Pumpkin Muffins and Pictures

I've made this recipe before, but it's been awhile. The pumpkin shortage last year put a damper on my Autumn and holiday cooking. Don't be fooled by the quantity it says it makes - it claims it makes 18 muffins. I'd like to know what sized muffins they are since I can easily get 30. I forgot to halve it this time. But Sydney liked them so much I may just keep the recipe as is from here on out. I left the nuts out for his batch so he wouldn't choke on them and he devoured whatever was put in front of him. I also always leave out the raisins. Not a raisin fan, especially in baked goods. But I did add more pumpkin than it called for...the pumpkier the better! Let me know if you give them a try. I got the recipe from, believe it or not, a coupon flier from a Sunday paper several years ago!

Pumpkin Muffins
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt

2 cups canned pumpkin (or you could roast and mash up your own)
1 cup vegetable oil
3 cups sugar (no wonder he liked them!)
3 eggs
I added vanilla, too

1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all dry ingredients together and set aside. Using a mixer, combine pumpkin, eggs, oil, and sugar and beat well. In batches, add in the dry ingredients. Fold in the nuts and raisins. Pour in to oiled muffin tins and bake 20-23 minutes. Cool in pan for 15 min.

There is an orange glaze that goes along with this, but I can't help but think that these are sweet enough as they are. If you want a nice touch, dust them with powdered sugar before serving.

And, to tide you over, I finally downloaded the camera last night. Here's the most recent in Syd pics!

We've reached the 'pointy' stage. Daddy was playing along.

Syd decided he would drag around this nifty bag one day. Took me 10 minutes to figure out where he hid my pump.

Syd enjoying pumpkin muffins!!

Daddy calls him Ham'n'Eggs for a reason!

Sydney loves muffins! Here's Kathleen's recipe for blueberry!

I was wondering at what age this actually occurs...he fell asleep for the first time in his high chair. It was really quite comical watching him try to stay awake...

Playing peek-a-boo in the tub!

When we bought his swing, we got one that had 3 functions so we could use it longer. It is now his rocking chair (the swing stand is in the background), and he prefers to stand in it and rock it, or use it as a stool to see out of the window. He's all boy, isn't he??

Our newest game. Mommy and/or Daddy chases him around the kitchen before he runs in to the living room. He then commences falling face down into the pillows we leave strategically placed on the floor and rolls around while Mommy or Daddy call out "PILL-ooooows!"

Precious little guy - fell asleep on the way home from Kroger.

And last, rocking my awesome trainer shoes - he's got an arch already (like Mommy's feet) and needed something to keep his traction. He loves these slip-ons. His other pair is black with white skull and cross-bones on the top!