Pumpkin Muffins

I got this recipe from Erika on Os. As she suggested, I did half of the batter in muffin cups, and the second half in a baking pan as a small cake. I poured out the muffins first, then added chocolate chips to the rest and baked that as a small cake. And, since I can never leave well enough alone (most of the time because I don't have the foresight to gather all the ingredients before starting), I made some changes. I only had whole cloves and no nutmeg, so I omitted both. I used 2 3/4cups white and 1/4 cups brown sugar, and I upped the cinnamon to 2 teaspoons as well as adding 1/2 teaspoon allspice. My hubby, who hates pumpkin in dessert, really liked this.

spiced pumpkin bread

Bon Appétit | November 1995

Vern Bertagna: West Frankfort, Illinois

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Serve one of these loaves the day you make them. Wrap the other in foil and freeze up to one month so that you'll have it on hand for unexpected company.

Servings: Makes 2 loaves.

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Ingredients

3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 16-ounce can solid pack pumpkin
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9x5x3-inch loaf pans. Beat sugar and oil in large bowl to blend. Mix in eggs and pumpkin. Sift flour, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt and baking powder into another large bowl. Stir into pumpkin mixture in 2 additions. Mix in walnuts, if desired. Divide batter equally between prepared pans. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Transfer to racks and cool 10 minutes. Using sharp knife, cut around edge of loaves. Turn loaves out onto racks and cool completely

Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins

These are very, very yummy. Big hit around here.

Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins
From: Barefoot Contessa Family Style by Ina Garten
(Clarkson Potter; October 2002; ISBN:060961066X; HC)
Cookbook Heaven @ Recipelink.com

There were days at Barefoot Contessa in Westhampton Beach when we would bake 2,000 muffins on a Saturday morning and they would all be gone by 9:30 A.M. As bakers came out of the kitchen with more muffins, people would try to grab them off the trays. I guess there's not much that's as appealing as a freshly baked muffin!

Makes 16 muffins

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 extra -large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 8 ounces (about 1 cup) sour cream
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 half-pints fresh blueberries, picked through for stems

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place 16 paper liners in muffin pans.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla, sour cream, and milk. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed add the flour mixture to the batter and beat until just mixed. Fold in the blueberries with a spatula and be sure the batter is completely mixed.
3. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pans, filling each cup just over the top, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the muffins are lightly browned on top and a cake tester comes out clean.

The bakers at Barefoot Contessa use an ice-cream scoop to measure the batter so that every muffin comes out the same size.

Greasing the tops of the pans makes it easier to take the muffins out.

Delicious Versatile Scones Recipe

These were also in the BG, but I had to repost here. They are that good. I divided the dough in two and mixed coconut in half and chocolate chips in the other.

Delicious Versatile Scones Recipe

Ingredients

* 1 cup sour cream (preferably low-fat)
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 cup white sugar
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup butter - very cold
* 1 egg
* 1 cup desired mix-ins
* (blueberries with lemon zest, dried cranberries and orange zest,
* dried currants, chocolate chips, etc)


Directions

1. In a small bowl, blend the sour cream and baking soda, and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients.
4. Cut in the butter.
5. Stir the sour cream mixture and egg into the flour mixture until just moistened.
6. Add desired mix-ins
7. (At this point you can split the dough in half or thirds for more variations)
8. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead briefly.
9. Roll or pat dough into a 3/4 inch thick round.
10. Cut into 12 wedges, or cut with small biscuit cutter.
11. Place scones 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
12. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown on the bottom.