All things FALL!

I love the fall of the year!  It's my favorite season by far!  I love the cooler temps, the beautiful colors, and seeing pumpkins and mums everywhere.  Oh..and deer hunting ;)

I also love to see the baking supplies put out on center isles at the grocery store.  It reminds me to stock up on all those ingredients I'll need for the upcoming holidays.   

Speaking of baking......I'm in the mood to celebrate the beautiful and long anticipated arrival of fall!  So some time this weekend, I'll be cooking up these muffins for me and the Mister.....

I ran across this recipe on My Blessed Life

Salted Caramel Pumpkin Muffins

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup raw sugar
• 2 t. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
• 1 cup pumpkin puree

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine all dry ingredients including nuts and cranberries. Add eggs, milk, vanilla, butter and pumpkin. Stir just until moistened. Fill greased muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes until browned and center springs back when touched.
Makes 18-20 muffins.
Salted Caramel Glaze:

• 4 Tablespoons butter
• 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 Tablespoons white or raw sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 Tablespoons milk
• 1-2 Tablespoons confectioner’s sugar, sifted

Heat butter, sugars, salt, vanilla and milk over medium heat, stirring constantly. When mixture reaches a boil, boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and continue stirring. Add one tablespoon confectioner’s sugar to thicken. Use more if it needs to thicken up a bit. *Note: If you don’t have a whisk, then you should sift the confectioner’s sugar first to avoid lumps. I just dump the sugar in and beat out lumps with my whisk. Spoon the glaze over semi-cooled muffins.