A Taste of Fall

The flavors of fall have been calling my name, so over the weekend I did a little cooking with some leftover pumpkin from a muffin recipe I tried two weeks ago. I didn't have all the ingredients on hand to make that particular recipe again, so what I improvised was this Pumpkin & Chocolate Chip Muffin recipe.

I was inspired, too, by some discoveries at Publix: Dickinson's Apple Butter and Bigelow's Pumpkin Spice Tea, both of which I greatly enjoyed! I knew Dickinson's as maker of the Lemon Curd and Lime Curd I have often purchased, but I didn't know they made Apple Butter. And the Bigelow tea had a nice rich taste, almost a buttery taste, with just enough spice to make this a fine fall tea. I must say, the hot tea was the perfect accompaniment to this rich, hot muffin, which was good alone but seemed decadent when I topped each bite with a bit of the apple butter. If you're in a muffin mood as well, here's the recipe!

Pumpkin & Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large egg
2/3 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, add flours, soda, ginger, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and cloves. Combine well.

In large mixing bowl, combine granulated sugar and pumpkin, milk, brown sugar, oil and egg. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture and beat at low speed until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Line a muffin pan with 12 cupcake liners. Spoon batter into prepared cups (I use an ice cream scoop). Bake at 375 degrees for 22 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched. Serve hot with apple butter. Yields 12 muffins.