Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

Happy November, everyone!

Did I say that October was my favorite month? Well, November might be a tie! There are SO many things to love about November. The weather. My Kati was born. Coziness. Focusing on gratitude. Thanksgiving.

I have done post-every-day-for-a-month series several times over the years that I have been blogging and I don't have any intention of doing that this month. But I do plan to post more frequently in November. Maybe we could call it a mini series? 

To begin . . . 

It's time for a pumpkin recipe here at Thinking About Home! I didn't start out planning to do an annual pumpkin recipe, but somewhere along the way that is what happened. So here's my offering for 2021. 

(Pumpkin Recipe Roundup found ~here~ and  Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream is ~here~.)  

I have made these pumpkin streusel muffins a couple of times this fall.

I have used this muffin recipe for years, since I first discovered it in Country Living magazine in February 1982. Sometimes I have added pecans, sometimes chocolate chips. Most often, I have made them just as they are. 

This year, I decided to add a streusel topping because I have found a streusel recipe that I love and is there anything that is not delicious with a streusel topping?

PUMPKIN STREUSEL MUFFINS
(Makes 12 standard muffins.)

Muffin Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 stick butter, melted
(Optional: 1/2 cup golden raisins OR pecans OR chocolate chips)

Directions:
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Butter 12 muffin cups.

In a bowl, combine dry ingredients and blend well.

Beat egg with milk, pumpkin, and butter until smooth.

Stir pumpkin mixture into dry ingredients and blend until moistened.
(At this point, stir in raisins, pecans, or chocolate chips if you're adding them.)

Spoon batter into muffin cups.
Press 2 tablespoons of streusel mixture (recipe below) on top of each.

Bake 15-20 minutes until lightly browned.


Streusel Topping:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup confectioner's sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl.
Mix with your fingers until mixture is moist and crumbly.

Grab yourself a cup of coffee (and maybe a friend) and enjoy this autumn treat! 

October Birthday Celebration

October is usually my favorite month of the year. The cooler temperatures, the gorgeous colors of leaves and pumpkins and gourds, fall foods and drinks . . . all speak my name. I echo Anne who said, "I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers!"

This October? Not my favorite.

But we are all well and there is much to be thankful for! God is gracious and merciful! 

Before October rolls into November, I want to record this month's birthday celebration in which we celebrated our grandson Ben and my dad with a fall fête. 

* * *

My inspiration for this party was a package of fall napkins that my friend Barbara had given me. I loved the sweet and simple acorn design and I loved the fact that they were a little different from the usual fall offerings. (Although, don't get me wrong, I love colorful fall napkins too! #givemeallthefallthings) 

Playing off the green and cream in the napkins, I gathered a few pumpkins in those colors. When I laid the napkins and plates on my off-white tablecloth, they blended in, so I grabbed a wooden plate and cutting board to supply some contrast. Then I got out my faux acorns and scattered them on the table. 

Another grand is a teenager! It seems such a short time ago that Ben was this age and this age, but now he is THIRTEEN! 

This birthday boy, my dad,  turned eighty-four in October! 

Instead of a party game, this time we had a discussion. I posed two questions and each guest could answer one or the other (or both).  1. What was your favorite age or the age you look forward to being?  2. What was your most memorable birthday? 

I love discussions like this! You learn new things about your people! 

Peter gave one of his acorn creations to Gampy (my dad's grandfather name). This acorn man has a camera, a throwback to one of Gampy's hobbies.

Dessert was a sweet feast! Bekah had made a carrot cake which is one of Daddy's favorites. There was vanilla ice cream. Mom brought Sweetzels Mini Ginger Cremes. And Owen had made Candy Corn Cookies! 

We had recently had a protracted discussion (including a poll!) in our family group chat about Candy Corn Cookies. Feelings ran strong! So Owen decided that he would make some so that everyone could speak from experience. Feelings still ran strong, but some people who said that they would "never" eat such a thing tried them. (Some didn't.) 

How do you feel about candy corn? Are you a lover or a hater? (I'm a hater.) 

The older I get, the more aware I am of the brevity of life. One never knows when things will change in big or small ways. I am more convinced than ever that we should take the moments to celebrate the people we love! 

I am thankful for the day we had to celebrate Daddy and Ben!

Replacing the Kitchen Island

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We brought our kitchen island from The Farmhouse when we moved to Pineapple House five-and-a-half years ago. Ron had made it  from wood that came from a chicken house on his parents' farm, so it had special meaning to us, but it didn't really work well in this kitchen, as much as we wanted it to. 

The island in The Farmhouse kitchen.

The island in the Pineapple House kitchen.

Happy ending for the island: Kati and Andrew had the perfect spot for the island in their kitchen, so Ron and Bekah hauled it down South when they came to meet Baby Ellie! (Kati plans to paint the base another color to better blend in with their own things, but she's been a little busy the past few months. ~wink~) 

The island in its new home: Kati's kitchen.

In July, I came home from my weeks at Kati's to an empty space in the kitchen and there were plans for Ron to build a kitchen table. But a few days later, I found this antique pine hutch table and the four ladderbacks on Facebook Marketplace for an amazing price! I texted Ron at work and he texted back, "Go for it!" 

It is the table I have always wanted! I loved a hutch table the first time I ever saw one in Country Living magazine. When we were raising our family, we needed a bigger table and there was nowhere to put a smaller one (just because I liked it). But now we have the perfect space for it, and it suits our needs here much better than the island did.

