Totoro Family Recipes: Pumpkin Nut Muffins

Last week I posted my quintessential fall recipe, Fresh Apple Cake, even though we are still in the dog days of summer. Perhaps I owe a bit of an explanation...

When I first started posting Totoro Family Recipes, the primary reason was to document family favorites for the next generation. I have a Pinterest board to collect them all for easy access.

Most of these family favorites center around the fall holidays, from October 1st through December 31st. I calculated the recipes I wanted I share and the number of weeks until the New Year.  And I realized... in order to share them all, I had to start mid-August!

Be prepared for Christmas cookie recipes sometime before Thanksgiving :)

This week, however, I thought I would share a fall classic: Pumpkin Muffins. I figure if Starbucks can serve Pumpkin Spice Lattes this early in the season, I can offer pumpkin bread recipes.

Ingredients (cut in half from the original):

• 1.5 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 1/3 cup shortening (I use butter)
• 1 cup pureed pumpkin
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1.3 cups sugar
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/2 cup chopped dates
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl: flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.
2. In a separate large bowl, combine wet ingredients: shortening (butter), pumpkin, eggs, sugar, milk, dates, and walnuts.
3. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until batter is blended (don't be concerned if small bits of shortening remain - they will disappear in baking).
4. Fill greased muffin tins about 1/2 full with batter.
5. Bake in 350 degree oven approximately 13-15 minutes
6. This 1/2 recipe yields approximately 36 mini-muffins

This post is part of BethFishRead's Weekend Cooking Link-Up. For more delicious recipes, please visit her weekly blog feature.

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