For the love of pumpkin

It is Monday which means a couple things:  grocery shopping and baking!  We have had the most glorious fall here in Oregon and the colors on church street have not disappointed this year.  All this golden goodness has got me in the mood for some more pumpkin!  Pumpkin spice lattes are my favorite of the holiday drinks that come around - although in my opinion they make them a bit too sweet (just one pump of syrup for me), still one sip and I know cool weather and Christmas are in my near future.

Hmmm - picking up one of these might just make grocery shopping enjoyable.;)

Later this afternoon I plan on using up that lonely little jar of pumpkin sitting in my cupboard on some pumpkin spice muffins.  Since I always like to try something new I found this recipie and it looks promising.  

RECIPE FOR PUMPKIN MUFFINS
From Gourmet November 2006
Adapted from the American Club
Makes 1 dozen
Active time: 15 min.
Start to finish: 1 hour INGREDIENTS:
1.5 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup canned solid-pack pumpking (from a 15-oz can) (I accidentally put the entire 15 oz. can in, with no ill effects at all)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 tsp pumpkin-pie spice (a combo of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and allspice)
1.25 cups plus 1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
Equipment: 12 foil or paper muffin liners; a muffin pan with 12 (1/2-cup) muffin cups
DIRECTIONS:
Put oven rack in middle positiona nd preheat oven toe 350F. Put liners in muffin cups.
Whisk together flour and baking powder in a small bowl.
Whisk together pumpkin, oil, eggs, pumpkin-pie spice, 1.25 cups sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until smooth, then whisk in flour mixture until just combined.
Stir together cinnamon and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in another bowl.
Divide batter among muffin cups (each should be about 3/4 full), then spinkle tops with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Bake until puffed and golden brown and a wodden pick or skewer inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
Cool in pan on a rack 5 minutes, then transfer muffins from pan to rack and cool to warm or room temperature.

So here's to the last of those golden, pumpkiny fall days!  Grab your pumpkin treat of choice and enjoy the now....