sautéed Zucchini

Heat a cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add:

1 Tbsp butter

Swirl around skillet to melt, then add:

1/4 cup onions, finely diced

1 tsp garlic, finely minced

Sauté for 1 minute, then toss in:

~2 cups zucchini, sliced into 1/8” disks

Sprinkle lightly with:

Salt

Continue to cook for ~5 minutes, turning zucchini two or three times. The veggies should get a bit of color on some of the disks but should remain fairly crisp. Sprinkle lightly with:

Grated cheese

Allow cheese to melt, serve immediately.

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Brenda’s tips:

• Serving size: 2-4

• This is THE way to prepare zucchini. For the absolute best taste, use small zucchinis

• A few ideas on how to serve this dish:

  • As a side to any meal

  • Toss with cooked pasta

  • Crack a few eggs into the zucchini to make an omelet

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Zucchini Bread

Zucchini Bread

To a large mixing bowl, add:

1 1/2 cup flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 cup sugar

Sift together. Then add in:

1 cup zucchini, finely shredded

1/4 cup oil

1 egg

Mix together well. 

Let rest 5 minutes. 

Stir in:

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Pour into 2 greased bread pans. Bake at 350F for 50-60 minutes.

Remove from pan and let cool 5 minutes before serving.

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Brenda’s tips:

• Standard bread pans are about 8"x4"x2.5" with a total volume of ~4 cups. Brenda's preferred bread pan is 12"x4"x2.5" with a volume of ~6 cups. Therefore for this recipe, Brenda only uses one bread pan. 

• If you live more than 3k above sea level, review Brenda’s High Elevation Adjustment chart to adjust for altitude impacts.

• It's best to butter and flour the pans for quick breads. Brenda's prefers to use the baking style non-stick cooking spray as it does both the butter and the flour steps. 

• Most of the liquid in zucchini bread comes from the zucchini and is released from the shredded zucchini as it is stirred together with the dry ingredients. The 5 minute rest period allows the majority of liquid to be released (and stirred into the bread) to enhance the final texture of the bread.

• Precision when measuring the shredded zucchini is not necessary. If it’s a little over or under a cup, the bread will still be delicious with a great texture.

• Peal the zucchini to remove all vestiges of green if sharing with anti-veggie eaters. If using a super giant zucchini, spoon out the seeds before grating as the mature seeds will adversely affect the final texture.

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Window to B’s Kitchen…