Holiday Baking (Carole)

Two weeks ago, when we asked you for your best gift ideas for the holidays, many of you mentioned baking.  That is music to a frugal wife's ears!  All you have to do is find a good recipe, buy your supplies in bulk and heat up the oven.  It's just about that easy.  And think of all the money you'll save on scented candles during the holidays, since your house will already smell like a pumpkin pie is in the oven -- because it is!

Here is one of my favorite holiday recipes that only costs a couple of dollars to make.  From October until New Year's, I make a batch 2 -3 times per week.  These really are that good.  It's adapted from the pumpkin bread recipe in the Williams-Sonoma Muffin cookbook.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins   

1 1/2  cups sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup chocolate chips

I just mix everything together, fill 12 pre-greased (or sprayed) muffin tins and bake at 350 for 15 - 18 minutes.

I've heard that it's been another bad year for the pumpkin crop, so if you are planning to buy canned pumpkin, you probably ought to pick them up soon.  Just to be on the safe side.