Pumpkin Cranberry Streusel Muffins

Breakfast around here tends to cause a little bit of a problem. Now a days, no one in my family can eat just cereal if we want to remain satisfied until lunch. But there's only so many times you can eat eggs in a week. So without further ado, here is the recipe for Pumpkin Cranberry Streusel Muffins, which my little sis and I made just this afternoon (though, granted, it was mostly her. I was busy photographing her every move. "No wait! hold that! let me get a good picture. Okay, stir. Freeze! Don't move the spoon!";))

Ingredients

2 1/2 c. flour

2 c. sugar

1 T. pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/4 c. pumpkin

2 eggs

1/4 c. oil

1. c. cranberries (or blueberries)

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt.

Combine pumpkin, eggs, and oil in medium bowl; stir well.

Stir into flour mixture until just moistened.

We found that whole cranberries are a little too tart, and so puree them in the blender. If you don't mind the tartness, or if you're using blueberries, then go ahead and use whole berries.

Gently fold in berries.

Doesn't she look like a wonderful helper?

Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups, 3/4 full. This recipe makes 24 muffins with enough batter left for the four siblings who may or may not come looking for a lick and for yourself, who gets more than a lick (remember, if the batter tastes good you know the end result will taste good.)

To make the streusel topping, combine 1/2 c. sugar, 4 T. flour, and 1 tsp. cinnamon in a small bowl. Then cut in 4 T. butter until mixture is crumbly. (Note: if I were you, I would find someone to help at this point. Cutting butter into streusel topping is one of my absolute least favorite things to do while cooking. :)

Sprinkle with streusel topping. Bake for 28-30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire racks.