Pumpkin Muffins with Everything Good

Happily, this week I discovered that the pumpkin I have been storing on my front porch since our harvest in October was still in good eating condition! I started off the slaughter of the pumpkin with Dorie Greenspan's recipe for Pumpkin Stuffed with Everything Good. Bread, cheese, cream, bacon and chives... How could you go wrong? Just a wedge for dinner and we were full.

Then came this morning. I always feel like Saturday morning calls for a real breakfast, since I don't necessarily get one during the work week. What could be more appropriate than pumpkin muffins? I have a great recipe to share - it's even relatively healthy, with half whole wheat flour. Olive oil, dried cranberries, apples and walnuts made it hearty enough to fill you up for a while. (Two muffins at 11:00am and I was good till dinner! True story.) In a tribute to Dorie, the grand dame of French cookery, I'll call these Pumpkin Muffins with Everything Good.

Pumpkin Muffins with Everything Good

1 1/4 c. whole wheat flour
1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cardamom
Dash of: ginger, cloves, and nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs
1/2 c. olive oil
1 c. pumpkin puree
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. chopped apple
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
1/2 c. dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350f. Grease a 12-muffin tin.

In a bowl, combine all dry ingredients and whisk together. In another bowl, combine the wet ingredients and whisk together. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then stir in the apples, walnuts, and cranberries.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to wire rack to finish cooling.