Pumpkin Muffins w/ Cream Cheese Icing

I would be remiss if I let October slip away without posting a pumpkin recipe! These slightly decadent, deeply spiced Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Icing are just one of the reasons why I harbor a soft spot for the official arrival of the fall pumpkin season. Although you won't find me ordering a pumpkin spiced latte. As I much prefer to get my pumpkin fix in something baked. Like pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin squares, pumpkin cupcakes, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin cheesecake, but especially pumpkin muffins. 

What I love about these Pumpkin Muffins w/ Cream Cheese Icing is their texture and flavor. Slightly denser but yet almost as light as a cupcake, these muffins are satisfying completely unadorned or heavily slathered in a luscious cream cheese icing. 

The use of a combination of all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour is what contributes to their slightly dense texture. Dark brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger not only create the perfect balance of sweet and spicy, but they help create a richer tasting and looking muffin. 

Unlike a pumpkin cupcake which usually requires hauling out the kitchen aid mixer, pumpkin muffins require only a couple of bowls, a whisk, and a spatula. 

Wet and dry ingredients are blended separately before they are mixed together. 

Having a slightly thick texture, the muffin batter is scooped into a cupcake tin lined with cupcake papers. Because the muffins rise perfectly, you can fill the cupcake papers to the top. 

Placing the muffins in a preheated 425 degree (F) oven and baking for five minutes (before reducing the temperature down to 350 degrees), is what helps activate the baking powder and subsequent rise. Once the oven temperature is reduced, the muffins continue to bake for additional 20-24 minutes. 

You can wait until your muffins are cooling before you make the creamiest, dreamiest Cream Cheese Icing. And while you didn't need your standing or handheld mixer to make the muffins, you will need one of them to make this luscious icing. Personally I love a high icing to 'cake or muffin' ratio. This recipe makes enough (and then some) for this to happen. Remember to let your muffins cool completely before icing them (or your icing will slide off and/or melt slightly).

Once iced place the pumpkin muffins on a platter or tray and place in the refrigerator. Once the icing has set, you can carefully wrap with plastic wrap. 

Feel free to adorn the finished cupcakes with some sprinkles or serve them 'naked'. I have made them both ways and honestly can't decide which finish I like best.

I thought the flavor of these Pumpkin Muffins was incredible the day they were baked. And it was. But the flavor on day two was even better. 

For some slightly irrational decision, I might feel a tad guilty, for about a millisecond, eating a cupcake for breakfast, but I have no such thoughts when eating a muffin in the morning. Even one topped with an icing. Which makes love these Pumpkin Muffins w/ Cream Cheese Icing even more. And if there was ever a muffin you might to eat year round (especially if you are a pumpkin lover), this would be the one. So stock up now on canned pumpkin so you can enjoy them well after the 'pumpkin' season has ended.

Recipe

Pumpkin Muffins w/ Cream Cheese Icing

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients

Pumpkin Muffins

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 1/4 cups (260g) dark brown sugar

3/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon canola or vegetable oil

2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

15 ounce (425g) can of pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 1/2 cups (198g) all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (66g) whole wheat flour (see notes)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 slightly rounded teaspoon baking soda

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

Cream Cheese Icing

12 ounces (339g) cream cheese, room temperature or slightly softened

1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature

5 cups (600g) confectionary sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

Optional: Sprinkles

Directions

Pumpkin Muffins

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees (F). Place cupcake papers in the cupcake pan. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, dark brown sugar, canola oil, maple syrup, vanilla, and pumpkin until blended. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, allspice and Kosher salt.

4. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Gently whisk until blended. Do not over beat.

5. Using a large ice cream scoop, scoop the muffin batter into the cupcake papers. You will fill them to the top.

6. Place the muffin pan on a large baking sheet and insert into the oven. Bake for 5 minutes at 425 degrees (F).

7. Immediately reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees (F) and continue baking for 20-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the muffin comes out clean or maybe with only one or two crumbs.

8. Remove from the oven and place muffin pan on a cooling rack. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 8-10 minutes before removing.

