Pumpkin Spice Scones

by Laura
Last night, I was in a baking mood (not that surprising for me on a Sunday night) and I wanted to try a recipe I'd never made before.  I love making seasonal items and I'd recently received a request from a colleague at work to make scones, so when I found this recipe on recipegirl.com I knew I'd found the perfect treat.

I followed the recipe closely, but I did add a few notes and suggestions. These are compared by recipegirl.com to Starbucks pumpkin scones and I loooove Starbucks, but the perfect texture and authentic spice flavor of these scones are so much tastier than what you get in their bake case.

Pumpkin Spice Scones

Yield: 6 scones (Laura's note: I cut my scones into smaller ones after they cooled and got about 20 petite irregular shaped scones) 

Prep Time: 30 min

Cook Time: 15 min

Ingredients:

SCONES:
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup canned pure (unsweetened) pumpkin
3 tablespoons half and half cream
1 large egg
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into cubes

PLAIN GLAZE:
1/2 cup powdered sugar (sifted)
1 tablespoon milk (any kind; Laura's note: I used half and half)

SPICED ICING:
3/4 cup powdered sugar (sifted)
1 to 2 tablespoons milk (any kind; Laura's note: I used half and half)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg (Laura's note: I shaved fresh nutmeg!)

pinch of ground ginger
pinch of ground cloves

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray or line with parchment paper. (Laura's note: I love using parchment so when given the option, I do!) Give it a light dusting of flour on top of that.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (through ginger).

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin, half and half and egg.

4. Use a pastry cutter or two knives to cut butter into the dry ingredients. Continue cutting until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. (You may also use a food processor for this step. Pulse until the mixture resembles fine crumbs).

5. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients (Laura's note: this will take a bit, but make sure you do it until it's completely combined!), then form the dough into a ball. The dough will be wet, but if it seems super sticky... just go ahead and sprinkle a little more flour into the dough until it's easier to handle. Remember, you want it to be somewhat sticky, and that's okay- but you also don't want it to stick to the baking sheet. 

6.Pat out dough onto the lightly floured baking sheet and form it into a 1-inch thick rectangle that is about 9-inches long and 3-inches wide. 

7.Use a large knife or a pizza cutter (Laura's note: flour your pizza cutter!) to slice the dough twice through the width, making three equal squares. Cut through the three squares diagonally so that you have 6 triangular slices of dough. Gently pull the triangles apart, leaving about 1/2-inch space between each one.

8. Bake 14 to 16 minutes on prepared baking sheet. Scones should begin to turn light brown. (Laura's note: I turned mine in the oven half way through.) 

9. While scones are cooling, prepare plain glaze by whisking ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix until smooth.

10. When scones are cool, use a knife to cut them apart and then pull them apart so that they are ready for glazing. Use a brush to paint a coating of the glaze over the top of each scone. (Laura's note: a spoon will work too) 

11. As the white glaze firms up, prepare spiced icing by whisking the ingredients in another medium bowl until smooth. Drizzle this thicker icing over each scone (or brush it on) and allow the icing to dry before serving.

Source: RecipeGirl.com (Adapted from Top Secret Recipes)

This spicy treat will sure to be a fall time favorite; I know I'm definitely going to be baking this recipe a few times this season and many more to come! 

Pumpkin Pancakes

Remember how I looooovvvveee pancakes?!? Well, as the fall starts rolling in, I start craving pumpkin pancakes. So, I decided to hack my favorite pancake recipe, and create...

Emily's Ultimate Pumpkin Pancakes 
Ingredients

• 2 c. buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1/4 c. canola oil
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt (if you're using sea salt, cut the amount in 1/2)
• 1 1/2 c. flour (no need to level it) 
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/8 of a teaspoon each of nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. 

Directions

1. Heat non-stick griddle to medium-high heat.
2. Mix buttermilk, eggs, oil,  baking soda, sugar, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and salt together.
3. Add flour gradually. Mix until only a little lumpy. (How easy is that?!)*
4. Ladle or pour batter onto griddle to form whatever size pancake you like. 
5. Cook until bubbles break the surface of the pancakes and the underside is golden brown. 
6. FLIP!
7. Cook other side until golden brown. (Time varies on size of pancake.)

Then pour over the perfect syrup!

Buttermilk Syrup

Ingredients

• 1 c. butter
• 1 c. buttermilk
• 2 c. sugar
• 2 tsp. Karo syrup
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. baking soda

Directions

1. Mix butter, buttermilk, sugar, and Karo syrup. Boil 5 minutes, whisking occasionally. 
2. Remove from heat and add vanilla and baking soda. 

Pair that with some crispy bacon and you've got my favorite fall breakfast! 

