Tuesdays with Dorie, Take One

I have seen the tasty results of the blog-stravaganza that is Tuesdays with Dorie all across the internet. A network of bloggers dedicated to expanding their baking repertoires, Tuesdays with Dorie is quite the web phenomenon. Each week one member selects a recipe from Dorie Greenspan's cookbook, Baking: From My Home to Yours. Everyone then conquers said recipe and blogs about it on Tuesday.

The idea of joining has been percolating in my brain for some time, but I just didn't feel I could commit to a new baking project each week. I recently learned, however, that the group is closing its membership at the end of this month. Not wanting to miss out on the opportunity to learn more about baking, chat with some fabulous like-minded individuals, and eat some tasty new treats in the process, I joined up.

And so I present you with the very first Muffin Love contribution to Tuesdays with Dorie: pumpkin muffins! What better way to start off a baking endeavor than with a muffin, and a pumpkin one to boot. Filled with pumpkin puree, walnuts, and golden raisins, the photo of these puppies in Dorie's cookbook was delectable. My favorite characteristic of the muffins was the sprinkling of seeded sunflower seeds over the tops, lending a satisfying crunch.

I did finagle the recipe a little, though. Wanting to use what I had on hand instead of purchasing new ingredients, I worked a few switcheroos. Instead of all-purpose flour I used whole wheat, and I substituted applesauce for the white sugar. Not being a fan of buttermilk, I tried skim, and I used 1/3 cup of 2% cottage cheese and 2 Tablespoons of Earth Balance instead of the stick of butter that Dorie's original recipe calls for.

The muffins turned out a little . . . brown. A lot brown, actually. A friend of mine came over to help bake (thanks, Patty!), and I had just picked up my in-laws' dogs for a quick round of dog-sitting. As a result, I was more than a little distracted by both chaos and conversation. This led to the production of twelve over-done muffins, even though I baked them for the exact time that the recipe dictates. (Those black bulbs on the muffins are not blueberries, they're blackened golden raisins!) I'm still getting used to this apartment's oven, I guess! However, not all was in vain -- despite the slight charring, this muffins were still quite good. Over time, they grew hard, though. I've since frozen the remaining muffins, and they even defrost a little rock-like. Ah, well.

Although these were not the plump pumpkin muffins that I had hoped for, I still had a fun time with my first round of participation in Tuesdays with Dorie. I just read November's recipes, and there are some good ones in there! I'm especially excited for the recipe for November 4. What is it? You'll just have to wait and see!