Cast Iron Cooking ~ Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins

Last week I received my November 2010 issue of Everyday Food. I've shared before that our family tradition is to make (and eat) muffins for Sunday morning breakfast. It simply wouldn't be Sunday without muffins (well, occasionally I do get away with making scones or a coffeecake). When I flipped thru the magazine, I knew I would be making the Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins featured on page 112.

Years ago, my sweet family purchased for my birthday a lovely Griswold cast iron muffin pan. They knew I'd love it. Not just love it, but use it...OFTEN. It gets a workout most every Sunday morning. If you've never baked in cast iron, I have to share that it is simply the best....much better than other muffin tins.


A very nice sized muffin cup. Small, but not a mini-muffin. There is also only 11 cups...not a dozen or even a baker's dozen.


Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins
(Printable Version)
10 Tbsp butter, room temperature
3 c all-pupose flour
2-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1/3 c buttermilk
1-1/4 c pure pumpkin puree
3/4 c light brown sugar
2 large eggs

sugar coating:
3/4 c granulated sugar
1-1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 c butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 12 standard muffin cups. Make batter: In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and allspice. In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk and pumkin puree. In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl as needed. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with two additions pumpkin mixture; and beat to combine.

Spoon 1/3 cup batter into each muffin cup and bake until a toothpick inserted into center of muffin comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine granulated sugar and cinnamon. Let muffins cool 10 minutes in pan on wire rack. Working with one at a time, remove muffins from pan, brush all over with melted butter, then toss to coat in sugar mixture. Let muffins cool completely on a wire rack. Makes 12 muffins.



Sunday's breakfast was these WONDERFUL muffins and some lovely Orange-Spiced Tea. I bought some while visiting the Mennonite store in Wisconsin back in September. So yummy but I quickly went thru the small bag I brought home. I have made some of my own and it is just about as good as the one I bought. I plan to use some of this for holiday gift giving. It will make great hostess gifts.

The tea was the perfect compliment to the muffins. Oh, and the muffins have a dense texture very similar to an old-fashioned cake donut....I understand the name!



Orange Spiced Tea
(Printable Version)

3 large navel oranges
1 (8 oz.) pkg. loose black tea leaves
1-2 stick cinnamon sticks
2 tsp. whole cloves

Remove thin bright colored rind from each orange with sharp knife (no white); cut into thin strips. Spread out on cookie sheet. Heat in very slow oven, 250°F for 10 minutes or just until rind is dry. Toss loose tea with orange rind. Break up cinnamon stick and whole cloves and add to tea mixture. Place in a jar and allow to sit for a couple of weeks for flavor development.



Posting to:
Kristin's THIS WEEK'S CRAVINGS - Pumpkin Party
Lisa's Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Lady Kathrine's Tea Time Tuesday
Michael Lee's Foodie Friday

Raspberries & Clover Blossom Tea

Do you remember me sharing about the vintage Clover Blossom dish sets by Federal that I found still sealed in their orignial boxes? I've been itching to get them out and on a table but I was waiting for something......RASPBERRIES!! The sweet little clover flowers reminded me so much of raspberries that I just had to wait until I could harvest enough.

 

That day has come! Sunday morning breakfast is raspberries & cream, homemade granola, scrambled eggs & bacon and tea!

 

I polished up the King Edward Calvalcade silverplate to go with these sweet dish sets.

I also dug out some coordinating serving pieces from my set of Anchor Hocking Surburbia...the serving bowl, sugar & creamer and salt & pepper shakers.

A little peek at those lucious berries!

The tablecloth today is simply a piece of pretty cotton fabric from my quilting stash. When I bought it (a LONG time ago), it reminded me of raspberries.

The star of the table!

With just a drizzle of heavy cream.

Forget the granola, I'll stick to the berries & cream, thank-you very much!

Does it get better than this?!

Posting to Lady Kathrine's Tea Time Tuesday at Lady Katherine Tea Parlor and Marty's Table Top Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life. Thanks to both these lovely ladies for hosting these Tuesday events each week!

Tea Time Magazine

I am a magazine nut. I really enjoy them. I think it stems from my first real job. I worked for a chain drug store with a LARGE magazine rack. On our breaks we were allowed to read the magazines as long as we were careful and didn't crease or soil the pages. Over the years, I've enjoyed many kinds of magazines...cooking, gardening, quilting, etc., One of my current favorites is Tea Time.

I sat down last week to go thru my newest issue (with a lovely cuppa, of course) and what do I see.

As I open the cover, there is MY cup of tea. Well, not exactly, that cup is from a set of Royal Crown Darby, but the styling is just the same as my Coronation by Tradition.

I picked these cups up a few months ago at a thrift store. I almost passed on them.

Not because I didn't like them, but because there were only 3 of them. I tend to *hunt* for things in multiples of 2. Just makes it easier for entertaining but in the end, I liked them so well, I broke my own rule and purchased all 3 of them.

Each and every piece of the of the Royal Crown Darby in the magazine is exquisite. I see the prices it list for though and am pretty contented with my little service for 3 (and my total investment of $3.75).

Speaking of exquisite, you have to check out the tea treats in this article. I will be trying Macadamia Sugar Cookies very, very soon!

Last weeks post with my thrifty silver inspired me to get the Silver Polish (Wright's cream) out. I even polished up my favorite tea spoons.

I bought these years ago at an Estate Sale. They are by Alvin and I have no idea what the pattern name is but I think they are sweet and love using them for tea (I have 6 of them).

Macadamia Sugar Cookies

Makes 2 dozen cookies

1 cup plus 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts
2 cups chopped white chocolate, melted

1. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine butter and sugar. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 4 minutes. Add egg and vanilla, beating until combined. Add flour mixture, beating until just combined. Add macadamia nuts, stirring to combine. Cover and freeze until dough is firm, approximately 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 350°.
4. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
5. Using a 1-inch spring-loaded scoop, scoop dough into portions. Use hands to roll dough portions into balls. Place on prepared baking sheets.
6. Bake until edges are light brown, approximately 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. Dip half of each cookie in melted white chocolate. Place on wire racks to dry.

Posting to Lady Kathrine's Tea Time Tuesday and Lisa's Tempt My Tummy Tuesday.