At this time of year everyone's thoughts turn to …pumpkins! Some people focus on carving them but I prefer to eat them. J

I recently tried this recipe for Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins and they are delicious. I don't have time to spend hours in the kitchen as I'm usually busy writing, so I can assure you they are quick and easy to make. Enjoy!

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Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins

Makes 12

Ingredients

MUFFINS

1 15 oz can pumpkin

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

TOPING

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1 large egg yolk (The white can be added to the muffin mixture.)

3 tablespoons sugar

1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

In bowl one put the pumpkin, oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Stir thoroughly with a wooden spoon until well mixed.

In bowl two put the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. Mix with a fork.

Add the contents of bowl two to bowl one gradually, mixing well with a wooden spoon until thoroughly blended.

For the toping, mix together the cream cheese, egg yolk, sugar and vanilla until smooth and creamy.

Grease a standard sized muffin tin.

Evenly distribute the muffin mixture between the twelve cups.

Add a small spoonful of the cream-cheese mix to the top of each muffin and swirl in with a skewer.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees, turning the tin halfway through cooking.

Store in an airtight container. Lasts for two to three days.

First in a Christmas trilogy set in Naples and the Amalfi coast 

Desperate to forget her controlling ex fiancé and have a fresh start, Claire goes to Italy to write about how the Italians celebrate Christmas. Leo has his own troubled past to overcome, but when he rescues Claire from the rain and takes her home to meet his daughter, the magical Italian Christmas offers them both a second chance at happiness.

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www.helenscotttaylor.co.uk

 https://www.facebook.com/HelenScottTaylorAuthor

Annie’s Soup Kitchen is known for its blueberry muffins. On a visit there many years ago, I picked up their recipe and made a few changes. These muffins aren’t overly sweet, so they’re delicious with fresh fruit or eggs (or both) for breakfast or with a bowl of vegetable soup for lunch or dinner.

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Blueberry Muffins

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Ingredients

2 ½ cups whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

A pinch of salt (⅛ teaspoon)

1 teaspoon soda

Mix dry ingredients together.

3 eggs beaten until frothy (The original recipe reads “beaten till stiff”, but I can never get mine stiff.)

½ cup sugar

1 ounce melted butter (cooled)

2 cups non-fat Greek yogurt

1 ½ cups blueberries (or more)

Add sugar to eggs gradually as you mix.

Fold butter and yogurt into egg mixture.

Fold liquid into dry (do not overmix).

Add blueberries. Fold gently. The batter will be thick!

Coat muffin pans. I use melted butter, but you can use your favorite oil or non-stick spray. I use two different sizes of muffin pans. One makes 6 large muffins and the other makes 12 regular size muffins, so I end up with 18 muffins. Fill the large muffins about halfway. Fill the medium muffins to the top.

Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes. THEN lower temperature to 300°F and bake for 15 more minutes.

Astrophysicist Meredith Burke’s professional life is perfect. Her personal life is another story. Years ago, a ménage with the man she loved and his roommate left her with a broken heart and a secret. She hasn’t trusted anyone since, but when she meets rugged hunting guide Charlie Connor she figures she doesn’t need to. He’s got “one night stand” written all over him.

After one night with Meredith, Charlie needs more. She’s intoxicating, and shockingly willing to give him total control of her body. When she agrees to spend an entire week with him at the lodge where he works, it’s more than he’d hoped for. But Blaine Bridges, Charlie’s best friend and boss, has his own secrets.

Blaine hasn’t seen Meredith since that disastrous encounter eight years ago, but he still has feelings for her. Now she's dating his best friend, the man he wants for himself. When Meredith invites him to join in their naughty play, his pleasure is all-consuming. But will the secrets they all hold close destroy a beautiful beginning or bring these three lovers closer than they ever imagined?

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http://www.samanthaannking.com/

My family goes crazy for these wholesome, moist muffins. The crumbly topping gives them a burst of sweetness. When I make these, they're gone almost instantly.

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Pumpkin Muffins

Makes about 10 average-sized muffins

Combine the following ingredients in a large bowl:

§ 1/2 cup white sugar

§ 1/3 cup grapeseed oil (or other light oil, eg: sunflower, canola)

§ 1 cup pure pumpkin puree

§ 2 eggs

In a separate bowl, combine the following ingredients:

§ 1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour

§ 1 tsp baking soda

§ 1/2 tsp baking powder

§ 1/2 tsp nutmeg

§ 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Add the dry mix to the creamed mixture, beating either by hand or on the low setting of a hand blender. Don't over-mix.

