Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Maple Pumpkin Scones


Usually when I make a dessert I immediately pack up half and send them down to our favorite neighbors.  That didn't happen this time! We bashed on all of these scones!
 
 
The entire scone was the perfect pumpkin flavor and it was very moist.  The maple glaze was a great finish but I totally could've eaten the scones without it.

Maple Pumpkin Scones

What you need:

For the Scones:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground  nutmeg (used pumpkin pie spice)
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
3 tablespoons half-and-half
1 large egg

For the Powdered Sugar Glaze:
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon maple extract

For the Spiced Glaze:
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg (used pumpkin pie spice)
1 pinch ground ginger
1 pinch ground cloves

What to do:
 Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
  • In the bowl stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger.
  • Add the butter and toss with a fork to coat with the flour mixture. Mix on medium-low speed until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal, with the butter pieces no larger than small peas.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, half-and-half and egg. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients, and form the dough into a ball. Pat out dough onto a lightly floured surface and form into a 1-inch thick rectangle about 4 inches by 12 inches.
  • Use a large knife to slice the dough making three equal portions. Cut each of the portions in an X pattern (four pieces) so you end up with 12 triangular slices of dough.
  • Place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until light brown. Place on wire rack to cool.
  • While the scones are cooling, make the powdered sugar glaze by mixing the powdered sugar, milk and extract together until smooth. When scones are cool, use a pastry brush to spread plain glaze over the top of each scone. Allow to firm.
  • While the powdered sugar glaze is firming, combine all of the ingredients for the spiced glaze. Drizzle over each scone and allow the icing to dry before serving (about an hour).


 

Monday, October 17, 2011

Easy Pumpkin Bread

I have been a little pressed for time lately but I don't want to neglect the masses (eyeroll...lol).

If I had a quick, go to dessert or quick bread, this would be it. Always moist, always easy, always delicious.



Easy Pumpkin Bread
Adapted from http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/pumpkin_bread/




What you need:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 15 oz can of pumpkin purée
1 cup olive oil (or canola, vegetable)
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice (or pumpkin pie spice)


What to do:

Preheat oven to 350°F

In a large bowl sift together the flour, salt, sugar, and baking soda

In a meduim bowl mix the pumpkin, oil, eggs, water, and spices together

Combine with the dry ingredients

Pour evenly into two prepared loaf pan

Bake 50-60 minutes until a cake tester poked in the center of the bread comes out clean


Cook.Eat.Repeat.
Originally posted February 17, 2011

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Mini Bacon Meatballs

I love when I can look at food and see the ingredients used to prepare them, bits of real garlic, fresh parsley, flecks of coarse ground pepper...love that.

I know this is going to shatter all that us true and holy but these little balls of meat didn't even need the bacon...I know that is straight blasphemy! I mean I put it in there but the flavor was such that you could have done with out them and been good! So don't skip the recipe just because you don't have bacon.



Mini Bacon Meatballs
http://www.cuisinerecipes.com/2011/04/14/mini-bacon-meatballs/


What you need:
2 strips bacon, diced
1⁄4 cup diced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1⁄2 lb. ground beef sirloin
1⁄4 cup dry bread crumbs
2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
1⁄2 tsp. paprika
1⁄2 tsp. kosher salt
1⁄2 tsp. black pepper
1 egg, beaten


What to do:
Preheat oven to 400°. Coat a pan with nonstick spray.
Sauté bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until starting to crisp, about 4 minutes. Remove and set aside on a paper-towel-lined plate. Pour off all but 1 Tbsp. drippings from skillet.
Sauté onion in same skillet in reserved drippings over medium heat until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic to skillet and cook, 1 minute.
In a large bowl combine beef, bacon, onion mixture, bread crumbs, parsley, paprika, salt, and pepper . Stir in beaten egg.
Form mixture into 1-inch meatballs and place on prepared pan.
Bake meatballs until fully cooked, about 10 minutes.


Monday, October 10, 2011

Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes

It is pumpkin season!! I've decided to up my pumpkin game and try some new recipes.  This is the first, pumpkin pancakes. Made these for the committee (Babe and her dad) Saturday. The consensus is that they were "not pumpkinny" enough but they were tasty. I have to agree! NExt time I made a touch of maple extract to the batter to amp the flavor up a bit.


Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes
Adapted from http://sweetpeaskitchen.com/2010/10/03/pumpkin-pancakes/


What you need:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
pinch of ground cloves
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup milk
6 tablespoons canned pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 egg

What to do:
Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ground ginger, salt, nutmeg, a pinch of ground cloves and walnuts.
In a separate bowl, stir together milk, pumpkin puree, melted butter, and egg; fold mixture into dry ingredients.
Melt some butter in a skillet over medium heat; pour in 1/4 cup batter for each pancake.

Cook pancakes about 3 minutes per side; serve warm




Saturday, October 8, 2011

Gifts - Week 2

B was so excited about that Fly ring! LOL
Her accessories cost under $5 for a ring, earrings and two bracelets
E stans for George Foreman grills. He wore our last one OUT!

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Gifts - Week 1


This year I am beginning a new tradition with my daughters and E. I mean I celebrate my birth all month long so I thought wouldn’t it be fun if I did something similar for my peeps. They happily go along with anything I want to do for my “Birthmas” so why not spread love right?


I made cute little tags in Word, printed them then laminated them. I made a different one for each gift.

Anyone that has been reading me for any length of time knows that my kid usually accessorizes her pajamas…um, yeah I am soooo not kidding. It is not uncommon for one of us to go into her bedroom to give her a kiss and she has an arm full of bangles or a pair of her colored ‘pearls’ around her neck. She ALWAYS has on a pair of earrings.


So her gift this week is a new pair of pajamas. She will get some fresh accessories next week. It wouldn’t surprise me if she wore ALL of them to bed at once. LOL


Let me tell ya’ll a thing about E, he HATES shopping, HATES it. This joker will wear his t-shirts and socks until they are literally falling apart and will look at me like I am crazy when I tell him it is time to replace them. This is fools talk because replacing them would require him actually going into a store! LOLOL…so E gets a box full of fresh, white undershirts and socks. One of the really cool things about E is that he will appreciate this little gesture as if I have given him gold!


The gifts get bigger as the month progresses. Neither knows what the other is getting except for the usual dinner of your choice on your actual day. I love good surprises…these folks in my house are spoilT (the T is for emphasis!) LOLOL


What special things do you do for your birthday celebration?