Zucchini Bread & Muffins

My garden is overflowing with zucchini, I mean I literally have it coming out my ears :).  I have not raised zucchini before, but I have heard this exact “it’s coming out my ears” statement so many times from veteran zucchini growers.  I now know what they were talking about.  I have yet to do my research, but do they spread?  I mean I do not remember planting this many zucchini….  I am proud of my zucchini garden, it makes me look like an expert gardener 🙂 even if it is the only vegetable growing!

Needless to say we have been eating a lot of zucchini.  Yesterday we made two batches of zucchini muffins and two batches of zucchini bread.  I used one recipe and just added and/or subtracted cinnamon and chocolate chips.  So if the muffins or bread had chocolate chips, I opted out of cinnamon (which is only my personal preference).  If the muffins or bread did not have chocolate chips I added the cinnamon.  These recipes were awesome in my high altitude location, which is an added bonus :).  Make some today!

Zucchini Muffins and/or Bread Recipe with or without chocolate chips

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3 large eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil (could also use apple sauce)

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup shredded zucchini

1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

OPTIONAL:  Pecans, walnuts, dried cherries etc..  bananas (yes, yummy!)

Preheat oven to 350′ F. Grease muffin tins or line with paper liners.  In a bowl sift together flour, salt, cinnamon (if using), baking powder, and baking soda.  In a separate bowl, beat eggs, oil and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add vanilla and zucchini.  Mix for 30 seconds with a mixer at low speed.  Ad dry mixture into wet mixture.  Beat on low until combine.  Fold in chocolate chips if using.   Spoon batter into muffin tins.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.  Feed them to hungry kids, neighbors and spouses 🙂