Recipe: Pumpkin Walnut Muffins

Hello lovely readers! I promise I have not vanished from the face of the earth, but I have been working a lot at a very boring job (but a job nonetheless, so I can’t complain!). I’m going to try to get back into posting in this space over the next few weeks, even if the posts aren’t as knitting focused as they usually are. To get started, I have a recipe for you today!

These muffins are definitely on my list of top 3 muffin recipes ever… they are so moist and delicious! Although they would be perfect for fall, I’m sharing them in June because I think they are good to have whenever!

Pumpkin Walnut Muffins
Adapted from Erin Cooks

Yields 12 muffins in ‘giant’ size wrappers or 24 muffins in ‘medium’ size wrappers

2 eggs
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, sugar) in a bowl.

Beat together eggs, pumpkin puree, and oil using a stand mixer. Add dry ingredients and mix until combined.

Add walnuts if desired and mix. Mixing by hand will ensure even distribution of walnuts.

Spoon batter into lined muffin tin to about 2/3 full. Bake muffins in preheated oven for 18-22 minutes (12-16 minutes if making smaller muffins). Muffins should be browned on top and a toothpick inserted into the middle should come out clean.

Enjoy! Let me know what you think if you make them.

(Just making these muffins makes me excited for fall… my favourite season. What’s your favourite season?)

Insta-Friday

I have been a terrible blogger lately, friends. I hope to be back soon. In the meantime, some quick instagram shots. Follow me on instagram @kyliem_w for more.

Have a great weekend!

Out and About

I’m desperately trying to write exams and move all at the same time. I’ll be back to regular posts next week, but in the meantime, here are some photos taken while wandering and enjoying the lovely weather with C.

I hope you are all having warm weather too. I’ll be back soon!

Knitting and Crochet Blog Week 2013: Day 1!

I’ve been waffling back and forth about whether I could do KCBW this year, especially because I’m writing finals right now. I’ve decided to just give it a go- you’ll all just have to forgive me if my posts go up a bit late… you can blame Virgil or Napoleon for taking up so much of my time.

I’ve got some pretty exciting things planned for this week, despite my indecision. There might be a free pattern… maybe even tomorrow. And maybe some fun giveaways in there as well. You’ll just have to check back and see!

Today is House Cup day. I had no problem at all choosing my house. As soon as I read the description for the house of Bee, I knew that was the one I belonged in!

The House of Bee: Bees are busy and industrious, but can flit from one interesting project to the next as bright and shiny things capture their interest.

Anyone who knows me will know that I always have multiple projects on the go, and I can be pretty bad about finishing larger projects. I remember was I was kid, I never finished anything. It drove my mom crazy. I still have small bouts of “cast on all the things!” but I have gotten better at finishing at least some of those things (thank goodness).

I thought it might be kind of embarrassing fun to revisit some of my current WIPs, active or otherwise:

(Clockwise from top left):
Miette (January 2013)
Winding Way Socks (April 2013)
Oslo-Anorak (May 2012)
Que Sera (December 2011)
Saartje’s Booties (January 2012)
Colourful Blanket of Craziness (February 2013)
PEI Lace Scarf (September 2011)
Branching Out (October 2009)

That’s everything for day 1… I’ll be posting something extra special for the project day tomorrow, so be sure to check back then!

New to my blog for KCBW? Find out About Me or visit me on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Ravelry! Thanks for stopping by today- please leave me a comment and say hi!

Insta-Friday

A few photos to share this Friday. Follow me on Instagram @kyliem_w for more throughout the week.

Cafeteria at my university… It’s hard to believe I’ll only be eating in here for one more week!

Lots of time at the library this week. Thankfully the view from the fifth floor is pretty great.

Spring tea… yum!

Blurry, but isn’t he the cutest?

Pumpkin muffins… in totally the wrong season. They were delicious, I’ll share more about the recipe in the days to come.

My parents live right beside a conservation area… as much as I love the big city, I’ve definitely missed this and I’m looking forward to a summer here!

Have a great weekend!

Grey days

It has been grey and raining all day today… I actually don’t mind, so long as it’s not more ice and snow! I am still working on my Winding Way socks. Hopefully I will finish the first one tonight- I am about halfway done the foot. These are a pretty quick knit but since I’ve been at home and it’s exam time, my knitting time has been limited. (Rav link)

Although it was rainy today, it was a beautiful day yesterday and we had Sherman’s brothers come over and play- they are getting so big. Here’s some of that cuteness:

Linking up with KCCO, Yarn-Along, and WIP Wednesday as usual. Enjoy your day!

Home

I’m home for the week this week before heading back to write 3 more exams. I’ve been enjoying lots of time with my animals and lots of tea… I won this tea in a giveaway and I might do a more in-depth post about it later. I’ve been loving it so far.

I’ve also been working on my Winding Way Socks test. I turned the heel and I’m working on the foot now. I really like these so far- the lace panel is simple enough to do but it looks so lovely. (Rav link)

I hope you are all having a great weekend!

Winding Way Socks

I’ve been having some knitter’s block lately. I’ve been designing lots of my own stuff but I just haven’t wanted to knit other peoples’ patterns. I knew I was going to want a portable project for my trip home at the end of this week, so I was starting to get a bit worried. I never ever want to be left without a project, especially on a trip… what would I do with myself?! Fortunately, Emily and Alexa of Tin Can Knits, for whom I’ve tested before, are working on their new collection, Handmade in the UK, and had these lovely socks up for testing. I knew exactly what yarn I wanted to use and was so excited to be chosen as a tester since the socks were such a hit.

The pattern hasn’t yet been released but the working name is Winding Way Socks. There is a lace panel on the leg and foot. I’m using Cascade Heritage Paints in the colourway 9825 Isle of Skye. I love these so far… they are perfect. (Rav link).

What are your cures for knitters’ block?

I’ll be linking up with KCCO, Yarn-Along, and WIP Wednesday as usual!

Insta-Friday

Follow me on Instagram @Kyliem_w for more.

Spring is coming… (notice the lack of snow!)

Bright paper flowers to encourage the warmer weather.

I am SO happy that the sun is setting later and later. I was walking home around 7:30 and the sun was just setting. So lovely.

Tuesday afternoon at the museum.

Totem pole staircase at the museum… I actually love the Canada wing, it’s one of my favourites. Apparently it’s not very popular though as it’s always very quiet. Antiquities and biodiversity are usually very busy… interesting.

Aftermath of crafting at craft club today!

I hope you are all having a great week… happy Friday!

Spin

I haven’t been doing a whole lot of knitting lately that isn’t for designs which I haven’t released yet. Instead, when I have some downtime (free time? What is this nonsense?), I have been spinning. I’m a bit out of practice but it’s getting better as I go.

I’ve almost filled my spindle and I realized that I’ve never actually had to take the singles off the spindle before getting through all of my fibre (I’ve got at least 3/4 of this bag left). I guess I’ll just wind it off (onto the ball winder perhaps) until I’m ready to ply. The only plying I’ve ever done is Andean, which is done from 2 ends of the same ball, though, so I guess I’ll have to learn another method!

(Rav Link)

I also received a lovely skein of yarn in the mail the other day… I won the yarn and the Botanical Knits e-book in a recent giveaway Tanis had. The yarn is TFA Yellow Label DK in the new colourway ‘sprout’, and it is so gorgeous. I’ll need to take some more photos of it because this one just doesn’t do it justice.

(Rav link)

I hope you all had a lovely long weekend.

I’ll be linking up with KCCO and Yarn Along as usual.