Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

When we first moved into our house almost 7 year ago, we decided to host a small BBQ for our cul-de-sac so that we could get to know our neighbors and to warn them about the type of people who just became their neighbors...and at the time we only had Tyler...now we have 4 kids so I feel extra bad for them!!  We printed up invitations and hand delivered them to everyone.  We had a great turn out and one of the families made a huge impression on me.  I'll never forget the doorbell ringing and opening the front door to find a nice couple who were probably about as old as my parents.  I politely introduced myself and let them in...and behind them followed one girl, then another girl, then a boy, then another boy and then a third boy.  They then apologized for their oldest daughter who was not able to attend as she was away at college.  All the kids were in their teens and after getting over the initial shock of SO many kids, I immediately wondered if we had enough food!  Everything went well though and there was plenty to go around.  The Zafinnis were just a really nice Italian family...with a whole lot of kids...pretty typical.  I felt very comfortable and at home around them because they reminded me a lot of my mom's side of the family.  The next day there was a knock on the door and one of the daughters brought me pumpkin chocolate chip muffins on a beautiful plate painted with a Fall pattern that Mrs. Zafinni had baked to thank us for our hospitality.  They were so delicious I went over the next day and asked for the recipe which she was nice enough to share and I have happily been baking them ever since.  My kids beg me to make these all the time, but the recipe makes quite a lot of muffins, so I normally only make them when I need something for a pot luck, a holiday get together or a bake sale.  They always go over well with everyone.  I am not a pumpkin pie fan, but I LOVE these muffins. Eating them always reminds me of the Fall for some reason!  I'm not sure why, but I always seem to luck out and find cans of pumpkin on Manager's Special...the last time I found 6 cans for $.50 each and they don't expire until Fall of 2012 so I snatched them all up!!  They are happily resting in my "underground bomb shelter" awainting to their fulfill their destiny of becoming pumpkin chocolate chip muffins!!  Don't worry little cans...your day will come soon enough. 

I am sad to report that 2 years ago the Zafinnis ended up purchasing a family home on the other side of town and had to sell their house across from us.  I was very sad to see them go, but our new neighbors that moved in about 6 months ago seem really nice! I have yet to really meet them, but I have extended the offer of dinner to them and the other day I did bring over a plate of the peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.  I think I have them fooled into believing they have normal neighbors already!  It's kind of weird to think that now I am the nice Italian lady with SO many kids.  Maybe when I have them over for dinner I'll have to make these muffins in honor of Mrs. Zafinni.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

*Makes about 2 dozen muffins.  I would half the recipe and only make 1 dozen more often, except that the recipe calls for one small can of pumpkin.  I guess I could use half the can and freeze the other half, but then I would probably make them too often which could potentially be a bad thing for my hips! =)

4 eggs

2 c white sugar

1 15 oz can pumpkin puree

1 1/2 c vegetable oil

3 c all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1 c semisweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl beat the eggs together.

Add the sugar, oil and pumpkin and blend well.

It does take some time, but the oil will eventually all mix in.

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.  Add to the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and blend well.

Fold in the chocolate chips.

The finished batter ready to be baked!

Line a muffin pan with paper baking cups and fill each cup 3/4 of the way full.

Bake in a 400 degree oven for 15 - 20 mins, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool and then store in an airtight container.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffin

In case you were wondering, this is what a deconstructed muffin looks like.  Please note there is a good chocolate to muffin ratio...not too much, not too little....just right!

Recipe for: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

http://www.momsaysjustonebite.blogspot.com/

To prepare: Preheat oven to 400°.  Line a muffin pan with paper baking cups. Recipe makes approximately 24 muffins.

Ingredients

Directions

4 large eggs 2 c. white sugar 15 oz. can pumpkin puree 1 ½ c. vegetable oil 3 c. all-purpose flour 2 tsp. baking soda 2 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. salt 1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1.       Beat eggs in a large bowl. 2.       Add the sugar, pumpkin and vegetable oil and blend well. 3.       In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. 4.       Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and blend well. 5.       Fold in the chocolate chips. 6.       Fill each muffin cup ¾ full and bake in preheated oven 15-20 minutes. 7.       Transfer muffins to a wire rack to cool and store in an airtight container.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

I found out a few days ago that March was National Peanut Butter Month.  I felt this was a good enough reason to make some peanut butter cookies (although I guess I don't really need a reason to make cookies other than they are delicious and I love them).  Unfortunately, I was notified of this important celebratory news on the very LAST day of March which happened to be the same night of my husband's award banquet Trying to squeeze in a little baking on top of the huge To Do list I had that day just wasn't going to happen...not even for peanut butter!

