zucchini muffins

i got some wonderful veggies f/m a friend's garden and decided that tonight would be a good night to use them. after looking through a few recipes i found one for "zucchini, citrus, and honey muffins" in one of my favorite cookbooks: A Passion for Baking by Marcy Goldman. after seeing that the recipe also called for buttermilk & lemons i was all about it b/c i had both on hand! i made a few modifications, but they are awfully yum!

here is the recipe:
muffin batter

1/2 cup canola oil (i used vegetable b/c i had it on hand)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1.5 cups sugar
2 tablespoons honey
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon orange oil, optional (i used lemon extract instead)
1 tablespoon finely minced lemon zest
1 tablespoon finely minced orange zest (i didn't have oranges on hand so i doubled the lemon zest)
2.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/3 cup buttermilk
3 cups all purpose flour
2.5 teaspoons vaking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup finely chopped dates, optional (i used 3/4 cups)
3/4 cups golden raisins (i used 1/4 cup)
1/2 cup well-drained crushed pineapple
2 cups washed unpeeled shredded zuchini

Glaze:
2 cups confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (i used 2)
orange cuice concentrate or juice, as required...3-6 tablespoons (i didn't have it on hand so i used the pineapple juice that i had reserved f/m the crushed pineapple)

Preheat oven 375'. arrange oven rack to middle position. line 14 to 16 muffin cups (i had enough for 18) with paper liners, and place muffin pans on a parchement paper-lined baking sheet. (i didn't do the baking sheet part)

In a large bowl blend oil, butter, sugar, honey, eggs, vanilla extract, orange oil, citrus zest, cinnamon, and buttermilk until smooth. Fold in dry ingredients and blend slightly; then fold in dates, if using, and next 3 ingredients to make a smooth but lumpy batter.

Using a large ice-cream scoop, scoop a generous amount of batter into each muffin cup.

Bake until muffins spring back when gently pressed, about 25 to 32 minutes (mine were perfect at 25). meanwhile, make glaze by whisking ingredients together.

Once muffins have cooled about 15 minutes in pans, dip each in glaze. dip again and let glaze set.

so yummy! and they do have some nutritional benefit!

also--butchy is better! she woke up fine this morning, she was bounding around and seemed so excited to have use of all her legs again!