CHOCOLATE CHIP PUMPKIN MUFFINS

 Did you check out the Scrumptious Pumpkin Cake I made for the volunteers at the thrift shop last Monday? The recipe called for 2 cups of pumpkin and of course a can of pumpkin is not quite 2 cups. Wanting to follow the recipe I opened another can for less than a fourth cup. That left me enough pumpkin for another recipe as long as it didn't call for a whole can.

So Wednesday night I went searching for muffins or quick bread that I could make. I found two or three from The American Country Inn and Bed & Breakfast Cookbook, but decided on this Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins from The Melville House in Newport, RI. I followed the recipe except I substituted chopped pecans for the unblanched almonds, sliced. The recipe was supposed to make 14 muffins, but I made 12 muffins and 1 mini Bundt cake. (I took the mini Bundt cake to Friend Fran to cheer her up. We have been trying to get her an appointment for the COVID virus. She finally got one 120 miles from us so we are driving her to get the vaccine on Saturday. It has been such an ordeal that she says she will be happy when she gets finally gets the first shot Saturday. I know what she means because I had similar feelings.)

CHOCOLATE CHIP PUMPKIN MUFFINS

1-2/3     cups flour

3/4        cup sugar

1           tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1           teaspoon baking soda

1/4        teaspoon baking powder

1/4        teaspoon salt

     *     *     *

2           eggs

1           cup pumpkin

1/2        cup (1 stick) butter, melted

1           cup chocolate chips (I used dark chocolate chips.)

1/2        cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 12 cup muffin pan. Set aside.

In a large bowl, thoroughly mix the flour, sugar, pie spice, soda, baking powder, and salt with a whisk.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with the whisk.

Add the pumpkin and whisk the mixture til smooth.

Add the melted butter and whisk until blended.

Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts with a spatula

til evenly distributed. 

Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients and

fold in with a spatula until the dry ingredients are moistened. (This will take a bit of stirring to get every bit of flour mixture in the bottom of the bowl.)

Spoon the batter into the muffin cups. You will probably have enough batter for 1 - 2 more muffins.

I made a mini Bundt cake with the batter. 

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until puffed and springy to the touch.

Turn out onto a rack to cool.

Wrap in a plastic bag or airtight container.