New England Side

Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins
(Makes 12)

Heavenly muffins with a sweet, spicey pumpkin batter and fresh cranberries.

1 C canned pumpkin
1/2 C vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
2 eggs (lightly beaten)
2 1/4 C flour
2 scant tsp. ground cinnamon *
1 scant tsp. ground ginger *
pinch of ground nutmeg *
pinch of ground allspice *
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 C whole, fresh cranberries

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl mix first 4 ingredients. In another bowl, mix flour, spice, soda and salt. Combine the 2 mixtures, stirring until dry ingredients are just moist. Stir in cranberries.

Pour batter into greased muffin pans and bake for 30 minutes, till toothpick comes out clean.

* When combined, all 4 spices—ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice—should equal 1 Tablespoon.

The mix is called "pumpkin spice." You can make it in larger batches and store in an airtight container: 4 parts cinnamon; 2 parts ginger; 1 part nutmeg; 1 part allspice.

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Tips & Glossary

Bouquet Garni: (boo-kay gar-nee), a bundle of herbs tied together with string or wrapped in cheese cloth square. Usual herbs include parsley, thyme, and bay leaf, and peppercorns. They release their flavor during long cooking. Used to flavor soups and stews and removed before serving.

Ginger: dried ground ginger is far more potent than freshly grated from the root.Sweet dessert recipes call for ground powder. If you wish to use freshly grated ginger, use 6 times the amount of ground called for in the recipe.

Nutmeg:Use small whole nuts and store them, tightly covered, in a dry dark area.Grate what you need using the smallest grating edge or grind in a food processor. What a difference from store bought nutmeg!

Piecrust: Store-bought versions are heaven-sent for those who have neither the time nor the know-how for good homemade piecrust. But for those willing to make their own, the payoff is great See our recipe for Noel's Pie Crust.