pumpkin muffins & a fall giveaway!

It's crazy to think that fall is right around the corner, maybe even already here, depending on where you live. In Dallas it's still in the 90s, so I have to pretend a little bit. Either way, I'm excited and ready for the new season! Fall is my favorite time of year, not only because I finally get to pull out my sweaters and boots, but the temperature is cool enough to start eating soups, stews, and hearty fall treats. Pumpkin especially.

Last year I made some tasty pumpkin treats — pumpkin cupcakes & the super-popular pumpkin spice cheesecake! This year I wanted to try some pumpkin muffins, and I love a good streusel topping so I added that to give it just a little something extra!

In all my excitement about the season and the new foodie project I'm working on, I decided to share the love with a exciting & BIG giveaway of things I love!

While I was in Italy this summer I fell in love with an Italian book by Jamie Oliver that has great recipes and fabulous photography. Along with that wonderful cookbook, my talented friend Lesa, of Paper Nest by Lesa, donated some beautifully designed custom recipe cards! (Be sure to check out her site & beautiful designs at Indigo Prints) I'm obsessed with pretty paper, so you're lucky I decided not to keep these for myself...

As if those weren't enough, Deborah Chud of A Doctor's Kitchen and newly launched app, Trufflehead, donated TWO free iPhone/iPad app downloads! I think everyone can learn to cook and this app is perfect for beginner cooks!

First place will win the Jamie Oliver cookbook, Lesa's recipe cards and the Trufflehead app. Second place gets a Trufflehead app too!

How do you enter?!

1. Simply comment on THIS post and tell me your favorite fall recipe or...
2. 'Like' our Facebook page and post your favorite fall recipe to our wall.
3. For BONUS Entries, 'Like' Cookin' Skinny on Facebook, our newest healthy foodie project coming this November, and post your favorite meal or follow us on Twitter @cookinskinny and mention this post link @cookinskinny on your Twitter.

Right now, residents of the United States are only eligible to win and you must have a shipping address within the U.S. to receive the prizes!

Giveaway runs through Wednesday, October 5 at midnight. Winners will be randomly selected using a random number generator and announced on our site on Thursday, October 6 after noon. Winners must email me (blairculwell@gmail.com) within three days to collect their prize otherwise a new winner will be selected. 

Pumpkin Spice Muffins, makes 12

• 2 cups AP flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup lowfat milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup packed pumpkin puree

Crumble Topping

• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup AP flour
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees with a rack in the middle of the oven. Mix all dry ingredients through salt in a large bowl. In another bowl mix the remaining wet ingredients — whisk to combine. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until incorporated and no lumps remain. Don't overmix. Meanwhile combine the ingredients for the crumble topping to form a consistency like wet sand. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan with Pam Original and pour even amounts of batter into each one. Top with equal amounts of the crumble topping. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Cool on a wire rack, when cool, store in an air-tight container.