Yummy Autumn Recipe

This evening we made a new dessert for our trip to the Arboretum.  We'll be posting on "that" adventure soon!! 

Below is the recipe and some "instructive" photos!

Holiday Pumpkin Muffins

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour                    
1 cup packed light brown sugar             
1 tablespoon baking powder                  

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon                 

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup solid-pack pumpkin (see below)*
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs
6 tablespoons butter, melted

2/3 cup roasted, salted pumpkin seeds, divided (see below)**

*Solid-Pack Pumpkin Directions:

1. Begin by cutting pumpkin down its middle & separating.

2. Scrape out seeds & stringy stuff from inside each half.

3. Separate seeds from strings, throwing the strings away; but keep the seeds!

4. Quarter pumpkin longways, place in roasting pan, or any other large, high-sided baking dish, and cook for an hour at 400 degrees.

**5. Next, lay seeds out on a cookie sheet; sprinkle with olive oil & salt.  Then, put into the oven at 250 degrees for an hour.

6. When pumpkin is done, scrape out the soft insides to make your 1 cup of "solid-pack pumpkin".

Full Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease 1 - 3 standard (2 1/2-inch) muffin cups or line with paper baking cups.

Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt in large bowl.

In blender, mix pumpkin, milk, eggs and butter until well blended.

Stir pumpkin mixture into flour mixture just until all ingredients are moistened.

Stir in 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds & raisins. (This part I must let you know that adding the seeds sort of took away the goodness from the muffins, as they were difficult to chew. But it's up to you! :)

Spoon into prepared muffin cups, filling 2/3 full.

Sprinkle remaining pumpkin seeds over muffin batter. (If you so desire:)

Bake 15 - 18 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pans 10 minutes.

Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.  Store in airtight container. (Or devour them all before you can get to one!!)

Mom was the chef & we all had so much fun following in the process.  These muffins are so moist, & and for all you "health-nuts" out there, how about the amount of sugar? eh? :)