Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins with Streusel Topping

Good morning! How is your week going? Mine started out crazy.  I was out for a leisurely stroll with my mom and ended up saving her life. To make a long story short while we were out walking my mom slipped on the ice and when she gasped in surprise the cough drop she had in her mouth became lodged in her throat. At first she was coughing, then gasping for air, so instinctively I grabbed her from behind and after a few thrusts the cough drop flew out and she could breath again.

I won’t lie to you, I was scared to death for her and for me. I have never done the Heimlich maneuver and all I could think was “what if it doesn’t work.” God however had other plans and it did work. My mom is OK, she has some bruised ribs and said her throat still hurts but considering the alternative all is well.

I might have mentioned in the past but baking is how I relieve stress so after we made it home I whipped up a batch of these pumpkin muffins to settle my nerves. 

For many pumpkin season has past but in my house pumpkin season runs from late August until the first signs of spring. After all what could be more soothing to the nerves than the scent of a favorite treat wafting from the oven?

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins with Streusel Topping

Servings 12-16

Ingredients

21/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup of sugar

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ginger

pinch of allspice

pinch of cloves

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1/2 cup of buttermilk

1/4 cup of vegetable oil

1 tsp. vanilla

11/2 cup 60% chocolate chips

Topping:

1/4 cup butter

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Line muffin tins with paper liners or cooking spray.

Topping: Combine flour, brown sugar and butter, cut with pastry blender, or fingers until crumbly. Set aside. 

In a large bowl mix flour, sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, cloves, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl mix the eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix until just combined. Add chocolate chips. Then sprinkle topping on muffins. Bake until puffed and golden between 25-35 minutes. Let cool  in pan a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool to desired temperature. 

Just out of curiosity, have you ever had to do the Heimlich on anyone? If so were you nervous or was it instinctive? 

Ironically, my mom and I watched an instructive program over the weekend that featured a choking girl and  precise instructions about doing the Heimlich maneuver. 

I hope you have a great day! 

I know I will because my mom is safe and sound. Love you mom.