Pumpkin "White Chocolate Chip" Muffins

Are you getting ready for Thanksgiving?  I hope that you enjoy your gathering.  We'll probably go to a friend's house and share in their Thanksgiving festivities.  I usually make Thanksgiving dinner for my little family and I did get what I needed just in case.  I've been feeling under the weather this week, so I hope that I'm better by then.
I noticed that my Pumpkin Muffins were a hit at home and on cyberspace as well.  The only person that was not feeling it was Mr. M.  He is not a big fan of pumpkin flavor and those muffins are rich in pumpkin flavor, (I know!)  Well what can you do, but make a special kind of a muffin overflowing with the sweetness of white chocolate.  You guys,  it is amazing and so addictive.  Mr. M LOVES it!  We couldn't stop eating them with soft melted butter on them and a side of coffee.  I was lucky to have a couple to photograph for you.

The wonderful thing about this recipe is that it's easy to make.  It is slightly different from the previous recipe, so I'll share it with you here.  By the way, I have also included a recipe card on my Facebook page, so drop by to get yours.  Great for Thanksgiving morning!

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup white sugar                                                             

1/4 cup vegetable oil                                                          
2 eggs                                                                                
3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree                                            
1/4 cup water                                                                    
1 1/2 cups all- purpose flour                                                  
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).  Grease and flour muffin pan or use paper liners.
2. Mix sugar, oil, eggs.  Add pumpkin and water.  In a separate bowl mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt.  Add wet mixture ans stir in white chocolate chips.
3. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter.  Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.  Serves 12

Oh the goodness!
If you are not a big fan of rich pumpkin flavor in a muffin, then this is the muffin for you!  I know that you will like it.  For my gluten free readers; I could not find a "white chocolate chip" pumpkin muffin recipe, but instead a gluten free sweet chocolate chip pumpkin muffin recipe for you. Hope that you enjoy.
Happy Thanksgiving!



Linked to:
I Should be Mopping the Floor

©2010. http://www.inspirationsbyd.blogspot.com. All Rights reserved.

What is Craftsy You Ask?

What is Craftsy? Craftsy is a worldwide craft community offering online classes. It also has a pattern marketplace where independent designers can sell their patterns; a supplies shop with great deals on yarn, fabric, and class kits; and a project section where members share pictures of their latest craft successes. With over two million members and counting, Free Classes at Craftsy has something for just about everyone, in categories ranging from quilting, sewing, knitting, painting, photography, cooking, and more. Behind the Scenes: The Making of a Craftsy Class Before filming even begins, hours are spent determining what content will be covered in each class, and how to best teach specific techniques to the camera. Instructors work with an instructional designer to create an in-depth outline of each lesson, and decide how to best prepare props or “step-outs” that show what your project should like at different steps. Instead of a scripted class, instructors follow their outlines on camera to create an authentic and engaging teaching experience.  Most Craftsy classes are filmed in one of five Craftsy studios in Denver, CO, assuring that every part of the production process goes off without a hitch. They fly in instructors from all over the world to spend several days filming, then spend several weeks turning hours of footage into a two to three hour class experience that has been watched, rewatched, and reviewed by industry experts. The final result is an HD-quality video that takes you in-depth into specific topics in any given craft category- from cooking and fine art to sewing and knitting.  What is the Craftsy experience?  Free Classes at Craftsy are designed to have all the benefits of an in-person class, with none of the drawbacks. Available online and on-demand, you always have world-class instructors at the tip of your fingers. You can retake the class as many times as you want, and the 30-second repeat feature allows you to watch the same section over and over again until you get every technique just right.  Watching a Craftsy class is like having a first-row seat with some of the best instructors in the world. Even better, classes have a 100% money-back guarantee.  Try online learning today with a free mini-class from Craftsy! Choose from 23 Free Classes at Craftsy ranging from drawing and painting to sewing and quilting, from knitting to cake decorating and more.   I enrolled in the Professional Family Portraits Class and the first session alone was so helpful, I can't wait to watch the other sessions. That class is free, so you should take advantage of the opportunity now if you haven't yet.

Homemade Holiday Gift Ideas (2)

Hello friends, today I have gathered a few homemade gift ideas for the Holidays ahead. If you have not viewed my previous ideas, drop by this post to gather more inspirations for gift giving.  Nothing beats a gift more than a homemade one.  Think of treats and dishes too!

