Showing posts with label Pumpkin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pumpkin. Show all posts

Pumpkin Applesauce Muffins

These muffins remind me of fall season when apples and pumpkin are in season.I have tried this recipe with fresh apples....making applesauce at home and then making pumpkin puree at home and it turned out to be tooo good to be true,but then for saving time I have also used store brought applesauce and pumpkin puree and they are just as scrumptious.This recipe makes quite a few muffins ,so I freeze them or make two loaves of bread.

Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoon's melted butter or cooking spray( for greasing the muffin cups)
3 1/3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter,softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup applesauce
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup apple juice,cider or orange juice
1 1/2 cups raisins

Directions
1.Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and grease 12  half cup muffin cups.Sift together the dry ingredients.
2.Beat the butter and sugar for about 2-3 minutes.Add the eggs,applesauce,pumpkin,and vanilla and beat lightly.
3.Alternately add some of the fry ingredients  and pour in some of the apple juice or cider,beating until smooth.Fold in raisins.
4.Spoon the batter into greased muffin tins,filling each cup two-thirds full.Bake in the middle of the oven for 20-25 minutes,or until puffed and a toothpick comes out clean.
5.Cool for few minutes in the pan and then turn out onto a rack for cooling.Serve the muffins warm or at room temperature.
6.The same batter can be used to bake Pumpkin Applesauce bread by baking in two 9 by 5 by 3 inch loaf pans for 5-60 minutes.Cool,remove from the pans ,cut into slices and serve.
7.The muffins and the bread freeze very well.For doing that wrap the bread in a piece of aluminium foil and then wrap the cling wrap tightly around.
'njoy!!!

Tips:-
1.The recipe calls for softened unsalted butter .Well there are two ways to go about it.You can leave the butter at room temperature to softened or in the microwave if you are in a hurry.I prefer the first option as it ensures that the cakes,muffins,bread etc are soft.
For more baking tips see this,and this.

HEARTY HARVEST ST-OUP



Harvest is the season when the evenings start turning chilly.I personally prefer having a hearty hot meal at the end of day .A meal which is filling yet does not require too much work ( by work I mean ..not cleaning too many utensils).It is called a "St-oup" because it is a soup with the consistensy of a stew.
This soup has all the ingredients you can find in the fall season.This is a totally vegetarian soup with kidney beans, a wonderful source of low-fat protein.The recipe is as follows.
Ingredients
2 tblsp Extra Virgin Olive oil
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
1 Medium Onion Finely Chopped
1 (15 oz) Can broth (Chicken broth or vegetable broth.Can also be substituted with water)
1 can Diced Tomatoes or 3 medium Tomatoes Finely chopped
1 small potato finely diced
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
2 can Kidney Beans drained
1 Can Pumpkin Puree
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsp ground Cumin
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
Salt acc to taster
1/2 tsp dry thyme (optional)
1/2 tsp Red pepper flakes(optional)
Directions
1.Boil Potato pieces and corn Nibblets in 2 cups of water in a pot.
2.Heat a soup pot over medium heat.
3.Add oil when hot and add chopped garlic and then add the finely diced onions.
4.Saute onions for 5 mins.
5.Add Broth,tomatoes,kidney beans,pumpkin puree.
6.Drain the boiled potatoes and corn and add it to soup pot.
7.Stir to combine ingredients and bring soup to a boil.
8.Reduce heat to medium low and stir in cumin,cayenne pepper,salt,black pepper,cinnamon,thyme, red pepper flakes.
9.Let the soup simmer for 5 minutes and adjust the seasonings.
10.If the soup looks too thick,add some water and again bring it to a boil.
11.Top with sour cream or low fat yogurt on top.
12.It can be served with Garlic Bread or even wheat tortilla chips
This goes to Usha for her Healthy Inspirations Event and to Siri for her My Legume Love Affair Event. and also to Susan who started this wonderful event.

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