Pumpkin & Chocolate Chip Muffins

When I saw a recipe for a healthier version of pumpkin & chocolate chip muffins in my google reader, I knew I'd have to make it. And I am so glad I did! These muffins from Loves to Eat are awesome...full of my favorite fall flavors!



Pumpkin & Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups granulated sugar
1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY’S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels (I used 1/2 bitter sweet and 1/2 semi sweet... next time I'll cut down on the altogether - they were very chocolately!)


Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease thirty-six 2 1/2-inch muffin cups or line with paper bake cups. (I got 24 muffins and 1 mini loaf)
COMBINE all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in medium bowl. Combine eggs and sugar in large bowl. Add pumpkin and oil; mix well. Stir in flour mixture until moistened. Stir in morsels. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
BAKE for 20 to 25 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Cool in pans on wire racks for 5 minutes; remove from pans.

Enjoy!

Double Quick Pumpkin Bars

This is another recipe I got from my church meeting called Apples of Gold. When I had this dessert, I immediately fell in love. It was amazing. They are the perfect way to begin autumn! I hope you enjoy it as much as my family and I do!

Double Quick Pumpkin Bars

BARS:

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

2 cups canned pumpkin

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsps baking powder

2 tsps cinnamon

2 cups flour

FROSTING:

3 ounces cream cheese, softened

6 tbsps margarine, softened

1 tsp milk

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups confectioner's sugar

Preheat oven to 350F. In a large mixing bowl, cream oil, eggs and sugar. Add remaining cookie ingredients and mix well. Pour batter into an ungreased 15x10 ince jelly roll pan. (I don't have this size pan, so I used a 13x9x2 cake pan - which is why mine are more cake like)

Bake at 350F for 20 to 25 minutes. (Mine took the whole 25 minutes, if not 1 or 2 more minutes). Cool completely and frost with cream cheese frosting.

To make frosting, cream together all frosting ingredients. Spread on colled, uncut cookies. After frosting has set, cut into equal size bars. Store any leftover bars, covered, in the refrigerator.

Variation: Add 1/2 cup choppd walnuts or raisins to the recipe.

Yield: 36 bars (Since mine was baked in a different pan, I had 24 pieces)

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Moist and delicious cookies -- rave reviews from everyone. It's originally from the Food Network, but I tweeked it just a bit and this is what I got:

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies:

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup of margarine
1 cup of white sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 can pumpkin
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups (12 ounce bag) semi sweet chocolate chips
Nonstick spray

Heat the over to 350 degrees F and spray cookies sheets with nonstick spray. Using a mixer, beat the butter and margarine until smooth. Beat in the white and brown sugars, a little at time, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, the mix int he vanilla and pumpkin. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Slowly beat the flour mixture into the batter, then stir in the chips. Scoop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake for 20 minutes, or until the bookies are lightly brown around the edges. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let them rest for 2 minutes. Take the cookies off with a spatula and cook them on wire racks.

This recipe made me about 60-65 cookies.
WW: 2 points per cookie.

I'll post a picture soon!