Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Holidays to all who observe and celebrate! As promised, today's post will center around the most amazing recipe for pumpkin muffins EVER and homemade egg nog.
Okay, everyone, we're switching gears here. This is completely unrelated to food, but I have to bring it up because it is so important to me. I had the privilege of being able to see my sweet (pseudo-) niece, Lilah Marie Caswell today. What a beauty she is, too. Seven months ago, my friend Jenny, who also belongs in the "life friend" category, gave birth to Miss Lilah. After a few minor complications (and to Jenny and her fabulous husband Adrian's relief), the whole family got to go home and this sweet adorable child has been a joy to them ever since. Guys, I fell in love with Lilah the minute I heard of her birth. See, Jenny is one of my oldest (17 years and still going strong), dearest, most treasured friends of all time. She's incredibly strong, intelligent, beautiful, and the sweetest, most giving friend anyone could ever have. So anyone that she and her incredibly talented and kind-hearted husband produced had to be worth more than gold, right? When you see pictures of her (below), you'll understand why she immediately captures and melts the hearts of anyone who meets her. For Pete's sake, the kid could be a Gerber baby model -- with her exceedingly long eyelashes, big, inquisitive eyes, rosy cheeks, and sweet smile, she's sure to turn a few heads. Anyway, I had to dedicate part of today's post to her, because Miss Lilah Marie, you are a complete angel and I'm so glad I got to see your (seemingly always) smiling face today.
I first got this recipe for pumpkin muffins a few years ago from a very dear friend of mine named Victoria. Let me tell you -- she is a superb baker. All the women in her family are crazy good at creating sweet, delectable treats without even the slightest struggle. Homemade icing? Suuure! Baked goods out the wazoo? Why not? A baking disaster, you say? You can count on these baking extraordinaires to bail you out of anything quickly and efficiently, assuming your mix is salvagable (I know from experience, trust me).
I was blessed enough to meet Victoria when we began pursuing a Master of Public Health together at Emory in 2007. We've since become "life-friends," a category I've reserved for a select few with whom I know I will have a lasting friendship. :) She began baking for our group of friends pretty early on in our friendship. We'd pass around pumpkin muffins and lemon squares in the middle of a lecture because they were so good. Everything she made was of the highest quality; not even the most well-renowned bakery could touch her masterpieces (in my eyes, at least)! I will never forget when, for my 25th birthday, she baked me a raspberry white-chocolate (am I remembering correctly, Vic??) cheesecake FROM SCRATCH. Homemade, guys. I mean, this is the real deal. It was absolutely spectacular. Anyway, Victoria gave me the recipe for those muffins shortly after and every time I use it, I end up with a quality product. Which, as you may remember from previous posts, is astounding considering my complete lack of baking skill (I mean, nil).
Anyway, I had this fantastic idea a few days ago to make a batch of pumpkin muffins and a pitcher of homemade egg nog to go with it. Well, let's just say I'm still working to perfect the egg nog recipe (it didn't turn out half bad, but I think I can make it better) so I won't provide the recipe for that. I will, however, post the recipe for pumpkin muffins (you can also make a loaf, if you so choose) below. Thank you, Victoria and Cynthia (Victoria's mother), for completing my life by providing me this recipe. :) It's comforted me many a night during midnight hunger pangs and early in the morning when I'm craving something a little sweet. Heck, pumpkin muffins are good any time of the day. Regardless, thank you for sharing this with me, and allowing me to share the recipe with others. It has changed my life. You guys are amazing.
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups white sugar (**Note: I actually never seem to have white sugar in the house, unfortunately. Instead, I use 2 - 2 1/2 cups of brown sugar...it's more difficult to mix together with the batter, but it's doable)
1 cup salad oil
4 eggs – beaten
1 can (16 oz) pumpkin
3 ½ cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon cloves
2/3 cups water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
PREPARATION:
Baking: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Using the mixer, cream sugar and oil. Add eggs. Beat on slow/medium speed until
thoroughly mixed. Add the can of pumpkin. Mix thoroughly. Slowly and thoroughly,
add soda, salt, baking powder, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla. Add 1
cup flour. Mix thoroughly. Add 1/3 cup water. Mix. Alternate the remaining flour and
water – ending with the flour.
For muffins: Lightly “Pam” (spray) or grease with Crisco muffin tins. Bake
approximately 20 minutes until toothpick comes out clean from the middle of a muffin
and/or the muffins “sound” crackly when you listen. Cool in muffin tins, possibly
lifting each to rest on its side while cooling in the pan. This recipe makes about 3 dozen
muffins.
For bread: Lightly “Pam” or grease the loaf pans. (This recipe makes 2 large loaf pans).
Bake the loaves for approximately 1 hour. The center should test done. Let stand/rest in
the loaf pan for about 10 minutes before removing.
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| Amazing pumpkin muffin. |
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| First attempt at homemade egg nog. (more aesthetically pleasing with a cinnamon stick in it, eh?) |
Okay, everyone, we're switching gears here. This is completely unrelated to food, but I have to bring it up because it is so important to me. I had the privilege of being able to see my sweet (pseudo-) niece, Lilah Marie Caswell today. What a beauty she is, too. Seven months ago, my friend Jenny, who also belongs in the "life friend" category, gave birth to Miss Lilah. After a few minor complications (and to Jenny and her fabulous husband Adrian's relief), the whole family got to go home and this sweet adorable child has been a joy to them ever since. Guys, I fell in love with Lilah the minute I heard of her birth. See, Jenny is one of my oldest (17 years and still going strong), dearest, most treasured friends of all time. She's incredibly strong, intelligent, beautiful, and the sweetest, most giving friend anyone could ever have. So anyone that she and her incredibly talented and kind-hearted husband produced had to be worth more than gold, right? When you see pictures of her (below), you'll understand why she immediately captures and melts the hearts of anyone who meets her. For Pete's sake, the kid could be a Gerber baby model -- with her exceedingly long eyelashes, big, inquisitive eyes, rosy cheeks, and sweet smile, she's sure to turn a few heads. Anyway, I had to dedicate part of today's post to her, because Miss Lilah Marie, you are a complete angel and I'm so glad I got to see your (seemingly always) smiling face today.
Enjoy, folks! (yeah, as if pumpkin muffins and egg nog were not sweet enough!!)
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| Old, dear childhood friends, Jenny and Sarah, and me. |
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