1. My first suggestion is a heartwarming gift bucket with goodies.  Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix with a bag of marshmallows and peppermint candy canes.
2. Homemade bath salts.
3. I love this one!  A homemade chalkboard planter with a delightful Holiday message. Add a beautiful small evergreen or rosemary plant to make it extra special.
4. This is perfect for this time of year when dry skin is a problem, Homemade Body Butter.
5. Another Holiday hit is these lovely Homemade Chalkboard Cups.  They are super easy to make & add anything inside and make it merry.
6. Framed print with verse, this is another hit for gifts.  Print out your artwork and frame it to give for the Holidays.

I hope that you enjoy these inspirational gift ideas. Do you have any of your own you'd like to share?  Link it up to the comment section and share it with us here.  If you prefer to buy homemade gifts instead, visit my little shop or other great handmade shops on Etsy.
Have a happy week!

They are Here, Glass Push Pins!

 inspirationsbyd.etsy.com

I've worked hard on these lovely push pins and although I was delayed for a while, they are finally complete.  I have added several designs to the shop, just in time for Holiday shopping.  What I love about these is that they add design to any cork board and serve as conversation starters too.  My push pins are not the same as others.  I offer a sealed finish to avoid the push pins from coming apart and they come in a gift box ready for gift giving similar to this post.  Drop by now and receive 10% off your purchase when you use the code above at check out.  See all the goodies available.  Happy Shopping!

Pumpkin Muffins

Pumpkin makes a nutritious addition to fall menus.  I'm sure that I have mentioned this before, but I love pumpkin recipes; I just can't get enough of it.   I'm planning savory food for the cold days ahead, from fragrant morning breakfasts to warm, delicious, inviting suppers.  Don't get any ideas though, we'll have cereal in between those meals.  So let me begin by sharing my breakfast pumpkin muffins which of course, you may adjust to meet your pallet & health needs.  I include a link to the gluten free version of this recipe on this post, so read on.

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked pumpkin puree, fresh or canned
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cloves
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
(optional) for extra flavor I added 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).  Grease 12 muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.  In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, pumpkin pie spice and salt.  Mix these dry ingredients.

In a separate bowl, beat together the pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, and eggs.  Stir pumpkin mixture into flour mixture until it is smooth.  You may want to use an electric mixture to do so.

Scoop batter into prepared muffin cups, if possible you may use a ladle.  When all the cups are filled, place the pans into the oven and bake for 20- 27 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean.  This assures that the muffins are done.

When the muffins are done, remove them from the pan and set them down.  This makes for a sweet after school snack for kids.

At our home, some of us use butter, pumpkin butter or even salted caramel sauce to add some richness to our muffins.  Give the recipe a try, I'm sure pumpkin lovers will enjoy it.  For gluten free muffins try this version.

Enjoy!

Linked to:
The Sits Girls
Ella Claire Inspired
By Stephanie Lynn
Craftberry Bush

The Frugal Girls

©2010. http://www.inspirationsbyd.blogspot.com. All Rights reserved.

Learn How To Take Professional Family Portraits with Craftsy for FREE!

Professional Family Portraits

I have amazing news for you!  I couldn't wait to share this because it is a perfect time to get your
photos ready for any Holiday Project or for Greeting Cards.  Craftsy is offering a FREE class
on Professional Family Portraits.  YES, it's FREE!!  I am so in!  You have a golden
opportunity to learn or to perfect your photography skills with this class. Not excited yet?  How
about this, For Free You Get:

• 4 HD video lessons with anytime, anywhere access
• Downloadable list of Kirk's preferred gear
• An hour and a half of close-up instruction
• Answers from Kirk and your classmates in our virtual classroom

Learn to transform any room into a portrait studio with Professional Photographer Kirk's 
quick tips on improving your setting, and easily create ideal lighting indoors and out with 
the use of bounce flash, umbrellas and affordable materials like foam core.  Take advantage 
of this great opportunity and Learn How To Take Professional Family Portraits with 
Craftsy for FREE!  Click the link to learn more and have fun!!


(Disclaimer:  I have not received any compensation for this post, just sharing free information)