zucchini muffin streusel

I looked EVERYWHERE for a zucchini bread recipe that included streusel.  

I'm sure I'll get several comments after I post this, and those comments will point me in all the directions I failed to look - but I say BRING IT ON!!!  Because, as it turns out, zucchini bread goes great with streusel. 

We could always use more recipes with zucchini and streusel.

After coming up empty-handed on the zucchini-with-streusal combo from my impatient internet search, I decided to find a streusel recipe and just dump it on top of a muffin recipe.

I had considered an old standby Moosewood (Mollie Katzen) recipe, but I wanted to try something a little different.  I searched and searched and finally ended up at Elise's.  

I have no idea who Elise is.  I have no idea what her credentials are.  I can't even say that I know we'd be fast friends.  But I can say I'd attend any party she hosted.  And I can say that I really need to start my searches there instead of foodnetwork.com.  Her coffee ice cream recipe and her pumpkin ice cream recipe were both absolutely fantastic.  I've tried something other than that, but it's not coming to mind.  It's late.  And it's finally Friday.  The brain gave up on me hours ago.

So, I made the muffins with this recipe.  And by the way, if you run out of batter, like I did, pour water in the last muffin cup.  It'll keep your short-changed muffin pans baking at the same speed as your full muffin tins.  That's a tip from Mama P.  I've made up the reason why, but I always used to see her do it.  She's on vacation in Alaska right now or I'd ask.  We're on our own.

I made the streusel with a random streusel recipe that called for brown sugar, flour, and butter.  Note to self: add nuts next time.  The sugar concoction is delicious, but I like nuts.  And I think I'd like nuts in any streusel recipe.  Some called for it, yet I picked a recipe that had brown sugar instead of white sugar.... and no nuts. 

Lastly, if you're mistaken like me and think streusel needs to be added halfway through baking... think again.  Throw it on before you put the muffins in to bake.  I've got a trail of crispity-crunchity sweetness left around me everytime I pick one up to eat.  While I'm no neatnik, I like to leave my over-indulgence evidence to a minimum.  Streusel just won't stick to the muffin well if it doesn't go on early.