recipe: my mother's pumpkin muffins

As soon I saw canned pumpkin in the store, I swooped up several cans, thinking not of pie but of my mother's delicious pumpkin muffins. They are perfect for enjoying a taste of fall all through Thanksgiving and even up to Christmas. Bake regular muffins for yourself or miniature muffins to take as treats to coworkers, friends and family.

Pumpkin Muffins
Dry ingredients:

1 2/3 cup flour

1 ½ cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice*

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Optional: 1/3 cup raisins or walnuts

Wet ingredients:

1/3 cup butter, melted

1/3 cup water

2 eggs

1 generous cup canned pumpkin

Combine dry ingredients. In separate bowl, mix wet ingredients. Add dry until blended.

Bake in greased muffin tins (or with liners) at 350 until golden brown. My mother’s recipe says 35 but she told me to check earlier. I took them out at 30 minutes, but they could have even used about two minutes less. For miniature muffins, bake 15 min.

Makes about 18 muffins. I made a dozen regular and a dozen minis. 

*I didn't have pumpkin pie spice, but figured I could google a substitute. I used this one. 

fall foods to look forward to

Fall is truly here, no matter how much I push against it. Luckily job prospects are looking up and I have craft shows on the horizon, so I've decided to just let it come. Today was rainy and the weather reports promise more for the next few days. I poked around the fridge, and yet again, we skipped grocery shopping this weekend so I'm just putting together a list now.

The rain has me craving comfort food. I considered mac and cheese for tonight, or roast potatoes with bacon. In the end, Partner-in-Crime called and convinced me we should go out for Indian where I no doubt will get a curry with potatoes. But while I'm happy to eat pasta and potatoes for weeks, I know I should eat better and Partner-in-Crime doesn't have the same affinity for carbs that I do.

What are you favorite fall foods that aren't carb heavy? I'm looking forward to making a big bot of chili and other soups. I'm searching for a great recipe for carne en su jugo, a dish I had Sunday for the first time. But I know I'll still be making plenty of bolognese, mashed potatoes (with roast chicken!) and risotto all fall. What less-carb heavy dishes should I had to the rotation?

And now that we've talked about dinner, what are the desserts you plan to make? I know I'm making Elevator Lady Cookies as soon as I get some shortening.

to my next phase

Friday marked the start of fall. My blogroll filled with recipes for chili and tutorials for scarves while I resisted. For East Coast friends, the change was apparent with the first colder days appearing. For me, last week was one of the warmest since I've moved to Berkeley.

A rainy weekend forced me to confront reality and consider why I've been resisting. For the past eighteen of my twenty-four years, fall has signaled the start of a new year, a new phase. Summer off was a wonderful treat but I look forward to my next phase, whatever it may be.

Photo from trip to NYC last November. All rights reserved.