2011 Virtual Advent Tour, Day 10: Festive Food

Happy adventing! This is my first time participating in the Virtual Advent Tour and I'm tickled to be sharing a little holiday cheer with you all.  As I've been reading through others' posts the last several days, I've been at a bit of a loss as to what I'd like to post for my appearance.

A couple of nights ago I experienced a mad urge to bake, and the idea was born! There are a number of Christmas traditions in my family, and seasonal food tends to stand out. Like so many others, I experience an urge to cook and bake more during the holiday season, and I'm always a fan of simple, delicious recipes that won't suck away a ton of time.

I also feel an urge to share food with my friends, family, and co-workers this time of year, so I recently whipped up a batch of Pecan Pie Muffins for co-workers. This is a ridiculously simple recipe that provides a warm, comfy start to the day. Despite the name, they aren't wildly sweet, but they have a great texture and the taste of brown sugar always gets me into a holiday mood. Without further ado...

Pecan Pie Muffins

1 cup of light brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup chopped pecans

2/3 cup butter, softened

2 eggs, beaten

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour 18 mini muffin tins or line with paper muffin liners
2. In a medium bowl, stir together brown sugar, flour and pecans. In a separate bowl beat the butter and eggs together until smooth, stir into the dry ingredients just until combined. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin. Cups should be about 2/3 full
3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on wire racks when done

Note: As much as I love mini-muffins, I find that the texture of these can be a little bit tough when they're that small. I prefer to make a double batch of the batter and cook these in standard muffin tins. 

If you have an opportunity to whip up your own batch of Pecan Pie Muffins, I hope you enjoy them!