Even More Breakfasts on the Go: Pumpkin and Apple Muffins

As I have mentioned several times we are a hurry up and go in the morning family. I also have a LOT of pumpkin puree in my freezer. So its no surprise that I am making another pumpkin muffin recipe...this time I am using some apples I just happen to have hanging around.

I didn't want to like this recipe, I am not a fan of cooking with apples...to much work involved. Cutting, peeling and coring...ugh. I am a dump it all together without doing anything else kind of girl but the smell alone was enough to convenience me to make this muffins again. The after I tried one....so very very good.

Pumpkin and Apple Muffin

• 1.5 cups all purpose flour
• 1.5 cups quick cook oatmeal
  
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1/2 nutmeg
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 TBSP ground flax seed
  
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/2 applesauce
• 1/2 cup honey 
• 2 apples chopped and peeled

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Mix flour, oatmeal, ginger, cinnamon cloves, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, salt thoroughly and set aside.
3. In a separate bowl mix brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, pumpkin puree, oil, applesauce, honey and apples. 
4. Add "wet" ingredients to dry ingredients. Mix well.
5. Fill lined muffins tin 3/4 full.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

This recipe made 24 muffins

More Breakfast on the Go: Pineapple Pumpkin Muffins

Have a mentioned I have a lot of pumpkin puree in my freezer?

Well I do.

Have I mentioned that we are not "morning people" at my house. Well The BF is but he gets up really early and often doesn't have a good breakfast.

So when I found a recipe for breakfast muffins that include muffins, I thought why not. When I realized I had all the ingredients to make it even with the changes I made, I thought hell ya.

They are super easy and super good.

Pineapple Pumpkin Muffins

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup oats
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3 Tablespoon ground flax seed
• 2 large egg
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 4 Tablespoons oil
• 2 cup unsweetened pumpkin puree
• 1 cup unsweetened crushed pineapple, drained

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Mix the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, flax seed in a large bowl.
3. In a separate bowl mix together the eggs, brown sugar, oil, pumpkin puree and pineapple.
4. Add the "wet" ingredients to the "dry" ones. Stir until they are barely mixed together.
5. Scope evenly into 24 lined muffins tins.
6. Bake for 14 minutes.
7. Cool and place in freezer bags, then freeze.

This recipe was inspired by Mother Rimmey's Cooking Light Done Right

Making Pumpkin Puree and Buttermilk Pumpkin Pancake Recipe

Last week I talked about going overboard with making my own pumpkin puree and how I may have gone overboard. Many of you asked how did I do it?

During the process I had planned to take pictures but as usual my camera was no where to be found and all I go was one picture on my phone.

So here goes...

Pumpkin Puree

• Whole pumpkins (if you can get organically and locally grown)

Directions

1. Wash the outside of your pumpkins.
2. Cut pumpkins in half and scoop out the guts.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. Cut the pumpkin into manageable pieces. (I had HUGE pumpkins which involved lots of cutting.)
5. Place pumpkins on a roasting pan (its okay to stack them just make sure the inside isn't completely covered.)
6. Add 1 cup of water in the bottom of the roasting pan.
7. Bake for about 45 minutes (this depends on the size of tour pumpkins).
8. Remove form oven and cool for 20-30 minutes.
9. Once they are cool enough to handle scrape the pumpkin from the shell.
10. Puree in blender until you reach the desired consistency (this is optional)
11. Freeze, can* or use your pumpkin.
12. When freezing place one sup in a freezer safe bag, squeeze as much air out as possible, lay flat and freeze .

Now I know you are wondering that is awesome but that do you do with all that pumpkin puree?

Very good question and I don't have it all figured out ...yet. I did share some with my sister and mom.

The BF did make pumpkin pancakes one Sunday morning (yes we are that family that eats pancakes for breakfast). Everyone loved loved loved it so I am guessing we will have it again and again.

Buttermilk Pumpkin Pancakes

• 3 cups buttermilk pancake mix
• 2 cups cold water
• 2/3 cup pureed pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• dash of nutmeg
• dash of clove

Directions

• Mix all the ingredients together.
• Cook as you would any other pancakes.

I don't have a picture of these right now either. But this time its because the kids ate them so fast. It made about 12 pancakes.

*Check out this great post from For Dragonflies and Me about canning pumpkin.

My Eyes are Bigger than My Ambition

I have no idea what is wrong with me...I have serious issues. When I decide to do something I decide to go big. Crazy big. Out of this world big. Unnecessarily big....seriously who needs 47 cups of pumpkin puree?

I am clearly out of my mind.

It all started innocently enough. I wanted to make pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving, so I decided to make my own pumpkin puree. I figured one good sized pumpkin should be enough. I went out looking for discount pumpkins two days after Halloween. And boy did I luck out, I found pumpkins for free. So instead of getting one good sized pumpkins I got SIX. See I always go overboard.

So know I have 6 monster pumpkins and I decide to go ahead and make puree. I really didn't understand what I was getting myself into but heck I read a few blog posts on the subject and it didn't seem hard.

And it wasn't hard just very time consuming and messy. it is possible I made it messier than it really is but that is how I roll. And if I had stuck with my original plan, the 1 pumpkin, it probably wouldn't have been as time consuming.

Why do I feel this need to go big or go home. I am not even a big fan of pumpkin. I like pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and pumpkin muffins and pumpkin lattes...its possible I do like pumpkin and I just don't know it. I don't like pumpkin pie which begs the question why am I making it for Thanksgiving?

I am asking a lot of questions but the answer to that one is easy my grandma told me to make them for Thanksgiving...not his year but many years ago and I have done it almost every year since.  When I don't do it my cousin does...then she started having babies in November and hasn't made them since. I think she kept giving birth to get out of making pies for Thanksgiving but that is an issue she and I will have to work out one day. 

So now because of a whim I have more pumpkin puree than I know what to do with and I am in desperate need for recipes. Please share your favorite recipe!!!