Orange-Zucchini Muffins

Just the other day, there was an unfortunate accident on the interstate involving a tractor-trailer. No one was injured; the only casualty was the cargo: tangerines and strawberries! Since the fruit could no longer be sold after being spilled across the interstate, the carrier gave everything that wasn't ruined to all the first-responders. One of the police officers to be the recipient of some fruit sent a bag of tangerines over to our house with her son. I immediately thought of these muffins. I seriously love these things! Sadly, the recipe only makes 10, but it's easily doubled.

Orange-Zucchini Muffins
1 cup shredded zucchini
3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
dash of ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Squeeze zucchini until dry; set aside. In a large bowl, combine the flour, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, beat the eggs, brown sugar, oil, applesauce, orange juice, orange peel and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in pecans and reserved zucchini.

Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over batter. Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm. Yield: 10 muffins.