9. Place the muffins on a cooling rack. Let cool completely before icing.

Cream Cheese Icing

1. In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese together until well blended and creamy (about 3 minutes).

2. Add in the vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Mix in.

3. In 3 to 4 additions, add in the confectionary sugar. Beat the icing until thick and creamy.

4. Use a pastry bag fitted with your favorite tip to ice the muffins. Alternately top each cupcake with a generous amount of icing and use an offset spatula to spread. Optional: Sprinkle the top of the icing with some sprinkles.

5. Place the iced pumpkin muffins on a tray. Chill the muffins in the refrigerator to let the icing set up. Once the icing has set, loosely cover the muffins to they stay fresh.

Notes: (1) Instead of using a combination of all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour, you can use only all-purpose flour. The texture of muffins made with the two flours is slightly more dense and less cupcake like.

Honey Granola aka Sheila's Granola

To say that my friend Sheila spoiled me on my recent visit to Little Compton would be an understatement. Upon arriving in the cottage, I first notice the bouquet of hydrangeas (my favorite flower) from her garden on the antique chest in the living room. On the counter in the kitchen were fresh eggs from her chickens, a great bottle of Pinot Noir, a fresh loaf of ciabatta, fresh fruit, a jar of homemade Concord Grape Jam, and bag of homemade granola. In the refrigerator was a whole rotisserie chicken, fresh bagels, English muffins, cream cheese, milk, yogurt, and red velvet cupcakes (another of my favorites). Seriously there was enough food to sustain me for weeks. I would be staying there for only five nights. Having a friend who is both generous and incredibly thoughtful is a priceless, treasured gift. Lucky for me I have some of those friends in my life. And Sheila is one of them. Never mind that we live a thousand miles apart, see each other only once every couple of years, exchange sporadic texts and Christmas presents, and keep up with one another mostly through social media. I feel as close to her today as I did the first time I had met the 'neighbor, quick to become a friend' who lived just over the stone wall of the farmhouse I was living in. And each time I come back to Little Compton to visit, Sheila has the gift of making me simultaneously feel like a pampered guest and member of the family. 

It wasn't until my last full day there did I break open the granola. It was my sustenance as I drove around Cape Cod taking photographs. I had demolished the entire bag by the time I arrive at the airport for my flight home. I really love my Homemade Nutty Granola with Dried Cherries and Cranberries, but I am now completely OBSESSED with this Honey Granola aka Sheila's Granola. There is something rather addictive about it. Which if I think about it, maybe it has something to do with the honey.

Within a day after inhaling the whole bag of granola, I texted her asking for her recipe. Having a friend who is a great cook and one willing share to her recipes is just one of the many reasons why I treasure her friendship. I had every intention of making the Honey Granola aka Sheila's Granola before I left on my trip to Smoky Mountain National Park three days after I returned home, but time got away from me. In retrospect, I am rather glad I didn't make it until I got back home. I may or may not have wanted to share it with anyone. 

When Sheila makes this Honey Granola she makes a large, double batch (she has three teenagers and a husband to feed). I cut her recipe in half as there are only two of us here (below is the halved recipe). However, even with cutting the recipe in half, it makes enough to share (and bags of this granola have already been shipped off to another treasured friend). 

Instead of old-fashioned oats, this recipe uses quick oats. I would have never guessed that. Wheat germ, whole wheat flour, Kosher salt, sliced almonds, light brown sugar, and sweetened flaked coconut are the remaining dry ingredients. Canola oil and a good quality honey are the liquid ingredients binding it all together.

Long, slow, low temperature baking is key to creating this deeply golden, flavorful, crunchy granola. Baked in a preheated 250 degree (F) oven for 2 hours (tossing every thirty minutes), the granola continues to bake in a 300 degree (F) oven for 15-20 minutes or at 250 degrees (F) for an additional 20-30 minutes. Once out of the oven, it's critical to firmly press down the hot granola down with a spatula, meat pounder, or even the bottom of a can and then let it sit for 15-20 minutes (or even up to 30 minutes) in order to create 'chunks' of granola. Note: Not all of the granola will be in chunks and that is exactly as it should be.

