Pumpkin Streusel Muffins And A Couple Handy Tips

In order to keep up with my self imposed goal of baking and cooking more from scratch, I have been trying to bake several recipes at the same time. It is more efficient to bake several things at once while the oven is already preheated, baking supplies are already out, and the kitchen is already a mess (at least in my case!). For instance, if I am going to bake bread, I will mix together and knead the bread dough. While it is rising I will whip up a batch of muffins (doubling it, so half  can go in the freezer for quick breakfasts or lunch box treats) or cookies (also doubled,  because if word gets out that cookie baking is going on at the Tightwad household the kid's friends will always show up to "help" us eat them!). The warm stove top (from the heat generated from the oven) is great for letting bread dough rise, and using the oven efficiently  reduces energy waste.
A couple days ago, I was going through the refrigerator finding odds and ends that needed to be used up. I came across an almost empty jar of home made applesauce and half of a leftover baked butternut squash. Muffins popped into my head. Since I was already planning on baking a batch of cookies, I thought muffins would be a great addition, too. Muffins and quick breads are a great way to used up leftover cooked carrots, squash, over ripe fruit, or odds and ends. I looked through my new cook book  "The Taste Of Home Baking Book" (thank you Dear Hubby).

In it I found a recipe for Pumpkin Streusel  Muffins. I tweaked the recipe a little bit so that I could use up the leftover applesauce. I also doubled the original recipe to have leftovers to freeze. Here is what I came up with.

"Pumpkin" Streusel Muffins

(makes about two dozen muffins)

1/2 cup butter (or shortening), softened

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 cups pureed butternut squash (you can also use canned pumpkin, or cooked, mashed carrots)

1/2 cup applesauce ( or add 1/2 cup more pumpkin to the recipe)

1 cup buttermilk (or sour milk, or plain yogurt, or sour cream)

4 eggs, slightly beaten

1/4 cup molasses

4 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon salt

STREUSEL TOPPING:

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon of all purpose flour

4 1/2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

3 tablespoons cold butter, cut into twelve small sections

(Combine flour and brown sugar in a bowl. cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. I just mix it together with my clean hands.)

1. In a large mixing bowl cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
2. Add squash, applesauce, buttermilk, molasses, and mix well.
3. In a medium bowl combine flour , baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
4. Gradually add flour mixture into wet ingredients until just blended (the batter will be lumpy).
5. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.
6. Sprinkle streusel topping over batter. 
7. Bake at 375 for 20 - 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the muffin comes out clean.
8. Cool on a wire rack. Cool at least 15 minutes before eating.

HANDY TIP #1: I love streusel topping, but it is notoriously messy. I discovered that if you put a round cookie or biscuit cutter over the top of  muffin before you sprinkle the crumbly topping it will go on the top of the muffin batter and not all over the pan and counter (and the floor, if you are like me!)

HANDY TIP #2: Watch for paper cupcake/ muffin liners on clearance racks and at Dollar Stores. You can some times find them cheaper than at the grocery store. If your not picky about the design you can get them for pennies. I didn't think the Troops would mind snowman faces on their muffins and I scored these for $.43 a 75 count package ( or $.005 a piece).

Sour Cream Substitute

I took advantage of the fabulous cottage cheese sale at Smith's about six weeks ago (it was $.88 a 16 oz. container) and bought 8 containers. Usually my family devours it and I can't keep it in the house. So, no worries. Well, when I cleaned the fridge out last week I found four cartons that had been kicked to the back of the fridge. Crud! It is at it's expiration date. Usually, I treat expiration dates as a suggestion, but we are pushing our luck now. To use it up I have gotten creative, and started using it in place of sour cream in recipes. I substituted a cup of it in The Sour Cream Blueberry Muffin recipe I got off the Idea Room. Delicious muffins, by the way! I pureed another cup and mixed it in with the sour cream for Chicken Enchiladas for dinner Tuesday. Today, I threw a carton in the food processor with two tablespoons of milk and a package of ranch dip mix. My family liked it better than when I use sour cream (and it's healthier, too). Tomorrow, I am using the last of it in baked pasta (basically my lasagna recipe, but I cook macaroni and use it in place of lasagna noodles).

Cranberry Muffin Recipe

I'm in the baking mood tonight, and I just threw a batch of muffins in the oven for a quick breakfast in the morning! So, I thought I'd share a yummy muffin recipe with you. A friend gave this recipe to me a few years ago, and my family loves them. Plus, this recipe is great for using up any extra cans of Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce leftover in your pantry from the holidays. They also freeze well.

Cranberry Almond Muffins

3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
Sift these ingredients together in a large bowl. In another bowl whisk together:
4 eggs
1/2 cup butter melted
1 cup sour cream (plain yogurt works, too)
1 tsp. almond extract
1 (15 oz) can whole berry cranberry sauce
1/2 cup sliced almonds(this is optional)
Stir this into dry ingredients until just moistened. Pour into lined muffins tins.
Bake at 375 for 20 - 25 minutes until light brown. Let stand 5 minutes before removing muffins from cups. Makes 24 muffins.