For some reason unbeknownst to me, the grocery store had big, beautiful, emerald green zucchini and I decided to turn them into muffins. This recipe was originally for quick bread, but easily translates into muffins with a few adjustments. These muffins are the last gasp of summer, with earthy zucchini and bright flavors from lemon and pineapple. They are light and also unbelievably moist (and pretty much idiot-proof as far as baking goes). Cinnamon adds a richness and fills the kitchen with that wonderful fresh-baked scent.

Zucchini-Pineapple Muffins
adapted from Cooking Light

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups grated zucchini (about 1 1/2 medium zucchini)
2/3 cup canola oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon zest (finely grated lemon rind)
2 cans (8 oz each) crushed pineapple, drained

Preheat oven to 350F and coat muffin tins with cooking spray.

Spoon flour into measuring cup and level with a knife. Combine flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Whisk until combined.

In a separate bowl, beat eggs with an electric mixer on medium speed until frothy. Add sugar, grated zucchini, canola oil, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Beat until just blended. Add zucchini mixture to flour mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon just until all dry ingredients are moist and combine. Fold in pineapple.

Spoon into prepared muffin tins (about 1/4 cup per muffin cup). Bake (one sheet at a time) for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Allow to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 24 muffins (and only about 200 calories per muffin!).

Here is another iced tea recipe from allrecipes.com, this one with pineapple and lemon. The recipe does not specify what type of tea to use, so plain Lipton would work fine, but I used black Assam. I typically do not use sugar in my tea, but felt it was needed in this case. Adjust the sugar to suit your tastes.

4 cups boiling water
7 tea bags
1 1/2 cups unsweetened pineapple juice
1/4 lemon juice
2 tbsp sugar, or to taste

Pour boiling water over tea bags in a heat-resistant pitcher. Steep for 5 minutes or until desired stregth. Remove tea bags and stir in sugar until dissolved. Cool to room temperature.

Stir in pineapple juice and lemon juice. Chill tea for 1-2 hours.

To serve, pour tea over glasses filled with ice. Garnish with lemon wedges if desired.

James found this tasty treat in the June 6, 2007 edition of the Grand Rapids Press. It’s a great main dish for two. For testing purposes, I used Jim Bean Bourbon Whiskey.

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup pineapple juice
3 tbsp bourbon whiskey
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp black pepper

Saute chicken in a large skillet over medium heat until cooked though and no longer pink. In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients and whisk until sugar is dissolved.

Pour bourbon mixture over chicken and let simmer 10-15 minutes or until sauce is thickened to taste.

I served this meal with seasoned potato wedges (see below), sweet white corn-on-the-cob, and fruity sangria for a summery meal.