Muffin Monday: Pumpkin Applesauce Muffins

'Tis the season for pumpkin, hooray!! Isn't pumpkin just the yummiest thing this time of year? Also, apples? Also, Halloween candy.....anyway, these are yummy and moist and mostly healthy. Worth the effort and they make 21. Perfect for after school snacks and quick breakfasts! Got the recipe here. PS. I am not an Oprah fan, but even she can get some stuff right.=)

• 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter or cooking spray
• 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter , softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup applesauce
• 1 cup canned mashed pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup apple juice or cider or orange juice
• 1 1/2 cups raisins

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease 12 half-cup muffin cups with melted butter. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, applesauce, pumpkin, and vanilla until blended. Add dry ingredients, alternating with the juice, beginning and ending with the dry mixture; mix until smooth. Fold in raisins.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each cup two-thirds full. Bake on the center oven rack until a toothpick inserted in the center of each muffin comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow muffins to cool in the pans several minutes; turn muffins out onto a rack. Serve muffins warm or at room temperature. Repeat steps 1 through 3 with remaining batter.