Pumpkin Muffins

Fall is in the air and that means PUMPKIN, PUMPKIN, PUMPKIN!! I love pumpkin and the spices that go along with it. Each inhalation of the goodness takes me back to my grandmothers house each thanksgiving. I hold some of my fondest childhood and early adulthood memories from this annual family gathering so I welcome all the fall smells (especially the baking kinda, ha ha).

Not only did the pumpkin in the recipe catch my eye but the oats and maple syrup did too!!! This recipe was inspired by one I found on about.com believe it or not.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup quick oats
• 1 cup white granulated sugar
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 15-ounce can canned pumpkin
• 2/3 cup canola oil (or oil of your choice)
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• Optional (I didn't add these because I wanted little Asher to be able to enjoy them with us):
• ----1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• ----1/2 cup dried cranberries

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a one to two 12-cup muffin pan with liners or lightly oil.
2. In a medium-large mixing bowl, sift together the flours, oats, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, ground cloves, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.
3. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, oil, maple syrup and eggs until well combined. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, mixing until just combined. Fold in the walnuts and cranberries.
4. Portion into the prepared muffin cups and bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Yield: 18 muffins-ish
Difficulty: 2 out of 5; it's pretty much a dump and bake recipe
Storage: Air tight container for several days. I wrap them individually in plastic wrap and then place in a freezer bag. I freeze them for a month or two and take them out as we need it; it's great!
Timing: One year due to the eggs however since its cooked egg and we have no history of food allergies and Little Asher was breastfed so long, we gave it just shy of 11 months.
Epicutie Rating (see left side of page for rating descriptions):

• Little Joy:  Yummy in the Tummy; she tore through nearly two muffins at breakfast
• Little Asher:  Somewhat Yummy; he is getting like 6 teeth in so he does not want anything near his mouth.  I suspect had his teeth not bothered him he would have followed suit and gobbled it up.  He ate more of this than any other food the past day or so though!