Pumpkin Muffins

Ben's mom gave me Jane Brody's Good Food Cookbook. It's a nice cookbook because every recipe is just a little healthier. These 'grab & go' muffins are nice for breakfast, with a cup of coffee or even a snack. Less sugar, wheat flour only make it better in my eyes.

Pumpkin Muffins
Source: Jane Brody's Good Food Cookbook

IIngredients
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I use canola)
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
2 eggs (or if you’re trying to lower the cholesterol you can use 1 whole egg and 1 egg white)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt
OPTIONAL ADDITIONS: 1/4 cup dark raisins; 1/4 golden raisins; 1/2 cup chopped nuts

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 deg F.

In a large bowl, beat together the sugar, oil, pumpkin, and eggs.

In a medium bowl, stir together the all-purpose and whole wheat flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Fold this into the pumpkin mixture (dump the dry into the wet all at once and then gently mix) until dry ingredients are just moist. If you decided to include raisins and/or nuts stir them in now.

Butter your muffin tin (will make 12 regular sized or 6 jumbo muffins) and spoon the batter into the muffin tin. Bake for 25 minutes. Let muffins cool in the tin for about 10 minutes, and then pull the out to cool completely or enjoy right away.

Pumpkin Blondies

I am always looking for good pumpkin recipes in the fall. This did not disappoint - it's a bonus when you have all of the ingredients on hand. I frozen these and plan to serve at a girls night next weekend.

Pumpkin Blondies

Source: Annie's Eats

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice (see note)
1 tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. salt
16 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1¼ cups granulated sugar (or brown sugar)
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup white chocolate chips

1 cup butterscotch chips
½ cup chopped, toasted nuts (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with foil. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt. Stir together and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla until well combined. Mix in the pumpkin puree. With the mixer on low speed add the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Fold in the white chocolate and butterscotch chips (and nuts, if using) with a rubber spatula.

Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake until the edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs, about 35-40 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely before cutting.

To serve, lift the cake from the pan using the foil and transfer to a cutting board. Peel off foil and using a sharp knife, cut into 24 squares.

If you don't have pumpkin pie spice on hand - I dug this up as a way to make from spices:
Measure 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon into a small bowl or cup.
Add 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger.
Add 1/8 teaspoon of ground allspice or ground cloves.
Add 1/8 teaspoon of ground nutmeg.
Stir to blend.
Makes 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice.