Zucchini Muffins + One Year Anniversary

Guys, I’m totally late on my own anniversary. It happened two days ago, on October 11. One year (and two days) ago I started this little blog as a way to give myself a creative outlet and to try to improve my photography skills. Since then, I’ve met lots of you through your comments, discovered new blogs, and (hopefully) learned many  things about this crazy business of blogging and food photography. I still have much to learn, but I think that I have improved a little bit (DON’T look at my banana bread photos. Terrible.)

This recipe comes from my mother, and I’m not sure where she got it. It’s still my favorite recipe for zucchini bread (although I made these into muffins), and it only gets better after a few days. I added a little more zucchini and used olive oil instead of vegetable oil to try and make it slightly on the healthier side. However, these make excellent breakfast as well as dessert, and if you wanted to make it even a little healthier you could cut the sugar by 1/3 of a cup or so.

Thank you all for visiting this little corner of the internet, and for your wonderful comments and support over the last year — and here’s to many more years at 124 Park.

Zucchini Muffins (makes 24 muffins or 2 loaves)

3 eggs

2 cups sugar

2 1/2 cups grated zucchini

1 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare 2 12-cup muffin tins by buttering and flouring them or by placing paper muffin cups inside them OR butter and flour two 9×5 inch loaf pans.

In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar with an electric mixer until foamy, 1-2 minutes. Mix in zucchini, olive oil, and vanilla and beat well, 1-2 minutes. Add dry ingredients and mix until well blended, being sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl.

Pour into prepared tins or loaf pans. If making muffins, place about 1/3 cup batter into each tin. Bake muffins for about 25 minutes, or until the tops spring back when pressed gently. If making loaves, bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a tester placed in the center comes out clean.