I drove through cranberry country while driving on the Cape. Not only did I see a cranberry bog harvest for the first time, I stopped at Makepeace Farms in Wareham, Massachusetts to buy some sweetened dried cranberries and chocolate covered cranberries. I knew when I made this granola I wanted some 'east coast' dried cranberries in it so I could vicariously be transported back to one of my happy places. And if I have could have fit one more thing in my suitcases, backpack, and carry on bag (I don't travel lightly) I would have also brought home some freshly harvested cranberries too. 

Once the granola has cooled for at least 20 minutes and is broken into chunks, you can mix in your dried cranberries. Or dried cherries or a combination of both. Sheila doesn't dried fruit to her granola because her family prefers it plain. I can attest to the fact this Honey Granola is equally delicious and addictive plain or with dried fruit mixed in to it. Once you taste a golden, crunchy, honeyed, nutty homemade granola, you will be too spoiled to ever eat a boxed granola again. And if you ask me, we all deserve to be a little bit spoiled.

The cottage I stayed in is flanked by Sheila's farm. Each morning as I walked to the outdoor shower, there were friendly sheep, a pony that I thought was horse, a goat, and a cow mourning the loss of her calves greeting me. Whether or not Sheila went above and beyond filling the cottage with all of my favorite things because she is just that kind of friend. Or because she knew I would be listening to a cow 'crying' throughout the night, I may never know. Although I really think I do. So, if by chance you are looking to show some love to and spoil your family or friends, make them this Honey Granola aka Sheila's Granola. But don't blame me if you end up creating granola eating monsters!

Recipe

Honey Granola aka Sheila's Granola

Ingredients

1 lb. 2 oz. (510g) Quick 1-Minute Oats (see notes)

3 1/2 ounces (100g) sweetened flaked coconut 

3 1/2 ounces (100g) wheat germ

1 cup (200g) light brown sugar

1 cup (132 g) whole wheat flour

1 Tablespoon Kosher salt

4 ounces (112g) sliced almonds

3/4 cup good quality honey

3/4 cup canola oil

7 3/4 ounces (221g) dried sweetened cranberries (see notes) 

Serving options: Plain, with milk, with yogurt, or over ice cream.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees (F).

2. In a large bowl, combine the oats, coconut, wheat germ, brown sugar, whole wheat flour, Kosher salt, and almonds. Stir to combine.

3. Add in the honey and canola oil. Stir until well blended. Note: Once you get the mixture started, use your fingers to work in the honey and oil.

4. Pour the mixture out onto a large, rimmed baking sheet.

5. Bake for 2 hours at 250 degrees (F). Turn the mixture over every 30 minutes.

6. Increase the temperature to 300 degrees (F) and continue baking for an additional 15-20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes. Alternately continue baking at 250 degrees (F) for an additional 20-30 minutes.

7. Remove from the oven and press mixture down firmly with a spatula or can. Let cool for about 15-20 minutes (could let it cool as along as 30 minutes). Then break up the granola into chunks (it won't all be chunky). 

8. Stir in the dried cranberries or whatever dried fruit(s) you desire.

9. Let the granola cool completely before packaging in cellophane bags or sealed glass containers. The granola will remain fresh for 3-4 weeks, if it lasts that long.

Notes: (1) I used the entire net weight 18 ounce container of the Quaker Oats Quick 1-Minute Oats. The actual oatmeal yield is 1 pound and 2 ounces. (2) You can add in all dried cranberries, all dried cherries or a combination of both. Or you can omit the dried fruit completely if you like. Or you can add more than the amount listed above. (3) I can't stress enough the importance of using a good quality honey when making this granola. (4) To make this granola gluten-free replace the wheat germ with flax seed and replace the whole wheat flour with 1/2 cup almond flour and 1/2 cup buckwheat flour.