Yesterday (being April Fool's Day) I had a conversation with my daughter that went like this:

Me: Did you know April is National Peanut Butter Month?

Brenna: It is??  Mom, are you kidding me??

Me: April Fools...it's actually March!

Brenna: Silence and staring....

Me: Let's make peanut butter cookies to celebrate.

Brenna: Can we add chocolate chips?

Me: Sure

Brenna: Can we watch a movie tonight?

Me: That's a good idea.

Okay....so I will admit that I am probably THE worst April Fool's Day prankster in history, but I did end up with some amazing cookies and a family movie night out of the conversation.  We watched Tangled, which was really cute, but I honestly think these cookies were the star of the night.  I have made a lot of peanut butter cookies in my life and eaten even more and honestly this is probably the best recipe I've tried.  They were moist, chewy and had just the right amount of both peanut butter and chocolate flavor without one overpowering the other.  My apologies to my friends and family for not being able to send you one through the computer!!  They also make a good breakfast...I should know since I ate 2 of them this morning!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (I got 26 very good sized cookies)

1/2 c unsalted butter, softened

1/2 c creamy peanut butter

1 c brown sugar

1/2 c white sugar

2 eggs

2 tbsp light corn syrup

2 tbsp water

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/2 c all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 c Nestle mini chocolate chips

I forgot to set the butter out to soften, so we had to wait awhile to bake the cookies. She was a tad bit upset about this, but I eventually talked her into finishing her Olivia cut out to pass the time.  I might be able to bake a mean cookie, but I'm no artist!  The bows were her idea though.  Cute!

Ethan didn't want to color so he just sat there and monitored the softening butter...a VERY important tassk.

In a mixing bowl, add the softened butter and peanut butter.

The brown and white sugar.

Assistant Chef adding the sugars.

Cream together the butter, peanut butter and sugars.  She wanted Butter to watch her cook today.  Yes, she named her bear Butter herself when she was 2....guess I should have known she was going to like cooking.

I guess Butter was having a good time. 

Once the Assistant Chef was done mixing I helped a little with the electric hand mixer.

Remaining wet ingredients.

Beat in the eggs one at a time.

Stir in the corn syrup, vanilla extract and the water.

Assistant Chef adding the water.

Coming along nicely!!

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda and salt.

Add the dry ingredients to the peanut mixture and mix well.

Almost done!!

Add in the mini chocolate chips....

and mix well.

Drop by spoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet.  Bake at 375 degrees for 10 mins.

Remove from oven and let rest on the cookie sheet for an additional minute.  Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.

Finished cookies...with milk of course!

YUMMY!!

Recipe for: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

www.momsaysjustonebite.blogspot.com

To prepare: Preheat oven to 375°.  Recipe yields approximately 2 dozen good sized cookies.

Ingredients

Directions

½ c. unsalted butter, softened      ½ c. creamy peanut butter      1 c. brown sugar      ½ c. white sugar      2 large eggs      2 tbsp. light corn syrup      2 tbsp. water      2 tsp. vanilla extract      2 1/2 c all-purpose flour      1 tsp. baking soda      ½ tsp. salt      1 c. Nestle mini chocolate chips

1.       In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar and white sugar. 2.       Beat in the eggs one at a time. 3.       Add the corn syrup, water and vanilla and mix well. 4.       In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda and salt. 5.       Add the dry ingredients to the peanut butter mixture and blend well. 6.       Fold in the mini chocolate chips. 7.       Drop by spoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet.  Bake in a preheated oven for 10 minutes. 8.       Remove from the oven and let rest on the cookie sheet for 1 additional minute.  9.       Remove cookies to a wire rack to cool.  Store in an airtight container.