With halloween approaching, I thought it might be nice to include some pumpkin recipes on the blog.
My mother loves to cook and bake and she’s constantly trying out recipes and sharing them with me–or showing me recipes that she thinks I should share. (Unfortunately, she doesn’t own a computer, so she can’t follow my blog.) Mom has been making these muffins since I was a teenager. I made them for my very first clients in Seattle in 1998, and I know their oldest daughter (who was a teenager when I started cooking for them) now has the recipe and makes them too. They are also a big hit with Tigger and Eeyore (who are known during other months of the year as Caroline and Macie).
This recipe makes a large batch, but you can freeze half of them. They are vegan, but still delicious.
Pumpkin Muffins
Makes 4 1/2 dozen
1 cup canola oil
3 cups sugar
1 can (1 lb 13 oz.) pumpkin
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 cup chopped nuts (I prefer walnuts or pecans)—optional
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F; grease muffin tins.
Blend oil, sugar and pumpkin together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, sift together dry ingredients.
Tina’s Tip: When measuring flour, spoon it gently into the measuring cup. Do not shake the cup to compact the flour or you will end up with more than is required.
Gradually add flour mixture to pumpkin. Stir in nuts (if you choose to include them).
Fill each muffin tin 3/4 full. Bake for 25-30 minutes (toothpick should come out clean.)
Recipe originally came from the Pewter Pot in Cashmere, Washington.
Thyme with Sage 
Jack and I made these as part of his homeschool cooking class, we doubled the recipe prior to reading the yield, whoa baby we got a lot! We even boiled down a sugar pumpkin instead of buying canned. Of course dad couldn’t just let be, we also added vanilla, raisins and chocolate chips. Due to a nut aversion on mom’s part we added sprinkled walnuts to the last batch. Pumpkin-a-licious!!!! I’m sure Gus will love em when he gets home from school.
I think that is the happiest I have ever seen Eore.
I have been making pumpkin muffins and bread for decades. I just made a batch this morning and am blown away by the flavor. They actually taste as if a sugar pumpkin was one of the ingredients, instead of a sugary batch of dough with a taste of pumpkin added. They are truly delicious and I will definitely be making these again. Thanks for posting this onto your blog, Tina.
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