Little Compton, Rhode Island, October 2021

East Coast Hydrangea, October, 2021

Baked Herbed Goat Cheese

I'm baaaack! While I would like to say after two weeks of traveling to some incredibly beautiful places I am rested and relaxed, I can't. Instead, I will tell you I am currently in exhaustion recovery. My idea of a vacation is to pack in as much as possible and make up for some of that travel time lost in the past eighteen months. On the first leg of my trip I was on the east coast. My home base for five of the six days was Little Compton, Rhode Island (one of my happy places). Over the course of six days I got up with the chickens and managed to drive up to Maine for the day, spend a day in Plymouth, Massachusetts, spend two days on the Cape, take the ferry to Nantucket for the day, and meet with friends for either breakfast or dinner. Three days after returning home, unpacking and repacking, we traveled to Gatlinburg, Tennessee with friends to spend time hiking in Smoky Mountain National Park. Blessed with glorious weather, we all feel in love with the landscapes and wildlife (yes, bears) in this truly breathtaking national park. On the nine plus hour drive back home we stopped at a distillery on the Bourbon Highway in Kentucky. Because of course I had to squeeze in one more thing. It's been almost three days since I have returned home. My goal is to readjust to central time and finish unpacking by the end of the week. Wish me luck.

When I left here two weeks ago, temperatures were still on the warm side. But I returned home to heavenly cool, crisp, chilly fall temperatures. The kind of temperatures making you want to start a fire in the fireplace, warm up the house by baking something delicious in the oven, and/or ending the day noshing on a warm appetizer and enjoying a glass of wine. 

And this Baked Herbed Goat Cheese just happens to be one of those easy to make, chilly weather perfect savory finger foods. 

The herbed cheese mixture can be made in either a food processor of a bowl using a handheld mixer. While the tang of the goat cheese and sharpness of the Parmigiano-Reggiano give this spread it's great depth of flavor, the cream cheese gives it the perfect spreadable consistency.

The roasted cherry tomatoes on top add a pop of color and even more flavor. Because those sweet cherry tomatoes on the vine can be found year round at most grocery stores, you can make this Baked Herbed Goat Cheese in both cool and warm weather months. Although personally, it's one of my favorite cooler weather appetizers. 

What is not to love about a warm, creamy, cheesy, savory appetizer? Especially one this easy to make. If you were looking for something new to serve at your fall and/or winter gatherings, make this savory, luscious Baked Herbed Goat Cheese appetizer. More than likely it will be one going on regular repeat as it's that good.

Recipe

Baked Herbed Goat Cheese

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

10 ounces good quality goat cheese, room temperature

5 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

2-3 Tablespoons of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

2-3 Tablespoons olive oil

1-2 cloves of garlic, minced (optional, but really good if you are a garlic lover)

1 Tablespoon chives, minced

1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced

1 Tablespoon fresh thyme, minced

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/4  teaspoon white or black pepper

1 baguette, cut into 1/4" slices and grilled (or toasted in the oven)

Baby cherry tomatoes on the vine

Olive oil

Kosher salt

Black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F). Place the cherry tomatoes on a vine on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with Kosher salt and pepper. Roast tomatoes for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

2. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees (F). 

3. In a medium sized bowl, blend the goat cheese and cream cheese together using a handheld mixer until creamy. Alternately blend these ingredients in a food processor.

4. Mix in the olive until incorporated.

5. Stir in the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, herbs, salt, and pepper until blended.

6. Lightly brush the bottom of one quart baking dish with olive oil. Transfer the cheese and herb mixture to the prepared baking dish.

7. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until lightly golden and heated through.

8. Top with the roasted cherry tomatoes. Pour the olive oil the tomatoes were roasted in over the top of the baked herbed goat cheese.

9. Serve with the grilled or toasted baguette slices.

Notes: (1) Instead of using all three of the freshly chopped herbs, feel free to use a combination of your favorite two. Mine would be thyme and rosemary. (2) I love grilling slices of a baguette, but you could easily toast them in the oven or break up a baguette into pieces for a more rustic presentation.