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.

Shrimp and Zucchini Couscous

A while back, I saw this delicious looking recipe that Kendra posted on her blog. Immediately, I bookmarked it in anticipation of zucchini season. So, now that we have zucchini coming out of our eyes, ears, and noses, it was one of the first meals I made. I was kind of afraid that the Dude would not love it but I was pleasantly surprised. He even cracked open the leftovers later in the evening to take a few bites and exclaimed that it was "so freakin' good". The meal is vibrant, colourful and oh so summery!

Shrimp and Zucchini Couscous -modified from Kendra
1 cup of couscous
1 1/2 cups water or broth
1 lb. of shrimp, peeled and tails removed
1 large** zucchini, diced
1 small red onion, diced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 large tomato, diced
A few leaves of basil, chopped**
Salt
Pepper
EVOO

*Please note: large is a relative term - the zucchini I used was large in comparison to what you might find in the grocery store but small in comparison to what I found in my garden upon returning from a week's holidays.

**Please, please, please, please, please, please, PLEASE use fresh basil.

Begin cooking couscous according to package instructions. For mine, I brought 1 1/2 cups of broth to a boil and then added a bit of salt and the couscous. I stirred, put a lid on, removed the pot from the heat and timed it for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, fluff with a fork and you're good to go.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat a small amount of olive oil over medium heat.

Add shrimp to the pan, spreading out as much as possible. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook for 1-2 minutes, until beginning to turn pink and then turn. Season the second side with salt and pepper.

Cook for another 1-2 minutes until shrimp are pink and curled and then set aside on a plate. Do not be tempted to overcook the shrimp, they do not need long at all.

Add another bit of oil to the pan along with the zucchini and onion. Cook for 4-5 minutes until they are beginning to soften. You don't want them to be mushy.

Add the garlic, and stir for a few seconds to let the garlic soften.

Add the tomatoes, another pinch of salt and pepper, and cook just long enough for the tomatoes to get warm and juicy.

Remove from heat and stir in the basil and shrimp.

Add couscous to a large serving bowl and top with shrimp mixture. Stir it all together and top with a few more sprigs of basil for some visual appeal.

Makes 4-6 servings

Isn't it beautiful?

P.S. It is 9:58 am and after writing this post, I am feeling ever so tempted to go heat up the leftovers and eat my lunch right now. It is that delicious.