Pumpkin Apple Muffins

 

 

Hello! 

 

I hope everyone is staying warm and cozy as a kitten in a Pringles can!  It's been quite windy here in Pendleton, Indiana. 

 

  

 

 

And it SNOWED last night!  Not quite as much as in the video, we just got a light dusting.  I love this song, It Snowed, by Meaghan Smith, and have added it to my collection of winter tunes:

 

 

 

 

 

Due to the weather, the kids had a two-hour school delay this morning. 

 

 

 

 

 

They made the most of it and headed out first thing this morning at 7AM to play.

 

 

 

We are fortunate to have a sledding hill right out the front door.

 

 

 

 

Ahh, a brand new winter wonderland.

 

 

 

Meanwhile, as the kids played outside, I whipped up some Pumpkin Apple Muffins for breakfast.

 

 

 

 

These muffins contain two of my favorite flavors all in one nice neat little package.  Start off by cutting up an apple.  I used a sweet and tart granny smith variety.

 

 

 

Next, toss the ingredients in the mixing bowl (except the apple) and stir with a spoon. 

 

 

 

The batter should be a beautiful orange color, like this:

 

 

Once the batter is nicely blended, fold in the apples.

 

 

 

The batter is now oven ready.  The muffins are great plain, however my kiddies (and I) love a sweet and creamy glaze.  While the muffins baked I made a light icing out of cream cheese, butter, milk, vanilla and powdered sugar.  It's easiest to use room temperature butter and cream cheese.

 

 

 

Tada-- super yummy, sweet tooth, breakfast that's kinda healthy too.  (Notice the Fat Free Cream Cheese.)  Baby steps.  :)

 

 

 

 

Yum, these muffins are awesome. 

 

 

The kids took off for school, and then the hubby came home and wanted to treat me to breakfast.  It figures.  He got call early this morning regarding a prison power outage.  Well, I couldn't let the poor guy starve, and he does not play well with fruits and veggies, so the muffins just wouldn't do for him.

 

 

We headed out the door into bright and windy weather.

 

 

We ate at the Diner, here in town.  Not many folk's were out and about yet, it seemed.  Glenn ordered  the biscuits n' gravy with hash browns. 

 

This ^ is what I ordered, but I only ate my eggs. Glenn munched my pancakes and sausage too.

 

 

 

I guess it puts hair on the man's chest-- or at least a Dustball.  Hehe.  Catnapping.  :)

 

 

While those two snoozed, I babied my poor feet.  They are all taped up now, because the tape helps offer support.  The ligaments in the left foot are in jeopardy of tearing as they did in the right. 

 

 

 

 

 

Thus, both feet have tape.  My right foot is by far the worst.  The tape does seem to make it feel a little better too.

 

 

 

 

 

The rest of the afternoon I spent feeling like a busy Santa elf, wrapping gifts for the big day.  I know gift bags are really in right now, but I like the old school wrapping paper.  There's just something about kids shredding pretty wrapping paper to bits that screams-- Christmas Joy! 

 

 

  

 

 

 

Not to brag or anything, but I got to open a gift today!!  Troy made me this trivet:

 

 

 

 

 

Today was the last day of school, before Christmas break.  He brought me home that gift he made and just could not wait for me to open it!  How sweet is that! 

 

 

 

Pumpkin Apple Muffins 

 

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

1-2/3 cup wheat flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
2 eggs
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup milk (I used almond milk)
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup finely chopped Granny Smith apple (or other baking apple)

Sweet Glaze:

2 Tablespoon butter, at room temperature
2oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
dash of milk
1 cup powdered sugar

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees then line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
2. In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, salt, pumpkin puree, eggs, brown sugar, milk, and vegetable oil. Everything except the apples should be blended together, then fold in apples.
3. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 of the way full with batter, smoothing the tops, then bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let sit in muffin tin for 5 minutes, then remove to cooling rack.
4. While cupcakes are cooling prepare Sweet Glaze: Cream together butter, cream cheese, and vanilla.  Add powdered sugar until mixture is thick and creamy.  Thin with a bit of milk until desired consistency is achieved.  Serve over warm muffins.