Zucchini Mini Muffins WORLDS BEST with Peach Jam and Dried Bing Cherries

OH BOY - Mini Muffins!

But not just any Mini Muffins, these are uniquely almost healthy.  LOADED with fresh grated zucchini.  It's that time of year when friends and neighbors with big gardens are offering free veggies, or your farmer's market is packed with seasonal bounty.  Of course zucchini is one of those veggies that always seem to be fresh and available year round.

Great excuses for making these wonderful muffins!

I'll give you a little secret about most Zucchini muffins... They are mostly tasteless.  Many recipes have a standard batter recipe with zucchini added.  Batter has little flavor, zucchini, while colorful and healthy has little flavor, so most zucchini muffin recipes have... You guessed it, little flavor.

This recipe however uses Peach Jam as a key ingredient to add flavor (and helps make for a very moist and tender muffin).  BUT Also, just to add even more tiny bursts of flavor,   I've added tart and tangy Dried Bing Cherries.  So, hints of savory from the vegetable, hints of sweet from the Peach Jam and hints of tart and tangy from the Cherries.

So, you betcha, Sweet Savory, Tart and Tangy and DELICIOUS! ... Yeap, World's Best Zucchini Mini Muffins!

ENJOY Indeed!

 OK... Here's what I did...

Loaded Cheddar Cheese Mini Muffins

Ingredients

• 2-1/4 Cups Flour
• 1/2 Cup Sugar
• 3 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 2 Large Eggs
• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
• 1/2 Cup Peach Jam
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 2 Zucchini (Small size, firm), Shredded and VERY IMPORTANT, Squeeze shavings to remove as much water from the pulp as possible.
• 1 Cup Dried Bing Cherries, Diced 
• Non-Stick Spray

Cooking Directions

1. Prepare a 48 mini muffin size  pan with non-stick spray.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients, Flour, Sugar, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Salt and Cinnamon
3. In a different mixing bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients, Eggs, Olive Oil, Peach Jam and Vanilla.
4. Freshly Grate the Zucchinis, including the bright green skin.  VERY IMPORTANT, work in batches, take a small handful of the grated zucchini and squeeze the water out of the pulp.  Repeat until all gratings have been squeezed.  Place on a paper towel and [press one more time to get as much liquid as possible out of the mass.
5. Mix the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry and fold in the zucchini to thoroughly combine.  Add the Bing Cherries  and stir to evenly mix.
6. Add the batter into the muffin pan, filling to the top of each cavity. 
7. Bake 25 minutes until the tops just starts to brown.  Remove from the oven but let the muffins rest in the pan for another 5 minutes.  Remove from the pan and allow to cool,
8. Serve Warm.  Store in an airtight container.
   ... and ENJOY!