So… I thought I’d indulge in another of my passions — BAKING — one day a week. What do you think? Unless I hear some serious uproar in protest I proclaim Mondays “Muffin Monday” in all the land. You may have noticed the amended bit at of the legal portion of my Home Page… please note that although the recipes I’ll be highlighting in Muffin Monday worked brilliantly in my kitchen they may not work for you. I’m not calling you a bad cook or any thing, but SOMETHING might happen… and since I’m not there watching you add the ingredients one at time or setting the temperature I can’t be responsible for the end results. Having said that… give it a go and see if you like it.  If you do please let me know.

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Date Zucchini Orange Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of chopped dates

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 1/4 cup of very hot water

• 3/4 cups of butter (1 1/2 sticks) melted and slightly cooled

• 2/3 cup Tuvia sugar substitute (or 1 cup sugar)

• 2 eggs

• 1 orange (peeled and sectioned)

• 1 medium zucchini grated

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 2 cups flour

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup Ovaltine Chocolate Malt mix (optional)

Directions:

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Step One: Put Dates and Baking Soda into the hot water and stir. Set aside to cool.

Step Two: Put the peeled/sectioned Orange in a blender …

…add the Tuvia (or sugar),  the Eggs…

…and melted (liquid but cooled) Butter and blend.

…Add the grated Zucchini and Vanilla and blend.

…Add the Date mixture and blend.

Step Three: In a bowl mix the Flour, Ovaltine, and Salt.

Slowly incorporate the liquid from the blender into the dry ingredients in the bowl.

Prepare the muffin cups (this recipe will make about 18 muffins.) Put “muffin pants” into the tin and spray lightly with cooking spray.

Divide the batter evenly into the muffin cups. They should be about 2/3rds of the way full.

Place into hot oven and bake for 20 – 25 minutes until tops are brown and a tooth pick stuck into the center of the muffin comes out clean.

Let cool and enjoy.