Old Friend, New Recipe

A few months ago, I reconnected with an old friend, Traci.  No, we didn't laugh as we discovered that we lived just two blocks away from each other.  Nor did we run into each other in a crowded airport, she clued in by my distinctly obnoxious laugh, which, sad to say, has happened more times than I care to admit.  Nope, after years of google searches, I found her on Facebook.  Now, I know what you're going to say:  Facebook is a big time-suck.  Because it is.  I waste far too much of my morning coffee or tea generating my stripper name, ghetto nickname and Star Wars Character name and reading and commenting on the status updates of friends and family members.  But I will say this:  Facebook has been a great way to keep in touch with folks, and even if my bathrooms are never clean again, if Traci was the only person I every found there, I would be a fan for life based on just that.  Traci and I have known each other since kindergarten.  Though our paths and choices were divergent at times, Traci always just rolled with our friendship, never expecting me to be anything other than who I am, and her friendship has always been unconditional, even when I probably didn't deserve it.  I was thrilled to reconnect with her after so many years; it's been nice to catch up and share our joys and sorrows of the last 20 years.  With some friends, there's just a trust that the friendship has endured and that's just the way it is, which brings me to this week's recipe and blog post:  When a few weeks ago we experienced our first Fall weather, I updated my Facebook status to say that I was craving "something pumpkin-y", I was quickly rewarded:  Several of my awesome friends posted suggestion for what I could make.  Traci, however, sent me a message with her Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffin recipe.
Now, for those who know me well, you know that I don't take recipes from just anyone:  I like to know you can cook!  So, for me to read over the recipe and decide, with Teacher Appreciation Week upon us, that I'd make these muffins this weekend, this was a big leap of faith.  However, I trusted Traci to share something amazing, and you know I would only make the most delicious yummies for our awesome teachers!
I am going to admit that perhaps trust in Traci's friendship wasn't the only reason for my decision, especially given the status of canned pumpkin in my pantry:

So, while the girls lovingly made Thank-You cards for their teachers,

I made Traci's muffins.  And, boy-oh-boy, are they delicious, even when cutting the recipe in half, which isn't easy with baking.  As reported by my official Katy's Kitchen Tasters, these muffins are "sooooo gooooood, Mom!"

So, how cool to know that a new recipe from a very dear, very old friend will soon become a new family favorite, and, consequently, an OLD family favorite?    Which brings me back to the reason for this entire blog...


Traci’s Chocolate Chip Muffins
2 cups oil
2 cups brown sugar
2 cups sugar
8 beaten eggs
1-1/2 Tbsp baking soda dissolved in 2/3 cup warm water
4 cups pumpkin
7 cups Flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
1-1/2 tsp ginger
2 tsp nutmeg
4 tsp cinnamon
Beat oil, brown sugar and sugar together.
Add eggs and dissolved baking soda and beat together.
Add pumpkin and beat together.
Add four, baking powder, salt, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon and mix well.
Add 1 cup warm water and 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips and blend well.
Bake at 350 for 15 to 20 minutes.
Makes about  6-1/2 dozen super-double-extra delicious muffins.


To cut the recipe in half use the following measurements:
1 cup oil
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
4 eggs
4-1/2 tsp baking soda
5 tbsp plus 1 tsp warm water
2 cup pumpkin
3-1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp ginger
1 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup warm water
1-1/2 cups chocolate chips