Fat Tuesday Feast!

by Diane

Today is Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras! It's a time that people all over the world will be celebrating and overindulging with fatty buttery foods before having to give up a lot of it during lent.

How are you going to over-indulge? At our house we plan to celebrate like they do in the British Isles with Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day with friends. If you don't love pancakes, like we do, that's OK there is still a lot of other ways you can go wild!

Take a page out of the Big Easy playbook, with New Orlean-style eats:

• Jambalaya
• Po' Boys
• Gumbo 
• finish up with some Bananas Foster

...or visit one of these places for beignets!

New Orleans
Seattle
New York
San Francisco
Los Angeles
Utah
Washington, DC

So have fun, eat good food, and...Laissez les bons temps rouler!

Happy National Pancake Day...sort of

IHOP has proclaimed today National Pancake Day! The tricky thing about food holidays is that they often have conflicting dates, but since I love to celebrate and love pancakes even more, I am happy to get in on the festivities ANYTIME! Today from 7am until 10pm, you can get a free short stack (3) of pancakes at IHOP.

They are not only promoting their pancakes, but also raising money for charities. In return for free pancakes, they hope you will choose to leave a donation. This year, IHOP hopes to raise $2.3 million for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals and other local charities.

FYI--"Pancake Day," or Shrove Tuesday, is usually celebrated on Fat Tuesday, which is actually next Tuesday, March 8, but we're happy IHOP decided to celebrate the day a week early...cause now we get to celebrate twice!

Happy Groundhog Day!

Today is Groundhog Day, the day we look to Punxsutawney Phil to tell us how long winter will be, at least I do! If you haven't heard, this year Phil didn't see his shadow which means and early spring! For most of you across the U.S. having an crazy snow day, this news is great! So, inspired by the movie Groundhog Day staring Bill Murray as Phil, I will celebrate by eating and talking about coffee shop fares. At one point, in Groundhog Day, Phil realizes there are no consequences to eating whatever he wants, so naturally he gorges on pancakes, pastries, and downs coffee by the carafe. Although I would never want to be stuck living the same scenario day after day, I do think eating my favorite foods in excess would not be a bad way to endure.

So today, join me in cooking up some pancakes and pastries or heading to your local coffeehouse and celebrate an early spring!

Start Your Day (and Year) Off Right!

It's the beginning of a new year and I'm sure many of us are resolving to eat better. Where better to start than with breakfast. There is a great article on how to take Small Steps: Making Time for Breakfast. As for me, in the winter, all I want in the morning is a hot bowl of cereal like maple and brown sugar oatmeal. For others of you, I'm sure a delicious egg sandwich is what you crave. Another great option is granola, which can be served with milk as cereal, mixed into yogurt for a parfait, or just eaten as a snack. What do you like to eat in the morning? Here are some options:

Maple and Brown Sugar Quick Oatmeal
Ingredients

• 1/2 c quick cooking oats
• 1 c water
• 1 tsp maple or pancake syrup
• 1/2 tsp packed brown sugar 
• dash salt

Directions

1. Mix oats, salt and water in a bowl.
2. Microwave for 2 minutes; stir. (varies on microwave strength)
3. Stir and top with syrup and sprinkle with brown sugar

Healthy Breakfast Sandwich
by Ellie Krieger
courtesy of Food Network
serves 4

Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray
4 eggs and 4 egg whites
1/4 cup minced chives
1/4 cup minced parsley
4 whole-wheat English muffins
4 1/2-inch round slices Canadian bacon
1 large beefsteak tomato, sliced into 1/2-inch thick slices

Directions

1. Crack eggs and egg whites into a bowl and whisk. Add chives and parsley and stir to incorporate. Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray. 
2. Ladle 1/4 egg mixture into skillet and cook, omelet style, until eggs are cooked through, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Slide omelet onto a plate and repeat with remaining eggs; cover with foil to keep warm. In same skillet, heat Canadian bacon until warm, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. 
3. Toast English muffin. Fold omelet in to fit English muffin, then place omelet on 1 muffin half. Top with a bacon slice, then tomato, then top with other muffin half.

Quick Omega-3 Granola 

Recipe by Jeanne Thiel Kelley

Photograph by Kana Okada

February 2009

 

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons walnut oil, divided
• 3/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon (scant) coarse kosher salt
• 3 cups organic old-fashioned oats
• 1 cup walnut halves, broken in half
• 1/2 cup flaxseed meal
• 1 cup pitted dates, coarsely chopped or torn into pieces
• 1/4 cup honey

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush heavy large rimmed baking sheet with 2 tablespoons oil. Whisk 2 tablespoons oil, sugar, egg whites, and salt in large bowl. Add oats, walnuts, and flaxseed; toss well.
2. Spread mixture evenly on prepared sheet. Bake 15 minutes. Using metal spatula, stir granola. Bake 15 minutes longer. Stir again. Sprinkle dates over; drizzle with honey. 
3. Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes longer. Stir to loosen. Transfer to clean baking sheet to cool completely. 

