Muffin Monday: Orange and Date Mini Muffins

Oranges and dates: a match made in heaven. These exotic fruits are bursting with flavor, and impart a luscious moisture to these darling muffins.

I haven't made muffins in so long, but since my friend gave me some adorable mini muffin tins for Christmas, I couldn't help myself.

This recipe comes from foodnetwork.com, courtesy of Gale Gand, and is so easy and delicious that I know you'll love it. All you need is a food processor to make this recipe super simple. I must say, it's the first time that I've blended an entire orange, peel and all!

Orange and Date Mini Muffins

Ingredients:
1 medium orange
1/2 cup dates, cut up
1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
2 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cut whole, unpeeled orange into 8 sections and chop in a food processor. I know it sounds weird, but do it anyway (feel free to chop away the little green stem on either end of the orange). 
3. Add the chopped oranges to the dates, nuts, melted butter, orange juice, sugar, and egg.
4. Mix dry ingredients together and then stir into the wet ingredients until just blended. 
5. Pour into mini-muffin tins, either greased or filled with paper cups. The original recipe said it made 12-17 mini muffins, but my tin is so small that it made 24 heaping mini muffins plus three regular-sized ones. Just be sure to fill your tins 3/4 full as the batter puffs up to about twice its size. 
6. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until firm in the center.