Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Its that time of year, the leaves are changing colour and there are pumpkins everywhere. I was inspired to make some pumpkin spice muffins after tasting one from a local coffee shop. Very tasty!

1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp ginger
1 (14 oz) can of pumpkin puree (or 1 1/2 cups fresh pumpkin)
1/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce
2 eggs
1/3 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tin with paper liners and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar and spices. Stir until combined. Add pumpkin puree, apple sauce and eggs, stir into the dry ingredients until smooth. Gently fold in the raisins until evenly distributed. Spoon batter into muffin tin. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick instered in the middle comes out clean. Let cool 15 minutes before removing from the muffin tin. Makes 12 large muffins.

Orzo with Roasted Peppers & Turkey

1 red bell pepper
1 orange bell pepper
1 lb orzo pasta
3 cups chicken stock
3 cups water
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb ground turkey
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 clove garlic, minced
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper, to taste
feta cheese

First thing is to roast the peppers. You can either do this by holding over a gas flame with tongs, turning occasionally until the skins are charred on all sides. Or you can roast the peppers in the oven under the broiler, which is what I did. Place whole peppers on a baking sheet and broil until charred. Occasionally turn peppers so all sides start turning black. Place the charred peppers in a medium bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the peppers to steam for 20 minutes. Remove from bowl and place on cutting board. Using a paring knife, peel away most of the skin. Its okay to leave some skin as it adds flavour. Remove the stem and seeds. Pat peppers dry with paper towel and cut into 1/4-inch slices. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock, water, and salt to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8-10 minutes.

While the pasta is cooking; in a large skillet heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey and saute until cooked through. Add the garlic and Italian seasonings and cook for 1 minute. Add the bell peppers, tomatoes, and red pepper flakes, if using, and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.

Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid, and transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the turkey and pepper mixture, 1 tbsp of parsley, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Toss well to combine all ingredients, adding reserved cooking liquid, if needed, to loosen the pasta. Top with feta cheese and sprinkle with the remaining parsley.