Leeanne wrote:

> I'm wondering if anyone can give a quick and simple recipe for carrot
> muffins and pumpkin muffins?

HASTINGS HOUSE SPICED CARROT MUFFINS
1 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed -- (light brown sugar)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 pinch allspice
1 pinch ginger
1 large egg
1/2 cup Buttermilk
1/3 cup Vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
1 1/2 cups finely shredded carrots -- (about 4)
1/2 cup Raisins or currants

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease 12 half-cup muffin tins. In a medium
bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon,
salt, nutmeg, allspice and ginger. In a bowl whisk together egg, buttermilk,
oil, vanilla and stir in carrot and raisins. Add egg mixture to flour
mixture and stir batter until just combined. (Batter will be very thick).
Divide batter among prepared tins and bake in middle of oven 15 minutes, or
until a tester comes out clean.


PUMPKIN WALNUT MUFFINS
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
3/4 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
1/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons unsulfured molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white whole-wheat flour or all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup chopped pitted dates (about 4 ounces)
3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts (about 3 ounces)

Preheat oven to 400° F. and grease twelve 1/2-cup muffin cups.

Melt butter and cool slightly. In a bowl whisk together butter, pumpkin,
buttermilk, eggs, molasses, and vanilla. Into a large bowl sift together
flours, baking powder, spices, salt, and baking soda and whisk in brown
sugar. Make a well in center of flour mixture and add pumpkin mixture,
stirring just until combined. Stir in dates and divide batter among cups.
Sprinkle walnuts evenly over batter in each cup and bake muffins in middle
of oven 20 to 25 minutes, or until puffed and a tester comes out clean. Cool
muffins in cups 5 minutes and turn out onto a rack. Serve muffins warm or at
room temperature.

Makes 12 muffins.