**DO AHEAD Can be made 1 week ahead. Keep chilled in airtight container.

New Year's Day Brunch 2011

It's the first morning of the new year...what will you make? Some of you will use it as the first meal of a healthier eating regime, some will be looking for a hangover cure, and everyone wants something delicious! If you're looking for something festive try these Cranberry-Orange Scones or Gingerbread Waffles. Don't forget to serve great beverages too!

Lighter Fares


Brunch Parfait
courtesy of Cooking Light magazine
serves 4

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup apricot preserves
• 3 cups sliced strawberries
• 2 cups low-fat vanilla yogurt
• 1/2 cup low-fat granola without raisins (such as Kellogg's)
• 2 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted

Preparation

1. Place apricot preserves in a medium microwave-safe bowl, and microwave at high for 10 to 15 seconds or until preserves melt. Add strawberries, and toss gently to coat.
2. Spoon 1/4 cup yogurt into each of 4 parfait glasses; top each serving with 1/3 cup strawberry mixture. Repeat the layers with the remaining yogurt and strawberry mixture. 
3. Top each serving with 2 tablespoons granola and 1 1/2 teaspoons almonds. Serve immediately

Caramelized Onion, Mushroom, Gruyere Quiche with Granola Crust
Ellie Krieger via Food Network

Ingredients
For the crust:

• Cooking spray
• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 3 tablespoons cold, lowfat buttermilk

For the filling:

• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, sliced thinly into half moons
• 8 ounces sliced mixed mushrooms, such as cremini, oyster, shiitake
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dry)
• 3 large eggs
• 3 egg whites
• 1 cup evaporated fat-free milk (not condensed milk)
• 2/3 cup grated Gruyere cheese (about 1-ounce)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch pie dish with cooking spray.
2. To prepare the crust, put the oats, flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse 3 times to combine. Add the butter and pulse about 12 times, until you get a pebbly course texture. Add the buttermilk and pulse 3 to 5 times more to combine.
3. Form the mixture into a ball and place it between 2 large pieces of waxed paper. Roll out into a circle about 10 inches in diameter.
4. Remove the top sheet of waxed paper. Transfer the crust, still on the other piece of waxed paper to the pie dish, then remove the waxed paper from the top. Press the crust gently into the dish. Bake for 9 minutes, then let cool.
5. To prepare the filling, heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a large nonstick pan over a medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and caramelized, about 20 minutes. Transfer the onions to a bowl. 
6. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil to the pan and heat over a medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they have released their water and begin to brown, about 6 minutes. Add the onions back to the pan, stir in the salt, pepper, mustard and thyme.
7. In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, egg whites and evaporated milk.
8. Sprinkle the cheese into the pie crust. Top with the mushroom-onion mixture and pour the egg mixture on top. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Bake for 35 minutes or until knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting into 6 wedges and serving.

Hangover Help (check out Emily's Pancakes!)



Chorizo and Scrambled Egg Tacos

Ingredients

• 4 corn tortillas
• 1 cup grated extra-sharp white cheddar cheese
• 4 large eggs
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided
• 7 ounces fresh chorizo sausage, casing removed if necessary
• 4 green onions, sliced
• Sour cream (optional)
• Hot sauce or salsa (optional)

Directions

1. Brush large nonstick skillet with olive or vegetable oil. Char tortillas over gas flame or directly on electric burner until blackened in spots, turning with tongs. Arrange tortillas in single layer in skillet. Sprinkle each tortilla with 1/4 cup grated cheese and set aside.
2. Whisk eggs and 2 tablespoons cilantro in medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté chorizo sausage in heavy medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through, breaking up with back of spoon, about 5 minutes. Add green onions and sauté 2 minutes. Add egg mixture and stir until very softly set, about 1 minute. Remove egg mixture from heat.
3. Cook tortillas in skillet over high heat until beginning to crisp on bottom, but still soft and pliable, about 1 minute. Divide egg mixture among tortillas and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro. Fold each tortilla in half. Serve with sour cream and hot sauce, if desired.

