Pumpkin Muffins

I love autumn.

One of my favourite flavours of the season is pumpkin.

At the end of September I love to pick up a few sugar pumpkins at the local orchard, cut them in half and roast them letting the smell of pumpkin permeate the kitchen and then filling little freezer containers with cupfuls of pumpkin puree to use throughout the season.

The puree is perfect for whipping up a batch of muffins for school lunches... or a quick breakfast as we head out the door.

I will admit they are not the prettiest muffins I make but they are full of fall flavour and honestly we don't end up looking at them for long before they get eaten anyway.

I love my food processor for recipes like this one. The oats and pumpkin seeds get thrown into the processor and are whizzed up for a few seconds into a coarse flour. If you choose not to do this you could just add the oats unprocessed (use quick oats - not instant) and replace the ground seeds with a 1/2 cup of extra flour or whole wheat flour.

When I originally made this recipe I used ground walnuts instead of pumpkin seeds - I have also used hemp hearts - they are all good.

Pumpkin Muffins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

In a large bowl mix together:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup ground oats (a quick whizz in the food processor is all the oats need)
3/4 cup ground pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt

In a separate bowl whisk together

1 cup pureed pumpkin
1/4 cup canola oil (melted butter works too)
1 egg
1/2 cup buttermilk (or plain yogurt or milk if that's all you have)

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir together until mixed. Scoop mixture into a lined muffin tin and bake in a preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.

As an option after mixing the wet into dry ingredients you can add a cup of cranberries (fresh or frozen) and stir them in - with this option you may want to increase the sugar if you like muffins a little sweeter.

Enjoy!

Big Breakfast Muffins

The smell of frying bacon  drifting up the stairs is the best way to get my kids up and out of bed in the morning.

I would love to be organized enough to be up early and have a Farmer Boy worthy breakfast on the table ready for my family to all sit down and eat together having a nice relaxing morning before the hubby heads off to work and the kids go to school. (You know, the kind Laura Ingalls Wilder envied when writing about her husband's childhood. Most of what my boys remember about reading that book is the food. Whenever we read it they always wish they could eat like Almanzo). 

I can picture it in my head.

My reality doesn't look like the picture.

I'm pretty good at making up a morning batch of muffins or scones that I can hand out as each person is ready - sometimes I can even manage pancakes - but we are never efficient enough to be ready for a sit down breakfast. 

Ever. At least not on a week-day.

Frying bacon is generally saved for week-ends - which is unfortunate as it really does get the kids out of bed in the morning.

And then I found something great.

I love cookbooks. I mean I really love them. When people come to my house they always comment on my walls of books and they are always surprised to find out that one wall is dedicated to my cookbooks. Usually (unless they know me really well) they seem skeptical when I tell them that I use them. I really do. Not always in the traditional way but I read for inspiration and ideas. 

One of my many favourites is Farm-Fresh Recipes from the Missing Goat Farm by Heather Cameron.

She has a recipe she calls "Breakfast to Go" on page 136... if you don't have the book I do recommend it - and I haven't even been paid to say that. 

I call my version "Big Breakfast" muffins. They are so easy and fast and yummy and you basically get bacon, eggs and toast in muffin form. They are like mini stratas.

These are mine after they have cooled - no time for pictures during the morning rush!

I like to store ends of bread or leftover buns in a ziploc bag in the freezer. Normally they would be thrown away but they are excellent for stratas or bread puddings. Just remember to take them out the night before - or if you forget like I did - just defrost them in the microwave or toss them in the oven for a few minutes depending on the texture you are wanting - they get more crunchy and crouton like in the oven.

I made two dozen today. They are still good at room temperature and the kids love them so they each had two in their lunches today - they were happy and my life was a little easier - win/win. The recipe could easily be cut down and adjusted if your family is smaller than my six or you are just wanting them for breakfast. It's a very forgiving recipe so you can adjust any of the ingredients to taste.

This is what I did:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

8 slices bacon - fried and cut into small pieces 

5 small buns (or equivalent amount of bread) - ripped into small pieces - a fun job for young children if you have them.

2 scallions - I cut them with scissors into small pieces...you can use a knife but I think scissors are easier.

2 cups grated cheddar 

Mix the above in a medium size bowl ... just toss with hands or if you are more refined than I am use a wooden spoon.

In another bowl (I like to use my 8 cup measuring cup - the pouring spout is VERY helpful), whisk together a dozen eggs and 3/4 cup milk or cream and salt and pepper to taste (remembering that this will be seasoning the entire dish but also taking into account the saltiness of the bacon). 

Line two muffin tins (or one if you have halved the recipe) with cupcake liners - I like to use ones made of parchment paper as these tend to stick the least.

Fill the liners with scoops of the bread mixture and you can pack this down a little. Slowly and carefully pour egg mixture into each muffin tin - letting it seep into all the little nooks and crannies between the pieces of bread. You can sprinkle the tops of each muffin with extra cheese if you wish - fresh grated parmesan also works well here. 

Pop the trays into the oven for 15-20 minutes - you want to make sure the egg has set and the edges of the bread bits are nice and toasty brown.

Cool on a cooling rack and start passing them out as soon as they are cool enough to handle. 

A big breakfast of toast, bacon and eggs all in easy muffin form. 

Whenever I make these everyone is happy.

Enjoy!

Today's Lunch

Chicken, prawn and broccoli capellini

with coconut muffins for dessert...

