Pumpkin Muffins/Bread

Fall is officially here and with it comes pumpkin flavored anything you can think of.  I'm not a coffee drinker so I don't get excited for the Pumpkin Spice Latte's but I do LOVE pumpkin bread - it is one of my favorite fall treats!!  I wanted to share my favorite recipe in case anyone gets the baking bug this weekend.  The recipe comes primarily from one I found in Southern Living but I changed a few things here and there to make it my own!  Hope you enjoy!

Serving Size: This recipe makes A LOT.  Approx. 36 muffins or 2 loaves of bread.  I typically make the whole thing and give out what I know I can't eat to family or friends but you could easily half or third the recipe and make smaller batches.

Ingredients:

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
1 cup cooking oil
3 cups sugar
3 large eggs
3 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (the original recipe calls for only 1 teaspoon but I like cinnamon flavor so I add a little extra)
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cloves
Cooking spray
Chocolate chips (as much as desired; these are not part of the original recipe but my own addition to the recipe)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Beat first 11 ingredients (all except cooking spray and chocolate chips) at low/medium speed with a mixer for approx. 1-2 minutes (or until blended). 

Optional step: Add chocolate chips as desired (I typically make half of the recipe without chocolate chips and half with chocolate chips by pouring the first loaf or 18 muffins and then adding chocolate chips to the remaining batter)

Coat cook pans with cooking spray

Pour batter into loaf pan or muffin pan

Cook:

Bake for approx. 20 min. (or until you can stick a knife in and little to nothing comes out). I have found that every oven is very different and everyone likes things cooked a little differently so I just keep an eye on mine and take them out when they are to my liking. 

Enjoy!!

Finished Product: One plain pumpkin muffin and one pumpkin muffin with chocolate chips!

These have become a pretty big hit with family and friends and one of my favorite fall treats!

Hope you enjoy!

Carly

PGA Tour Bound!!

Hudson and Ryan after they finished the final round (hopefully ever) on the web.com tour.

After two years of hard work and A LOT of traveling, Hudson and Ryan are headed to the PGA Tour!!!  Congratulations! We could not be more excited for both of them - they have worked so hard and deserve this opportunity.  I was lucky enough to be down in Ponte Vedra last weekend when Hudson officially received his tour card and I don't think I was quite prepared for the wave of emotions.  Watching someone's childhood dream come true and seeing them share it with their loved ones was really special.  I hope to be lucky enough to be present when Hudson and Ryan win their first PGA Tour event, because I'm confident that will happen sooner rather than later!  Ryan will head out to California on Sunday to start the new journey on the big tour so please help me in wishing him luck on his new adventure (oh and I'll be traveling again soon enough)!  Here are a few pictures from the fabulous weekend.

Ryan, Hudson, his fiancé Katherine and I celebrating after the PGA Card presentation

Ryan and I celebrating before the PGA Card presentation

Good Luck Ryan and Hudson!!

Carly