Muffin Thursdays ;)

I know.. I've neglected Muffin Mondays. Trust me, I can't get it off my conscience. That's why I got so excited that I actually made muffins yesterday! But I was just thinking.. maybe so that I don't get in trouble with myself again, I'll change Muffin Mondays to once a month... at least until I get back to Israel and my muffin making schedule stabilizes. Phew. Feel much better! Anyway, these muffins were my way of using the remaining pumpkin puree and of giving my mother some thing guilt-free (sort of) during her busy school day. I adapted this recipe from Martha Stewart's Baking Companion. On a whim, I just started swapping things out. I cut back the sugar and added some maple syrup, resulting in a lightly sweet but not overly sweet muffin and replaced some white flour with whole wheat. The pumpkin adds tremendous moisture so I omitted the oil. I also added craisins to add to the fall theme, although I decided I don't like the texture of craisins and raisins baked for too long. I'd omit them next time. But feel free to make whatever changes you want. This recipe yields about 24 nice sized muffins. I stashed about half in the freezer to be used as needed.

Pumpkin Muffins
adapted from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook

2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
few grates fresh nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups canned or fresh pumpkin puree
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
3 very large eggs (I used jumbo size)
1 2/3 cups buttermilk or low fat milk
1 cup craisins, optional

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease 24 muffin tins if you have. Alternatively, grease a twelve cup muffin tin and reuse this one.

In a bowl, stir the flours, spices, leaveners and salt.

Whisk to combine.
In another bowl, place the pumpkin.
Add the brown sugar and maple syrup,
and whisk to combine really well.
Add the eggs one at a time,
stirring well until smooth after each addition.

Add the milk to the bowl,

and stir until thoroughly mixed.

Pour the liquid ingredients over the flour mixture,

combine well.
Add the craisins and, without overmixing, stir well.

Portion the batter into your muffin pan.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. I can't remember how long it took- maybe around twenty minutes. After two minutes, remove the muffins from their tins and place them on a wire rack to cool completey. Don't try storing them until they are completely cool; if you do, you will end up with soggy muffins. And the last thing you want is soggy muffins. Trust me. I know.