It’s Tuesday again and we have another recipe that I probably would have never made on my own. I’m not sure if anyone else has this type of issue. I’ve noticed that when it comes to certain ingredients it’s hard for me to think outside the box. Apple = Pie. Raisins = Babka or Oatmeal Cookies. Peanut Butter = Sandwiches or Reese’s Cups. Pumpkin = Pie or Bread. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a fascist when it comes to baking. These equations are instinctive inclinations when I happen to think about certain ingredients. I do bake outside of my instinctual box. I just don’t think muffin immediately when I hear pumpkin. Don’t ask me why. Maybe some psychologist could do a study. Instead of fight or flight, it would be Pumpkin equals Pie or Muffin and what the answer says about humanity. HA!  

As I said, not a first choice recipe for me. But thanks to Dorie, we have another pleasantly surprising experience. One thing I will note, no raisins for me. I guess I misspoke when I said I wasn’t a fascist in the kitchen. When it comes to raisins, I kinda am. Not only do I have raisins in select items only, but…well…I can’t remember when I last had a golden raisin. Decades to be sure. I know, I know, I need to step on the wild side and give them a try again. All right. The next recipe that includes golden raisins I’ll give it a try, I promise.

Another change I made was no sunflower seeds. The reasoning for this is less emotionally charged – I just couldn’t find any. I could only find those black and white, salted behemoths. Actually I have the toughest, excuse me, an impossible time trying to find certain nuts in an unsalted state. First it was pistachios, now sunflower seeds. I’m really surprised by this because tons of people have blood pressure issues, and salt is not their friend. If anyone can point me to a reasonable (meaning cheap) supplier of unsalted nuts, I’d love you forever.

So instead of sunflower seeds I just plopped a pecan half on the top of each. I also sprinkled a bit of coarse sugar on top because in case you haven’t noticed, I like things sweet. They came out quite tasty and I will be definitely making these again. One thing to note if you do decide to make these, you MUST eat one right after they get out of the oven (obviously wait for them to cool a bit so they don’t burn your mouth). Don’t wait a couple of hours, or until the next day. They are fabulous when they are still warm inside. Yum!

A couple I made without the sprinkled sugar