Buttermilk Spice Muffins

Muffin Batter:

• 3 Eggs
• 1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
• 2-1/2 Cups Flour
• 2 Tsp Baking Soda
• 1 Tsp Nutmeg
• 1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
• 3/4 Cup + 1 Tbs Buttermilk
• Additional butter or margarine for greasing the baking tins

Nut Topping:

• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1/2 Cup sugar
• 1/2 Cup Butter or Margarine
• 1 Cup Walnuts, Chopped
• 1/2 Tsp Nutmeg

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375° in a mixing bowl, cream the sugar and the butter together with an electric mixer. When they are thoroughly mixed, add eggs and beat one more minute.
2. Sift the flour into a separate bowl, together with the baking soda, nutmeg and the cinnamon.
3. Add the flour and the buttermilk to the first mixture, mix at low speed until smooth. To avoid lumps in the batter, add the wet and dry ingredients alternately, in small amounts.
4. Make the nut topping: Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. The nuts should be finely chopped.
5. Grease muffin tins with additional butter or margarine. You can also use paper baking cups. Fill each cup 3/4 full of batter. Add a full rounded tablespoon of nut topping on top of the batter in each cup. Bake immediately or the topping will sink to the bottom of the muffin.
6. Bake at 375° for about 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. A toothpick inserted in the middle of the muffin should come out dry. Home ovens heat differently from commercial ovens, you may need to adjust the temperature or the baking time accordingly.
7. Recipe yields 12 standard-size muffins, or six large size muffins. If using the jumbo muffin pans, reduce the oven temperature by 25° and increase the baking time 5-10 minutes.

Drinks

Sunrise Morning Cocktail (non-alcoholic)
(recipe adapted from Taste of Home’s Holiday & Celebrations Cookbook, 2002)
serves 4


Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons grenadine
• 4 cups orange juice
• crushed ice

Directions

1. Add ice to 4 glasses. Pour 1 tablespoon grenadine syrup over ice in each glass. 
2. Slowly add 1 cup orange juice. Stir only if desired (drinks in this photo were not stirred). 

Virgin Mimosas
(sorry for the weird measurements...I put it into a servings calculator)

Ingredients

• 12 ounces orange juice
• 3/8 containers frozen lemonade concentrate, large
• 3/8 litre ginger ale
• 1/4 orange, thinly sliced
• 1/4 lemon, thinly sliced

Directions

1. Best when all ingredients are cold before mixing. Place an ice ring or ice cubes in punch bowl to keep mimosa cold.
2. Combine all the ingredients in punch bowl. Add slices of orange and lemon to punch bowl as a garnish.

Best wishes for the New Year!!!

Happy Christmas!

Our home is filled with the scent of delicious buttery Williams-Sonoma pastries from our dear friend Jessie Pinkrah! With a little hot cocoa (and a soy chai for Laura), we are having a beautiful Christmas morning! 

BEFORE

AFTER

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!

Christmas Morning!

After all the presents are opened and the stockings emptied, you better believe the next thing everyone will want is food! You know Diane and I love breakfast, so we plan on doing Christmas morning right and help you do the same! The thing to remember on Christmas morning is the less work, the better, so you don't miss out on all the fun and festivities.

I love recipes you can do the night before or something you can just throw together using just one bowl. Below are a few of my go-to meals for an enjoyable and filling Christmas breakfast or brunch:

• Fresh Fruit- It's always a crowd pleaser, add beautiful color, and doesn't require very much work. Don't forget the clementines!
• Bacon- I throw my bacon into the oven at the highest temp possible and it is done in 15-20 minutes. Pull it out when it is almost reached your desired doneness, because it will finish cooking out of the the oven. For a yummy twist sprinkle a bit of brown sugar before going into the oven for sweeter bacon, or crack some peppercorns over it for a spicy bacon!
• Pancakes- We love these! They don't take special ingredients or multiple bowls. It's just one bowl, and one griddle or pan!
• French Toast Casserole- Make this the night before (a.k.a. tonight!) and pop it in the oven when you wake up, everyone will be satisfied and it's great way to tackle a crowd.
• Breakfast Burritos- I love when I get to choose what I want to eat! Here's what I love to put on the line!
• Brown up uncooked refrigerator tortillas in a bit of butter.
• Oven cook bacon and pan fry sausage or whatever you have! 
• Hash browns, red potatoes, home fries, frozen for fresh, it all tastes good! (it's fun to sub french fries too!)
• Add cheddar, pepper jack, American, whatever cheese you like!
• Finish with avocados, fresh salsas, sour cream, hot sauce, whatever your group likes put it out there!

If you don't feel like making anything and you just want to pop something pre-made in the oven don't be afraid to make a last minute run to the grocery store or specialty store! I love this easy Monkey Bread recipe!

For those of you who want to get out of the house, check your local higher end hotels for a brunch or breakfast spread!


Whether you make ahead, like this Festive Holiday menu, or just pick up an assortment of pre-made items, I wish you a Merry Christmas...breakfast!

FYI: Costco (open today until 6 p.m.)- They have so many freshly made items that you can spruce up for a special day! I particularly love their family size quiche and fresh daily croissants.