Mmmm... my favorite time of year - if not for the holidays, than for the pumpkin muffins. Full of pumpkin and chocolate chips, these muffins don't hang around for long.
My pantry is ALWAYS stocked with cans and cans of pumpkin. Last year, someone told me that there was a pumpkin shortage. I don't even remember now where I heard that, but you better believe that the next time I went to the grocery store, I put every last can of pumpkin (to the tune of 15 cans) into my grocery cart. I felt privy to this secret information - smiling as I was pulling one can, two cans, three cans into my cart. Everyone else might not be cooking or baking with pumpkin, but I would be! I know, I know - enough of the pumpkin talk already! Let's just say that someone must have been yanking my chain because there was no shortage. The prankster of all pranksters was pranked herself. But I am still enjoying those cans of pumpkin this year!
The pumpkin muffin recipe fills your kitchen with the smells of the holidays! First, you mix the can of pumpkin with eggs, applesauce, and oil.
Then you mix the dry ingredients together.
You then add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and add the chocolate chips.
Pop them in the oven for 15 minutes and out comes deliciousness!
My kids eat them for breakfast, as a snack and sometimes for dessert! I always contribute to the holiday teacher gift fund, but my kids enjoy giving the teacher a little something in addition to the group gift. Last year I wrapped two in plastic wrap and tied them up in a bow with a little rolled up holiday kitchen towel - a nice gesture to give a teacher before the holidays.
Pumpkin Muffins
Wet ingredients:
4 eggs
1 15 oz can pumpkin
1 cup oil
1/2 cup applesauce
Dry ingredients:
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 cups chocolate chips
Mix wet ingredients. Mix dry ingredients. Pour dry into wet and mix well. Add chocolate chips (I use only 1 cup). Pour into greased muffin tin and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Enjoy!
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We had a very delicious and special dinner last night. Mimi cooked in the kitchen all afternoon while we watched Champ play in his first and final playoff game. The Eagles played a great game but couldn't quite pull out the win. Bad news is - the season is over. Good news is - the season is over. We'll actually get a three week break before basketball starts. I love the gift of time!
We grilled steaks that we bought from a top steakhouse in Atlanta, and to go with those, Mimi had prepared an artichoke casserole, caesar salad, and toffee brownies. We lit candles on the kitchen table. We poured ice water in wine glasses for the kids. Just before dinner was served, Mimi went back to her room and fancied up her outfit with a dressy vest; she said that a dinner like that was worth dressing up for! Matthew disappeared and came down dressed in a golf shirt and khakis. Champ and Papa each donned a sport coat and I wore a dressy top and put a big obnoxious flower in my hair. Matt just smiled at the sight of us. We had a ball at the dinner table! It was a goofy thing to do but it made us all smile and it'll be a meal that we'll never forget. I think we may do a theme dinner every now and then to add to our wonderfully fun memories.
I'm working on a NO EXTRA HOLIDAY POUNDS blog which I hope to post sometime tomorrow. I love indulging around holiday time and am determined not to put on ANY extra pounds this year. I think I have a plan that will help those of us who are interested, combat this annual occurrence.
