Faux Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Whole Wheat Muffins

These little puppies were sure tasty and a hit on the 4 hour road trip to DC, my husband took some youth from church on, last weekend. I had some butternut squash I needed to use and since it is basically the same consistency and color as pumpkin, I used it in the place of pumpkin for this muffins. I don't know if there is a person in the world who could tell the difference. I got this yummy recipe from my friend Michelle. She is the Muffin Queen!

Pumpkin (Butternut Squash) Chocolate Chip Muffins
cream together:
2 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter (that is 1/2 a cube)
1/2 cup apple sauce (If you don't want to use applesauce you substitue veg. oil or butter)
add:
2 cup butternut squash or pumpkin of course
4 eggs
mix well.
sift the following together, then add to creamed mixture:
3 1/3 cup whole wheat flour, you can use white if you want, but if you use wheat you can eat them for breakfast. :)
3 t. cinnamon
1 1/2 t. ginger
3/4 t. nutmeg
3/4 t. allspice or ground cloves
2 t. baking soda
1/2t. baking powder
1/2t. salt

stir until well mixed.
if desired, add 1-2 cups chocolate chips.
fill muffin tins (24 muffins)
Bake @ 350 for ~20 minutes

If you do mini-muffins reduce cooking time to 12 minutes.

Applesauce Chocolate Chip Cookies

I hadn't made these cookies since I was a kid and just remebered how much I like them. I couldn't find the good old recipe my mom made, and it was too late to call her, so.....I looked on line and combined a few. This is what I got. They are so tasty!!!

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup shortening

1 egg

1 cup applesauce

2-1/4 cup flour (I used half wheat, half white)

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup milk chocolate chips (or semi-sweet if you prefer)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream sugar and shortening. Add egg, applesauce and vanilla: mix well. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ground cloves, nutmeg and salt. Mix until well combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Drop by the tablespoon onto a lightly greased cookie sheet or a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper. Bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes or until very light brown. These little guys are tasty fresh out of the oven, but I personally like them the next day when they have softened a little. They make a great breakfast. :)