Pumpkin Muffins

Serving dinner rolls to help stretch your food budget is smart, but putting muffins on your table is even better.  I know many people who will pass up a regular dinner roll but will help themselves to a couple flavorful muffins when they are passed around the table.  These are easy and inexpensive to make and will stretch your food budget without anyone noticing – or caring! It’s beginning to feel like fall here in Knoxville, in the mornings when it’s cool at least. Personally I will buy a pumpkin and roast it but it’s not quite the season yet and I purged the freezer so I’m using canned pumpkin here this time.

So here’s one to try-

Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups raisins
• 4 3/4 cups (all-purpose) whole wheat or white wheat flour
• 4 cups white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
• 6 eggs
• 1 (29 ounce) can pumpkin
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

1.    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 12 cup muffin pans, or line with paper muffin liners. Soak raisins in hot water for ten minutes to plump, then drain.

2.    In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and ground cloves. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, pumpkin, and applesauce, until smooth. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and stir thoroughly to make a smooth batter. Stir the raisins and walnuts into the batter. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups.

3.    Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.