We've Got Pumpkin

And lots of it!  None of my beautiful pumpkins were carved this Halloween (when a toddler runs the show, sometimes priorities just need to be shifted around, you know?).  And the recent snowfall made them turn from a pretty fall decoration on the front porch to a pile of unseasonable squashes.  So inside they came, to meet their match with my knife and oven.  I cut them, buttered them, spiced half and left the other half plain, and popped them in the oven for the afternoon.  A little zap in the cuisinart and I had myslef a bucket of plain pumpkin puree waiting to be made into pumpkin curry soup and another bucket spiced and waiting to become muffins, sweet bread, pancakes, you name it.  Oh the yumminess!  Elliot was totally into it with me.  The squishing of the pumpkin guts.  The smelling of the spices.  The tasting of the raw pumpkin.  Er, I didn't put him up to that.  It was all him.  But he didn't get too far.  Raw pumpkin really doesn't taste that good.  But whole wheat pumpkin walnut chocolate chip muffins sure do!  See below...

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking sa
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or make an equivalent mix of cinnamon, cloves, allspice and nutmeg)
• 2/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/3 cup buttermilk (or 1/3 c milk plus 1 t lemon juice, let sit for 5 mins)
• Plus a few handfuls of chocolate chips and walnuts

Whisk together the first 3 ingredients and set aside. Blend together the next 6 ingredients.  Mix wet into dry ingredients just until combined, then add any extra yummies.  Bake 15 minutes at 400 degrees.  Makes a dozen muffins.