So, the other day, I said that I was going to make some pumpkin muffins for me and the girls.  Far be it from me to break a promise.  While I do enjoy cooking, I would much rather consume baked good than make them.  Baking is so scientific. Sure, with cooking you do have to measure out your ingredients so that you have the right quantities, but I’ve found that you really have to be precise when baking.  With cooking, I can eyeball stuff, add a dash of this, a touch of that. If my spaghetti sauces is missing something, I throw in a few pinches of sugar or garlic or a splash of red wine (SN: when does wine not make anything better?).  With baking, you can’t really ad lib once something is cooked. If you make a banana bread and forget the bananas, you can’t really mash up the banana and shove it in the bread.  Or if you bake a pie and feel like it needs more cinnamon/nuts/raisins/whatever, you can’t lift off the crust and toss them in. Well, I guess you could, but I doubt any guests you have would want to sample a pie that looks like someone lifted off the crust, messed with the insides and then put the crust back on.  Maybe if they were really, really, hungry. 

Really, hungry.

In the past, I’ve grumbled that my kitchen was not the twin to the GE Monogram kitchen on Top Chef, but the last few weeks have made me glad of that fact.  The close proximity of the fridge, range, counter and pantry has made it easier for me to navigate. I’ve been able to make Split Pea Soup with Bacon and Potato, White Bean and Andouille Sausage with Collards (hello, crockpot), Chicken Picatta, and my daily standard – egg beaters, bacon, english muffin and coffee.  Girls’ gotta get her three squares, you know.  Despite the ease I’ve relished in being able to be maneuver around the kitchen, I’ve noticed it takes me quite a bit longer to get from stove to table.  By the time I’m done making my breakfast, the kids have finished two helpings of Cheerios, read a Big Nate book and practiced their Gangnam style. In the time it takes me to get from the stove to the table (and keep in mind, I’m not going more than five feet, maximum), they’ve gotten into a fight, made up, fought again, made up, and read another Big Nate book.  They love some Big Nate.  

I’m sure all of this begs the question as to why I don’t ask for help getting my plate to the table.  Have you met Mo & Co?  High energy and the attention span similar of a fruit fly are not good companions for a plate of food.  Let’s just say, I prefer to have my breakfast on the plate, not on the floor. 

So, this two ingredient recipe for pumpkin muffins is all things wonderful. Here’s why:

1. Two ingredients
2. Pumpkin
3. Muffins

I mean, what’s not to love? By the time I got out my two ingredients and my muffin pan, my oven was already pre-heated.  I did try and short shift the recipe by beating the mix by had instead of using a hand mixer (mine is the Model T of hand mixers).  Do not short shift the recipe.  Get out the hand mixer, otherwise, you’ll have clumps of cake mix in the pumpkin puree.  I know of what I speak! 

My muffin tin was greased, lined, and ready for batter.  I got fancy and added a dash of cinnamon sugar and a few chopped pecans to the muffin cups before I put them in the oven.  

Success!  I will not be conquered by palate-butchering homemade pumpkin frozen yogurt!  There will be pumpkin infused baked goods this fall and every fall!  And now, to the recipes to see what’s next!

Happy Friday, y’all!

(image)

Two Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins

(Recipe Found here.)