How to Lasso a pumpkin

The lead story on the evening news was" No canned pumpkin on store shelves in Knoxville". So this is where I left you yesterday ........Looking For Pumpkins,real ones.

We conquered and divided, that girlfriend Ruth and I. She was going out to the green grocers and pumpkin farms to see what she could find. While I left her heading towards a pumpkin farm for the tractor ride of her life, I headed towards our local grocery store.

Now when one is on such a mission you have to have a plan. I casually got a large shopping cart to reinforce my positive thinking. I headed straight for the pumpkin and Thanksgiving display. There wasn't any pumpkin. So much so that they took the display down. I, on the other hand was sensing pumpkin. So I asked myself,"Self,if you were a pumpkin where would you be?" The answer came with the soft voice in my head,"pie filling shelf." So I rolled over in that direction. 

There they were, every pie filling known to man and an empty bottom shelf which said pumpkin.

 

 

Desperate times require desperate measures. What happened next is only heard of in the annals of Thanksgiving desperation. I got face down on the floor, snapped by head to the left, in the direction of the cans on the shelf, and there they were  4 cans of pumpkin. With a quick left hook I snagged all 4 of them. Yea!!!! I hollered.

After my purchase I made a quick call to Ruth to get her off the tractor and cut short her visit to the pumpkin farm.

Last evening I preceded to make many little pumpkin muffins for the Mission Smile fund raiser tonight. It's a local children's charity started by two of my favorite high school students Nell and Cody. Since many of you won't be able to be there tonight, I'm leaving you with the recipe so you make yourself some of these lovable little bites.

And that friends is how you lasso some pumpkin. Next year I will be growing my own and canning them. Live n' learn, live n' learn.

Pumpkin Muffins

3 1/3 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
3 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground ginger

Mix dry ingredients and add:

1 c. oil
4 eggs
2/3 c. water
2 c. pumpkin

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

Prepare muffin tins by greasing with vegetable oil or butter and sprinkling lightly with flour. Shake out excess.

Fill muffin tins three-quarters full and bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.