Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins...just in time for Fall!

Hey everyone!  So I wake up one morning and it feels...cool!  As in weather.  Not as in, "wow. I'm waking up and this feels cool" kind of cool, cuz that would be kind of weird and awkward.  Yeah.

Pumpkins!  Chocolate!  That's what I was getting to!  I wake up and the weather is feeling cooler outside and the tiny baker that lives in my mind says, "HEY!"  Okay, that was more of a holler but still...she says, "Hey!  Remember those awesome Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins you made last year?" "Go on.." I say.  " How about we make those today!" "Oooo, yeah.  Let's!" thats me.

After searching for my recipe that I received from a Creative Memories lady MANY years ago I rummage through my pantry to see what else I would need to complete my ingredient list.  Lo and behold, all I need is...pumpkin!  So I run my little toosh to the grocery store and grab mamma some canned pumpkin.  I don't use fresh pumpkin because...well, that's just crazy to waste so much time cutting and cleaning and pureeing the pulp and I feel it would discredit all the work others have done to prepare the pumpkin beforehand for people like me who bake on a whim.  Right.  So, canned pumpkin and back home to prepare these oh so scrumdidalyumptious treats that I plan to have ready when the boys get home and allow them to taste of my masterpiece.  I've already worked it out in my mind to not tell my eldest that it has pumpkin because he'd just make a face and ask if it tastes good then proceed to ask me to make some without pumpkin. (breathe)

When I started gathering my ingredients to mix I actually remembered to grab my camera and take some "play by play" pics of the whole process.  Your welcome.  Complete recipe will be at the bottom.

Here are all the ingredients you'll need.

Doesn't that look pretty?  I thought so.

First, mix sugar, eggs and oil

Second, pumpkin and water.

Yeah, doesn't look the best but THIS is the magic!

Next, your flour and spices...

and everything nices. ;-)

Last, the other part of the magic, the chocolate!

I use Semisweet or Extra Semisweet if you're cool like that.

and...

...

...

...

BOOM!

The magic is complete!  I'm getting misty-eyed just thinking about how beautiful a union this is.  Sniff, sniff.

"Well, what'd your eldest think?" you ask.  He got home and asked if there was anything to snack on so I told him, with a loving mother smile, "there are muffins in the kitchen." "Awesome!" was his reply.  He runs to the kitchen, grabs a muffin, notices the chocolate and exclaims, "Oooo, chocolate!"  Takes a big bite and says..............."It tastes different. Is there carrot in these?"  Alas, I cannot pull the wool over my son's eyes!  So I tell him, "no sweetheart, it's not carrot it's pumpkin.  "Oh, wow!  These taste pretty good!  Thanks mom, you're the best!"  Melt. My. Heart.  Mission accomplished.

These are really easy and if you have never tried something like this, let me tell you, you have not lived yet!  They are so yummy and evoke such a wonderful feeling of comfort and fall and the holidays to come!  I hope you give them a try.  You'll be extremely glad you did!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Mix

3/4 Cup White Sugar

1/4 Cup Vegetable, Canola or Olive Oil

3 Eggs

Add

3/4 Cup Canned Pumpkin

1/4 Cup Water

Add

1 1/2 Cup All-Purpose Flour

3/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cloves

1/4 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

Add

3/4 Cup Semisweet Chocolate chips, more to top (optional)

Fill 12 cupcake liners and bake in a preheated 400 degrees F oven for 20-25 min.  Enjoy!

As always, be blessed, thanks for stopping by and leave some love (comments)! :-)

Quinoa Salad

So...this is not a cake post but I think you'll still want to read it.  Because (I know you're not supposed to start a sentence with that but this is my post not an english teacher's), it's about a delicious recipe...(see above title).  Yep!  Quinoa.  It's spoken KEEN-wah.  These are the two brands that I have purchased.

   

I don't remember the exact cost but it's around $3 a box.  The cooking instructions are very easy and when I say easy I mean EASY.  I could say it's as easy as rice but it took me a few tries to cook rice without scorching it so...yeah.  You dump the package in a pot cover with water.  I used to measure it the first couple of times but now I just dump and cover (with water).  Then, "just like rice", bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 10-12 min or until water is absorbed.  I just turn it to low and leave it for about 15 or so, usually until I'm done chopping what I put in it.  "What do you put in it?" you ask?  Well, let me tell you! (images are not my own.)

While it's simmering I chop... a garlic clove, a coupe of tomatoes...

a cucumber (pretend there's a pic of chopped cucumber), purple onion,

a bunch of parsley and Feta!

Then you add Olive oil, salt, pepper and Lemon juice!  All to your taste!

That's it!  You can serve it warm or cold.  It will keep in the fridge and is a great afternoon snack!  Enjoy!

As always...God bless, leave some love and thanks for stopping by!

Airplane Shower Cake

Hello friends!  I know I haven't said much the past couple of weeks but I'll blame that on still trying to figure out my new schedule and on not having much to say lately.  Actually I've been feeling particularly quiet.  Not sure why that is but I think sometimes it just needs to be.  Remember...Silence is Golden!

My latest creation was for a baby shower this past weekend.  The theme was Aviator and I suggested using the colors of orange, light blue and navy.  Then I decided to do silver too and the navy turned into more of a brighter blue.  The concept was to have an airplane on top of the cake which was the sky with clouds around it and a banner.

I love working with this particular customer, who has placed orders before, because she pretty much let's me design whatever I want.  LOVE those kind of customers.  Not because I can do whatever but because that shows they trust my creativity and eye for design when dealing with a cake.

So here's the finished product which, honestly, turned out much cuter than I initially thought.  I love it when that happens too!  It's a vanilla buttermilk cake with a white chocolate raspberry swiss meringue buttercream.  Yeah, try saying that three times fast!  Actually, don't, just eat it...you'll be glad you did.

I also made little orange and blue propellors for some cupcakes for the kiddos.  Those turned out pretty cute too but we'll just pretend that I have a pic of those, mmmkay.

If I happen to come up with something else exciting to share I'll be sure to let you know.   Until next time...

As always, God bless, leave some love and thanks for stopping by!