What's Cookin'?

Like most newlyweds, I've now turned my attention to the kitchen. Time to start using all those fabulous wedding gifts and cook delicious dinners every night. Right? Someone once told me, "Don't start something you can't finish". Read: why my sister-in-law still makes my brothers lunch every day.

All that being said, one of the things I admire about my mother in law is her ability to cook, even the simplest things, so well. She loves cooking for her family, and practice makes perfect. So I've set off trying my hand at some new dishes.

First stop: Pumpkin muffins.

I love all things pumpkin. Cakes. Coffee. Coffee creamer. I found a recipe from Gourmet magazine (do not be alarmed by the title - it was really easy) and got to work.

I think this cinnamon sugar mixture was the icing on the cake - literally.

RECIPE FOR PUMPKIN MUFFINS

From Gourmet November 2006

Makes 1 dozen

Start to finish: 1 hour

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 can pumpkin

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 and preheat oven to 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.

They were pretty dang good, if I do say so myself. Next time, I think I'll add in some chocolate chips. Watch out! In unrelated news, Mercedes training starts asap.

I think the delicious fall themed breakfast got Matt in the spirit, so he made this concotion for game time Saturday night.

Rum Apple Cider.
Combine apple cider with spiced rum. Mix.

Fall is in tough competition with Summer for my favorite season.