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I’ve been big on using up items in my refrigerator lately (possibly because I DESPERATELY NEED THE SPACE!), and last night the remaining half of a large can of pumpkin puree was my target item. I contemplated waffles, but I was feeling too lazy to get out the Belgian waffler, which is what the recipes that looked the best needed; I didn’t even contemplate dessert, because I needed a meal idea. Which is how I ended up slicing up some apples, frying up some cheap-brand sausage that I probably won’t buy again, and making these Pumpkin Streusel Muffins.
Have I mentioned how much I really, really love breakfast for dinner?
Anyway. My oldest didn’t eat with us last night, so she only tried the leftovers, but my picky middle loved them. (Take note, folks. This doesn’t exactly happen very often.) The boy wasn’t overly enthused, but he didn’t appear to be offended, either. (It’s hard to tell about food when they’re two.) As for me? I enjoyed them more than I thought I would. The streusel was amazing; I didn’t bother with the glaze, since I was in a hurry and it was dinner, but I didn’t feel the lack. I used almost half whole wheat flour because–I confess–my upstairs white flour container was almost empty and I was in a hurry, and I seriously couldn’t tell. The pumpkin and butter and eggs give the muffins a lovely texture that’s almost custard-y, if bread can be such a thing, and of course, anything with pumpkin in it stays moist. (I have to say, I actually liked them left over even better. Weird, right?) The reason I wasn’t sure I’d enjoy them had nothing to do with the recipe, really; the problem is that as much as I love cinnamon and nutmeg (I tolerate ginger), and as much as I love fall and everything to do with it, the taste of pumpkin itself is iffy for me. I tend to prefer it in small doses mixed with lots of dairy fat, and when the flavor is too strong, I have issues. These did taste kind of pumpkin-y to me fresh out of the oven, but as long as I got streusel in every bite, I was okay with it. And strangely, the leftovers didn’t taste at all as pumpkin-y.
The verdict, then, is a thumbs up…since I just polished off two more during the course of this post. Give them a try. And let me know how they are with the glaze!