• The three of us eat many of our meals here.
• There are comfortable places to sit for those who want to hang out with the cook. (We had a couple of bar stools for the island, but there was nowhere to put your legs.)
• At Pineapple House, the main function of the island was serving (mostly hors d'oeuvres), and I can easily serve from the table.  
  
• It actually feels more spacious at this end of the kitchen.

I am head-over-heels for this table! And I thank the Lord for this gift! 

September Glimpses

Here are just a few peeks at our September, the month that begins full-on summer and ends . . . well . . . actually still plenty summery but with the hint of change.

🍎 We had a second Grand Summer Sleepover! We all had so much fun at the one we had in June. And look at how old these kids are getting! We need to take these opportunities while we can! 

They are a creative group of kids and presented us with another original musical before they left on Saturday. There are a few inside jokes, but if you are so inclined, it's here for your viewing. 

🍎 We had an ice cream party with Ron's siblings and their spouses. 

🍎 Peter (10) spent hours making little acorn people and animals and houses for them. He gave us a "Gran and Papa" set. 🥰

🍎 I was eager to begin my Bible reading program again this September. This is my second year with this program in which you read through the entire Bible from September through May. Sound daunting? It isn't really! Maybe I'll do a separate post about it if anyone is interested. 

🍎 A little more autumn, inside . . . 

 

 . . . and out.

🍎 Ron worked on an outdoor project. More on that later . . . 

🍎 There were peeks at the grandbabies. 

Caleb

Ellie

Joanna

🍎 Our homeschool book club began a new school year. 

🍎 I made apple butter in the slow cooker with some apples we brought home from our anniversary trip.

(I am probably late to the party, but I have recently discovered Half-Baked Harvest. Her food photography is the best! She makes me want to cook all the things!)

🍎 Mom and I took a little trip to visit my sister. We also stopped by my niece's home and visited with her family for a short while. Here is Mom with her great-granddaughters, such sweet and pretty girls! 

🍎 And Bekah purchased her first car! Thus ends our constant game of vehicle switcheroo! (No one will miss that game.)

Glimpses of our month . . . all graces from His generous hand! 

What were some graces from your September? 

Little Things and Heavy Days

 

I was so encouraged by your response to the post I wrote last week pondering "little things" and their place on the blog. You reminded me that little things and little moments are what life is made of, and it does not deny the hard things to appreciate the little things. 

Because there have been heavy days this week.

We are all well here. But there are friends and loved ones (blog friends and near friends and extended family) who are suffering illness and loss. And when you love those who are suffering, you suffer too. 

But I will share with you some little things (which are really the big things) in our world this week.


~  Autumn light

~ A little anniversary getaway

Our 43rd wedding anniversary was in August, but August is crazy so we waited until Ron had some days off in September. It was short and sweet, but so refreshing! 

~ antiquing ~ coffee ~ relaxing ~

Our selfie game is not good 😂,
but here we are enjoying our first of many coffees on our two day trip.

~ Autumn potpourri that is making our house smell amazing! 

~ Autumn at the farm stand 

~ Autumn at the back door 

I will leave you with some beautiful music that Bekah played at church last Sunday. I love this wonderful old hymn! May it be an encouragement to you today! (In case you don't know the words, I have pasted them below. They are rich!)

 

1. HE LEADETH ME
   lyrics by Joseph Gilmore
   
   He leadeth me, O blessed thought!
   O words with heav’nly comfort fraught!
   Whate’er I do, where’er I be
   Still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me.
   • Refrain:
     He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
     By His own hand He leadeth me;
     His faithful foll’wer I would be,
     For by His hand He leadeth me.
2. Sometimes ’mid scenes of deepest gloom,
   Sometimes where Eden’s bowers bloom,
   By waters still, o’er troubled sea,
   Still ’tis His hand that leadeth me.
3. Lord, I would place my hand in Thine,
   Nor ever murmur nor repine;
   Content, whatever lot I see,
   Since ’tis my God that leadeth me.
4. And when my task on earth is done,
   When by Thy grace the vict’ry’s won,
   E’en death’s cold wave I will not flee,
   Since God through Jordan leadeth me.

Little Things

I have found my blog languishing again . . . 

When I look back through my old blogposts in search of a date or a photo, I see enthusiasm and amazing frequency of posting. How in the world did I post so much when I was in the throes of homeschooling? How did I have so much to share and so much to say? When did I find time to do it? 

Well, I am very busy in my "retirement." My family is larger. I do my best to stay connected and involved in all of their lives. I am more involved in my church. I make time for friends (although I feel like I fail at that much of the time). We are juggling two vehicles among three drivers which complicates the schedule. 

Also, I am slow. Always have been. Even more so as I get older. 

And . . . maybe it's this as much as anything else . . . I sometimes feel like I need to have something Grand and Important to say to jump back in after a blog lag. Anyone else? 


But the reality is that the little things are God's graces and those are always Grand and Important! So I am going to make an effort to take a few minutes more frequently to post a little thing or two. 

* * * 

Here is a little thing that brings a smile: 

I love to  s l o w l y  decorate for autumn, collecting little bits here and there and scattering them inside and out throughout the season. (Sometimes, the whole collection finds a home on my Thanksgiving table.) I picked up these Baby Boo pumpkins at a farm stand the day after Labor Day. Then this week, I decided that I needed a mum on the Shaker table, so I rose before dawn to take Ron to work so that I could have the van, and was at Walmart before 7 am (who am I even?) and picked out this lovely little burgundy one. 

Yes, these little things make me smile.