I wanted to make something yummy for the kids for lunch...I was feeling a little creative; but I didn't have a lot of time. This is what I came up with, I hope you enjoy!

I first pulled out a couple bowls to make up a new muffin recipe...I was all out of milk and yogurt and sour cream but I saw a can of coconut milk on the shelf...coconut muffins...perfect!

First put a large pot of water on stove for capellini...then proceed with muffins.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

In a medium bowl combine:

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar (these are definately dessert muffins)

1 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg

In a seperate bowl whisk together:

1 egg (the last one...time to go shopping)

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 cup coconut milk

1/4 cup melted butter

add wet ingredients to the dry stir until just combined. Place into lined muffin tins (or if you have run out like I have just cut squares of parchment paper...works great!) Sprinkle tops with additional coconut and vanilla sugar about 2 Tbsp of each total (if desired) and place in oven for approximately 20 minutes.

Then I needed to make something to use up the extra coconut milk...

Shrimp, Chicken and Broccoli Capellini -serves 6

Heat wok on stove.

When water is boiling put one package (500g) Capellini in water (I prefer De Cecco brand).

In wok pour in approx. 2 tsp oil.

Make sure wok is very hot and then toss in 2 cubed chicken breasts stir fry for a few seconds

Then add 1 head of broccoli chopped and stir fry for a few seconds

Then add approximately 30 prawns (prepared - peeled, deveined - tails on or off your choice - I left mine on, my kids prefer it that way).

Add three chopped (I actually use kitchen shears) scallions continue to stir

When it is nearly ready add 1/4 cup red or green pepper jelly (I made a bunch last summer during my canning frenzy) along with 1/4 cup tamari (or soy sauce) and approximately 1/2 cup coconut milk (whatever is left after making coconut muffins) and 1 tsp to 1Tbsp toasted sesame oil to taste.

Check seasoning adjust to taste and take off heat.

By this time the pasta should be done (it may be done a bit sooner - if so drain before it gets soggy) and add pasta to wok.

Mix lightly, pour onto serving platter and serve.

Yum...the kids were ALL very happy!

My eldest son declared this his second favourite dish after shrimp scampi

And they all begged for seconds on dessert...

a new muffin recipe

I have a little book that I always keep close by...

I've had it for about a decade and I stupidly have never made a back-up; which reminds me...I need to do that!

I started writing down a few of my recipes...not all my recipes (I do have four kids and often when I cook I just throw things together and do not take time to measure and write down what I am doing). But, when I have time...I record them.

Over the years I have collected almost a hundred recipes.

A lot of them are for muffins.

I have never bought a muffin. I have tasted store bought muffins and I was never able to figure out why anyone would spend money on them. They are not good...sorry they just aren't.

I discovered that I could make muffins that taste like cupcakes (which they basically are). They could be healthier (not necessarily healthy...just healthier), cheaper and much easier. My muffins always turn out...they are never dense and flat (like the first time I tried to make a butter cake)...and they are almost always delicious.

I thought I would share my newest recipe today:

Chocolate Walnut Muffins:

First mix 1 1/4 cup flour (either all purpose or half all purpose and half whole wheat or spelt) with 1/2 cup good quality cocoa.

then add 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1/4 tsp salt.

Then put 3/4 cup walnuts in a food processor and pulse until medium fine. Add to bowl along with 3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts. Stir to combine.

In a seperate bowl whisk together: 2 eggs, 3/4 cup milk and 1/4 cup canola oil (or melted butter) and 1 tsp vanilla.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined.

Line a muffin tin with muffin liners (or cupcake liners if you prefer to call them that or you can grease the pan) and spoon muffin batter into tin.

Bake in a 350 degree (F) oven for approximately 20 minutes. (The stove I am currently using is not the best on timings so you will have to experiment what works best in your oven). You do not want to over-bake these as they are best when they are moist and fudgy!

Let cool in pan for a few minutes and then remove to a wire rack. After five to ten minutes (or longer if you don't have a group of hungry children standing around the cooling rack)  plate and serve...or just serve if you don't like extra dishes...

YUM! I hope you enjoy them  as much as we did...

I have made them twice now and both times they were very good...I am very happy I had time to put them in the book. The kids have informed me they want to eat these every day...

gratitude on a snowy morning

It is a grey, snowy morning here in the Okanagan...

and the kids and I are cozied up in our little cottage for the morning....

(I think the afternoon will be spent tobagganing)

Since it is so cold and snowy, I thought it would be a perfect morning for some apple spice muffins to warm us up...

Like many people at this time of year we are a little short on cash and while we are awaiting the first paycheck of the year I just thought I would mention how grateful I am that I have learned how to cook!

even with little in the fridge I was still able to make a yummy breakfast of apple spice muffins (using apples that I chopped up and froze in the fall) and delicious canned fruit from this summer...

I am grateful that I love to be in the kitchen (I always feel so sorry for those who view cooking as a chore) and my husband is grateful that when he sees nothing to eat and "no food" in the house that I am able to put something on the table that is just as good if not better than what we would eat if we had money to spare.

I really do love eating in season and in Canada without the aid of greenhouses the only thing that is in season right now is food that was stored up for winter during the great harvests of summer and fall...and so during this time of instant gratification and endless supermarkets...I am very thankful to have a closet full of summer canning and a freezer full of chopped fruit and the side of grass fed beef we purchased in the fall...life is good!