Cheesy Zucchini Muffins

A few week's ago, E's aunt found this delicious recipe in the local newspaper and graciously passed it on to me. I made them the next day and fell.in.love. They are so so so tasty. We quickly polished off the first batch so I made another double batch today and plan on making a few more batches while we have zucchini so I can put a bunch in the freezer. They are so savory and would make a perfect accompaniment to any chili, soup, or stew on a cold winter night! The original recipe is only for zucchini Parmesan muffins but I changed the recipe the first time because I didn't have enough parm, and loved the addition of the cheddar, so I think I will keep it that way always.

Cheesy Zucchini Muffins
2 cups flour
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 T sugar
1 T baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground sage (or 1 tsp fresh, chopped finely)
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups grated unpeeled zucchini
3/4 cup buttermilk or sour milk**
1/4 cup oil
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

** To sour milk: Add 1 T white vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of milk and let it sit for 10 minutes.

1. Measure flour, cheese, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, sage, salt and garlic powder into a large bowl. Mix well and make a well in the centre.

2. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, zucchini, milk, oil and Worcestershire sauce.

3. Add wet ingredients to dry. Mix until just moistened.

4. Fill greased muffin cups (or cups lined with silicone liners) with a heaping spoonful of batter.

5. Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean. Let stand in pan for 5 minutes and remove to cool.

Makes one dozen (delicious) muffins.

Oatmeal Blueberry Muffins

Don't let all these blueberry recipes fool you - we don't have fresh blueberries just yet ... In fact, I'm just trying to use up the last few that are still kicking around the freezer since last year. I can't believe I still have any left!

This is the first recipe that I made from the Family Cookbook that my aunt put together that features all of my Grandma's most famous recipes. Smelling the muffins baking in the oven reminded me of sitting in Grandma's kitchen, watching her work and learning from her.

Oatmeal Blueberry Muffins - from Grandma Vine
1 cup oats
1 cup sour milk (add 1 T vinegar to just shy of a cup of milk and let it sit for 10 minutes)
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 oil or butter (melted)
1 cup blueberries

1. Combine oats and milk in one bowl.

2. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl.

3. Beat egg and add to milk mixture along with oil and blueberries.

4. Slowly add to dry ingredients. Stir until just mixed.

5. Transfer to muffin tins.


6. Bake at 400 for 15-22 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

Makes one dozen muffins.

Blueberry Bran Muffins

These muffins made regular appearances in our home growing up and now, I hope they will start to make regular appearances in my home. They are delicious and packed full of goodness! I almost always have all of the ingredients on hand to make these muffins, so they don't take much fore thought. If I don't have blueberries, I would add raisins, cherries or nuts.

Blueberry Bran Muffins - from Mumma

1 cup milk

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup butter softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 T molasses

1 cup bran

1 cup wholewheat flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1 heaping cup frozen blueberries**

**you can substitute a combination of fruit, raisins and/or nuts if desired.

Combine milk and soda and set aside (make sure the soda dissolves)

Cream butter and sugar thoroughly.

Add eggs and beat well.


Add milk and soda.


Stir in molasses and bran.

Stir in flour and salt. Do not over mix.

Fold in blueberries.

Scoop into 12 greased or lined muffin tins.

Bake @ 375 for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Makes one dozen muffins.

This recipe is being linked at The Ultimate Recipe Swap and The Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap.

Apple Butter Banana Muffins

I jotted down a recipe for Apple Butter Banana Bread from a Better Homes and Garden's magazine back in the summer, before I had made my apple butter, knowing that I would want to try it. I finally got around to making it this weekend but decided to adjust it to be muffins instead. The flavours blend together very well. Served with a dab of apple butter spread over them and they are delicious!

Apple Butter Banana Muffins - adapted from BHG
1 1/2 cups flour (1 all purpose: 1/2 whole wheat)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp nutmeg
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup mashed banana
1/2 cup apple butter
1/8 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/8 cup vegetable oil

1. Mix together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Make a well in the centre of the bowl.

2. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, sugar, banana, apple butter, applesauce and oil.

3. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just moistened. Do not over mix.

4. Divide batter into 12 greased or lined muffin cups. I usually just grease the pan, but I have some super cute Christmas muffin wrappers that I'm going to use between now and Christmas.

5. Bake at 375 for 15-18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Makes 12 muffins.

This recipe is being shared at Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Tuesday's at the Table and Tasty Tuesday.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Muffins

The FD's aunt made these delightful muffins last autumn and I have been thinking of them ever since. Rumour has it that Starbucks has given them a whirl as well. I looked through a number of recipes online and finally decided that I was going to combine a bunch of different ones and see what happened. In the end I used this and this recipe as the basis for the muffins.

These muffins are a real treat. They take a bit of preparation but it's worth it. Seriously, they're divine. If you live near me, maybe if you hurry you can get one before I eat them all. I'm debating hiding them so FD doesn't see them. I want them ALL to myself.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Muffins

For the filling:
3/4 cup cream cheese (I used light - 44% less fat - because if you couldn't tell this recipe is ALL about the nutrition)
3/4 cup icing sugar

For the muffins:
2 cup flour (1 cup whole wheat, 1 cup all purpose)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups pumpkin
1/2-3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 tsp vanilla

For the topping:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
2 T butter
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup granola

1. Beat cream cheese and icing sugar until well combined. Set aside. I followed the instructions from this recipe and froze it in a log but I found that it didn't really work that way. So, I would suggest just setting it in the fridge until you're ready for it and then using a spoon to put it in the muffins.

2. Combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda and spices.

3. Beat together eggs, pumpkin, applesauce and vanilla.

4. Add dry ingredients and combine until an even batter is formed.

5. Fill greased muffin tins 3/4 full (I filled mine WAY too full). I only made 12 muffins and could have easily made 18. Don't use all the batter.

6. Spoon a dollop of cream cheese mixture into each muffin and use your finger to press it down into the batter.

7. Use remaining batter to cover cream cheese.

8. Mix together streusel ingredients and sprinkle over the tops of the muffins.

9. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Enjoy! Makes 12 (gargantuan) muffins or 18 regular muffins. I only made 12 and they are too big. I can only eat 1/2 at a time because they are so rich.

This recipe is being linked at Tasty Tuesday, Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Tuesday's at the Table, Newlywed's Pumpkin Roundup and the Ultimate Recipe Swap.

Lucy and Lucky's Favorite Baked Goods

The theme this week at the Ultimate Recipe Swap is Baked Goods. I haven't been doing much baking this week because we're on cutbacks after Canadian Thanksgiving and I am sick so I set out to find my favourite baked good recipe to share on the swap. As I started sorting through past recipes I've posted, I realized there is absolutely no way I can choose just one. So I decided to share a bunch of my favourites.

I'm realizing now that some of these recipes were posted before I was really into this whole food blog thing so I don't even have pictures of some. But, click on the links to see the recipes anyway!

We love cookies

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Pie Crust Cookies

We love bread

Braided Bread

Hot Cross Buns (hubby's choice - but not mine)

Banana Chocolate Chip Nut Bread
Zucchini Chocolate Chip Bread

We love muffins

Blueberry Muffins
Blueberry Zucchini Muffins and Cherry Zucchini Muffins
Pumpkin Pie Apple Muffins

We love squares

White Chocolate Almond Toffee Blondies (No pictures? I guess I need to make these again)

Lime Squares - oh, delicious Lime Squares

What are your favourite baked goods? Head over to Life As Mom and share!