Food For Thought Friday: Pumpkin Muffins

So, it's Friday.  Cue skipping through the office and smiling at people that, on any other day of the week, would only warrant a grunt at best.  I haven't been baking much, lately.  Sad face.  My family are suffering for it, too.  I actually bought cookies the other day at the grocery store, brought them home, and filled up the cookie jar with them.  Yep, that'll fool 'em. 

At any rate, I was bitten by the baking bug again this morning and, low and behold, it is Friday!  Coincidence?  I think not.  I absolutely love baking with pumpkin.  This time of year, it's everywhere; in bread, in soup, even in your latte.  But I enjoy baking with it all year round.  It makes me feel sneaky, because my family is eating a vegetable and they don't really notice.  Hooray for sneaky health food!

These pumpkin muffins are so fabulous and so easy to whip up.  Plus, they make your house smell like pumpkin pie.  Who doesn't want that?  No downside here, people, so get baking!  I hope you're all having an awesome Friday and that the awesome will continue through the weekend!  Enjoy.

Pumpkin Muffins

1 1/2 cup flour  (I add a smidge more because I'm way up in the clouds)

1 tsp. baking powder

1 cup (about 2/3 of a can) canned solid-pack pumpkin

1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil

2 large eggs

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 Tbsp.

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.  Whisk together flour and baking powder in a small bowl; set aside.  Whisk together pumpkin, oil, eggs, pie spice, 1 1/4 cup sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until smooth.  Whisk in flour mixture until just combined (a few lumps are A okay).  Divide batter among 12 muffin cups.  Combine remaining 1 Tbsp. of sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle liberally over batter.  Bake for 25-30 mins, or until tops are firm and nicely browned.  Let cool 5-10 minutes before serving (if you can...)

Note: you will most likely have extra cinnamon/sugar, unless you like breaking your teeth when you bite into a muffin!  That is just a good proportion of sugar to cinnamon.  What to do with the leftover goods?  Sprinkle on some buttered toast and reminisce about childhood or stir into a bowl of oatmeal!  Yum!

Back to the writing cave!  I think I'll grab a few of these to bring with me...

Food For Thought Friday

Food For Thought:

Banana Muffins

These muffins are divine.  They are fluffy and banana-y and everything that is right with the world.  Please enjoy liberally!


2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 - 1/2 cup chopped nuts, depending on your affinity for crunch
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup mashed banana (about 2 small bananas)
1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 and prepare 12-cup muffin pan (either with paper liners or grease the pan).  Stir together flour, nuts, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl, whisk together brown sugar, cooled melted butter, mashed bananas, sour cream and eggs until thoroughly combined.  Fold the wet mixture into the dry mixture just until combined; do not over-mix or you will have banana hockey pucks!  Divide among muffin cups and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Happy Friday everyone!

Desert Island Recipe: Muffins

Given the title of this blog, I felt obligated to provide a recipe for muffins.  While searching through my extensive collection, I tried to pick just one recipe to share for today.  It was hard.  It might not yet be evident, but I absolutely LOVE muffins, or any kind of breakfast confection, for that matter.  So choosing just one recipe to share for the day was a challenge, to say the least.  After much deliberation, this is the recipe I would choose if I were marooned on a desert island.  And the desert island had a kitchen equipped with baking utensils.

At our house, these muffins are referred to as "Daddy Muffins" because they happen to be my husband's favorite.  To gain top approval from my somewhat picky husband is no small feat, people.  That should speak for itself.  This recipe is also very easy and customizable, which are two magnificent things in a busy and picky household.  Enjoy!

Berries & Cream Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries or blueberries (sometimes I use both)

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup (8 oz.) sour cream

1/2 cup canola oil

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Streusel:

3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

3 Tbsp. quick-cooking oats

2 Tbsp. sugar

1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 Tbsp. cold butter, diced

Preheat oven to 400.  In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add the berries and toss gently.  In another bowl, combine the eggs, sour cream, oil and vanilla.  Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.  For streusel, combine flour, oats, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.  Cut in butter with a pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Fill muffin cups two-thirds full with batter.  Sprinkle streusel over muffins before baking.  Bake 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.