Pinto Beans and Pumpkin Cornmeal Muffins

Last night before bed I put a pot of pinto beans on to soak. I got up this morning, added a few ham hocks, some spices, and turned the crock pot on high. I had planned on serving them for lunch, but I needed something to go with them. After searching the cookbook Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Recipes for Entertaining, I found a recipe for Pumpkin Cornmeal Muffins. By lunchtime, our house was smelling wonderfully delicious. The muffins were a hit with the whole family, so I thought I would share the recipe.

Pumpkin Cornmeal Muffins

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup ground yellow cornmeal, preferably stone ground

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice blend (I made my own)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter or margarine, melted (I used salted...didn't have unsalted)

1 large egg

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup light molasses (I used dark...didn't have light)

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 12 cups of a standard muffin tin.

2. Combine the four, cornmeal, baking powder, spice blend, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.

3. In a medium-size bowl, beat together the melted butter, egg, honey, molasses, buttermilk, and pumpkin puree. Mix into the dry ingredients until just combined. Take care not to over mix. The batter will be lumpy.

4. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, filling the cups almost to the top. Bake until golden around the edges, the tops are dry, and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes on a wire rack before turning the muffins out of the cups to cool. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Because we have such a large family, I decided to double the recipe. We had leftovers and my kids have been munching on them all afternoon. We will definitely be making them again. If you try them, let me know. Enjoy!!!