veritas: one woman’s journey

With the turning of the leaves and the chill in the air, autumn has settled in with force. It’s perfect weather for long walks in the woods and baking pumpkin muffins with your loved ones — the smell of nutmeg and cinnamon infusing the house, helping to shape memories that will last a lifetime.

I recently set out to bake nutritious pumpkin muffins that even sweet-loving children will devour. My accomplice was Luke Patterson, an energetic 9 year-old. An eager and excited young cook, he said, “I like baking because it’s cool having to mix ingredients or chop stuff up, add spices, cook it, stir it, and then, once you’re done, you’ve known you made it, and it tastes better than if someone else had made it.”

I had asked Luke to guide me in making one of his favorite muffin recipes, and as he gathered all the ingredients and set them on the long kitchen counter, he explained with authority how to make them.

“First, get your flour, and if you want, you can add some oatmeal. Then put in nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder and mix everything together.”

Walking to the refrigerator, Luke grabbed two eggs, and cracking them with chef-like skill, he turned to me with a proud grin and said, “See? I cracked them with one hand. Bet you didn’t know I could do that!”

He continued explaining the recipe: “In another bowl, stir in two eggs, some honey, and oil. You can use olive or canola oil; it doesn’t really matter. Mix it all together and add to the flour mixture. Then you stir in some pumpkin — canned pumpkin.”

As he had me finish mixing the batter, he greased the muffin tins and then we proceeded to pop the filled muffin tins in the oven.

While we waited for the muffins to bake, Luke said, “And, if you want a little treat, you can make frosting,” so we made peanut butter frosting.

As we worked, side by side, the thirteen years age difference melted away as we spent time together, enjoying each other’s company. Luke was not my little brother during that time but rather my equal partner in the kitchen, even my teacher, and he had the satisfaction of knowing that he had my undivided attention.

We discussed law (he’s an aspiring lawyer), how much I make at my current job (money seems to be on his mind), what his goals and desires are in life, and his favorite computer game, SIMS.

I realized as I listen to him chatter on, and watch the excited look on his face as he frosted his muffins, that it is not the baking of muffins, itself, that was so important to him, but rather, it’s what it symbolized – it was the time that it took and the opportunity it afforded us for building and fostering a relationship.

As Luke put it, “When a window is open, you can smell the fall air, and you’re baking muffins, the two smells combined just smell really good, and plus it is so much fun to bake with my sister; we even took pictures of us baking the muffins and we were able to talk!” and talking, in a day and age when we are so on the go, hurried from one responsibility to the next, is a precious commodity.

- First published in the Michigan Journal, 11-2-04

Pumpkin Muffins

1 C. cooked, mashed pumpkin

½ C. oil

½ C. honey

2 eggs

1 ¼ C. wholewheat flour

½ C. old-fashioned oatmeal

1 t. baking soda

1 t. baking powder

½ t salt

1 t. cinnamon

½ t. nutmeg

1/3 C. water

1. Preheat oven to 350˚.

2. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl.

3. Beat oil and honey together in a separate bowl; add eggs; mix well.

4. Add dry ingredients and water to honey mixture.

5. Mix in pumpkin.

6. Grease muffin pans.

7. Spoon in batter.

8. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

9. Remove from oven with potholders and let cool.

10. If you like, ice with peanut butter frosting.

Peanut Butter Frosting

½ C. smooth peanut butter

3 T. butter, softened

2 T. honey

1 T. milk

Beat butters and honey together in a bowl; add milk gradually if needed. Spread on muffins with a knife.