Super Yummy Punkin Flax Muffins

This is what my kids call these muffins (minus the flax).....so hence the title.  It is mainly PW's Pumpkin Spice Muffins, adapted to be a bit healthier.  And I typically have these ingredients on hand, so it makes it easy. Here goes.....

3/4 c flour
1/4 c ground flax seed
1/3 c sugar
2 tsp b. powder
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (fresh ground is the KEY....I have just discovered the joy of freshly ground nutmeg and will never go back to the other!  And, you can find it at any grocery store and just grate it with a small grater/microplaner...who knew!)
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp butter (cold-ish)
1 c (heaping...so really like 1 1/4 c) canned pumpkin
1/4 c greek yogurt (not vital...if you don't have it, no big deal, just makes them more moist)
1 c evaporated milk (you can use non-fat withhout any problems)
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla (here again...homemade vanilla made w/ rum = YUM)
1/2 c raisins (optional....we don't use these cuz raisins are gross...)

So just mix all the dry ingredients; then cut in the butter with a butter knives or pastry cutter until it's all incorporated and approximately pea-sized. Mix all the wet ingredients together and add to the dry.  Mix until just incorporated.  Put them in greased muffin tins @ 375 for 20 min or so.  (Makes 12 muffins. )  I have found that a big can of pumpkin and a whole can of evap. milk makes a triple batch.....which gets eaten pretty quickly at my house.

Toppings:
Okay...here are a couple of options. The original recipe from PW calls for mixing:
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
And then sprinkling on the muffins before baking, and then making cream cheese frosting to put on top too....which is delish, but more like dessert.

What I do is: No cinnamon/sugar topping, instead mix a block of 1/3 fat cream cheese w/ a couple of tbsp of honey, some ground nutmeg, and cinnamon.  (To taste) Whip it until it is fluffy.  We spread a little of this on the muffins and my kids love it. 



Okay, WOW, my first blog post....aren't you all proud of me? And it was so hard, I think I need to go get a massage now.....or go shopping....or go clean a couple of bathrooms instead.....now doesn't that sound fun??

Serena