Homemade Friday: Pumpkin muffins, because why the hell not?

I am a stress baker.  It makes sense, right?  As I am also a stress-baked-goods eater. 

If I’m feeling overwhelmed or anxious about something I usually bring out the flour and sugar. 

The kids were being their usual cranky selves, which hasn’t been helped by the fact that since Sebastian has started coming downstairs by himself in the morning, it has always been at 6 a.m., no matter what time he went to bed the night before.

So we were all tired and for some reason I decided to make muffins.  I'm blaming hormones and sleep-deprivation-temporary-insanity.

I don't allow the kids to help bake anymore because when they stand at the counter to ‘help’ they usually end up fighting and screaming at each other.  So instead they just stand at my feet, hang onto my pants and fight and scream with each other.

It’s better?  Maybe?

So anyway, around snack time this morning, even though everyone was already hungry and whiny, I decided to look for a muffin recipe that didn’t include milk, as I was completely out.  I happened on this recipe, scanned through it, and figured it would work.  It looked quick, which was all I needed at this point.

But I didn’t have all the ingredients.  Of course.  I did have pumpkin, though.  Don't ask me why.

(Who keeps Greek yogurt on hand?  People who are fancier than me, I guess.  They probably also always have mimosas for breakfast and only buy imported cheeses.)

Giant, unnecessary tub of sour cream.
But it's totally 'pure & natural.'

So I decided to substitute the low fat Greek yogurt for my full-fat, giant tub of sour cream I bought a couple of weeks ago for Sebastian’s birthday cake.  Apparently I only needed about two cups.  Not a thousand.  (I promise I’ll show you his birthday party.  One day.)

It totally worked.  The muffins were airy, and this is going to sound totally corny and almost ‘explosion of flavor’ annoying, but they sort of melted in your mouth.  That doesn’t happen with muffins usually.  The kids were finally satisfied and stopped complaining and fighting long enough to eat, and Adele only threw a few pieces on the floor.

I’m calling it a win.

I took this recipe from Cooking With My Kid, but just added a couple of changes.  I have no idea if this is legal.  Don’t sue me.  I’m poor.

They only take about 5 minutes to put together, but longer if you have children who stick their fingers in the batter as you’re trying to put it in the little muffin cups.

Pumpkin Muffins Without Milk But With Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt, If You’re Fancy

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 can 100% pure pumpkin
2 large eggs lightly beaten
1/2 cup canola oil or vegetable oil
1/3 cup lowfat Greek yogurt (or sour cream!)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray mini muffin tins with cooking spray. Mix flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt in large bowl. In a separate bowl whisk together pumpkin, eggs, oil, and yogurt. Combine wet and dry ingredients until just blended. Spoon batter into muffin tins. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Transfer muffins to rack to cool.  I got 24 mini muffins and 6 regular ones.