Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

3/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

3/4 cup canned pumpkin

1/4 cup water

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease and flour muffin pan or use paper liners.

Mix sugar, oil, eggs. Add pumpkin and water. In separate bowl mix together the baking flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt.. Add wet mixture and stir in chocolate chips.

Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

(Thanks to my friend, Gina, for this tasty recipe perfect for fall!)

Pumpkin and Cream Cheese Muffins

8 oz. cream cheese
3 eggs
2 1/2 c. sugar
2 1/2 c. flour
1/4 c. pecans, roughly chopped
3 T. butter, melted
2 1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. baking soda
1 1/4 c. solid-packed pumpkin
1/3 c. vegetable oil
1/2 t. vanilla

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat muffin tins with oil and set aside.

Mix in small bowl and set aside:
8 oz cream cheese
1 egg
3 T. sugar

Toss in medium bowl and set aside:
5 T. sugar
1/2 c. flour
1/4 c. pecans
3 T. butter
1/2 t. cinnamon

Combine the remaining sugar, cinnamon and flour with the salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl. Make a well in the center.

Lightly beat 2 eggs, pumpkin, oil and vanilla together in a medium bowl. Pour into the well of the flour mixture. Mix with a fork just until moistened.

Evenly divide half the batter among the muffin cups. Place 2 teaspoonfuls of cream cheese filling in the center of each cup and fill with the remaining batter.

Sprinkle some of the pecan mixture over the top of each muffin and bake until golden and a tester, inserted into the muffin center, comes out clean - 20 to 25 minutes.

Cool on wire racks.

(recipe from Country Living magazine, September 2004)

Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins

These yummy muffins are a wonderful breakfast food. They also make the perfect snack for a crisp fall afternoon.

1 c. canned or cooked pumpkin

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. milk

2 eggs

1/4 c. butter melted

2 c. all purpose flour

2 t. baking powder

1 t. ground cinnamon

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. ground nutmeg

1/2 t. ground ginger

1 c. chopped walnuts

1 c. fresh or frozen cranberries

Beat pumpkin, sugar, milk, eggs and butter.

Combine dry ingredients; stir into pumpkin mixture.

Fold in walnuts and cranberries.

Pour into greased muffin tins.

Cook at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until done.

Allow to cool. (makes 24 muffins)

Sensational Double Layer Pumpkin Pie

4 oz. cream cheese
1 c. plus 1 T. milk
1 T. sugar
1 1/2 c. cool whip
1 lg. pkg. vanilla instant pudding mix
1 (16 oz) pumpkin pie filling
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ginger
1/4 t. cloves
1 graham cracker pie crust

Mix cream cheese, 1 T. milk and sugar until smooth. Stir in cool whip by hand. Spread on bottom of crust.

Pour 1 c. milk into mixing bowl. Add pudding mix. Beat until well blended. Add pumpkin and spices. Mix well. Spread over cream cheese layer.

Add a little cool whip on top and refrigerate.

serves 8

Pumpkin Dip!

It's that time of year: the time when all the great holiday recipes are brought out of storage. In honor of the fall season, I am posting one of my all-time favorite harvest recipes.

This recipe was given to me by my friend, Sherry, a co-worker of mine when I lived in North Carolina. This dip was a favorite of the teacher workroom, and everyone always got excited when Sherry brought this!

2 c. powdered sugar
8 oz. cream cheese
15 oz. pumpkin pie mix
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. ginger

Mix sugar and cream cheese. Add pumpkin mix, cinnamon and ginger.

Serve with ginger snaps, and TRY to refrain from eating the whole batch yourself!

If taking to a function (or teacher workroom), you may need to double this recipe.