Divide among muffin cups (either lined with paper or greased).

Crumbly Topping (optional, but recommended!)

In a small bowl, combine the following ingredients:

§ 1 tsp cinnamon

§ 2 tbsp brown sugar

§ 1 tsp soft butter

§ 1 tsp flour

Sprinkle over the muffin batter before baking.

Bake at 350 F, on an upper rack, for *about* 20 minutes. (Not all ovens cook at the same rate, so adjust cooking time accordingly.)

Allow to cool and enjoy.  :)

~Karla

Nia has one rule—don’t date neighbors. Simple, except the guy next door is single, handsome, and not inclined to close his blinds while naked. When her car dies, Conn takes “being neighborly” to a new level by offering a ride to her long-distance destination. Nia has resisted his looks and charm for months. Surely she can handle a few hours in his truck…

For months, Conn has blatantly put himself on display, hoping his pretty blonde neighbor would tire of secretly watching and come knock on his door for a cup of sugar—or more. No such luck—until an unusual opportunity arises. After a six-hour drive turns into a sweet-and-sexy weekend, Conn wants more than neighborly status with Nia. To get it, he must convince her to break the rule protecting her heart—by putting his on the line.

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Website: www.karladoyle.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/Karla_Doyle

I kept seeing this combination on Pinterest and couldn’t resist. I love lemon, love yogurt and had blueberries I needed to use up. This version totally worked for me.

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Muffins:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup lemon flavored Greek yogurt 
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil (or applesauce)
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries (frozen could probably substitute)
Lemon Glaze:
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In another bowl, mix together the yogurt, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, vanilla and oil. Slowly incorporate the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Be careful not to overmix the batter! Very gently, mix the blueberries into the batter.
Pour the batter into the greased muffin tins and bake 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of one comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing. Let almost completely cool before topping with the glaze.
To make the lemon glaze, in a bowl whisk together the confectioners sugar and the lemon juice. The mixture might be thick but should be spreadable. Add up to another tablespoon of lemon juice (or water) if it’s too stiff. Pour the lemon glaze over the top of each muffin.
There's something inside of him, some dormant part that's been awakened. And now it wants to be set free...
Something's wrong with Sebastian Kent. Already considered an outsider in the vampire community as a half-vampire, half-something else, he’ll do everything in his power to hide his weakness. But when sickness strikes, he has no choice but to turn to a human for help—a woman whose touch provides his only relief.
Alice Bowman is hiding her own illness, one that has left her homeless. When she comes to Bast’s aid, she doesn’t expect to be thrust into the world of vampires. But he offers her refuge and a job researching his family history in the hope of finding a clue to his mysterious affliction. She can’t resist his offer of protection—and the chance to spend more time with the man who arouses her every desire.
But as Bast and Alice’s hunger for each other grows, so does the power of Bast’s unexplained half. And soon his unknown past and her uncertain future threaten to keep them apart forever….

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www.deecarney.com

twitter.com/dee_carney

pinterest.com/deecarney

The recipe is for a single muffin so it's great when you want a little something sweet but healthy. Even my sons love them. If you want to make more than one, just increase the ingredients to make a larger batch. Enjoy!

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Banana Muffin for One

3 tbsp flour
1/2 tbsp sugar
1 heaping 1/16 tsp salt
1 1/2 heaping tbsp very ripe banana
1/4 tsp baking powder
Tiny pinch of baking soda
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp milk
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 325. Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl, the wet in another. Combine. Pour into a PAM-sprayed muffin pan. Cook for 10-14 minutes.

 

Aislinn of Bairbhe dreams of becoming a lady knight to honor the death of her fallen brother. To her mother's horror, King Patrick grants Aislinn's wish and she begins her long years of training.

Despite the mockery of the other pages, and the disdain of Prince Caelan who also trains to be a knight, Aislinn commits herself to her dreams and embarks on a journey of self-discovery and bravery. Through the years, Aislinn and Caelan grow from sparring classmates to good friends. They both know that someday Caelan will marry for the sake of the kingdom, but even that cannot keep them from falling in love.

The threat of war with the Speicans is a constant threat, and one that grows more frightening as she and Caelan train toward their eventual knighthood. Aislinn has committed herself to serving Arnhem, and has promised herself as King's Champion when Caelan claims the throne. She is willing to give up everything... her childhood, her life, even her heart for Arnhem. No matter the pain it brings.

~~~

www.NicoleZoltack.com