APPLE-PUMPKIN LUNCH BOX MUFFINS

I just love a super moist muffin, don't you? I discovered this apple-pumpkin muffin recipe about 3 years ago and it is still one of our favorites. It is one of those great muffins that just keeps getting more and more moist (if they last that long). This recipe goes together quickly and easily and the muffins bake up with nice round tops covered with a sweet streusel topping.

This muffin is perfect for the lunch box or mid-day coffee break (recipe makes 18 muffins); they freeze well and a quick re-heat in the microwave gives you piping hot muffins that taste just like it came out of the oven. STORE BAKED MUFFINS COVERED.

2 ½ cups flour
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon (see substitution note below)
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 eggs slightly beaten
(1) 15 ounce can of pumpkin
½ cup canola oil
2 cups cooking apples (peeled and chopped small)

Preheat oven to 350°. In large bowl, mix dry ingredients until well mixed, set aside. In another bowl, beat eggs slightly then add pumpkin and vegetable oil - whisk until smooth. Stir in 2 cups of chopped apples. Add pumpkin-apple mixture to dry mixture and blend thoroughly. Spoon batter equally into paper lined cupcake pans. Top with streusel topping (recipe below) and bake for 35-40 minutes at 350°. Muffins are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

STREUSEL TOPPING
2 tablespoons flour
¼ cup white sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
4 teaspoons melted butter

Mix streusel ingredients with your fingers until you get a dry crumbly topping. Put a little on each muffin before you bake.

NOTE: You can substitute 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice for the cinnamon-ginger-nutmeg combination.

NOTE: Let muffins cool down a little, but before they are entirely cold, cover with plastic wrap. Muffins should be stored covered.

NOTE: Recipe says to bake for 35-40 minutes. My oven cooked these in 35 minutes exactly.

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PUMPKIN - CRANBERRY BREAD (the best)

If the rating system for this recipe was 1 to 5 stars; I would rate this a 10. It is absolutely delicious and will be perfect for your holiday table!! It is very easy to make (doesn't even take an electric mixer) and yet it is unique enough for gift giving. I hope you try it, it is SO GOOD... extremely moist, total comfort food!!! Preheat your oven to 350, and grease and flour two 9" x 5" loaf pans. Set out two large bowls. In the first one mix:

3 cups all purpose flour
3¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¾ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons baking soda
1½ teaspoon salt

In the 2nd bowl, mix:
3 cups granulated sugar
(1) 15 ounce can pure pumpkin (see note)4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
½ cup orange juice (see note)
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (see note)
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Whisk the first bowl (with the flour in it)until the dry ingredients are well mixed. Whisk the 2nd bowl (with the pumpkin in it) until WELL mixed and oil is completely incorporated. Pour the wet into the dry and mix with spoon just until moistened. Stir in cranberries gently.
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Pour batter into prepared loaf pans. Bake 60 to 65 minutes (my oven took 70 minutes). Cool (in the pans) for about 10 minutes, then turn them out. Wrap the hot bread IMMEDIATELY in plastic wrap, covering tightly. Let the breads cool completely in the wrap.


NOTE: Make sure you use a 15 ounce can of plain packed pumpkin and NOT pumpkin pie filling (big difference).

NOTE: Recipe calls for ½ cup of orange juice, which I didn't have, so I used pineapple juice instead.

NOTE: Wash and sort your cranberries. Try to use the darkest berries. Make sure they are thawed out before mixing into batter.

NOTE: It is OK to put the plastic wrap on the hot bread as soon as it comes out of the pan. This forces the moisture back into the bread as it cools.

NOTE: My oven took 70 minutes to cook these loaves. Use the toothpick test to determine doneness.

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